Ron Esclavo XO Cask

Reading reviews I had built up in my mind how this might taste, and at the time when I started drinking Rum it was the best tasting (sweet) rum I'd tried. The bottle is boring and black with a white label. It is only 50cl.
The alcohol/sugar explodes in your mouth and the resultant aftermath tastes like I used to imagine a perfect sweet rum should taste. After a few months I could say maybe a little too much clove/five-spice.
There's also no depth, it's always wham, sweetness.
After a few months of drinking Velier, Foursquare and Agricoles I tried to go back to it. It wasn't enjoyable as a rum and it wasn't even worth keeping for cooking. Dumped down the sink.

This could chock anyone! strong that it helpes to let it brief before, But to be so strong really goo!

The regular XO is almost unbarebly sweet, but the Cask Strength's alcohol levels help a little bit. Still very sweet and closer to 6.5 than 7.

Let's start from the beginning. The color is beautiful mahogany, catches your eye. I smell caramel and cherry. For some reason the taste also reminded me of cherries. Not too sweet at all. First it slams your mouth with a barrel and then burns it all to the ground. Your mouth goes crazy as if you just ate a ghost pepper, but it quickly gets softer and the tastes just spread through your mouth. It gets a little easier with every sip. But then you put it on the shelf and when you take it out again - BOOM! I love this rum.

This rum was my biggest surprise. I remember a big disappointment after a first sip. So big that I put aside a whole battle. After several weeks I came back ,poured a small ice cube ,let it breath 10 minutes and then a miracle happened.
The taste is what I expect from rum. Combination of syrup sweetness a high amount of alcohol is in perfect harmony. Finish is long,hot and sweet.

This XO Cask is sadly not in production enymore.
There is a new Ron Esclavo XO Cask, but that one is from another producer.
This one is REALLY nice, with lots of chocolate , vanilla and sweetness to tame the 65% ABV.
Buy one before it´s gone...

The higher level of alcohol is helping to cover the sweet taste. Very similar to normal XO but stronger.For me is very hard to determine end customers - too sweet for over-proof rum lovers and too strong for sweet rum lovers. But definitely worth to taste if you have chance - strong, sweet warm spiced and surprisingly complex with nice finish.

Schönes leuchtendes Mahagoni im Glas.
In der Nase, duftendes Karamell, frisch aufgebrochene Kakaobohnen, getoastetes Holz.....
Im Gaumen trotz 65% sehr elegant und weich. Karamell übernimmt die Führung gefolgt von Toffee, Kakao, Vanille und Holznoten.
Im Abgang wunderbar lang, Karamell und Schokolade sind die Protagonisten.
Ein leckerer O&O, die Fassstärke bricht die Süsse. Für Geniesser und Entdecker der Fassstarken Rum.

Beautiful shining mahogany in the glass.
In the nose, fragrant caramel, freshly broken cocoa beans, toasted wood .....
Very elegant and soft on the palate despite 65%. Caramel takes the lead followed by toffee, cocoa, vanilla and wood notes.
In the finish wonderfully long, caramel and chocolate are the protagonists.
A delicious O&O, the barrel strength breaks the sweetness. For connoisseurs and discoverers of rum with cask strength.

Testé au RhumFest Paris , vraiment très fort à la première gorgée mais la suite est une explosion de saveurs ! ! !

Jag uppskattade Ron Esclavo XO men undrar om inte denna är bättre? Den når inte upp till 10 men bra nära. Blir väldigt len med lite vatten.