Gubba Rum President Steve Gubb (Interview)
Published by The Rumlab ago
...
Multiple | Aged | 40% ABV | Pot and Column Still
Plantation XO 20th Anniversary rum is a combination of pot-stilled and column-stilled Barbadian rums that are initially aged in the Caribbean in ex-bourbon casks for 12-20 years. They are then transported to France for a second 12-18 months aging in small French oak casks.
The first bottle of Plantation XO 20th Anniversary was created for the head of Cognac Ferrand Estate Alexandre Gabriel to honor his 20th year running the company. This special gift has resulted in the bottling we see today.
Sort by: Popularity | Newest | Oldest | Rating
Wonderful vanilla, caramel, and coconut nose. Taste is sweet, smooth, and casky. Nice presentation. A good value for a nice rum that anyone would like (except those that would complain out of principle that it's too sweet, or not bajan, etc.).
Really was blown away by this rum. It is a nice sipping rum with a ver nice fruity aftertaste on the palate. Great after dinner sipping rum.
Posted
over 3 years ago
Got this in a fantastic gift-wrapped set. The packaging and bottle blow your mind, sadly the rum less so. As with the diplomatico reserva, this is endorsed all over the web, lavishly praised by drinkers worldwide. To me it just tasted overly sweet. I've tried quite a number of plantation rums, most of them half the price of the XO and I prefer every single one of them to this, the big daddy. Maybe it says more about my taste buds than it says about the rum, but I'm not buying this again.
Posted
over 3 years ago
It is fairly mild overall, but good neat. Super smooth, and very enjoyable
Starting my “serious” rum exploration (don’t ask about the previous ones) I relied on this site, your comments and ratings to select my first high rated bottle...
...Honestly ? What am I going to try next ?
Really out of words. Could be the sipper of sippers. Dangerously Suave !
OK calm down! Let say the bases were not loaded, maybe there’s still room for a grand slam...but what do you suggest?
Thank you.
Deep caramel color, with the 20 predominately displayed.. not a 20 year old rum. The taste was very enjoyable however a little syrupy for my liking.
Posted
almost 8 years ago
Plantation 20th Anniversary est un assemblage de plusieurs rums des Barbades, vieillis et sélectionnés par Alexandre Gabriel pour célébrer ses 20 ans passés à la tête de la société Pierre Ferrand. Affiné dans des petits fûts de Cognac au Château de Bonbonnet, ce rhum particulièrement épicé se révèle en bouche d’une gourmandise à laquelle il est difficile de résister.
Profil : fin, précis. Crémeux et vanillé. Empyreumatique (cèdre, bois brûlé). Epices fortes (graine de moutarde, muscade). Capiteux. Poudre de cacao et noix fraîche. Vétiver.
Posted
over 8 years ago
This is a nice rum for beginners. it hit a good spot on sweetness and vanilla. Beautiful bottle and overall presentation too. Wish it had been allowed to stand on its own without so much sugar though,
edited to add sugar test results- 29g
A few years later, this is undrinkably sweet.
Posted
over 8 years ago
Maybe just too strong on the nose, but well balanced with the taste! One of the best Ive ever had. Also the bottle is fantastic. Very good choice!
Posted
3 months ago
This molasses based rum was my second bottle - picked up based on popularity and was not disappointed. More tropical notes than Zacapa 23. Grilled pinapple, coconut, vanilla comes through. Sweat with no bitterness. Sugar at 20g/l. A permanent have in the collection.
Published by The Rumlab ago
×
Thanks to all of my fellow reviewers at Rum Ratings for leading me to this one!
I would compare this incredible rum to some very good progressive rock whereby one hears a little something different with each listening. The flavors change on this fine rum with almost every sip. There is no alcohol burn. It reminds me of a fine cognac, which is to be expected since it underwent final aging in Cognac France. This rum is truly a work of art. Sipping it neat is fantastic. Adding an ice cube brings out even more of the flavors. At $42 per bottle where I live and being readily available, it will be easy to find more when this bottle finally runs out.
After opening it up and testing that first pour, the next thing one should do is take a knife and cut off that stupid straw net surrounding the bottle. I know that it is a major feature of fine Plantation rums, but it really uglifies this gorgeous bottle. And for anyone who attempts to use this as a mixer, call out the pirates to chop their hands off. Aargh!!!
Update: after sitting in the bottle for two months with only a few sips removed, it has lost much of it's original flavor. This is not supposed to happen, so I dock it one point.
Update Dec 14, 2018: I finally bought my second bottle after 11 months, specifically to test it side by side against my first and last bottle of Ron Zacapa XO. Both are very fine rums with complex flavors, but this rum is dominated by fruit flavors from the cognac barrel aging and the Zacapa XO is dominated by the multiple agings in wood barrels. I honestly could not tell which rum cost the most, and this rum is slightly less than half the price of the Zacapa XO. It was also good to see that the price is still $42 almost a year later. It is now my responsibility to consume this new bottle in less than two months now that I know it's shortcomings due to added sugar and oxidation.
Update June 19, 2022: After a very long time, I finally bought another bottle of this rum and only because it came with two exclusive glasses in a gift box at the same price. Well, those glasses are basically cordial glasses on long stems. How appropriate and so fitting!!!! As for the rum, it now has a more peppery taste akin to tequila. Plantation continues to give rums from Barbados a bad name. And after much consideration, I am left with no choice except to lower my initial rating from an 8 to a 5 on this liqueur that pretends to be a rum.