Gosling's Family Reserve Old

Tried the Gosling's Black Seal and Family Reserve back-to-back and I was very surprised how big the difference is between these two rums. The Family Reserve tastes like a proper aged dark rum. It reminds me quite a lot about the El Dorado 12 year old rum in flavor profile. There is a hint of raisin flavor to bring in just a bit of sweetness, but overall the Family Reserve is very dry rum.

This is RICH!! Whoever said the aroma fills a whole room, they're not kidding! It's powerful and just keeps coming! Carries heavy notes of molasses (duh), but underneath there's some tobacco, fresh bread and cinnamon. Smooth and friendly as you drink it, which definitely isn't something I can say for most other blackstraps. Palate again gives you that big ol' molasses taste (shocker), but it carries basically everything underneath it. When I say everything, I mean marshmallow, coffee, woodsmoke, cinnamon, something metallic, and some apple as well. The finish then comes in, not too strong, but is curiously oily and tangy at the same time. I'm doing my best to describe it, but I know I'm not doing a good job... You really can't imagine what this rum is like until you try it. (That means go try it!!)

Tasted it in a restaurant after the meal. Liked it. Colour cherry-like and some "fruit" to it (lightly). Spicy and smooth as a good old rhum. Nothing outstanding however.

Got this at Duty Free in Bahamas and glad I picked it up. Very smooth with a great sugar aroma. Notes of dried fruits (raisins & dates), with hints of chocolate.

Love the bottle presentation (wax seal) and wood box.

I read the reviews here and gave it time to breathe.....well, the second glass I did!!

Initially as soon as I opened the bottle, I got a bit of pear drops and bananas on the nose coupled with spice, caramel and oak. This was carried through to the pallet where the caramel took on more burnt notes. Very smooth and well integrated attack from the alcohol, giving a good depth and length. Very good. After breathing in the glass, the pear drops disappear off the nose. There is a mix of spice, wood, caramel. This is carried through on the palate where the alcohol gives a firm but gentle kick. A lovely long warming finish.

For all the good packaging (even if I am not a fan of the black bottle) this is too expensive.

I started with a sample. Towards sweet, a prune and raisin xmas cake, vanilla flavours with a light oaky after-aroma. Hardly any alcohol burn and does seem to benefit from a short rest in the glass. Slightly sweetened.

This is hands down one of the most unique, full bodied rums I've had. It's a sticky, dark pour, and has a very potent nose full of aromatics. Starts off with cocao, molasses, smoke, and Oak. Finishes with a bit of a spicy cocao. Wonderful rum.

On the sweet side with oaky, spicy flavors. Almost like a spiced rum, this rum is ideal enjoyed neat or mixed, though with the $70 price tag you probably want to refrain from mixing it as you could just buy their Black Seal or gold rum instead. Nice packaging and bottle design with a wax seal. I wonder how much we are paying for the packaging?
Give it a try, you will like it.

Molasses on the nose and taste. Not overly sweet for sipping. Trying to make a Dark and Stormy now with this.

Some oak mellowed in with familiar black seal spice. A tad bitter drinking neat as it quickly overcomes the palate. Although its evidently more viscous then its younger sibling, this rum isn't much of an improvement.

The Family Reserve Old in my opinion is too adultered to enjoy neat with a clear conscious while too expensive and tapered to sub in for other black rums in cocktails.

It wont appeal to « sippers » or black seal enthusiasts ($$). Its not bad, it just doesn't do any one thing well.

Ein würziges Nosing mit Noten von Schokolade. Am Gaumen gesellen sich dezente Vanillearomen und etwas Leder dazu.

This is truly an amazing rum. There is a bit of spice towards the end of the palate which may draw some away, but as a bourbon drinker as well I truly enjoyed it. There is a bit of sweetness, but it isn't overbearing. Found this for $68 in my area. If you feel like dropping a bit of money on a bottle, this is definitely one to consider.

Good - but in terms of price I could wish for a little more

Never disappointed with this bottle until it's empty. Wouldn't hate if it were cheaper for less fancy packaging.

I like Gosling's rums. This is one of their best, very good just by itself. Nice and smooth.

It is one of my favorite rum at all. Taste is similar to whiskey, so it's could be a good choice also for whisky lovers.

The presentation of this rum really gets you ready for the taste that follows. Buried in a wood box, you finally see the true are of this distillery. Once on your palette, the flavors of oak, caramel, and villa really get you locked into this rum. The right amount of sweetness, but the perfect spicy oak kick at the end, really gives you an enjoyable experience. Highly recommend this rum to the experienced rum connoisseur.

Bra men inte riktigt tillräckligt rund. Mycket smak och söt. Kryddig och stark eftersmak.

An incredible rum with a great finish. Sip slowly and enjoy with some chocolate.

I love this stuff but have only had the benefit of a few glasses. I certainly think it is up there for wonderful dark rum colour, taste and smoothness. Deep caramel but not too sweet, that age just smooths out all the raw edges but retains wonderful flavour.

Skäms nästan att ge den så lågt betyg, men jag gissar att denna rom är för mer avancerade connaisseurer. Alltså inget för mig:-)!

"Home sweet Home"
This rum is definitely one of my best rum's I own, and I prefer it over a lot of others. I'm not saying this because I am a Bermudian :-p but because I love sweet and rich in flavor rums. This rum has a dark texture and a smoothness better then any rum I have had thus far. The flavor is rich in molasses and chocolate; The texture is silky smooth like comparing dress pants to fine the linens but for your mouth. But this rum has a special place in my heart I hope when you taste it haves a special place in yours. Thank you for reading and great sipping.......

Treat it lovingly, and let it rest a bit in the glass. We love the heady aroma and pleasant caramel.

Now thats not quite how you expect a rum to be. Smoky and some sort of oily. A dark rum that has so much variety but just not my kind of stuff. But if you like extraordinary rum give it a try. All sort of different.