Tastes

Supposedly up to 6YR Worthy Park product with additional aging in Moscatel casks in Detroit. However, the aroma and yellow gold color tell a possibly different story. Initial aroma is of flagrant diesel and alcohol, hogo, animal, salts, and charcoal. A young smelling rum, though woody. The aroma mellows to gros michel banana, tomato leaf, sea salt, and cane grass as time passes. This could be aged locally before importing. Sweeter on the palate with the sherry driving a honeyed-vanilla finish. A sugary, melon-like, sweetness lingers. Very fun stuff

Old gold color. Supposedly 4-year-old Jamaican rum from Worthy Park. Aromas of cooked banana, crisp apple, plantain, diesel, animal fur, saline, cucumber, caramel. On the palate, this rum is fumy, with plenty of ripe tropical fruit notes. The caramel/molasses sweetness lingers giving this a sort of desperation drunk that I don't need. Medium quality, just overpriced in Oregon.

A light chestnut oloroso color. Somewhat off-putting initially -- loud aromas of artificial vanilla and gros michel banana flavoring accompanied by somewhat aggressive alcohol given its modest 43% ABV. However, I'm definitely reminded of elements of the Jack Daniels portfolio, making this a good rum option for some American whiskey fans. With a bit of time, this sturdy spirit reveals some pleasant macadamia, pecan, cacao, caramel, maple syrup, and sea salt aromas. On the palate it becomes chewy and dense with both sweet and dry notes of malt and palm syrup. It is very close to a liquid Tootsie Roll: cocoa and sweet syrups mixed with waxy emulsifiers and artificial flavorings. It definitely grew on me over time, and I might grab another bottle when it runs out. But, it's far from something to seek out.

Clear color. Expressive aromas of confectioners' sugar, dried coconut, cane juice, tall grass, the juice from tinned pineapple chunks, lime zest, orange juice. A very tropical nose -- though dominated by the powdered sugar element, even when mixed. On the palate, it echoes powdered sugar, though any semblance of sweetness is held in check by a somewhat bitter banana skin and grass flavor. There's also plenty of nougat, peach, and pink peppercorn. The alcohol is not noticeable, but the finish is short and mostly echoes powdered sugar, nougat, and pink peppercorn. Not really sure what to do with it. It's definitely a decent spirit, though I wouldn't seek it out as either a sipper or mixer. Not flawed though. Are there cocktails finished with powered sugar?

A very light white wine color. Aromas of simple syrup, white sugar, rotten banana, overripe pineapple, fresh cane juice, fresh cut ginger, cinnamon, jackfruit, stewed vegetables, carrot, high grass, lychee syrup, jasmine flower, brown sugar, banana flower. On the palate, it is less interesting, though smooth, with an abundance of banana and a subtle black pepper, clove spice, white sugar. Unfortunately, this feels like it's 75 percent a well-made, smooth, somewhat tedious, Foursquare white rum blended with a 25% interesting Hampden swamp bog distillate. Its perfectly fine as a mixer, but it struggles to hold much interest as a stand-alone sipper.

A very light pale straw color, almost white wine color that I assume is fake. As I understand it, this is the Jamaican Pot Still Black Rum from Worthy Park with less color additive to appease the mixologists. A molasses-based rum with sharp aromas of tall grass, fresh cut cane, powdered sugar, cement, lime ash, fresh banana peel, cilantro and oregano. On the palate, the viscosity builds sweeter, more honeyed textures, then cake frosting, apricot, kirschwasser, cacao, and lemon meringue. The finish is peppery and artificially sweet with a pleasant mix of teak and grass. This is a very divisive spirit, but unquestionably a very good one.

A burnished chestnut color that's unquestionably fake. Per the bottle, it says it's 80% plummer-style Jamaican rum and 20% grand arome from Martinique aged 8 years. It's an American product, made by a Dutch blender, and imported into San Francisco. Aromas of overripe banana, banana peel, tall grass, caramelized pineapple, caramel candy, vanilla, marzipan, leather, petrol, tobacco leaf, oak and mahogany. It's a very enticing nose that's both funky and friendly. On the palate it's oily and sweet with flavors of ripe banana flan, caramel, orange liqueur, diesel, and white pepper. There are also some chemical aspartame, plasticky, imitation vanilla notes on a short spicy finish that reiterates its fruitiness. This was apparently designed as a replacement for the 17-year-old Wray and Nephew used in the original Trader Vic's Mai Tai recipe. It definitely compliments the curacao and orgeat elements, and any lime or ginger cuts off the more unpleasant aspects of the finish. Very easy to drink, but definitely creeping up into overpriced territory given what's available in the rum world. If it lost the caramel coloring, it would probably have more freshness.