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Foursquare Zinfandel Cask Blend
Distiller Score 89
The aroma delivers notes of creme brulee, roasted almonds, vanilla, black pepper, oak, and spices. The palate provides a myriad of flavors including brown sugar, toffee, dried fruits (apricots, raisins) and spices, particularly ginger, black pepper, and clove. Toasted coconut and strawberries are also present.
Reviewed by Paul Senft
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Foursquare 2004
Distiller Score 96
The aroma of the rum delivers notes of alcohol and dark vanilla, fresh-cut apples, pears, charred oak, and toasted nuts. The first sip of the rum delivers a punch of ethanol in a swirl of vanilla, and oak tannins. This conditions the tongue of the imbiber to enjoy the complexity of the rum. Additional sips reveal notes of cocoa, more fresh-cut apples with a hint of pears, leather, raisins, dried apricots, pepper and dark toffee. As the rum begins to fade notes of toasted walnuts and tobacco leaf linger and balance in a nice long finish.
Reviewed by Paul Senft
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Plantation XO 20th Anniversary Rum
Distiller Score 93
On the nose, the Extra Old offers vanilla, butterscotch, banana, coconut, and oak. The rich and creamy palate starts with ample baking spices - nutmeg, cinnamon and brown sugar, followed by caramel, citrus, and oak. The long, buttery finish offers more spice and oak, as well as notes of orange peel, coffee, and chocolate.
Reviewed by Daniel Djang
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Ron Abuelo XV Napoleon Cognac Cask Finish
Distiller Score 89
Of the three finishes, this one has the sweetest, most honeyed textures up front. Baked apple with cinnamon, nutmeg and clove enter the mid-palate with more spiciness in the slightly woodsy finish that is somehow sweet without feeling too heavy and rich.
Reviewed by Amanda Schuster
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Ron Zacapa 23 Sistema Solera Rum
Distiller Score 92
Ron Zacapa 23 Sistema Solera Rum is enduringly one of the most pleasurable dark rums to sip neat. At first the sweet notes of roasted coffee, butterscotch, vanilla and dark chocolate appear, then some fresh citrus and apricot refresh the palate with green herbal accents, nutmeg and ginger. The long finish includes flavors of caramel, pipe tobacco, cedar and roasted nuts.
Reviewed by Amanda Schuster
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Ron Abuelo XV Tawny Port Cask Finish
Distiller Score 87
On first sip, there's a Dr. Pepper/Cherry Coke type flavor entering the nose and palate. Additional tastes give way to brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cola spices with some thyme and mint in the jammy finish.
Reviewed by Amanda Schuster
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Ten to One Five Origin Select
Distiller Score 94
Tropical esters load up a nose filled with papaya, overripe bananas, and flambeed bananas with an enticing funk undertone. On the palate, find salted caramel, grape jelly, cane juice, dark chocolate, lemon zest, pistachio shells, and white pepper. The finish is lengthy and layered, with swirls of butterscotch, molasses, tannic oak, and apples.
Reviewed by Jake Emen
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Ron Izalco 10 Year
Distiller Score 87
This rum shows lovely sweet caramel and orange blossom honey aromas. On the palate, it's bursting with spicy chili flavor that fades into sweet caramelized banana. The influence of ex-bourbon barrels lends to its richness. Look for sweet lemon on the finish.
Reviewed by Anna Archibald
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Richland Rum
Distiller Score 90
The aroma of the rum leads with notes of buttery caramel, fruity-berry notes quickly followed by new oak. Toffee and just a hint of butterscotch round out the nose. The flavors of the rum begin with an herbaceous sweet vanilla entry which is balanced by the berry note from the aroma. Raw oak, almond, allspice, and honey notes are also present. Minerals and vegetal raw sugar comes into play delivering a funky caramel sweet finish.
Reviewed by Paul Senft
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Kirk and Sweeney 23 Year Rum
Distiller Score 92
Fantastic aged rum, everything that you'd expect. The nose shows caramel, vanilla, baking spice, dried fruit, chocolate, honey and toffee weave into a harmonious balance. The elegant mouthfeel gracefully displays these flavors in a quiet reveal and build into richer tones of leather and baked fruit. The finish is a simple fade of the flavors with coffee notes that linger with the baking spice.
Reviewed by Forrest Cokely
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Ron Abuelo XV Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish
Distiller Score 92
Dried dates, figs and prunes welcome the nose and palate along with a creamy, crème brulée (vanilla and burnt sugar) sweetness. The jamminess gets pumped up with notes of clove, nutmeg and hints of herb lead by basil and and thyme. A salty, earthy tobacco and espresso finish makes this an ideal sipper with a cigar and/or paired with dark chocolate squares.
Reviewed by Amanda Schuster
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Ron Malecon Reserva Imperial 25 Year
Distiller Score 94
In the glass, the color is a dark, lustrous copper hue. It looks like a 25-year rum should. The nose carries enticing aromas of stone fruit, oak, and just a hint of glue. Imagine a fresh-baked fruit pie in the hold of a wooden ship. It enters the palate luxuriously, an absolute flavor bomb of fruit. The mouthfeel and finish are crisp in the style of Cuban rums, with a dash of eucalyptus if you look for it. A complete joy to sip.
Reviewed by Matt Pietrek