Probitas White

A masterful blend between Hampden estate and Foursquare. Designed to be a great mixing rum. Great balanced notes of grass, coffee, and stone fruits.

Best of both worlds, truly a masterpiece. Hampden and Foursquare come together with fireworks! My two favorite distilleries in one bottle? I'll be buying a case...

Mix 50/50 when making cocktails. Compliments dark rum well.

Nose: Glue, Banana, Apples, Pear, faint Pineapple, Apple cider Vinegar, Candy Corn
Palate: very sweet (despite 0 added sugar), Banana, fermented apples, yellow cherries, caramel corn, lemon drop candies
Finish: very faint, a little heat, Apples, Butterscotch, candy-like sweetness at the back of the mouth

This rum is called Veritas in most parts of the world, and because of IP issues, Probitas in the US. Probitas and Veritas are the same rum, by the same collaboration only labeled differently because of naming issues in the U.S.

The name in most of the world, Veritas, means "truth" and was meant to convey that this rum is completely natural with nothing added. This is a collaboration between the Foursquare and double retort pot still Hampden distilleries in Barbados and Jamaica, respectively. It is a mix of Barbadian/Bajan rums and Hampden Pot Still rums bottled at 47% ABV.

This was originally specifically designed to serve as the perfect cocktail rum, and I can see that. However, it is also pretty nice just to sip on though it has some very interesting attributes. For one, this rum has an extraordinarily faint aftertaste despite having an explosive and extremely expressive palate. Unlike many rums, especially Jamaican rums which have an incredible nose and then a different or subdued palate followed by a strong finish/aftertaste, this rum lives in opposite land. It has a very nice but not overly intense nose, followed by one of the most explosive and expressive palates I have experienced on a rum, followed by an almost entirely non-existent finish. You could metaphorically describe it almost as if someone casually said "fire in the hole" and then conspicuously rolled a flashbang grenade of flavor into your mouth... and then you woke up and it was just a dream.

It is a mix of Barbadian and Jamaican rums so the nose contains aromas one might expect from a Jamaican rum, but they are subdued and noticeably altered. The nose on this is certainly pleasant enough, though not overly aromatically intense. The Barbadian influence definitely muffles the Hampden intensity. On the nose I get Glue, Banana, Apples, Pear, faint Pineapple, faint Apple Cider Vinegar, and just a whiff of candy corn. Its a nice combination, and it is definitely aromatic, but it doesn't bop you on the nose like most Jamaican pot still rums tend to do. You are led to believe that this is going to be a toned down rum with the notes muffled a bit so as not to overwhelm the cocktail it is being used in.

Well if you thought that you would be wrong... because the palate is one of the most expressive and explosive flavor bombs I have experienced - and that is saying something given that this is the 66th rum I have reviewed. I am frankly not sure quite how to do this justice other than to say that the flavors absolutely explode on your tongue like a firework show on the 4th of July (or if you aren't American pick a major holiday with a big fireworks display). Right out the gate is banana like you just bit off a hunk of a perfectly ripe banana. This is followed by sweet fermented apples accompanied by yellow cherries. As you begin to swallow you taste candy corn and lime flavored hard candy. The whole presentation is very sweet almost like if these notes were presented by Jolly Rancher. This of course is quite impressive given that there is absolutely 0 (zilch, nada) added sugars to this rum. In fact this rums tastes sweeter on the palate than Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva to me which is just insane. And the above notes are intense too, like popping 6 Jolly Ranchers in your mouth at the same time. So much for a toned down "mixing rum", haha. Yes it is a mixer, but this can equally serve as an excellent sipper. Whats further impressive is that this goes down wonderfully smooth despite clocking in at 47% ABV. All in all this rum has an amazing palate.

Unfortunately, as fast and impressive as the flavors explode on the palate, they disappear with equal rapidity on the finish. Which is to say that, oddly, this rum has almost no finish. On the finish I get a few muffled, faint notes of apples and butterscotch but they are very faint. Apparently this rum is like Las Vegas: what happens on the palate stays on the palate. Once it leaves your tongue its gone. Which is kind of a disappointing but only in comparison to how great the palate on this rum is. A few minutes after putting the glass down your mouth returns to the same state as it was before you drank the rum.

I could see how this would be an absolutely amazing mixing rum: the aromas won't alter the cocktail but the flavors will shine bright without the finish impacting the flavors of the total mixture. Fascinating. That said its a real easy sipper, especially if you can just keep sipping on it. In fact as a sipper it is kind of dangerous because the palate is so expressive you crave it but it disappears so fast it leaves you wanting more. At least that's what it does to me. This is a great mix of the Jamaican and Barbadian styles. I will make a few cocktails with it an check back in.

Nose: 7
Palate: 9
Aftertaste: 6
Smoothness: 9
Versatility: 10
Price: 8

Total: 8.1

A little sweet but very flavorful. An excellent white rum.

The is an excellent addition to anyone mixing quality cocktails with rum. While this one is good enough to sip on, it really shines when mixed.

It has a great balance of Jamaican funk with the smoothness one would expect from a Foursquare rum. There’s that bit of overripe banana on the nose that I love in a funky rum, but the funk does not overpower.

I love this rum in a daiquiri, it’s delicate esters work really well in that drink. Works well in anything called for a blended lightly aged rum, but with a bit more funk.

This is a other bottle that I keep in stock at all times.

Kind of blew it off for a while, but after two recommendations in two different liquor stores, picked up a bottle. Not disappointed. Full flavor but a bit sweet.

Probitas White is a creamy, buttery rum with a little bit of funk and subtle coconut notes. Makes a killer Daiquiri. I love it mixed up with soda water, lime and falernum.

Sipping, just great with a lot of pineapple and bananas on the nose, along with burnt caramel. Then on the palate, bananas, funk, anise, and some cedar or pencil shavings. A bit hot at first, but, really lovely to hang out with for a while.

This is supposed to be a stellar mixing rum, but damn is pretty good for sipping. Very creamy feeling and you can taste some funkiness. This is the same as Veritas, but this is the brand name used for the US market.
Nose: ripe banana.
Taste: Ripe tropical fruits, very creamy, and sweet in a good way.
The aftertaste is even better, the fruit flavor dominates your palate for a long time.
I will need to try it on cocktails but damn I already love it like that.