Bacardi Reserva Ocho Rare Gold 8-Year

I'll give it to Bacardi, I don't hate this. One note, no complexity, but I don't hate myself when I drink this (unlike Bacardi silver). If you're going to try a Bacardi 8, reach for one of the more interesting cask finishes, like the Sherry or the Seville Orange. Both of those offer a bit of complexity to an otherwise standard mixer. I keep going back and forth whether to give this a 5 or a 6. Ignoring the price, I guess I have to go with a 6, but there are much better rums at this price point.

Expecting a bit more for an 8 year aged rum. Ok as a mixer. Not really a sipper.

Let me start by saying I kept away from Barcardi, as a white rum for decades.
This however is a completely different beast.
Bought in Sharm, Egypt, duty free, $28, £22, absolute bargain, for a litre bottle.
Great to dip neat, makes a great rum and coke, it’s a drink for all occasions. Drink it anyway you want.
Enjoy,
Graham.

Purchased to complete the ingredient list for Trader Sam's Shrunken Zombie Head (and standard Zombie) cocktail. No other reason.

Smell can trigger strong memories and this did. Opening the bottle and taking a strong whiff, I smelled molasses and suddenly remembered something from my childhood.

When I was very young we had an inflatable tepee for a time in our living room. It was fun to hide and play in. It was similar in design to a swimming pool raft and made of vinyl.

AND THIS SMELLED JUST LIKE IT. Wow. I was smacked by a forgotten memory and was nauseous from the odor.

Okay. Just opened. So how does an 8-year aged rum taste? Citrus, spice and molasses, reminding me strongly of Pyrat rum... and vinyl.

Mixed in a cocktail it's mostly tolerable, so this is only the second worst rum I've ever tried. (The first being Wray and Nephew since nothing covers that funk and I threw it away.)

I'll work through this and probably try Don Q 7-year next time.

But come on. Who is ranking this to a 6? I like Bacardi's cheap gold better than this.

Barely anything on the nose… like is there alcohol in there? Then tasting, initially a very light caramel flavour that very quickly gets overtaken by a pure alcohol burn. Very little after taste except for some smokiness. I bought it for cocktails but im wondering if camouflaging it in a cocktail will make it better. This was the first and definitely the last time of picking this one up from a store.

This is the only Bacardi I can stomach. It's really very good. Great neat.

My local bars have no good rum, so when I stopped in a bar which had this on the shelf, I was surprised and very happy. Typically grassiness from Spanish style rums, nice toffee and caramel notes. Nothing exceptional, but also really nice if there’s nothing else around. Has a special place in my heart. You did good kid, you did good haha.

Smooth mouth and throat feel. Getting flavors of vanilla, carmel, brown sugar, and slight apple. Has a nice lasting finish with good warmth. This is not a complex rum, but the blending is done well. Surprisingly smooth all around.

Hint: when I added a few drops of water, it produced a distinct carmel apple note.

Mixed with Coke, good but not great. Hard to identify aftertaste.

Drinkt prima weg. Smaak is goed en ligt tikkeltje scherp in de mond.