Tastes

A necessary rum for tiki and tropical cocktails, this is none the less, my first bottle of it of my very own. The smell is strongly unripe bananas, and wet vegetation. There's a twinge from the alcohol, which is expected at 126 proof. The smell is surprisingly complex, much more than I would normally expect from a white rum. Green bananas! Smell: 17/20 The first taste is a sweet, spicy, sip of rocket fuel. It is sweet, there are a lot of unripe fruit flavors going on, and a sugary sweetness right off. Then there are layers of spice, and phenolic notes that I'd normally expect from a peated Scotch whisky. First sip: 27/30 Additional sips allow me to move past the high proof, and get into the flavors, green bananas, allspice, cane syrup, white pepper, grapefruit pith, a lot of depth and complexity. This rum is mouthwatering, the high proof turns on your salivation response, and the finish is astringent, bringing you back for more. Additional sips, and finish: 22/25 The bottle is, well, it comes in a bottle. It has a plastic screw top lid, and a thing to allow smooth pouring in the mouth of the bottle (same as in Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur). The label is what I'd expect from something designed in the 90's and selling for half the price, but at this price, this rum is a fantastic deal. Packaging and Value: 16/20 I keep 5 points for subjective assignment, and here, I'm giving 3/5, this isn't the most amazing rum out there, but it is an amazing rum, that has a place in my bar. Total score: 85/100

So, describing the smell as “pancake syrup” is spot on. I don’t actually get anything else from smelling it. Just some rich, exotic, pancake syrup. Smell: 16/20 The first sip, it’s thin, it is sweet, that pancake syrup is present, but so is a rough ethanol bite, and then some baking spices and ginger. First sip: 27/30 Additional sips remind me of flat Coca Cola, really interesting, but I think it is best used as an ingredient in something mixed. Finish and additional sips: 23/25 I love the bottle, the label is nice, the cork is satisfying, and for only $15, this is amazing. 19/20 I keep 5 points for completely subjective assignment. 2/5 Total: 87/100

Firstly, as far as I can gather, the 23 year old expression has been discontinued, the new, non-age stated rum is the Gran Reserva Superior. In the glass, the smell reminds me of making cookies, creaming butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. 18/20 The first sip is warm and inviting, brown sugar, butterscotch, toasted vanilla. Some fruit is present, but subtle. 26/30 The finish is long enough to be interesting, but still relatively short. Additional sips show increasing depth of flavor, there’s plenty to dig into here. 20/25 The bottle is beautiful, the cork is sealed with a gold tape bearing the location where the Kirk and Sweeney was taken by the coastguard, and the neck tag supposed to invoke a coastguard impound tag. Most of the cork is in the neck of the bottle, leaving just a tiny, surprisingly spongy, bit to grab, making opening the bottle tricky. 16/20 Subjectively, I don’t like the cork, or the neck tag, but love the rest of it. It’s pricey, but probably justifiably. I’m giving 4/5 here for a grand total of 84/100.