Banks 5-Island

Heavily (and enthusiastically) marketed in the US, this filtered white rum is actually a blend of aged and unaged expressions from up to 21 sources on 5 islands. It is an interesting blend as such, and has more body and flavor than most white rums that run the grain-alcohol gamut of distillate flavor. It's OK neat, and even better subbed into cocktails calling for lightly aged rums, especially when you are trying not to "brown" down the coloring of a bright tiki cocktail.

I mostly drink dark rums, and this white does not make me change my mind. This is an average rum, nothing special. Not as nice as for example Michler's Artisanal white rum.

This is a pure, dry, flavourful white rum blend with complexity, an odd character of fruits like overripe banana. The rum is similar to Banks 7 but charcoal filtered to remove the pale colour but retain its aroma and flavours. Easily sipped after getting past the first sip/smell but not for me, I prefer an aged rum.

Tasted at Laka Lono on 2/20/22. Pours clear. The aroma is the best part. The best of this is demerara and agricole character to the profile. Flavor leaves a bit to be desired. Cardamon and sweet cane.

Very smooth and well made! You almost feel bad mixing it but that’s where it really shines.

Banks displays a heat and strong heads taste unexpected from an aged white. I would still recommend it for mixed drinks such as mojitos, but not to sip.

Good thing: the alcohol taste is not very strong, the taste itself is mild and pleasant. Nothing groundbreaking, but just good enough. You do not feel the urge to put it in drink immediately. Although, I would not enjoy sipping more that one portion. The bad side: the scent feels a bit artificial, it was something like "cheap candy" feeling.

A 4.5 on my scale. The Golden Age was a 4.5 to 5. Too much of an afterburn straight. Better mixed, but not getting much flavor one way or another.

A mish mash of flavours.

Some of the rums in the blend are prominent others might as well not be there. Not worth the money a very average white rum and the price is just silly

It's a blanco so it tastes as harsh as it is. Probably a good mixer.