Pusser's Rum Gunpowder Proof (Black Label)

The Bottle: Fairly non-descript, though it looks like it came off of a shelf from 1973. It isn't bad, it just isn't a looker. In the Glass: Just a few degrees into bronze territory from what looks like dark orange if you hold it up to the light. On the Nose: Due to the 54% ABV, you need to add a few drops of water to get near this one. Once it's been tamed a bit, it opens up with some distinct molasses sweetness. There's a heavy, winter, British dessert to this (almost like you need a spoon to get through it) that's then wrapped up in something savory. Distinct black pepper notes to this that play nicely with the sweetness. This sits somewhere in the middle of the field in terms of complexity. Engaging, but not demanding. Taste: This arrives with that molasses sweetness, which then develops a citrus edge and finishes peppery and bitter. It's a fairly quick process from start-to-finish, and it doesn't seem to change much even if you let the glass sit. The savory-bitter note on the end suggests that it would be better in a mixed drink than as a stand-alone sipper(which, to be fair, it isn't billing itself as). I'm not sure that I've ever come across a rum that finishes like this one. I think that the savory-pepper aspect to it could play nicely in a Tiki drink, given that this is an over-proofed spirit; but you'd have to be sure that you get the balance correct. If you're looking for a solid sipper, you should look elsewhere. As a mixer, it would be hard to recommend this one against the likes of the Plantation O.F.T.D or Smith & Cross; but I could certainly see a case for it in the right cocktail.