Tastes

Gold Rum Tasting - Quatro, mostly Spanish-style Havana Club Anejo (USA) Don Q Gold Bacardi Gold Koloa Kauai Gold Havana Club Disclaimer: bottle open for a while, still ~2/3 full A - Medium gold hue, like German bier N - Fairly strong ethanol, hints of caramel and… crème brûlée? P/F - Hollow impression of Carmel and vanilla, like from a dried out old rum cork, but somewhat light; slight earthy bitterness like young oak; subtle sweetness but still not really fruity, ethanol is restrained, bitterness builds on the palate Follow-up - Smells like sophisticated carmel candy, tastes like toffee bar after returning. Verdict - possibly doesn’t belong in this category, but surprised with better-developed “usual suspects” type flavors, and stood out in terms of color to the last sip. Might remain more noticeable in a mixed drink than others. Don Q Disclaimer - nearly a bottle kill, and mostly empty for quite a while, months probably A - Pale straw, like a dry white wine N - Light ethanol, toffee and some fruit, papaya maybe? P/F - Light but inoffensive, barely a burn, caramel; burnt sugar, some burn, some wood tannin; brown bread, subtle vanilla, no fruit really Follow-up - Smells like a fruit bowl, tastes like agave nectar after returning. Verdict - lovely fruitiness compared with the others, almost shockingly so. Likely a more harmonious mixer, and pleasant enough to sip on its own. Inviting nose and rewarding palate. Bacardi Disclaimer: Freshly-cracked small 2 dcl bottle, but sat on dram store shelf who knows how long… A - Medium light gold, like domestic beer N - Cleaning products as first, but then ethanol, steeped black tea? Then finally some sweetness, like vanilla latte syrup P/F - Smooth entry with some light vanilla carmel; more subtly sweetness with almost-bitter woody pine-wood lingering; vaguely sweet, somewhat ethanol, light bitterness Follow-up - Smells like sawdust, tastes like dregs of watered-down vanilla iced latte after returning. Verdict - bad nose with smooth taste, oddly enough, although a less-enticing flavor palate than others in the category, can see why this might be a friendly go-to for mixing, if one sought a less filtered experience than the ubiquitous BCB. Koloa Kauai Disclaimer: from a sample bottle bought at the distillery store, and not opened right away upon returning home. A - Light gold, like oaked Chardonnay N - At first, savory, almost bready, like a fresh baked homemade loaf, then oddly sweet, like cleaning products, and almost a cucumber vegetal note, odd. P - Light flavor, some burn, some lingering wood; not fruity, somewhat earthy, barely sweet; faint but round flavor of some nutty dessert Follow-up - Smells like hay, tastes like buttered pancakes with a hint of dried maple syrup upon returning. — So this probabbly doesn’t fit well in the category, but what else to compare this with? Verdict - the different process shows in the product, with unusual notes making their way across the nose and palate. Curious to try a small daiquiri, but makes me think more of a cane juice spirit than molasses from the unusual and unexpected notes.

Gold Rum Tasting - Quatro, mostly Spanish-style Havana Club Anejo (USA) Don Q Gold Bacardi Gold Koloa Kauai Gold Havana Club Disclaimer: bottle open for a while, still ~2/3 full A - Medium gold hue, like German bier N - Fairly strong ethanol, hints of caramel and… crème brûlée? P/F - Hollow impression of Carmel and vanilla, like from a dried out old rum cork, but somewhat light; slight earthy bitterness like young oak; subtle sweetness but still not really fruity, ethanol is restrained, bitterness builds on the palate Follow-up - Smells like sophisticated carmel candy, tastes like toffee bar after returning. Verdict - possibly doesn’t belong in this category, but surprised with better-developed “usual suspects” type flavors, and stood out in terms of color to the last sip. Might remain more noticeable in a mixed drink than others. Don Q Disclaimer - nearly a bottle kill, and mostly empty for quite a while, months probably A - Pale straw, like a dry white wine N - Light ethanol, toffee and some fruit, papaya maybe? P/F - Light but inoffensive, barely a burn, caramel; burnt sugar, some burn, some wood tannin; brown bread, subtle vanilla, no fruit really Follow-up - Smells like a fruit bowl, tastes like agave nectar after returning. Verdict - lovely fruitiness compared with the others, almost shockingly so. Likely a more harmonious mixer, and pleasant enough to sip on its own. Inviting nose and rewarding palate. Bacardi Disclaimer: Freshly-cracked small 2 dcl bottle, but sat on dram store shelf who knows how long… A - Medium light gold, like domestic beer N - Cleaning products as first, but then ethanol, steeped black tea? Then finally some sweetness, like vanilla latte syrup P/F - Smooth entry with some light vanilla carmel; more subtly sweetness with almost-bitter woody pine-wood lingering; vaguely sweet, somewhat ethanol, light bitterness Follow-up - Smells like sawdust, tastes like dregs of watered-down vanilla iced latte after returning. Verdict - bad nose with smooth taste, oddly enough, although a less-enticing flavor palate than others in the category, can see why this might be a friendly go-to for mixing, if one sought a less filtered experience than the ubiquitous BCB. Koloa Kauai Disclaimer: from a sample bottle bought at the distillery store, and not opened right away upon returning home. A - Light gold, like oaked Chardonnay N - At first, savory, almost bready, like a fresh baked homemade loaf, then oddly sweet, like cleaning products, and almost a cucumber vegetal note, odd. P - Light flavor, some burn, some lingering wood; not fruity, somewhat earthy, barely sweet; faint but round flavor of some nutty dessert Follow-up - Smells like hay, tastes like buttered pancakes with a hint of dried maple syrup upon returning. — So this probabbly doesn’t fit well in the category, but what else to compare this with? Verdict - the different process shows in the product, with unusual notes making their way across the nose and palate. Curious to try a small daiquiri, but makes me think more of a cane juice spirit than molasses from the unusual and unexpected notes.

Gold Rum Tasting - Quatro, mostly Spanish-style Havana Club Anejo (USA) Don Q Gold Bacardi Gold Koloa Kauai Gold Havana Club Disclaimer: bottle open for a while, still ~2/3 full A - Medium gold hue, like German bier N - Fairly strong ethanol, hints of caramel and… crème brûlée? P/F - Hollow impression of Carmel and vanilla, like from a dried out old rum cork, but somewhat light; slight earthy bitterness like young oak; subtle sweetness but still not really fruity, ethanol is restrained, bitterness builds on the palate Follow-up - Smells like sophisticated carmel candy, tastes like toffee bar after returning. Verdict - possibly doesn’t belong in this category, but surprised with better-developed “usual suspects” type flavors, and stood out in terms of color to the last sip. Might remain more noticeable in a mixed drink than others. Don Q Disclaimer - nearly a bottle kill, and mostly empty for quite a while, months probably A - Pale straw, like a dry white wine N - Light ethanol, toffee and some fruit, papaya maybe? P/F - Light but inoffensive, barely a burn, caramel; burnt sugar, some burn, some wood tannin; brown bread, subtle vanilla, no fruit really Follow-up - Smells like a fruit bowl, tastes like agave nectar after returning. Verdict - lovely fruitiness compared with the others, almost shockingly so. Likely a more harmonious mixer, and pleasant enough to sip on its own. Inviting nose and rewarding palate. Bacardi Disclaimer: Freshly-cracked small 2 dcl bottle, but sat on dram store shelf who knows how long… A - Medium light gold, like domestic beer N - Cleaning products as first, but then ethanol, steeped black tea? Then finally some sweetness, like vanilla latte syrup P/F - Smooth entry with some light vanilla carmel; more subtly sweetness with almost-bitter woody pine-wood lingering; vaguely sweet, somewhat ethanol, light bitterness Follow-up - Smells like sawdust, tastes like dregs of watered-down vanilla iced latte after returning. Verdict - bad nose with smooth taste, oddly enough, although a less-enticing flavor palate than others in the category, can see why this might be a friendly go-to for mixing, if one sought a less filtered experience than the ubiquitous BCB. Koloa Kauai Disclaimer: from a sample bottle bought at the distillery store, and not opened right away upon returning home. A - Light gold, like oaked Chardonnay N - At first, savory, almost bready, like a fresh baked homemade loaf, then oddly sweet, like cleaning products, and almost a cucumber vegetal note, odd. P - Light flavor, some burn, some lingering wood; not fruity, somewhat earthy, barely sweet; faint but round flavor of some nutty dessert Follow-up - Smells like hay, tastes like buttered pancakes with a hint of dried maple syrup upon returning. — So this probabbly doesn’t fit well in the category, but what else to compare this with? Verdict - the different process shows in the product, with unusual notes making their way across the nose and palate. Curious to try a small daiquiri, but makes me think more of a cane juice spirit than molasses from the unusual and unexpected notes.

Gold Rum Tasting - Quatro, mostly Spanish-style Havana Club Anejo (USA) Don Q Gold Bacardi Gold Koloa Kauai Gold Koloa Kauai Disclaimer: from a sample bottle bought at the distillery store, and not opened right away upon returning home. A - Light gold, like oaked Chardonnay N - At first, savory, almost bready, like a fresh baked homemade loaf, then oddly sweet, like cleaning products, and almost a cucumber vegetal note, odd. P - Light flavor, some burn, some lingering wood; not fruity, somewhat earthy, barely sweet; faint but round flavor of some nutty dessert Follow-up - Smells like hay, tastes like buttered pancakes with a hint of dried maple syrup upon returning. — So this probabbly doesn’t fit well in the category, but what else to compare this with? Verdict - the different process shows in the product, with unusual notes making their way across the nose and palate. Curious to try a small daiquiri, but makes me think more of a cane juice spirit than molasses from the unusual and unexpected notes. Havana Club Disclaimer: bottle open for a while, still ~2/3 full A - Medium gold hue, like German bier N - Fairly strong ethanol, hints of caramel and… crème brûlée? P/F - Hollow impression of Carmel and vanilla, like from a dried out old rum cork, but somewhat light; slight earthy bitterness like young oak; subtle sweetness but still not really fruity, ethanol is restrained, bitterness builds on the palate Follow-up - Smells like sophisticated carmel candy, tastes like toffee bar after returning. Verdict - possibly doesn’t belong in this category, but surprised with better-developed “usual suspects” type flavors, and stood out in terms of color to the last sip. Might remain more noticeable in a mixed drink than others. Don Q Disclaimer - nearly a bottle kill, and mostly empty for quite a while, months probably A - Pale straw, like a dry white wine N - Light ethanol, toffee and some fruit, papaya maybe? P/F - Light but inoffensive, barely a burn, caramel; burnt sugar, some burn, some wood tannin; brown bread, subtle vanilla, no fruit really Follow-up - Smells like a fruit bowl, tastes like agave nectar after returning. Verdict - lovely fruitiness compared with the others, almost shockingly so. Likely a more harmonious mixer, and pleasant enough to sip on its own. Inviting nose and rewarding palate. Bacardi Disclaimer: Freshly-cracked small 2 dcl bottle, but sat on dram store shelf who knows how long… A - Medium light gold, like domestic beer N - Cleaning products as first, but then ethanol, steeped black tea? Then finally some sweetness, like vanilla latte syrup P/F - Smooth entry with some light vanilla carmel; more subtly sweetness with almost-bitter woody pine-wood lingering; vaguely sweet, somewhat ethanol, light bitterness Follow-up - Smells like sawdust, tastes like dregs of watered-down vanilla iced latte after returning. Verdict - bad nose with smooth taste, oddly enough, although a less-enticing flavor palate than others in the category, can see why this might be a friendly go-to for mixing, if one sought a less filtered experience than the ubiquitous BCB.

Context: served after a little Maker’s Cask Strength, and (full disclosure) paired with a mini Romeo y Julieta cigar… Serve: small pour, neat, glencairn. Dark mahogany in the glass Nose: somewhat typical rum nose, with some woody molasses and sweetness around the edges, maybe a hint of maple syrup even. Palate: fairly rich (again, note the context ;) with a bit of dried fruit and rich sweet candy all tied together with a rich syrupy molasses, and again a hint of maple. Surprisngly rich and round, enjoyable if not conplex. Finish: short and sweet, with just a touch of the wood influence but not much in the way of earthiness or richness to speak of. Pleasant on the palate, but certainly didn’t linger long on the finish. A bit surprising for the proof and reputation, really, perhaps reminiscent of popular and pricier Guatemalan offerings marketed for sipping. Could also be a good mixer where a fairly long-aged rum is called for. Overall, good value and a decent representative of the aged rum category, but a rum connoisseur might find it leaves something to be desired. 3.5 for the rich round palate and overall value. I’ll be trying to keep this in stock for mixing and the occasional sip.