Tastes

86 proof. Amontillado/deep copper color. Red apple, custard apple, sour cherry, candy corn, orange oil, vanilla, banana, cream. I get elements of both French and American oak, however, the website states the V.O. sees solely American oak, while the V.S.O.P. sees a mixture. On the palate, the rum is surprisingly dry and tannic with flavors of cinnamon stick, banana cream, and orange creamsicle quickly diminished by oak, sour wood, and black pepper. This is an interesting rum to try for both bourbon and brandy drinkers. Dry, refined, and complex. But quite forgiving. Interested in mixing this up in place of bourbon or Scotch given its tannic structure.

126 proof. Pot still. Clear color. Exuberant aromas of grassy cane, Jamaican hogo, salted ripe banana peels, soursop, mango, papaya, diesel, and musky animal fur. The texture is surprisingly pleasing and easy-to-drink, given its proof. However, it does dry somewhat and show its alcohol on the finish. Initial flavors of cane syrup, star fruit, and squash give way to a hot, peppery, jalapeno, and solvent finish. Exceptional value for a liter bottle. Great depth in punches.

40%. Clear. Sports a pleasant agricole aroma, though more reserved than average. Dried strawberry, raspberry, guava, powdered sugar, cane juice, lime, watermelon rind. Mildly creamy and unctuous on the palate initially. The fruity, berry aromas turn more vegetal with grassy, red apple skin, green bell pepper, fresh green bean, snap pea flavors not present in the aroma. The finish literally turns to dust, with notes of old black pepper and white pepper you might find abandoned by a previous tenant. That turns to cigarette paper before eventually leaving you with the lingering taste of a dusty shelf. This works quite well in cocktails where the aroma shines through and the finish is masked by additional ingredients. However, it isn't a desirable spirit to drink straight.

Clear. Boisterous and inviting aromas of under-ripe pineapple, mango, powdered sugar, dehydrated strawberry, orange oil, sour cherry, cacao, and white pepper. Moderately oily in texture for only 80 proof. Many of the tropical notes from the nose morph into more vegetal, evergreen, and mint notes on the palate; but the spirit retains a pleasant fruitiness throughout. The finish is all bubblegum with a few Topps baseball cards thrown in. At just $30/liter, this is easy to like. Especially if you enjoy kirshwasser and collecting sports memorabilia from the early digital age.

2018. 48.2%ABV. Back of the label says: "produced using sugar cane syrup made with natural juices, and by adding approximately 30% of dunder from previous batches during the distillation process. This is an archeological example of the production method used in the French colonies, influenced by the 'dunder-style' technique developed by the English in Jamaica." It has color. Sort of between gin and white wine. Off-clear? Native yeasts. Pot still. Still proof. This is simultaneously the most confusing and the most traditional of La Maison & Velier Clairins. There's diacetyl and estery aromatic compounds! Butter, caramel, candy, bubblegum, overripe banana. But, it is so damn salty and briny sometimes you think you're drinking Mezzetta. It's real flaw though, is it's structure. It seems to fall apart under anything but ideal conditions. It's watery, but still has linear, minty, herbal elements and a never-ending finish. All in all, it's a strange bird. However, I can believe it's a rum. It's not completely alien like the rest of this series. Aromas of caramel candy, buttercream icing, lemon sorbet, thyme, mint, diesel, roasted carrot, onion peel, pineapple, orange blossom, palmarosa, sea salt, oil-cured black olives, pickle brine, tomato leaf. It vacillates between a friendly, floral and fruity aromatic profile, and 'clean up in the condiment aisle.' The alcohol can be aggressive at times for under a 100 proof, yet at other times, almost disappear. Flavors of ripe banana, mustard seed, celery, wintergreen, lemon, licorice. But, it quickly becomes watery and even more herbal. The finish is long and bitter with loads of peppermint, lemon balm, rose, fennel, thyme. It is at times astounding and at others -- perfume.

I really wanted to like this bottle, but I ultimately challenged my boss to a drinking competition I neglected to participate in. Mahogany in color. Obnoxious aromas of imitation vanilla, sour, fetid banana, brown bread. Cloying flavors of brown sugar, sugar syrup, banana bread, cinnamon, mace. Decent length on the finish for 80 proof. However, why anyone would pay $50+ for this, is a mystery. This is tragically bad rum likely riddled with sugar

Trying the 2015 version of this. Doesn't seem to be any way to add a bottle anymore. Guess this app is dunzo. Aged 3 years at WP and 2 years in Europe. Color is yellow gold. Aroma sports plenty of freshly toasted bourbon barrel, banana peel, wood polish, licorice, teak wood, toasted buttered buns, fried plantain, banana custard, strawberry, and dried walnut. Far more simplistic on the palate, but heavy with chewy cherry and rye spice, medicinal herbs, rosemary, marjoram. Really reminds me of an exceptional rye whiskey on the palate and finish, though slightly more demure.