Plantation Barbados 5-Year

Similar to the slightly cheaper Grande Reserve this one has a gentle sweet taste but definitely a bit of spicy alcoholic taste when compared to the XO 20th Anniversary.
You will be able to taste vanilla and enjoy a very balanced rum that you can use for both mixing and sipping.

However, when I compare it to the Grande Reserve I am having a hard time justifying the slightly higher price point. Don't get me wrong: The rum is well worth it's money but it's cheaper sibling is so similar in taste that I probably won't buy it again.

Épicé, droit. Une finale sucrée/caramel (mais pas trop!) et une belle sensation de chaleur.

Bezcharakterni rum, vubec nic v nem clovek neciti... Neurazi, ale ani nenadchne. Ocenil bych plnejsi chut, ale jemny je s lehce trpcim dozvukem

Not as smooth as I was hoping compared to other things I have had in the plantation label.

This rum surprised me! Given that Mt. Gay Eclipse had long been my go-to mixing rum, I was expecting something similar. Now I understand both producers better, and these two rums embody their differences pretty well.

This particular Bajan rum is creamy and unbelievably smooth, with a strong aroma of banana accompanied by vanilla, butterscotch, and caramel. In short, it's delicious.

I have one major complaint: the sweetness. I think a big part of why this bottle is so tasty (apart from the fine raw materials and thoughtful aging) is the high sugar content; it's a bit like rum candy. For those of you who like it sweet, you've hit the jackpot! For those like me who prefer a more balanced spirit, it's a bit much. The vanilla-crème-brulee tends to dominate and can be cloying. At this price-point, however, it's hard to complain—it's more something to keep in mind when mixing and imbibing, so you craft a balanced drink and not let the sweetness trick you into forgetting the kick. And there are benefits, as well: the sugar (along with its flavor profile) makes it ideal for adding to treats like milkshakes, desserts, or coffee, and helps make it more than passable neat. Indeed, as a dessert rum I see no better value today. (For a budget sipper, RL Seale's Finest takes the top spot.)

Originally I gave this an 8 because it really is a spectacular value. But eventually I decided that all this sugar hurts more than it helps (after all, you can always add your own sweetener—but you can't take away what's already there); cutting it by a third or a half could do wonders (one would hope)... or it could reveal shortcomings with the raw material. I'd love to see it compete more with the likes of Doorly's, rather than Zaya. (And this critique applies for many of Plantation's fine offerings.)

In sum, this makes for an excellent all-around mixer, is good with desserts, and also holds up to sipping. Its sweetness and strong flavor have garnered it many fans, but I could only take so much. I highly recommended it to beginners, and wouldn't bat an eye at being served this in a drink.

7-

Ce seul nom suffit comme gage de qualité. Ça se boit tout seul

What can I say. Just another fine rum.
Don't be afraid to buy this baby, it almost always is going to work out.

Une attaque plutôt moyenne mais une longueur en bouche plutôt faiblarde. Très bien pour mixer, pas mal à sec.

For this price point what a good rum. I enjoy rum best on the rocks and is quite good. Is unlike any rum I have had from Barbado. Has a demerara quality to it and almost seems like an El Dorado light.

For a five year rum, I'm impressed by the flavor.
Best with cola