Gosling's Black Seal

I recently started to stock rums for tiki cocktails. While I need a dark Jamaican, I also wanted to try a dark & stormy that was authentic. Since I already had Whaler's, I wasn't going to buy two more dark rums.

This smells of hickory smoke and tastes bitter and, well, that's it. The bitterness and sharp heat covers up anything else I could possibly taste.

Ginger beer is spicy and ridiculously sweet so the bitterness is a good counter point I suppose.
Unfortunately, both are hot in different ways making me feel like there is no reason to ever try this or a dark n stormy again.

Edit: So trying this in other drinks that required a dark rum and I've changed my mind and upgraded my rating. The rich dark character really helps an overly sweet drink and makes it comforting.

Made an account just to rate this as the first! Rum newbie, this one is really showing off how diverse rum can be!

Deep aroma, beautiful long lasting caramel and cocoa notes. Sip is warming with a creamy mouth feel, long finish. Peppery notes on top of the body. Lovely, excited to mix with it as well.

This is great as a mixer and not too bad as a sipper.

Tastes old. Not aged, old. Like when you got your first round of shots when you were 16 or like what you’d get if you asked for rum in old, old England.

Probably makes a couple of ok cocktails, but just tastes sort of weird and there’s far nicer options to mix with.

A bit like an 80s version of Kraken I guess.

This was an ok rum, but only use it for mixed drinks. It is good with a D&S , but definitely not a sipping rum in my opinion.

For the price you can’t beat this rum for your everyday sipper. A nice and dark rum with a great molasses flavour. It is definitely an all-rounder great for mixing and great for sipping. Don’t bypass this Bermuda 🇧🇲 beauty.

Distinctive taste which goes well in cocktails but Iiked it less when drinking it neat.

Goslings Black Seal rum is my go to rum. I take it neat or with ginger beer as my favourite cocktail, a Dark and Stormy. In Bermuda they have rum on the table in restaurants to add to their famous fish soup. Gotta love a country that considers rum a condiment.

To sweet for drink as sipper, but for mixing its best choice

Very nice color and smell. Smooth, also a nice finish.