Does not dissapoint me... Smooth and sweet rum...!

My 3rd Appleton and went from a 7 rating for the 8 year reserve to an 8 rating for the 12 year rare cask to a 9 rating for the 15 year Black River. I actually am doing a side by side comparison with the little bit of 12 year that I have left. Black River 15 is slightly more complex in taste throughout and is just a tiny bit less harsh. Both have a nice deep amber color but the Black river has more of a red or auburn color to it. The 12 year has a tiny bit of that Jamaica funk to it where the 15 year Black River seems to be missing it. Which is fine with me. Can not go wrong with either one but for me thev15 year is a slight improvement.

This Agricole Blanc is produced by the Esperance distillery in Guadeloupe that also produces the brands Longueteau and Karukera.
The Longueteau family has run the distillery since 1895 and it’s now one of the last family farms independent of large groups.
The idea with the Papillon brand is to make a brand available affordable and possible to buy in supermarkets.
The aroma and taste is floral and fruity with hints of fresh cane and mineral. It’s slightly acidic with candied notes.
Pictures: My emptied sample and poured glass & My self composed Advent Calendar.

This overproof rum contains 69% alcohol and is produced in the Caribbean. The nose is very intense (but somehow not that much of an alcohol aroma), with orange and milk chocolate. The taste is again very intense and complex with molasses, oak, chocolate, nutmeg and a little bit of a weird oily flavor. It has a very long lasting aftertaste which contains oak, tobacco, nutmeg and South African Rooibos tea. I also tried it with the alcohol level reduced (with a bit of water). This did not make much of a difference.

Not fantastic. Burns a bit. Can't think of anything positive to say

The reviews of this rum give high expectations. Mount Gay XO Triple Cask is made in Barbados and aged in three casks: whiskey, bourbon and cognac. The nose is very smooth, almost a bit too smooth. It’s a bit flatter than expected. It contains brown sugar, vanilla and light oak aromas. The start of the taste is a bit oily and oaky. Then a warm, brown flavor takes over with caramelized sugar, a touch of tobacco, dark chocolate. And this is one of the few rums that is not overly sweet, which is a big plus. The aftertaste is complex, oaky with a touch of brown sugar. It does not stay very long. All in all, a very pleasant experience.

Another solid rum and this one was under $20 at the TW Cherry Hill NJ. Typical of the few other Plantation rums I have tried in that it is sweet and all the rums from them that I have tried are better on the rocks than neat. Another example of excellent value. Have tried so many rums that are double the price of Plantation rums including the XO and in most cases the Plantation rums are better or on par with those rums costing a lot more.

The most special thing of this rum is where it is produced, the Philippines. It is aged in bourbon casks. Due to filtering, the color is quite light. The nose contains a lot of mandarin, but the alcohol is a bit overpowering. The harsh alcohol flavor is immediately present while tasting, together with brown sugar. There is not very much going on in your mouth. The aftertaste is quite flat and quickly gone.

Smell is weaker. Sweet. Sugar and a bit of raisins. Sweet taste but not much. Taste is one dimensional.

Havana club verde is a white mixing rum that is infused with botanicals. The pure rum without mixers smells a bit awkward, it’s very chemical. The taste immediately contains a lot of lime, fresh green herbs, a touch of honey, but is also a bit chemical. Lime stays in the aftertaste, which is extremely short. All in all, an interesting, but not very successful experiment.

A gift brought to me from Mallorca. No great flavour but pleasant over ice. Has a little spice as an after note. Not sure if I would search for it in the uk but certainly would consider bringing a bottle back from Spain.

This is a molasses based pure pot still rum from Worthy Park in St. Catherine, Jamaica that has been tropically aged for 3 years in bourbon oak in Jamaica and then transported to Europe where it was aged a further 2 years in the temperate continental climate. It was then bottled at 56.8% ABV by Velier under the Transcontinental Rum Line series. I estimate that it was a decently high ester rum on distillation because, as you will see below, it’s pretty funky even among Jamaicans.

This rum has an absolutely delightful nose that is a tropical fruit bomb. Worthy Park is famous for its Bananas note, and yes that is highly present here but it is far from the only one. Indeed just uncorking the bottle I got smacked in the face by the fruity funk emanating from the bottle from a good distance away. Taking a whiff from the Glencairn I get Banana Flambé and a very heavy Guava with Cream Cheese note. It’s reminds me in a way of a Cuban bakery shop. Next comes Caramel, followed by very ripe Pineapple and Lime. Hidden in the background there is also a distinct herbal quality note…fenugreek I think, though it’s hard to put my finger on it exactly.

One thing I have always loved about Worthy Park rums is that they usually taste exactly how they smell. Oddly, however, this rum drink much more like a Hampden, at least at the start. Off the first sip I get straight Apple Moonshine and Mango Lassi. It’s strange because that exact Apple Moonshine note is precisely what I associate with Hampden…not Worthy Park. The Mango Lassi note is a subtle hint of something deeper. With the addition of water this rum slowly opens up to reveal quite a bit more. With water I get Caramel, Yogurt, Honey Butter, just a touch of Oak, Caramel, and a unique rotting/musty funk note that is hard to specifically place. With more water further fruit confectionary notes come out, specifically Christmas Coconut rum balls.

The finish is short but a burst of Banana Flambé. In the background there is a hint of menthol on the breath out. And then a very odd sensation. For some reason my tongue is numb like it was injected with Lanicain. Weird, I am not sure what that’s all about.

This is yet another great rum from Worthy Park - a fine addition to my collection (*coughs happy General Grevious noises*). It is a different rum from most Worthy Park rums I have had (and I have had a lot) in that, at times, this rum drinks more like a Hampden than a Worthy Park. Yes the Banana is there…but so is that Hampden Apple funk and the incongruous nose to palate transition. Luckily, I love the notes on the palate almost as much as I do those on the nose on this rum.

In terms of comparison to 2012 and 2015, they are all surprisingly different rums despite coming from the same distillery. This one I think, for me, lands right in the middle. TCRL Jamaica WP 2015 is stunning, probably a top 10-15 rum of all time for me. 2013 is a very, very solid if slightly different rum. If you are a Hampden fan and want a Worthy Park, this may be right up your alley. 2012 is quite good but not quite as explosively flavorful or funky as 2015 or 2013, it’s a built more for the whiskey profile despite still containing plenty of intriguing Jamaican funk.

All in all this is a delectable rum and yet another excellent bottling from Velier. This one brings a tropical fruit explosion on the nose and the tropical fruit confectionary notes of a Cuban bakery. Toss in a little Hampden style funk and you have a pretty tasty bottle. There is also a significant creamy dairy note to this rum that shows up randomly, especially with the addition of water.

Short Description: Imagine sitting between an overripe tropical fruit stand and a Cuban bakery while sipping on a classic aged Hampden and eating yogurt. Now let all those notes run together. Yep that about sums it up.

ABV 56.8%

Country of Origin: Jamaica

Distillery: Worthy Park

Nose: Banana Flambé, Guava Cream, Caramel, Pineapple, Lime, slight herbal note (Fenugreek?)

Palate: Apple Moonshine, Mango Lassi; with water: Caramelized Banana, Yogurt, Honey Butter, touch of Oak, Caramel, musty funk, Christmas coconut balls

Finish: Banana Flambé, touch of menthol, (makes my tongue numb)

I really do not mind a sweet rum but Bolivar pushed my limits. Very little harshness and hard to believe it is 40% ABV. Almost immediately reminded me of Pyrat XO just much less of a citrus taste. Aftertaste was long and completely dominated by a syrupy sweetness. Tastes a lot more like a liquor than an actual rum. Also hard to believe that it was aged 8 years. And if it was then at least 7 of those 8 years this stuff was probably sitting in old high fructose corn syrup barrels. This may be fine as a mixer but that is all. I do like the black bottle and retro, kind of postage stamp label. Literally going to brush my teeth now because my dental plan sucks and I can feel this sugar bomb blowing hols into my teeth.

Erster eindruck: wässrigen Geschmack, flach. Danach starke Holznote. Nicht schlecht, aber auch nicht mehr...

Not much rum taste, a touch of vanilla and rum alongside harsh vodka.

This smells and tastes as Cihuatán Nikté in half strength. Still very good one.

This rum is supposed to be "floral". In my tasting experience there was a strong smell of marzipan, bananas, honey and sherry with some spice behind. Sweet, silk smooth scent. I was amazed.

In taste there was all flavors mentioned above with added spicy on tongue, that bites you a bit and a little of smoke. At 47,5 ABV its super smooth with warmth and long lasting finish. Rum is sweet, but well balanced thanks to its increased strength. This one is obviously an original piece in flavor field. Worth a try. Complex smell and taste on sweet side. This one hits my personal taste.

Drier version of reserva exclusiva. Its still sweet, but not so much. Just small differences.

The nose is very harsh, and so is the initial taste. Once you get over the solvent flavors, there is a nice butterscotch back flavor. I wouldn't buy this for sipping, but it might make a nice mixed drink

Aroma of this rum is very pleasant without disturbing smell of alcohol. Taste is very light with strong tones of wood. My first mexican rum, which surely wasn't disappointment. Not top for me personally, but not bad choice at all.