Tastes

This rum (or actually mix of rums) does not taste refined. It is rough on the tongue, bitter, dry, and leaves your tong burning. Although the taste is quite bland and similar to a Havana Club, you can taste that it has aged in quality barrels. And when it comes to the taste of molasses, well... A rum does not have to be sweet, but one barely notices the caramel undertones in this one. For a rum that's supposed to be from a Grand Reserve and aged 15 years (not likely) this is a rough and dry liquid that's anything but soft on the tongue like you would expect with the better distilled spirits. It is one and a half times the price of a Havana Club but barely manages to escape the category of bottom dollar rums.

Of course I paid too much for this rum, but I was on holiday in Malmö, Sweden where stuff is expensive. The rum was harsh and bitter. I do not think the bottle was old, as only the top of the bottle had been emptied. The positive notes (literally) were the oak flavors and tones of spices that I could taste through the quality of the barrels. But there are definitely no hints of vanilla or honey. And the sugar cane that is used for this, is probably not much better than the cheaper Havana Club. It tastes quite bitter when it goes down. In short, this is a moderate quality rum with a unique flavor of oak barrels and cheap sugar cane. It does not taste bad, but neither is it refined.

The basis of this rum is excellent, with notes of honey and the taste of sugar cane. It is an overall smooth liquid that *should* feel soft on the tongue, but the Siling Labuyo (Filipino green pepper) is too much. It makes this otherwise smooth rum bitter. They call it "a beautiful combination of sweetness amd acidity" but the peppers give it a bitterness that is not in the right place. Why make it taste like other acidic cheap rums? The only thing that reminds us of the premium quality is the honey and the sweetness of sugar cane. The latter taste disappears and becomes something not quite sweet and not quite bitter.