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Neisson Rhum Agricole Reserve Speciale
Distiller Score 89
The complex nose is filled with a host of aromatically serious compounds including leather, tobacco, fennel, and a bit of ketones. There is also a hint of butter and orange marmalade. The rhum enters assertively, and it's the tobacco that wins the initial flavor-war, followed closely by leather, black pepper and licorice. The mouthfeel is a bit thin, but the lack of viscosity is balanced by the foundation of spice and earth. Subsequent sips find ample phenols, with grass in the distance; the notion of Scotch whisky eventually moves to the fore. The finish reinforces the whisky notion, leaving the imbiber thinking of tobacco and saddle leather with a palate coated in dusky bitterness. While Neisson Reserve Speciale is undoubtedly a fine example of aged rhum agricole, it can be polarizing: a great sipper for those who enjoy the style, toxic to those who don't (especially at this price point).
Reviewed by Josh Miller
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Ron Centenario 20 Fundación
Distiller Score 85
The aroma has a strong caramel aroma with notes of oak, vanilla, and black pepper along with a hint of cinnamon. The first sip reveals the caramel, vanilla, and cinnamon found in the aroma along with rich cocoa and toffee. Additional sips reveal toasted almonds and soft mineral notes as the rum settles in a light sweet finish.
Reviewed by Paul Senft
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Avuá Amburana Cachaça
Distiller Score 92
The unique nose offers baking spices like cardamom, anise and allspice, with subtle vegetal notes and a light, distinctive woodiness that is noticeably different than oak. Nutmeg and hay are front and center on the herbaceous palate, with crème brûlée and citrus peel on the back end. The finish is warm and earthy, with more anise, spice and wood notes.
Reviewed by Daniel Djang
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Fijian Rum 9 Year (Berry Bros. & Rudd)
Distiller Score 88
There's a savory, earthy nose on this rum that is reminiscent of aged leather and mild tobacco. The weight on the palate is surprisingly light considering the aggressive and masculine flavors. There's burnt wood, steak sauce, and sautéed mushrooms all showing up. The catch is how everything stays in balance with a subtle red berry note that carries through the long finish.
Reviewed by Paul Belbusti
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Bristol Port Morant Demerara Rum 1999
Distiller Score 94
If you crave deep, full of character, heavily-bodied rum, this is for you – an absolute monster, despite being “only” 92 proof. The nose hunts you down well before lifting your glass, bringing to mind leather, tobacco, and oil, in the best possible way. Those flavors continue on the palate. Although in no way sweet, its time in port barrels lends a pleasing roundness without verging into “sherry bomb” territory. There’s a touch of burn, and the finish lasts seemingly forever. Doing anything with this rum beyond savoring it neat would be a crime against the spirits world.
Reviewed by Matt Pietrek
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Renegade Rum Pre-Cask Single Farm Origin: Nursery (Upper La Calome/Yellow Lady)
Distiller Score 90
There's some pot still funk on the nose, and a big dose of tropical fruit esters, including mangoes, papayas, and overripe bananas. The palate is highly mineral, with wet stones and clay-rich soil, along with dark chocolate, berries, lemon zest, and fresh cane juice. The finish is spicy, grassy, and herbal, with black and white pepper, cassia bark, cedar, and coriander.
Reviewed by Jake Emen
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Clairin Sajous Rhum Blanc
Distiller Score 95
Simply uncorking the bottle releases a flood of aromas from the brilliantly silver liquid. The nose is overwhelmingly grassy at first, then turns to black olives with a hint of leather. At 107 proof, the entry hits hard in a tsunami of flavor. Mid-palate it turns to berries and spices, fighting with the ethanol burn. The finish is long and ends with a delightful spiciness. A beast of a rum, this isn’t for the timid. Fans of high-proof agricole should snap this up by any means necessary.
Reviewed by Matt Pietrek
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Revelation Rum
Distiller Score 90
There tons of complexity on the nose: charred wood, demerara sugar, citrus, and a faint vegetal note. The initial palate is hot but the burn dissipates quickly to reveal citrus and dried fruits along with some barrel and baking spice The weight on the palate is lithe and leads to a long finish of vanilla, milk chocolate, plum, passionfruit, and guava. This almost brandy-like rum begs to be paired with a fine cigar.
Reviewed by Paul Belbusti
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Lyon Overproof French Oak Finished Rum
Distiller Score 88
The rum delivers a molasses-rich aroma rounded out by roasted nut and toffee notes. Caramel and vanilla are front and center as the overproof rum saturates the tongue. These notes are followed by a creamy mocha and walnut flavor transitioning to a crème brûlée finish that lingers with the sting of the alcohol on the finish.
Reviewed by Paul Senft
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Gunroom Navy Rum
Distiller Score 90
In the glass, the Navy rum presents as ever-so-slightly tarnished copper. The nose is more subtle than you might think for a 130 proof rum, but the Jamaican and Bajan components come through first. The palate (expectedly) starts with a rush of ethanol heat. Once subsided, the smoky demerara and pot-still Barbados elements come to the forefront, with the estery Jamaican occasionally popping up and finishing with a bit of eucalyptus. The overall blend is quite enjoyable, leaning toward the heavier pot-still elements. Unless you habitually sip 130 proof spirits, you’ll want to dilute this with a touch of water or ice. It would obviously work as an “overproof” rum in cocktails, but the subtleties of the blending would be lost.
Reviewed by Matt Pietrek
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Avuá Oak Cachaça
Distiller Score 89
On the nose, there are notes of vanilla, pineapple, plantain and a hint of cachaça’s characteristic funk. The full-bodied palate offers holiday spices, orange peel, caramel and subtle grass and vegetal notes. The medium finish offers more spice, tropical fruit and notes of cinnamon and chocolate.
Reviewed by Daniel Djang
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Renegade Rum Pre-Cask Single Farm Origin: Lake Antoine (Upper Crater Lake South/Purple Tallboy)
Distiller Score 93
The aroma grabs you from the instant you open the bottle before you've even poured a drop. Intense fresh sugarcane aroma with the grassy/herbal profile immediately calls to mind the tropics. There's a bit of a stony/mineral quality here as well. As you taste you'll find a soft profile and a gentle natural sweetness initially that then turns to a spicy peppery bite with the proof kicking in. Further nosings bring out a mild funk along with some nut milk. Grab yourself a glass, sugar and lime and make yourself a Ti' Punch, with or without ice.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno