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Goslings Black Seal Rum
Distiller Score 87
Goslings Black Seal Rum offers a sweet nose of allspice, caramel, dried fruit and molasses. The palate is rich and creamy, opening with more caramel and molasses, then segueing to notes of butterscotch, vanilla and cinnamon. The warm and spicy finish lingers with caramelized brown sugar, baked fruit and herbs.
Reviewed by Daniel Djang
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Siesta Key Toasted Coconut
Distiller Score 90
The aroma of the rum is that of freshly-cut coconut cream pie. As this fades, slight honey-vanilla and spice notes linger. The flavor of the rum is dominated by the rich toasted coconut notes. Vanilla, baking spices, and honey augment the finish.
Reviewed by Paul Senft
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Mount Gay Rum Sugar Cane Brandy
Distiller Score 92
The "brandy" has a shiny copper color in the glass. The aroma is filled with fruit notes and spices nipping around the edges. The spice notes manifest as cinnamon and nutmeg on the palate interweaving with banana, pear, and apricot fruit notes before fading into a short, dry, smoky finish.
Reviewed by Paul Senft
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Plantation 3 Stars White Rum
Distiller Score 87
The nose introduces the three “stars” with ripe banana, tropical fruit, brown sugar and subtle coffee notes. The palate continues with more fruit, vanilla, orange zest, and a touch of hogo with a bit of viscosity. The floral finish offers more vanilla, sugarcane and spice notes.
Reviewed by Daniel Djang
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Plantation Barbados 5 Year Rum
Distiller Score 91
Upfront, the nose immediately offers butterscotch, as well as caramel and toffee. There are additional tropical notes of pineapple, banana and coconut. The palate is reminiscent of crème brûlée - sweet, creamy with notes of caramelized sugar, vanilla and other baking spices. More tropical fruit on the medium finish, with hints of orange peel and oak.
Reviewed by Daniel Djang
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51 Cachaça
Distiller Score 75
Aromas lead with crisp and clean ocean brine, followed by a dose of seaweed phenolics and Chantilly cream. On the palate, 51 brings sweet vanilla cream, seaweed, cut grass, honey, black pepper, and a hint of lemon. The mouthfeel is a bit watery with a moderate bitterness that coats the mid and upper palate. The medium length finish is fairly bitter with an unpleasant saccharin note.
Reviewed by Josh Miller
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Santa Teresa Añejo Gran Reserva Rum
Distiller Score 88
Moderately sweet and overall very easy on the palate this rum simply put over-delivers. The nose presents Santa Teresa's tell-tale orange zest aromas along with peach, licorice root and a hint of vanilla. These flavors continue on the palate with Demerara sugar, honeysuckle and five-spice powder. This soft and easy rum just might take over your home bar!
Reviewed by Omari Wheat
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The Real McCoy 3 Year Rum
Distiller Score 91
The perfectly clear rum bursts forth from the glass with aromas of fresh and candied fruit including banana, mango and raspberry. Beyond the fruit is a bit of vanilla and floral notes. The rum enters with a pleasant mix of the aforementioned sweet fruit backed by vanilla and cream, and balanced by a good amount of spice in the form of black pepper and nutmeg, with a hint of cardamom. Subsequent sips yield more Chantilly cream and even more fruit including a bit of strawberry. The finish is quite long and despite a bit of saccharin on the finish, is delightful. A fine white rum suitable for sipping over ice.
Reviewed by Josh Miller
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Bacardí Reserva Ocho 8 Year
Distiller Score 83
The nose is quite subtle. After a bit of coaxing you’ll be able to perceive notes of pear, candy-apple, grass, tobacco and allspice. The palate is very sweet which is consistent with their house style. Surprisingly it was also fairly earthy with notes of old leather, cotton candy, tobacco, dried fruit, bitter spices and maple syrup.
Reviewed by Omari Wheat
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Foursquare Spiced Rum
Distiller Score 84
Though you will find some spiced notes like nutmeg and cinnamon, these aromas are quite subdued compared to most spiced rums on the market. There's a little green herbal note found as well. On the palate, the flavor is that of flat vanilla cola and some cinnamon red hot candies with a few cherries thrown in for good measure. The rum finishes more sweet than bitter, but only just. Were you to taste this blind, you might miss the fact that it is spiced which is good or bad depending on your inclinations towards rums with nuance.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Siesta Key Spiced
Distiller Score 88
Vanilla forms the base of the aroma, followed up by ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, coconut, honey, and allspice. The flavors of the rum are a swirl of honey, vanilla, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and clove.
Reviewed by Paul Senft
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Bayou Spiced Rum
Distiller Score 87
Not much spice emanates from the glass, though there is an inviting aroma of butterscotch and root beer. The spices enter the picture on the palate, though, with a subtle blend of baking spice, sassafras, birch, pine cone and more savory flavors such as bayleaf, thyme and rosemary. Though this rum is intended as a mixer, the overall effect is elegant enough that it could be sipped neat or with just a splash of tonic or cola.
Reviewed by Amanda Schuster