For the same price range as Gold, there's no question which is better, spiced or not. It has a basic, vanilla-forward profile, with a nice balance of oak. Not like alcoholic charcoal, like the Gold. I wasn't expecting to enjoy this, but it was actually pretty pleasant. It's a bit sweet overall, but it actually mixes wonderfully with no surprises. It's an easy thing to keep stocked with how cheap it is. I think I still prefer my Captain Morgan 100 over this though, but this is not a bad selection.