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Barbancourt 5 Star Reserve Especiale 8-Year rum

Barbancourt 5 Star Reserve Especiale 8-Year

Haiti | Aged

Barbancourt 5 Star Reserve Especiale 8-Year Rum is agricultural, meaning it's produced from fermented sugar cane juice rather than the more typical molasses. The sugar cane juice is double distilled and aged for eight years in Limousin oak barrels.

Dupré Barbancourt created the Barbancourt rum recipe in 1862 in Haiti, where the rum is still produced today. A French national, Barbancourt incorporated traditional French methods including double-distillation in the process.

6.7/10
247 ratings
Tasty, but not quite great
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247 Barbancourt 5 Star Reserve Especiale 8-Year Ratings

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piratejabez 🇺🇸 | 322 ratings
Posted almost 7 years ago

Original 5/17 - This rum is very good; I like it a lot. It's exceptionally smooth, and sweet enough to satisfy most palates. (It's also pretty reasonably priced.) But it's just not that exciting.

It's also quite a bit sweeter than I was expecting for a French-style rum, but it's a great contrast to the world of AOC Martinique Rhum Agricole I've so far only dabbled in. (This is agricultural rum made from sugar cane juice, but not produced in the same region or according to the same rules or processes as most most other agricoles, hence the rather large difference in character and price. To me, Barbancourt is like an agricole that skews toward Spanish-style rums.)

I'd wager this bottle is a crowd-pleaser (I'm rather surprised the rating is so low... who would give this a 4?!), and would be thrilled to arrive at a party where a giant bowl of Barbancourt Rum Cup was being served!

7+

Update 1/18 - For once I completely agree with my initial review :) Here's the update after revisiting it alongside Barbancourt 3, 5, and 15-years.

43% ABV. Very slight nose. Less brine than its younger siblings, more oak and caramel. Still some fruit. Very smooth. But not very exciting. Dull. Medium-short finish.

This rum displays neither the youthful exuberance and freshness of a young agricole, nor substantial refinement from wood aging. The 5-year is good. The 15-year is delightful. The 8-year sits between them, but rather than being a Goldilocks rum ("just right"), it stops at merely being not too much of anything at all. It's too weak, and too timid.

Still, as a mass-produced rum, it's fine. I heartily recommend it. But personally, I see no reason to get this one over either the 5- or 15-year.

7+

Rumrun11 (PREMIUM) 🇺🇸 | 125 ratings
Posted over 1 year ago

I have only tried agricole rum a couple times and was not impressed at all. I gave it one more shot with Barbancourt and I am done with agricole. This rum has a bit of a smokey aroma and nothing else. More gold than amber color and a flat alcohol taste mixed with smoke and a bit of sweetness, and just not mixed in a good way. Gave a 4 and not a 3 because did use also as mixer and was not bad at all but I really prefer rum neat or on the rocks.

Cool Breeze (PREMIUM) 🇺🇸 | 561 ratings
Posted over 1 year ago

Tasted at Laka Lono on 5/11/21. Rich amber in color. Boozy aroma of acetone and pineapples. Woody and bitter. Herbal woodruff. A dessicating finish to the mouthfeel. Very unique and pleasant.

MattyDoughBalls 🇺🇸 | 3 ratings
Posted over 1 year ago

This is my first French style rum. It's ok. Mostly just spicey.

YP 🇺🇸 | 24 ratings
Posted over 1 year ago

Molasses notes and smooth finish very aseptic on the tongue

Robertkrause80 🇺🇸 | 17 ratings
Posted over 1 year ago

Buttery cinnamon vanilla
Suggest lemon and lime wedge served neat

Martin55 🇨🇦 | 15 ratings
Posted almost 2 years ago

I picked this one up when I was finding it difficult to find a true rhum agricole. I don't enjoy it neat, but I really enjoy it with a Mexican coke and another rum.

Halsey 🇺🇸 | 39 ratings
Posted almost 2 years ago

Light amber, faint nose, but nicely balanced and very easy to sip. A very good value.

Juanlaginia 🇺🇸 | 100 ratings
Posted almost 2 years ago

A good Agricole Rhum (not my cup of tea) but goes well on the Cuba Libre… a bit spicy and harsh typical from these types of rums.

Bityjuan 🇺🇸 | 5 ratings
Posted almost 2 years ago

Great rum!! Really good for the price, dry rum!!!!!

SPEHUN 🇭🇺 | 122 ratings
Posted 2 years ago

Jó kis rum kicsit hajaz a plantationra, finom......




Brand Details

Type: Aged
Company: Barbancourt
Country: Haiti
Name: 5 Star Reserve Especiale 8-Year
Years Aged: 8
Raw Material: Unknown
Process: Pure blend (1 distillery)
Distillation: Unknown
Women Led: No

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