Smith and Cross Traditional Jamaica Navy Strength

Upon my purchase and tasting of this rum I was convinced I'd made a mistake and wasted $30. The flavor was too bold for me initially so I tried mixing it with the usual suspects with little success since to me it always seemed to overpower anything with which it was mixed.

Tonight I discovered that the key to enjoying this wonderful spirit is to sip it with just a cube or two of ice added which tames it just enough to let its bold funky flavor shine through. Up until tonight I'd been wondering how I was going to get rid of this stuff, now I'm considering how I'll make it last.

I drank this "neat" and with coke. It was good and I liked it enough. Uhm it's good but that's about it for me.

Dark golden colour in a plain bottle. A slight aroma of oak, a hint of whisky. A lot of fire in the mouth but too much of a whisky flavour for me. No sweetness in the glass. Whisky drinking friends all loved it.

Strong rum to drink neat however, as mentioned below, if you add a splash of water to it it tones it down a notch. Traditional Jamaican pot stilled rum with notes of pepper, molasses, vanilla, brown sugar, citrus, toabacco and oak. Good mixer though for the price, their are plenty of comparable rums out their that are less expensive.

Hearty & Boozy, but there's a lot of depth and character. Some smoky, earthy, and almost peaty elements - lots of bitter orange rind/peel. I personally prefer something a bit softer and more rounded for an evening sipper but this was a welcome change. I can definitely see why this is being compared to a single malt scotch.

I'm really surprised people have said this isn't a sipper. This is much less harsh than El Dorado 8 for example.

Yes, the banana funk is there in force, along with a woody dryness. There's a bit of burn, but there's a richness and depth there too. It makes me smile!
Perhaps it's that bit of time in the barrel, but whereas Rum Fire, I consider only a mixer, this I can sip too. It feels like the distillation of all that is Jamaican rum.

Yes, Hampden 8 is classier, but this laughs at the pretentions of more serious runs (La Hechicera and R L Seale, I'm looking at you!) and runs away whooping with delight.

Right now, it's a 7. After half a bottle, this could easily be an 8! Bravo!

Nearly gave me a heart attack on the first sip. Lol. Not really a sipping rum, but still great flavour. If you give it time after your sip its actually really good. Its sweet and spicy. Its like getting punched in the face and after you get back to your senses, the world is alright again.

Dostal jsem vzoreček od kamaráda.
Už ve vůni pro mne typická Jamajka, vůně zatuchlé trávy tam prostě je. Není naštěstí taková ta čpavková, ale taková jakási uhlazenější. Docela dobře se i přes tu chuť zatuchlé trávy pije.
Kdo má rád Jamajku mohu doporučit, za tu cenu je prostě skvělá.

I love mixing with this, as the flavor of this rum can stand up to limes, sugar, and almost anything else you throw in.

The perfect rum for classic Jamaican styled cocktails. Heavy aromas of tropical fruits, smoked wood and tobacco.
A big mouth feel of leather, oak, sweet peppers & spice. A very long finish with hints of vanilla, molasses and rubber. Opens with a little water to reveal tropical fruits and orange notes.