Havana Club Anejo Especial

Ok actually, I was expecting worse. Mixer, but you could drink it straight without too much pain as long as you’ve got enough ice knocking about. Probably a little better than the 7 year old.

A 5.5 on my scale. Shared from a friend. Good, but not great (the rum, not the friend). No interesting flavors (same qualifier).

First sips with rest of the morning coffee gave this a super starting point.
Great value and classic taste of rum.

It is quite OK. Initial hit is just fine. No undesirable aftertaste. The taste is not overpowering in any way. Mixed or not, I don't know.

Not what I expected after reading the posts here. Sugary vanilla was how I caught it and sadly it didn’t work nicely in any of my usual drinks with the exception of the Cuba libre.
Great in a Cuba libre but I don’t think I’ll get it again.

Cuba and rum go hand in hand with a lighter style of rum. They offer a wide range of rums from their 3 year which can be bought for about $20US, to their Holy Grail, Maximo, which will set you back about $1400US.
With this entry by Havana Club, I would lean more towards using this as a mixer or very introductory sipper depending on your threshold for limited complexity and burn and it’s reaction with olfactory and gustatory perception.
At any rate, if you can get your hands on a bottle, do so, especially with how difficult getting anything from Cuba into the States can be.

Pas le genre de rhum a boire seul, je le réserve pour les cocktails où il est à son aise.

Walk, do not run to get this European barroom standard. It serves a specific purpose of simplicity and that is the brand offers standard fare at accessible prices. This barely reaches the standard fare level. Simply too boozy tasting for 80 proof. It can be non offensive in a drink if it is well masked by other ingredients but ultimately the question must be asked, why buy this? Answer: If there is only more commercial crap available. My estimation is this is trumped by dozens of others...
Hampden Estate Gold
Isla de Canas
Abuelo Anejo
Cubanacan 5-year
Malteco 8-yr
and so on...

The Havana Club Anejo Especial si the one that got me into rum. It has such a distinctive flavor, that if you would put a blind on my eyes, I could guess it from any other rum. It's simply unique. It might not be a top rum, but for me, personally, it will always have a special spot. Not really for sipping, in my opinion, but very good for cocktails and mixing. I do believe that this is what it has always meant to be anyway. I am a bit sad that they have changed the design of the bottle now. As a price / quality ratio, you can't go wrong with it.

Really sweet rum with a harsh alcohol taste. Best served on the rocks or in a mixed drink

A great mixing rum with a gentle, Cuban smell. I found it to be more flexible and less overpowering than the cigar-ish Havana Club 7. It makes a stunning Cuba Libre (or plain rum and coke), and is an excellent staple for the drinks cabinet.

Compared to the Havana Club 7 anos, is this one less intense. But very nice and good priced rum.

Rum and coke. Not too much to say about it. Average and a bit better than the blanc.

Kostovka priamo z cuby. Táto Havana a moc neoslovila, ale piť sa dá.

Just the rum to get you into Havana Club rums. Medium dark, for me a perfect mixer.

Rum nemá príliš príjemnú vôňu...silný alkoholový dozvuk. Málo sladký. Chuť mi pripomína až whisky. Nič extra na vychutnanie....skôr do miešaných nápojov.

Met de (hele redelijke) prijs in het achterhoofd blijft dit een favoriet voor een lekker glas rum, gewoon doordeweeks zonder franje. Kan eventueel nog heel goed in de mix maar ook lekker na opwarmen in de hand met wat drupjes water.

Probably my favourite session rum so far. I look forward to discovering an alternative that can eclipse this beauty. Value for money assured.

Hat mir persönlich fast schon zu viel Bourbon Aroma.

Good value proposition from Havana Club.

I would buy this again and it can be enjoyed even neath.

A decent mixer for the price. Not a sipping rum, unfortunately...

I'm sure we all know this to be the 5-year 'little brother' of HC7 and as such you expect it not to be as good overall.
That being said it's pretty nice in it's own right and does hold it's own- very easy to drink over ice or with a mixer, what's more it is usually on offer at ~£16 you can't really beat it for value for money either.

A good mixer rum but not nice straight. Very raw alcohol taste with little complexity going on here.

Color Golden Amber
Soft aroma of fruitori and too much aroma of etilic alcool
Just for cocktail