Peter-Rivera-Pierola
Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaica Rum
Navy Rum — Jamaica
Reviewed
August 3, 2020 (edited May 1, 2023)
As only my second Jamaican rum, S&C blew me away with its unstoppable ester funk and high proof burn. I foolishly sipped some straight out of the just-opened bottle and blew out my taste buds. Then I made a Mai Tai without splitting it with another rum—mistake number two. So why such a high rating? Because when properly yielded, it is masterful in cocktails. Whether blended with a lighter rum, stirred with ginger beer, or balanced with citrus, it’s a superb mixer that manages to both showcase its own unique character and also elevate its fellow ingredients. I will always keep a bottle to represent some of the best in the Jamaican style.
30.0
USD
per
Bottle
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I have a personal preference to Greg's (of HTD game) maitai specs. I plan to split an oz of this Smith & Cross with an oz of El Dorado 8, an oz of fresh lime, .5 oz of dry curacao, orgeat (liber & Co. ) and rich (2:1) demerara syrup. I had been using 2 oz denizen merchant reserve and it's fine but it just is lacking a bit on the hogo.
@ContemplativeFox I am with you on preferring it over OFTD. And now that I’m more accustomed to cask strength rums like Foursquare, I could see myself sipping S&C too.
The proof is high on this one, but I still find it to be sippable. There's more complexity than in Plantation OFTD and the flavors hold up well with water, so watering it down for sipping is a totally viable option.