Kirk and Sweeney 12-Year

12yo - There I was at my local supermarket and thinking why oh why don't they ever have anything of interest. And then rather surprisingly I came across this chap. As I was standing in the aisle, I cracked out the mobile app and saw the very mixed reviews. But even so, I was curious. I knew about K&S but never got around to trying it.

Its at the upper limits of what I really like when it comes to sweetness (natural or at least, with only a small amount of sugar added), but it is all held together by the burn from the alcohol that had me checking whether this was actually at 40% as it has a harshness to it that I would expect from say 46%. However it pulls together the sweetness, the vanilla and the toasty American oak (I have to say I am a sucker for American oak ageing). Without the hit from the alcohol, I suspect that this wouldn't be dry enough for me.

Soft, even with the burn, multi-dimensional with a medium/long length. I can see why this divides opinions, but I find it initially quite appealing.

I read some reviews questioning whether they are drinking the same rum as everyone else - I do not know whether the label is a "fake" historic one to go with the story or whether when it states Batch 021 Bottle Nº 7915 that is the current batch, but that is how my bottle is so labelled.

Rhum de mélasse de République Dominicaine, vieilli 12 ans selon la méthode solera. Titre 40°
Design : gros effort sur le packaging, superbe bouteille, le rhum a une belle couleur ambrée.
Nez : épices, alcool, caramel.
Dégustation : l'attaque est douce, attaque de l'alcool puis dominante épice, boisé léger et caramel..
Finale : courte, avec une légère amertume.
Le ramage plutôt que le plumage, ce rhum reste très correct bien que trop sirupeux à mon goût.

Příjemný a jemný rum za rozumnou cenu. Za mě klasika na posezení s přáteli.

This rum has a great smell when first opening it. After first taste theres a lot going on, but its not horrible, not harsh, and not funky. But there is a lot of flavors happening. I could taste a bit of oak, and maybe a hint of vanilla. Tastes fresh and clean with a smooth finish.

This rum is not particularly sweet, has a good color, a bit of a burn on the medium finish but not harsh. Overall, quite drinkable neat but there is a slightly off flavor that I am not good enough to identify. It has a slight chemical taste - may be alcohol and charred oak, I suppose. Nice bottle as well.

Great presentation and heavy bottle.
This rum has some similarities with Bermudez rum.
The old cellar taste is unique and so pronounced only in the 12y K&S. We can describe it also as moldy wood or wood with apricot.
Kirk & Sweeney is made from Bermudez rum from a distillery on Dominican Republic.
DomRep rums are not very heavy, because all three distilleries (Barceló, Bermúdez and Brugal) uses multi-column distillation.
What we know about multicolumn-distillation is:
"These large factory-sized stills use several columns which typically produce a distillate of more than 95% ABV. Such rums are characterized by being lighter, much less rich in esters, and are aromatically almost neutral. They are therefore modified: by producers who make blends, white rums, spiced or flavoured rums, or low quality spirit for mass consumption."
http://rumaniacs.com/Notes_and_Categories

I get an impression of books from an old cellar in the nose, this can also be benevolently described as white oak with apricots. A hint of vanilla, a bit of caramel, red fruits.
The taste is a little bit watery with some wood and apricots (moldy wood), hints of caramel, burned sugar and vanilla. Pleasant taste, I would rate it with 81 points.

Smell: white oak with apricots, vanilla, soem caramel, red fruits
Taste: fruit (apricot), some cocoa, some vanilla, white oak/barrel, burned sugar, again the old cellar in the finish. Remains pleasantly fruity in the mouth.

Sweetness: 1.5/5
Fruits: 2/5
Spice: 2/4
Mildness: 4/5
Value (33€): 3.5/5

Goldbraun mit mittleren Schlieren im Glas.
In der Nase zurückhaltend, sehr dezent nach Karamell.
Am Gaumen eine unerwartete Geschmacksverstärkung mit verschiedenen Nuancen. Beim ersten Schluck zeigt sich noch ein etwas scharfer alkoholischer Eindruck. Dann dezente Süße, feine Würze, etwas Holz, etwas Frucht, Butterscotch.
Mittlerer Körper, rund und ausgewogen.
Mittellanger Abgang.
Ein guter Sipper zu einem angemessenen Preis, aber für mich knapp an der 8 vorbei.

Now this is a funny one for me i am fairly new to drinking rum and have never spoken-to an experienced rum drinker . The smell to me there is no obvious smells maybe a bit of oak and coffee but nothing clear to me. The taste just ok again with nothing really jumping out on the flavours quite strong alcohol taste with a bit of burn but does taste nice on the front of the tongue. I find if i drink to big a mouth full it kills me palette but yet i do like this rum i have now had 6 bottles over 2 years . Now for what i like most this is a really relaxing drink this is a really chilled drink similar effect red wine does to some people . I find the best way to drink this rum is poor a decent measure and put a good series on or a film sit back an chill and you find yourself getting so focused and into the movie its great really relaxing i would not drink this at a party really nice chill out drink

Tento rum jsem ochutnal o Vánocích u známého. Jeho žádná vůně mne překvapila. Shodli jsme se se známým, že na rozdíl jiných rumů, které jsme ten den pili, jsme u tohoto vzorku necítili žádnou vůni. Chuť již byla docela dobrá, mírně nasládlý příjemně pitelný rum. Celkově tedy zklamání, škoda, možná někdy příště.

Rum, ktory ma svoj charakter /hlavne vanilka/ ale chyba mu lepsia harmonia chuti a silnejsie telo, ktore sprevadza moje oblubenejsie rumy. Bez pridaneho cukru, ale vyrusuje ma v nom silnejsie sudove pozadie, ktore robi rum mierne trpky.