Bumbu Original

I honestly don’t know what to make of this rum, in regards to whether I actually like it or not. To me it has a slight nutty smell, which I do like, so off to a good start. Neat it’s a tad on the rough side, but to counter act that burning sensation, there is plenty of sweetness going on (some argue too much) giving this rum a nice yin and yang balance. With Coca-Cola any unpleasantness evaporates leaving you to enjoy a rum packed with plenty of flavours. Now here is my problem. The majority of people say the predominant flavour coming through is banana. Me, I’m not so sure, because from my first impressions, I thought I could taste hazelnut! Weird I know! Then some people have said they can taste caramel and others have said they taste vanilla. So it comes as no surprise to me that I can not definitively say what this rum actually tastes off. I’ll have to let you work that out for yourselves.

Good mixer, it has its place. Just not good for sipping unless you like loads of sweet

First of all anything under 80 proof should not even qualify as rum. Then to replace the missing alcohol with sugar water and banana flavouring makes it a liqueur at best. Yes, they also have an XO version at 40% but it is still way too sweet. This is really just a marketing afterthought because they buy it from a completely different distillery and just slap their name on it. I cannot believe some of the high ratings as no serious appreciator of rum would ever consider this stuff good. As a side story I recently witnessed a top-knot in a suit order this in a bar with a full coke mix. I see dialysis in his future.

If you like your rum to taste like syrup with banana flavouring then this is for you, otherwise I'd stay away! I ended up using mine to soak rasins for baking with! Far too sweet and artificially flavoured for me!

Bumbu is the best selling "premium" rum in the liquor store I work at, and for good reason. It's sweet but not artificial, and the aromas of banana are welcoming, reminiscent of time spent on a beach somewhere. This is an extremely approachable rum for those looking to expand their palate, so long as you're looking for a lighter in flavour, and more tropica feeling rum.

Was disappointed by this, should Be marked up as a spiced rum

This rum is a joke, and the joke is on everyone who paid good money for it. A mockery of a rum in a laughable bottle, my daughter's bubblegum has got a more solid and convincing banana taste. Crap, crap, crap in a glass. Faaar too sweet, fake chemical taste, zero complexity, just horrible. Considering its priced way above, say a 5 yo Barbados plantation just adds insult to injury. Never again!

I don't know what this is, but it isn't rum. It's a sugary liqueur filled with artificial flavours. Gross. It's a no from me.

A bit sweet, but man, I would like to drink this rhum again.

Bottle has been opened for several weeks before this tasting

Light intense orange-copper colour.

Very intense in the nose with aroma's of ripe banana which is dominating, vanilla and some citrus peel which gives some freshness (and keeps it in balance)
Very soft and smooth on the palate. Alcohol is nicely balanced (only noticed it is only 35% afterwards).
Aroma's of banana, vanilla, citrus peel, marzipan and white chocolate.
Not a long finish, however.
Score: 84/100

This is a very enjoyable and smooth rum.
The banana aroma is perhaps a little bit too dominant, but let it just happen to be that I just love banana's :-)

I think this is also a rum which can be used in some deserts. I was thinking of some good caramelised pastry like canneles de Bordeaux or baba au rum.