Tastes

Nose - dark molasses, chocolate malt, toffee, coffee, nutmeg, allspice, black pepper, toasted macadamia nut, dried apple, mint, burnt toast, high ethanol burn. Taste - dark molasses, boozy chocolate, allspice, nutmeg, orange and lemon zest, overripe banana, coffee, burnt chocolate chip cookie, pecan, toffee, black pepper, high alcohol bite, finishing medium long with dark molasses, chocolate, baking spice, and black pepper flavors. There’s nothing like sipping 151 proof rum to make you forget about a hard day. I thought the Smith & Cross yesterday was hot. This is in another league, although I feel that it actually drinks under its proof. The nose is rich and dark, with molasses, toasted nuts, burnt toffee, and an aroma that reminds me of Ovaltine chocolate malt. The palate hits hard. Boozy chocolate, citrus zest, banana, and dark molasses abound. Overall, this is better than average. It’s too hot and youthful to be a quality sipper, but there are actually some really nice dark aromas and flavors if you can handle the heat. This surpasses my admittedly very low expectations, but don’t bust down the doors to grab a bottle.

Nose - rotten banana, charred orange peel, molasses, spoiled cream, leather, rubber, lemon, pineapple, caramel, lime, brown sugar, sweet vegetal notes, polished wood, tangy BBQ sauce, high ethanol burn. Taste - rancid orange oil, molasses, ginger, chili pepper, overripe banana, bitter herbal notes, decomposing grass, leather, tobacco, sour apple, honey, charcoal, grape, lemon, pineapple, clove, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium long with citrus oil, overripe banana, chili pepper, and molasses flavors. After a brief hiatus that involved a spirituous trip to Kentucky for the bourbon festival, I’m back to rum reviewing. And this is one spicy meatball. It certainly brings the funk, with strong citrus oils, rotting banana, various spoiling tropical fruits, and decomposing foliage. This is very youthful and alcoholic on the nose and palate, almost too much to be enjoyable without dilution. It’s better suited to mixing, but this isn’t a terrible sipper on its own. It’s slightly reminiscent of Springbank’s rotting, citrusy quality. Overall it’s decent, but I would be interested in recommendations for more refined offerings with a similar profile.

Nose - overripe banana, mango, earthy mint, fresh cut grass, instant mashed potato, pineapple, cherry, coriander, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - medicinal cherry, overripe banana, burnt sugar, sour pineapple, black pepper, bitter herbal notes, lemon pith, ginger, grass, menthol, clove, anise, yeast, moderate to high alcohol bite, finishing medium length with medicinal cherry, sour fruit, bitter herbal flavors. Wow, these tasting notes are pretty wild. I struggled with this more than with most spirits I review. It has a really interesting profile. If you can power through the ethanol fumes, there’s the telltale funky, overripe banana, a nondescript mango-like tropical fruit quality, some strongly vegetal and herbal grassy notes, and oddly enough, an aroma that reminds me of sticking my nose in a bowl of instant mashed potatoes. The palate arrives hot and bright, with some mentholated, medicinal cherry, more vegetal and herbal flavors, and a rotten, sour, yeasty note that I can only assume is part of that elusive hogo attribute. I imagine ratings on this are all over the place. While I appreciate its uniqueness, I don’t see myself sipping this neat from a nosing glass again anytime soon. And that’s perfectly fine with me. It’s not meant to be a sipper; it’s a $25 mixing rum. And you owe it to yourself to track down some Ting and mix up some classic Wray and Ting cocktails. They’re super refreshing during summer, but be vigilant as they go down a bit easier than their 126 proof payload should permit.

Nose - rich molasses, butterscotch, allspice, grape, raisin toast, clove, cherry, plum, fig, earthy mint, vanilla, chocolate, coffee, orange, overripe banana, leather, strong oak, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - butterscotch, molasses, sweet floral notes, vanilla, raisin, dark chocolate, grape, burnt brown sugar, cherry, allspice, toast, leather, tobacco, plum, orange, demerara syrup, mild to moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium long with rich molasses, butterscotch, grape, and baking spice flavors. I liked the 8 Year. Will I love the 21? The nose is rather surprising. It’s deep and complex, but not as dark as the 8 Year’s. Actually, it’s very reminiscent of a Cognac. Along with the molasses and butterscotch, there are pronounced grape, baking spice, and boozy chocolate orange aromas. The palate has more of that boozy chocolate, some burnt brown sugar, and a hearty dose of dark dried fruits. Well I definitely like this better than the 8 Year. It’s obviously older, although I wouldn’t say it strikes me as a particularly mature 21 year old rum. There’s a nice buttery oiliness to the mouthfeel that lingers into a rather pleasant Armagnac-like finish. Similar to some brandies though, there’s also a slight, unwelcome sourness to the palate that I wish weren’t as prominent. Nonetheless, this is great rum and one I’d happily sip any day. A big thank you to @ContemplativeFox for providing the generous sample!

Nose - molasses, tobacco, brown sugar, coffee, butterscotch, orange, vanilla, leather, dark chocolate, cookie dough, allspice, raisin toast, baked apple, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - molasses, butterscotch, apple, vanilla, tobacco, sweet floral notes, peanut butter fudge, nutmeg, allspice, raisin toast, black pepper, orange, mild to moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with molasses, baking spice, and burnt toast flavors. This is another inexpensive mixing rum I picked up a while back, but it’s actually not too terrible as a sipper. The nose is rich and dark, with molasses, butterscotch, burnt raisin toast, and baking spices. The palate is a bit watery and doesn’t carry the same richness. There’s more molasses, some peanut butter fudge nuttiness, and a hint of orange. The nose on this is much better than the palate. It actually contains many of those dark notes I enjoy encountering on bourbons. The most disappointing aspects here are the mouthfeel and finish. It tastes overly diluted and the flavors start veering into sour territory around the mid palate. For me, this is better than average and teeters right on the edge of sippability. However, it’s more than capable as a mixer. I’ve made some pretty delicious Rum Flips with it over the past year.

Nose - light molasses, honey, caramel, apple, vanilla cream, banana, nutmeg, clove, oat, floral notes, white pepper, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - sour apple, light molasses, ginger, banana, black pepper, butterscotch, vanilla, grape, floral notes, lemon, clove, peppermint, grass, bitter herbal notes, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium short with molasses, baking spice, and sour apple flavors. The nose is rather light and spice forward. Caramel, molasses, and banana are present along with some honeyed, spiced apples. The palate sadly drifts into youthful sour territory. Many of the aromas translate to flavors, but with some added citrus, herbal, and minty notes included. The finish is sour and baking spicy, but generally mediocre. Another completely average rum, suitable only for mixing in my opinion. It’s too youthful, light, and sour to be a serviceable sipper. Overall, it’s certainly not the worst rum I’ve tasted, but I don’t see a place for it on my shelf, except as a component in a one-off cocktail I may make in the future.

Nose - molasses, butterscotch, hay, nutmeg, mint, dark chocolate, sweet dough, cashew butter, dusty corn, baked apple, floral notes, toasted coconut, banana, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - baked apple, orange zest, mint, walnut, dark chocolate, molasses, toffee, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, coffee, sweet floral notes, banana milkshake, black pepper, creamed corn, cherry, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with molasses, dark chocolate, baking spice, and toffee flavors. The nose is deep and rich carrying some really nice dark aromas. Molasses, chocolate, toasted coconut, and macerated bananas can be found. The palate is similar, with a sweet corn quality accompanying the other desert-like flavors. The finish isn’t amazing, but it’s long enough and doesn’t turn sour or bitter as the other examples of the category I’ve tried have. This is the last of my rhum agricoles, and it’s definitely better than the others I’ve had. The corn qualities are actually quite surprising, given there is no corn component included. Actually, it smells closer to an aged corn whiskey than a rum, rather similar to an Ironroot Republic distillate. When I first opened this bottle a year ago, I remember thinking this was below average. That’s not the case anymore. I’m not sure whether my palate has changed or oxidation has made a significant difference. Regardless, this is quality rum that I’ll happily sip.

Nose - grass, lemon, tangerine, banana, caramel, vanilla, sweet floral notes, mushroom, cinnamon, mild ethanol burn. Taste - grass, sour apple, lemon zest, coconut, cherry, sweet floral and vegetal notes, caramel, underripe banana, pineapple, vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, mild to moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium short with sweet grass, sour citrus, and ginger flavors. The nose is grassy and floral with various fruits, caramels, and vanillas. There’s a slight vegetal, fungal funk that makes me think of fresh mushrooms. The palate is sweet, sour, and grassy. There’s underripe banana and pineapple in the mix as well. A citrusy, gingery zing presents in the mid palate and carries through the relatively short finish. I’ve included this cachaca in my rum series, as it’s rather close to an aged rhum agricole. The barrel aging here has infused some nice sweetness, softening some of the rougher edges. I don’t love this, but it’s less disappointing than the Clement I reviewed yesterday. This is on the upper end of average for me, but average nonetheless.

Nose - apple juice, decaying grass, apricot, orange blossom, bile, vegetal and floral notes, mild ethanol burn. Taste - sour apple, acidic minerality, lemon pith, wet grass, apricot, mint, moderate alcohol bite, finishing short with sour apple, bitter citrus, and wet grass flavors. Another day, another regrettable rum purchase. Or in this case, rhum agricole. In my haste to stock a variety of rums to unlock various cocktails, I ended up with this loser. The nose has an unsweetened apple juice quality, along with some funky grass and fruit in the bouquet. The palate is quite surprising compared to the relatively demure nose. It’s strongly acidic, sour, vegetal, bitter, and minerally, almost metallic. Some of the fruits from the nose are present, but they’re overwhelmed by these other unpleasant flavors. I wonder if this tastes anything like biting into a mouthful of apple seeds? I bet it’s not far off. This is not good. Granted, it’s not intended to be a sipper. It would likely be more at home as a component in something like a Ti’ Punch, a classic rhum agricole cocktail I’ve yet to try. You live and learn, I suppose. Something like this will go firmly in my ‘try before I buy’ category moving forward.

Nose - honey, orange blossom, green apple, lemon meringue, vanilla, light molasses, cinnamon, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - green apple, lemon pith, orange, sweet floral notes, honey, cola, light molasses, vanilla, date, cinnamon, allspice, sour oak, ginger, mild to moderate alcohol bite, finishing short with green apple, bitter citrus, and sour oak flavors. The nose is light and fruity with green apple and honey front and center. The palate is not as good. The fruitiness turns sour and bitter, finishing very short and unremarkably. It’s very simple and inharmonious, lacking clearly defined aromas and flavors. My rum series continues with Bacardi 8 Year, one of a few rums I bought in my early days that I wish I hadn’t. It’s not terrible, but it’s not a sipper or one I use very often in cocktails. It’s completely average and not one I plan to stock for mixing after I trudge through this one. Unfortunately, my bottle will likely sit on the shelf until I find enough occasions to dump it in Coke.