Privateer New England Reserve 2-Year

I'd heard of Privateer and wanted to try a New England rum. Additionally, I wanted a Pot Still Lightly Aged Rum besides Smith & Cross to use. I put it in this category based on Smuggler's Cove definitions & the label which says it was aged no less than 2 years in American oak. When smelled I get oak and vanilla. When tasted I get the same. I sipped it alongside Richland Georgia Rum which is the go-to rum I judge everything else by. Privateer Reserve tastes fairly one-dimensional, slightly sweet, decent alcohol burn, and mildly bitter aftertaste that's not unpleasant. I get no funk or fruity flavors, which is fine. It's a straightforward lightly aged pot still rum. I'd consider it in a rum old fashioned but not sipped straight. However, I think I'll primarily mix cocktails with it.

Unique nose that I can’t remember any other rum being like this - nice and light, I can’t put my finger on exactly what it is, must’ve something like vanilla.

Light and bright taste, fruity banana with little leather, rubber, or oil - very fresh. Long lingering finish with no bad aftertaste.

Much easier to sip at 45 and only 2 years aged, interested what it will be in a few more years. I’m not in love with it, but it’s certainly better than a typical 2-year mixing rum.

Aniz on the nose, taste is like an attempt at a spiced rum that got halfway complete before it needed to get rushed out the door and bottled. Vanilla on finish as well, likely the worst privateer given how amazing most of the others I’ve tried so far are (navy yard, European, etc)

Tasted at Laka Lono on 4/27/22. Pours a rich gold color. Slight aroma of honey. Mild banana flavor. Cotton candy. Brown sugar. A bit of funk emerges late. Good.

Probably the smoothest rum I've ever had. Tasting notes light vanilla and oak, almost imperceptibly so. I would give this to anyone that doesn't like those hard funky tastes and still wants more than a filtered cane taste.