Blackwell Rum

Rating: 15/23 Cool bottle, but I wish it weren't a screw top N: Rich, funky, sweet. I get fireworks, molasses, tropical fruits, chocolate. It retains some youthful character, but doesn't smell overly young. There's some vanilla and a little bit of spice in here too, suggesting bourbon barrel aging. P: Pretty smooth and sweet with the classic dark rum char on top of the usual fireworks, some baking spices, caramel, a bit of chocolate, a hint of vanilla, and some nice tropical fruits (banana, passionfruit, pineapple). The flavor is spicy, but not harsh and is sweet, but not excessively so. It's a quite balanced palate that is reasonably smooth and fairly complex. F: The bitter smoke lingers, along with some spices and vanilla. Chocolate and a bit of dark roast coffee dominate the long finish. It's a nice finish, but the nose and palate are better. For under $20, this is a great buy. It's a solid choice of dark rum for mixing, but a lot of what makes it so good is its balance and complexity rather than one particular flavor. I would absolutely take this over Myer's for sipping on any occasion, but it might be a good idea to stock Myer's (or something else) for mixing because it has a few bold flavors that can standup in a cocktail. Seeing that this is such a solid sipper, I'm inclined to go with at least a 14. Honestly, I might take this over Appleton Estate 12 because I prefer its balance and complexity with just the right amount of added sugar, but I can really see myself going either way, so that opinion might change tomorrow. I think Doorly's 12 is better, but if I were in a dark rum mood, I might pass it over for this. I'm going with 15.

Sweeter, fuller, and more interesting than Myers or Beenleigh. Molasses, wood, char, banana, some other tropical fruits perhaps (mango and pineapple?). It's tasty and sippable, but nothing too exciting. There's sort of a butterscotch caramel aspect to it too and some spice - notably black pepper, white pepper, cinnamon, and some sort of baking spice. I'm going to start it at a 12, but it could be an 11.

Deliciously sweet. Figs and raisins and a hint of molasses. A bit rough going down. Great value!

"the bottle went rather quickly" as one might read in another review. And it couldn't be more true. This bottle, when shared, might not make it the full night. It's tasty! Smooth, fruity as shit, sugary.. bit of spice and just really good! Like salivating, good. All that's missing with this stuff is the sand between your toes! MUCH better than the big brands! (Bacardi/CapMorgan)

Woody, sugar note, rustic?

Sweet and strong, just the way most people like it. There is a hint of bitterness, roughness to it, too. Anyhow, the bottle went rather quickly.

An approachable, if unsubtle, dark rum. Spicy and super sweet, this one is more comfortable paired with bright citrus flavors than it is standing on its own.