Bacardí Reserva Ocho 8 Year

Nose - honey, orange blossom, green apple, lemon meringue, vanilla, light molasses, cinnamon, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - green apple, lemon pith, orange, sweet floral notes, honey, cola, light molasses, vanilla, date, cinnamon, allspice, sour oak, ginger, mild to moderate alcohol bite, finishing short with green apple, bitter citrus, and sour oak flavors. The nose is light and fruity with green apple and honey front and center. The palate is not as good. The fruitiness turns sour and bitter, finishing very short and unremarkably. It’s very simple and inharmonious, lacking clearly defined aromas and flavors. My rum series continues with Bacardi 8 Year, one of a few rums I bought in my early days that I wish I hadn’t. It’s not terrible, but it’s not a sipper or one I use very often in cocktails. It’s completely average and not one I plan to stock for mixing after I trudge through this one. Unfortunately, my bottle will likely sit on the shelf until I find enough occasions to dump it in Coke.

Not bad actually. I had low expectations for this but walked away pleasantly surprised and would order again. Great price too. Poor finish can be remedied with an ice cube. Nose: Caramel, tobacco, leather Palate: mostly agricole-style sugar cane earthiness (which is what really surprised me and stood out to be being a Martinique rum fan), vanilla, caramel Finish: this was my least favorite part, as it had somewhat of a lingering burn at only 40%

Rating: 14/23 N: Rich and full. I get bitterness that's in the burnt sugar range and has some wood. It's fairly oily as well, but also sugary, sort of like someone was making toffee with a neutral oil and stopped stirring for a bit, allowing it to burn a little on the bottom without fully cooking on the top. I get vague suggestions of fruit, ginger, and vanilla, but they're distant. It's mostly just that initial profile. P: Sweet and rich with some bland caramel flavor at first before it opens up and some faint peanuts come in mixed with a fairy's dusting of spices, vague medium wood, and some tropical fruit that is notably backed by some nearly elegant candied oranges and lime rinds. I get a nice mellow vanilla backing too. There is something a bit too sweet and youthful at first in this, but then the palate really fills out nicely. It could be fuller, but the fullness is solid. The complexity is solid too. F: That sweetness and richness lasts nicely. I continue to get some of that fruitiness mixed with really mellow woodiness and oddly some more maturity than I got for most of the palate. This is a nice finish, actually. - Conclusion - I was not too impressed by this at first, but it quickly grew on me. Bacardi can make some good rum. And at just 8 years old I find that this competes well with Appleton Estate 12. The Appleton Estate does strike me as more mature, but it often seems a bit on the woody side to me, whereas this is more generally rounded and easily sippable. In that regard, it's like Plantation 20th Anniversary, though the alcohol shows through a bit more here and there's more bitterness (lime peel) and it tastes like they added less sugar. This is stylistically different, but it strikes me as on the same level as Plantation Xaymaca. I think that they probably deserve the same rating, though if I had to give the nod to one of them, I'd probably give it to this. This is an easy sipping rum that is worth stocking for when someone who doesn't like spirits comes over. Bacardi Reserva Limitada is far less full, but its complexity and maturity do overtake what I get out of this when it's not immediately following this. It's a tough call between the two, but this has a rougher flavor when it follows the Reserva Limitada. I think I'd give the win to the Reserva Limitada, but they're stylistically different and it's not winning by a huge margin. With the Reserva Limitada being a 15, this is probably a 14.

Too much burn NEAT. Flavour profile better with ice.

Bacardi 8 Years is an excellent beginner's sipping rum. It showcases what the world of rum has to offer while remaining extremely accessible and palatable. More experienced rum drinkers may find this one a tad boring but for the price it's a great option. On the nose it smells like their white rum with some more character, showcasing the smell of dried fruits and oak barrels though you do have to tease them out as they're surprisingly understated. There may even be a hint of a tobacco smell though I'll admit I didn't immediately pick it up until I read the Expert Review. Like other Bacardi products this is a very sweet rum which I actually adore as it's sweet without feeling cloying. After the initial burst of sweetness and fruits you can find some vanilla, brown sugar, a bit of leather and earthy notes at the finish. I will note there is a bit of an "off" taste that other online reviewers have picked up on. It isn't unpleasant. It's just hard to describe and feels a bit out of place. There are plenty of more complex sipping rums out there but few that are this affordable let alone finding that perfect soft spot of sweetness. Recommended if you're wanting to broaden your rum horizons.