El Pasador de Oro XO

According to various internet sources this is a blend of various Guatemalan rums aged anywhere from 6 to 15 years in oak barrels then are aged some more (cannot determine the time frame) in Cognac casks in France.

An interesting backstory.

However not much information given on the rather plain label.

Let's continue...

The hue of the rum is a rich dark amber...a brownish amber. Dark caramel perhaps. It has a very appealing odor (again, my weak point since I am unable to distinguish odors well...I just say it's a nice odor or not).

Nice legs as I swirl it in my snifter.

The flavor is quite intriguing. Definitely a smooth sipping rum. A little oiliness causes it to stick to the tongue well allowing the flavors to settle. It has some pepperiness to it but does not have much of a tannin bitterness although the oak notes are clearly present albeit subtle. A nice caramel and vanilla undertones. No real burn. Instead there is a nice warmth that builds for a bit in the back of the throat and then fades ever so slowly. If the info I found is true and the rum is finished in France in Cognac casks then I understand why it has this subtle sweetness that almost borders on sugaring but plausibly isn't.

Clearly a sipping rum with a nice complexity to it. Excellent rum for the price IF you can find it.

I tried this side by side with the El Pasador de Ora Gran Reserva, and it was surprisingly close. But I give that one the edge, as it was a tad smoother and tastier. If price matters to you, get this one, because it's close to the Gran Reserva. Otherwise, get that one.

Smells and tastes of a sweet caramel, spice, oak, and tobacco. Like the Gran Reserva, this one too is just shy of a '9' to me.

Well over 2,500 aged dark rums enjoyed and El Pasador de Oro XO was such a massive positive surprise and what a value! Bought it from the local Total Wine for $38 and it rivals the Diplomatico price-quality ratio. El Pasador de Oro XO is very smooth, no burn at all and contains plenty of exciting flavors and with a price tag of less than $40, it is also an amazing value.

Detailed scoring analysis:
10/100 Packaging, bottle and label design 8
10/100 Color of this rum 8
15/100 Nose test 11
20/100 Palate test 17
15/100 Afterburn of this rum 15
15/100 Availability to purchase this rum 15
15/100 Ultimate value for money 15
Total score 89

Smooth, tasty, colorful, beautiful, this Rum make you just want one more all the time. My personal favorite

A very similar class of Rum to Papa's Pilar or Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva. On the sweeter end of the spectrum but very good in its complexity.

un rhum complexe veilli en fut de cognac. assemblage entre 8 et 15 ans lui donne un gout de canelle, de fruits exotiques et boisé. vraiment excellent et près a défier les rhum prestigieux.

Der El Pasador De Oro XO ist ein Blend aus Melasse Rums von ca. 6-15 Jahre Lagerzeit in Guatemala. Dann wird er nach Frankreich importiert und lagert dort für ca. 6 Monate in Cognacfässern nach. Er wird unter dem selben Dach wie auch der bekannte Zacapa distiliert. Der Rum wird mit 40% Alkohol abgefüllt. Die Flasche wirkt hochwertig und ansprechend. Es ist nicht bekannt ob Zusatzstoffe hinzugefügt werden. Ich glaube nicht, außer das er vielleicht leicht gesüßt ist.

In der Nase ist der Rum zurückhaltend. Mild kommen süße fruchtige Noten mit etwas Eiche. Ganz klarer Vorteil des XO gegenüber einem Solera, das keine Schärfe stört. Beim Trinken ist der Rum mild und schmeckt nach Vanille und Rosinen. Eine angenehme Süße paart sich mit Eichen- sowie Fassnoten. Man schmeckt das der El Pasador einen guten Anteil länger gereiferter Rums hat. Der Alkohol ist erstaunlich gut eingebunden und wird nie unangenehm. Auch beim Abgang stört er nicht und nimmt die Aromen des Rums gut auf. Melasse und Holz sind im Abgang erkennbar welcher nicht zu früh nachgibt.

Der El Pasador de Oro XO ist für 40Euro ein erstaunlich runder und vollmundiger Rum welcher sich nicht verstecken muss und seinen Landsmann mit dem "Z" alt aussehen lässt. Er macht viel richtig und balanciert seine milden Aromen gut. Etwas mehr Körper und ein paar kräftigere Fassnoten und wir würden über ein Premium Produkt sprechen. Insgesamt würde ich eine klare Kaufempfehlung aussprechen. Hier stimmt das Preis-Leistungsverhältnis!

The El Pasador De Oro XO is a blend of molasses rums of about 6-15 years storage time in Guatemala. It is then imported to France and stored there for about 6 months in cognac barrels. It is distilted under the same roof as the well-known Zacapa. The rum is bottled with 40% alcohol. The bottle is of high quality and appealing. It is not known whether additives are added. I don't think so, but maybe he's slightly sweetened.

In the nose, the rum is restrained. Mild come sweet fruity notes with some oak. The XO's clear advantage over a Solera is that the sharpness doesn't interfere. When drinking, the rum is mild and tastes like vanilla and raisins. A pleasant sweetness pairs with oak and barrel notes. One tastes that the El Pasador has a good proportion of older rums. The alcohol is surprisingly well integrated and never becomes unpleasant. Even when it finishes, it does not bother and absorbs the aromas of the rum well. Molasses and wood are recognizable in the finish, which does not give way too early.

The El Pasador de Oro XO is for 40Euro an amazingly round rum that does not have to hide and makes its compatriot with the "Z" look old. It does a lot of right and balances its mild aromas well. A little more body and a few stronger barrel notes and we would talk about a premium product. Overall, I would make a clear purchase recommendation. Here the price-performance ratio is right

An exceptionally smooth and aromatic XO rum finished in ex-Cognac casks. Similar to Plantation 20th , this is a wonderful sipping rum and will be on my top shelf.

Sugar: Estimated 16 gpl. A smooth but uncomplicated rum that makes for an easy sipping experience. Oak, vanilla, caramel are all present and accounted for in this blend and are very well balanced. I detect some orange peel and perhaps some baking spice and a bit of nuttiness. No big explosion of taste, but a nice long warmth that has no harsh edge to it. This rum is aged in Cognac casks and that explains the orange and spice flavours. To me this rum is a cross between a Plantation and a very light Zacapa rum. I like it and it's a good value. With a bit more complexity it would be rated in the 9 range. If you see it, I recommend you pick up a bottle. You will be happy with it.

The nose was sweet, the body was thin and wasn't full.. it was to smooth, like that of lil to no after taste, disappearing like a scotch into the back of the throat. For the price of $33 it was right and better then most at the price range.. I can't figure out the flavors even when I continued to clear my pallet.. I will pair it with different items to see what flavors I can pull out.. it's sweet though.

Update: I revisited this after tasting Cartavio XO and getting my Glencairn glasses. It's Eve better, smooth as can be. Definitely deserves a purchase and a try, more than once.