When the words “budget,” “cheap,” or even “inexpensive” are used to describe spirits, our minds quickly envision plastic handles of bottom-shelf, low-quality, hangover-inducing liquor. It’s a fair stigma — but not always the case. In fact, there are exceptions to this stereotype across the board. Especially in the world of rum. Though the popularity of booze culture and mixology has increased in recent years (and spiked like crazy in quarantine), the rum marketplace is still full of superb value buys. You don’t even need to use the terms “budget” or “cheap.” The fact is, there are myriad bottles of low-cost, high-quality rum to be found. To highlight rums that are worth every penny, we turned to some of our favorite bartenders. The slow sippers they named will turn your apartment into a tiki lounge in a hurry and make it feel like you’re maximizing your summer, even in a pandemic.