Probitas White

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.

Not a big fan of the light rums. Not an unpleasant flavor, but nothing special. Strong afterburn. Mixed better, but hoped for more. A 4.5, but can't do 1/2s on the system.

I think it’s been aged a little and filtered. It’s a terrific mixer and a very nice price.

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

Slight coffee tastes upfront - but still very light and smooth. Proper white rum with no added sugar, ect, and a truly unique taste. I drank mine neat (as always), really enjoyed this one.

This rum was recommended by an expert at my local store. "Probitas is a Blended White Rum, consisting of three unique components, all molasses based rums. Unaged Pot Still Rum from Hampden Estate in Jamaica, Unaged Coffey Column Still Rum from Foursquare Rum Distillery in Barbados, and 2-year aged Pot Still also from Foursquare." Made some daiquiris with it which were excellent.

So much talk about this clear rum, I was expecting something along the lines of Diplomatico Planas. It does have a little funk to it. Not one to sip neat.

The makers of this rum (Velier and Foursquare) are obsessed with truth in what comprises their rums with no additives. However, in so choosing to name the same damn rum as Probitas or Velier, the rum consumer is still confused! Why oh why?!!!! Marketing? Tax reasons? We don't need this confusion!

At any rate, this is two parts Foursquare and one part Velier and all with no additives. This easily impresses the sugar police out there. Not so fast with this puppy! It does rate in my top four white rums and can be sipped neat, so now it's time to differentiate between all four.

On first sip, this Probitas has faint undertones of rhum agricole despite being made entirely from molasses. No easy feat! There is no way that it is better than my top white rum, which is Cana Brava 3 Year from Don Pancho. In a close second place for the whites is Selvarey White from part owner Bruno Mars who obviously uses some of Cana Brava 3 year for his special blend. Then there is third place Plantation Artisanal 3 Stars, which was ideal to place in a side by side comparison against my new Probitas. Yes the Plantation's secret is that it is a dark rum with color filtered out and then having 13 gpl of sugar added. Sugar police would automatically disqualify this Plantation rum. Not this puppy! The Plantation 3 Star easily wins in a side by side neat sipping comparison between the new Probitas. In a distant fifth place is Vizcaya Cristal for it's chocolate and vanilla notes, but having lots of added sugars.

In the end, all four of these white rums need to be on your shelf because it all about what type of drink it is that you wish to make. As for me, I do not care how a blender or distiller arrived at a great rum, even if it means using additives. The end results are all that counts. Those who like to be sugar police are depriving themselves of some really great rums that achieve success without over doing the additives.

And yes, as other reviewers for both names have mentioned, this one makes a truly unique and great original daiquiri.

Update July 23, 2022: I used this rum to make a Bloody Marty (a Bloody Mary with English white rum instead of vodka). The Jamaican funk from the Hampden portion overpowered this drink. Instead, I would rather a Bloody Mario made from Spanish style white rums such as Selvarey White. Plantation 3 Star would also probably be better. And because of this excessive hogo, I have had to lower my rating of this white rum to a 6.