Kirk and Sweeney Reserva 12-Year

Bought a bottle on vacation in the Florida Keys. It was decent, but I doubt I would buy it again. Too much bite. A good taste, maybe a little vanilla. Actually used half of it with Coke.

Mix it with something. Aged for 12 years and it taste raw with hints of additives. Sorry not for me.

Enjoying sipping this straight up. I think it is pretty smooth and well worth the cost-just over $30. Kind of like the bottle too.

12 Reserva - just opened this to compare with the last of my 12yo. It is totally different and a real step backwards. Gone is the unctuous rich caramely nose, to be replaced by one which is more astringent with hints of what reminds me of oranges. It is similar on the body. Very disappointing and a rum that I'll likely not be buying again. Disappointing. I'm wondering whether it has been spiced - it's on the shelves next to the other one that seems to be popular (and which I find equally nasty) Don Papa. I tried it again last night and thought it was actually quite nasty and what I was going to do with it!

I also have to wonder whether it is still a 12 year old. 12 Reserva might well imply it is, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were much younger rums in the blend.

My problem is, what do I do with it? I find it truly nasty but I don't like throwing things away. However, my rum cupboard is quite full, and for the first time ever, I'm half tempted to pour it down the sink (though I won't end up doing that, more than likely I'll try and give it away).

So I'm officially taking my initial dive into public rum tasting and reviews with this entry. While I've been trying to gain a good foundation of knowledge about rums over the last year or two, I'm still learning and figure I would start off with a middle of the road rum (in price and reviews). I don't claim to be an expert, I just know what I like and don't, and know everyone tastes and smells things differently and has their own likes, dislikes and preferences when it comes to rum. So I'm just giving my 2 cents in my own way. Take it how you will ;)

So first off, the K&S 12 Year Reserva is in a bottle I love, not only the shape but I'm a sucker for maps, which is printed on the side and back. It looks great in my bar and I love it's just a cork in the top. It looks like something that would wash up on the beach of a shipwreck.

The look and color is nice with a reddish mahogany glow in the bottle and a light yellowish amber in the glass. I let it sit for about 5 minutes before smelling and there was a strong presence of vanilla, caramel, sugar and oak. I occasionally got some mild fruit but nothing substantial, maybe a hint of orange rind and apricot, really not sure.

I liked the taste as it wasn't quite as sweet as it smelled, and I prefer dry and oak flavors in my liquors and wine, which this had quickly, but it dispersed even quicker. The mouthfeel was average, it wasnt too watery but not really sticking around on my tongue. The flavors went quick and left a nice warm burn that I enjoyed. But I didn't get a lot out of the aftertaste. A bit of the carmel, oak and spice were there, but not much to mention that stuck around.

Overall I enjoyed it, and it seems okay as a sipper, but probably better suited as a mixer. Would I buy it again? Probably not. But I will give the 18 and 23 years a taste when I can.

I really don't think its as bad as many of the reviews say, its worth a try if you can get it at a good price. But don't expect to be amazed. Its solid if unspectacular. But it gets an extra point from me for the bottle. So 6 for the rum, 7 total because of the packaging.

I get the one without looking it up and I have to say I'm glad I did.

For the price, I was expecting a sipping rum. This is not. The taste of alcohol was so overwhelming I couldn't taste anything else - it was abrasive like a shot of 151. When mixed, any additional flavors or notes were lost in cola and in lime juice. There are better options.at.half the price. No intention of buying again.

I really like this rum. I don’t understand what the negative reviews are all about.

Tastes amazing! On the rocks, smooth and flavorful.