Smith and Cross Traditional Jamaica Navy Strength

7.5

I believe it's a damn fine choice, but it might be a bit funky for most people. All the top ratings are true, you're going get a very funky drink indeed. This is a funkiness very similar to the Plantation Jamaica 2001, which was probably influenced by Smith and cross in the first place :p

Pepper, oak, cognac, ripe banana peels.

Un rhum excellent qui peut se boire pur ou mélangé. C'est le meilleur mixer pour jamaican mule que je connaisse. Vieillissement continental, goût typique Hampden et avec un degré élevé en plus qui lui donne de la concentration.
Le meilleur représentant de la distillerie Hampden à prix démocratique pour ceux qui veulent se lancer dans les rhums Jamaicains.

That's it. So much funk!! I ove it especially at 25 euros. If you like funky jamaican rum, buy this.
Really.
O, and funk.
Did i mention funk?

Flavor is pretty good. Smell is very Butterscotch-like. Drinking neat is a challenge...... it burns.... Feels like your esophagus is on fire. Fortunately, it doesn't last long. Mixed with coke it's pretty good.

This is some of the best value for money rum, I have ever tasted. I always have a bottle of this in my homebar! Great for drinking neat, and works wonders in all and any cocktail that calls for a rum with an attitude! Fantastic rum!

Alcohol content overpowered taste for me. May try again using like 151. Pricy.

This rum is unlike most that I have tried. Very powerful on the nose (at 57% ABV) and has that pot still presence that I have noticed with other Jamaican rums. On the palate it kind of knocks you silly with strength and leaves you reeling as you take in the complexity behind the initial power. Lots to like there, some sweetness, oak and other flavors as well.
I tried it neat first and then with ice. Ice mellows it a fair bit, but I thought it lost some of what made it so interesting to taste. I plan on trying it with just a few drops of Spring water to see if I can find a good balance.
Definitely worth trying, but could understand if some don't enjoy it's outgoing personality.

The bartenderd at the Rum House in NYC introduced me to his home rum from Jamaica. The glass starts a little hot but you quickly get the feeling her. S&C neat or on a rock would be my recommendation. Sit back and sip slowly.

Having done a side-by-side comparison, I'm going to compare this to Hamilton Pot Still rum—my previous Jamaican dark.

Appearance:
- Cleaner, minimalist modern/art deco label
- Higher ABV (57 v. 46.5)
- Lighter in color (compared to Hamilton Black version)
Aroma
- Less pot-still pungency; "brighter"
- Hogo is different, and less pronounced
- Banana and rotting fruit
Taste
- More on the palate
- Dryer
- Lacks burnt caramel of Hamilton
- More oak & astringency
In the Throat
- Both go down smooth, despite their high ABV. S&C could use a drop of water (optional).

Conclusion:
- Both are fantastic. They are similar in character, but have their differences. S&C is dryer, stronger, oakier, and lighter in color and aroma. But the fact that is is as smooth as it is at 57% speaks well to its creators. I can see how it has become the gold standard for this style of rum. For me, personally, I'll opt for the $5 cheaper Hamilton, which I find a tad more aromatic and Tiki-friendly. (Note: Comparative findings are a result of drinking neat. Perhaps in the future I'll be able to actually compare these in a cocktail and see if I learn something new!)

I purchased based on lots of recommendations. I used the recipe on the bottle and was quite pleased. I was surprised how much better this goes with Lemon vs Lime. Its like an entirely different rum when used with Lime. Also has some good Jamaican funk, though no where near the
level of the Hamilton Black Jamaican Pot Still.

Edit: just made my first Old Fashioned with this. Ice and Sugar really cut the alcohol down. Makes for a very flavorful beverage.