Nose: Fragrant molasses, like a cross between maple syrup, butterscotch sauce and sweet malt. There's a restrained dry and elegant estery note - just enough hogo to add interest. Moist earth and mild cigar, oak, toffee, vanilla and over time some light fruity notes emerge. A good nose. Palate: Sweet and soft arrival with a little tropical fruit. The fruit notes emerge further in the development together with some leathery notes and some licorice and mint. The cask becomes apparent after a while but never intrudes - it just lends weight and texture. The palate stays sweet but not cloying - it's juicy sweet orange rather than simply sugary sweet, and there is a balancing dryness. A good palate and texture right through - light rather than heavy. Finish: Medium/long. The fruity and leathery character of the palate subsides slowly into a well balanced finale with a gently aromatic tobacco note the final aftertaste. A great rum, and although relatively expensive it's good value for the money. It's a sipping dram that I'd recommend to whisky drinkers who normally eschew rum as being too sweet. While it's not a dry funky Jamaican or agricole this rum exemplifies some of the best characteristics of "standard" rum when it's allowed to speak for itself without added sweetening. I could happily lie in a hammock at the beach and sip this neat all day until the sun, and consciousness, gently dipped into darkness. "Very Good" : 85/100 (4 stars)