Hamilton Guyana Rum

Dark molasses with hints of leather. Smooth enough for sipping, but not particularly exciting

This is very nice. On the nose there is a sort of burnt brown sugar and a smoky, leathery dimension. The taste is similar, with a combination of heavy molasses and a dark, charred flavor, maybe even a bit of coffee. Then again, I don't like coffee, but I like this. The sweetness pops up but the finish is mostly the char. It's kind of like you had a cinnamon roll or molasses cookie or something that got overbaked and turned into a nugget of burnt-to-a-crisp brown sugar. Only, you know, tastier than that makes it sound. This isn't super complex but it's quite good. It's pretty much all about that enticing combination of char and brown sugar --- and a fine combination it is! The brown sugar has something in common with Barbados rums, but that smoky char makes it more bracing. It's gritty enough that you feel kind of hardcore drinking it, but not so nasty that you have to actually be hardcore to drink it. The price is right at under $25. I'll probably buy this again at some point.

This was my second Demerara rum after El Dorado 15. By comparison, this one is significantly less sweet and complex, but perhaps a bit more on the funky and smoky side. Great in a Dark & Stormy, so I’m hopeful it will work well in other cocktails too. Much easier to sip than expected, although not how I’d typically reach for it. Looking to explore this one a bit more...