Stefan Persson

“My adult rum journey started as for most people with the sweet Spanish styled “Ron”. Nowadays I’m more into the English styled “Rum” and I have also started to explore the Agricole.
Right now I have around 100 different bottles in my Rum bar.
My favourite brand is English Harbour and Antigua is the only island that I have payed a visit in the Antilles.
My “Spanish” favourites are right now Ron Zafra and Ron Malecon Rare Proof.
My “English” favourites (except from English Harbour) is to find among the Bajan and Jamaican brands.
My “French” favourites is mainly to find among those from Guadeloupe, but also some from Martinique.”

Brand

Review

Rating

Zafra Master Reserve 30-Year

Oh, Goosh Bottle 3717 out of 6720! Can it be any better then this? Nose, mouth, afterburn - Georgius! The best “Ron” I have ever tasted! Picture: My top fi

10

El Dorado 1988 Vintage 25-Year

Rum for your top shelf Earns all the superlatives you know. A truly fantastic rum, but it’s always discussable if it’s worth the money. Because of the price it cannot be an

10

Appleton Estate Joy Anniversary Blend

One of my top 5 It’s much alike the 21-year old, but much smoother even though it’s 90 proof. Another difference is the taste of ginger and species. Unfortunately it’

10

Clement XO

Best Agricole Best Agricole ever tasted. It’s not what you expect when you taste an Agricole. This one has a nice nose which is not very common when it comes to Agr

10

English Harbour 1981

One of the best This is the best rum tasted so far, but I have Appleton Joy, El dorado 25 and Zafra 30 left to check out. But i’m sure this one will remain top five t

10

Habitation Velier English Harbour 2012

“Truly remarkable” It’s an unmistakably English Harbour. The taste is very much like the 5yo but with an much longer and stronger finish. My feelings is that it’s a ver

9

Rhum JM Cognac Cask Finish

Very good J.M This is an high class Agricole. Dry, well balanced and complex with a cognac nose. Grassy and floral in mouth with a nice and spicy afterburn. Pictur

9

Montebello Single Cask

Montebello 1999 Single Cask 12 Years Got 5cl of this as a gift when I bought me the the 10 year old and some other bottles. I must say it’s surprisingly smooth for an Agricole. The nose

9

Malecon Rare Proof 1998 - 18 years

Another great one from Malecon This one is a little bit stronger than the ”Rare Proof 20”, which gives it a signficant character. You can taste wood, caramel, peach and cocoa. In th

9

El Dorado 21-Year

Just below my top choices If you’re ready to pay around 90€, this is one of the best choices. It’s very smooth and it tastes sweet fruit, spices, leather, some candy and vanill

9

RL Seale 10-Year

Barbados best rum A fantastic rum in a spectacular bottle. The fragrance is very nice and in the mouth you can feel exotic fruits and some cinnamon. The 43 % gives it a

9

Malecon Rare Proof 20-Year

Another nice Panamian Tested this on Birka Cruises rum cruise on the Baltic Sea, and have now bought me two bottles together with two bottles of the 18 year old Rare Proof.

9

Appleton Estate 21-Year

Fantastic This is the best rum I have tasted from Jamaica so far. If it wasn’t for Appleton Joy, which I have but haven’t tasted yet, I should have given it a 1

9

Zafra Master Reserve 21

A great one from Panama As most rum lovers I’ve started my rum journey among the Spanish styled ron. Nowadays there are not more than around 15 left in my cabinet. The ones t

9

Depaz Grande Reserve XO

Next best Agricole This one is much alike the Clement XO. Smooth, nice and subtile with rich flavours and only overruled by Clement XO. It starts to get quit hard to ge

9

English Harbour 10-Year

WOW I’m a fan of English Harbour and this one doesn’t disappoint me. Very dry and oaky. Can’t compete with the 1981 but a fantastic rum which I always enj

9

Rhum JM Cuvee 1845

High division rhum This rhum plays in the same division as Clement XO and Depaz Grande Reserve XO. I tasted it onboard the Birka Cruises in the Baltic Sea. They have a g

9

Ron Quorhum 30-Year

A great one from O & O This must be one of the best from O&O. It’s made out of both suger cane juice and molasses. In the beginning it’s quite sweet and then comes the citru

9

English Harbour Small Batch Port Cask Finish

Batch 002 English Harbour have never disappointed me. Bought me this during a vacation in Antigua, have one from batch 001 since before without have tasting it.

9

UNHIQ XO

Tasteful Ron in a nice package Nice nose, tasteful in mouth where you can feel the 42% in the end and a quite long and tasty afterburn. It’s quite complex but a little bit to sweet

9

Malecon Seleccion Esplendida 1985

9,5 Bottled in 2015 gives 30yo, wow! When warmed up in your hand with the other hand over the glass opening it has sting when coming to the nose. It’s v

9

St. Nicholas Abbey 12-Year

What can I say? A truly Bajan Rum! It has it all. Must be one of the best Bajan rums. Do I need to change my top five shelf? Feel that I have to taste the older ones.

9

Havana Club Union

Truly fantastic, 9+ I’m just back from this years rumcruise at the Baltic Sea with Birka cruises. Decided more or less already before the cruise that I should buy me a bo

9

Damoiseau Vieux 15-Year

Exceptional One of the best Agricole I’ve tasted. Nice nose, very smooth and a real good and medium long finish. It’s a pity that it’s more or less impossible to

9

Trois Rivieres 12-Year

A great rhum It’s my first Trois Rivieres and it’s good, wonder how the more expensive are. The nose is very fruity, a little spicy and woody. The taste is very

8

La Maison Du Rhum Trinidad and Tobago

Nice package, bottle & label I’m not a big fan of independent bottlers, but tested this one during this years rum cruise at the Baltic Sea with Birka cruises. I liked it and my wi

8

Worthy Park Single Estate Reserve

Worthy Park on their own Just back from this years rumcruise at the Baltic Sea with Birka cruises. Decided already before I went on the cruise that I should buy me some bottle

8

Blackadder Raw Cask Finest Guyana Diamond 15-Year

Great rum Just back from this years rumcruise at the Baltic Sea with Birka cruises. It’s a fantastic opportunity to try new rum, rarities and old favourites. I

8

Chairman's Reserve 1931

Chairman’s best! Just back from 2019’s rumcruise at the Baltic Sea with Birka cruises. Perfect place to test a lot af brands. This one is the follower to the yearly 19

8

The Real McCoy 12-Year

Maybe the best 12yo Bajan, 8+ Complex nose and palate with a quite long afterburn for a Bajan rum. R.L. Seales and the Foursquare distillery has some different brands aged 10-12 y

8

Havana Club 15-Year

Good It’s good but not exceptional in any way. Quite weak nose and afterburn. It got it’s rating because of the smooth and quite complex taste in mouth.

8

English Harbour Small Batch Sherry Cask Finish

Batch 002 English Harbour have never disappointed me. Bought me this during a vacation in Antigua, have one from batch 001 since before without have tasting it.

8

Damoiseau Vieux 8-Year

Damoiseau Vieux 8 ans Cuvée de Millenaire 1993 One of the smother Agricole I have tasted, but it should have been more complex to get a real top rate from me. This could have been an everyday Agric

8

Doorly's 12-Year

Very pricewhorty Another well tasting rum from Barbados. I really like the rum from R.L. Seale’s. Picture: My Bajan shelf.

8

Clarkes Court Old Grog

Beautiful label The label in itself makes this rum earning its place at my rum shelf, but I really like it. It’s a very good everyday rum to bring to the table with l

8

Opthimus 25-Year Malt Whiskey Finish

A little bit too sweet! It’s a complex Ron with lots of nice notes, but the strength (43%) don’t quite balance up the sweetness. You can clearly feel whisky notes in the end.

8

Montebello Vieux 10-Year

A very nice Agricole from Guadeloupe Montebello isn’t a common Agricole in Sweden, but I’ve read som good reviews and decided to buy me this 10 year old which is mid priced (~65€). You ca

8

Santa Teresa 1796

Smokey This is a well balanced rum. The aroma is a little bit fruity. In mouth it’s well balanced, smooth not as sweet as most Spanish styled “Ron”, but what

8

El Dorado Special Reserve 15-Year

A real good choice The 15 year old isn’t as sweet as 12 year old one. It’s a quite complex rum. It’s very well balanced and you can taste nuts, fruit and some vanilla.

8

Diplomatico Ambassador Selection

Very nice aroma Could even say extremely nice aroma of mostly fruit. The taste is well balanced with mostly dried fruit and vanilla. It’s not so sweet as the well kno

8

Gosling's Family Reserve Old

Christmas rum Fantastic package from Bermuda’s only rum company. It’s very dark and the aroma is very complex with its Christmas spices, caramel and some oak. The

8

Ron Zacapa XO

My best Zacapa I have also tested the “23” and the “Royal”, but I like this one best. It’s more powerful and has a deeper taste than the others. The sweetness is we

8

Angostura Cask Collection Number 1 Batch 2

Angostura nice as always! The second edition is in my opinion a little bit better than the 1st, mainly because it’s dryer and not that sweet Significant for the aroma is exot

8

Angostura Cask Collection Number 1 Batch 1

Sold out??? I thought it was completely sold out in Europe, but then I found some bottles on a German site to complete my last bottle. So now I have four of it.

8

Rhum JM XO

Perfekt as your 1st Agricole Rhum J.M. XO tastes like many other Agricole but less aggressive, so that’s why I think it’s a good agricole to start with. The flavour are very elega

8

Pusser's British Navy 15-Year

Defend its place on my rumshelf With a nice bottle, a beautiful label and a fantastic story around “Nelson’s blood” this rum unquestionably defends its place in my rumshelf even if I

8

English Harbour 5-Year

Rediculus low price This rum must be the best you can get to this ridiculous low price. I haven’t found anyone that can compete so far. It’s an everyday rum to an excepti

8

HSE Extra Vieux XO

Anis bomb This one smells like bad cognac (VS or VSOP) but explodes with fantastic flavours in your mouth and there is the anis the most significant. Undoubtedl

8

Reimonenq Cuvee Prestige 9-Year

Explosion This rhum smells like bad cognac (VS or VSOP) but when it comes into your mouth it’s a complete explosion of flavours and the afterburn hang on in the

8

Bologne XO

Very smooth, 8+ This agricole is very smooth with nice notes. I’m not finished with it yet, but I can really recommend it. ——————————————— Now I’m finished with it

8

Angostura 1787 15-Year

Special in a nice way I don’t think that I have tested a rum with a taste comparable with this one before. I’m not sure what it is, maybe grapefruit or citrus. Anyway the A

8

Saint James Reserve Privee 12-Year

Very smooth Tested it together with the 15yo and I think I like this better because the oaky taste is more balanced in this one. It’s a great Agricole that’s ve

8

Rum SixtySix Family Reserve

Nice Bajan I quite complex rum that tastes vanilla and chocolate but also a little bit spicy. There’s quite lot of pricewhorty rums from Barbados, and this is on

8

Sunset Captain Bligh Golden

Captain Bligh XO Special Reserve Rum This one has been on my wishlist for a long time after a sample test long ago and now I finally got me some bottles. It doesn’t disappoint this time

8

English Harbour Small Batch Madeira Cask Finish

Batch 002 English Harbour have never disappointed me. Bought me this during a vacation in Antigua, have one from batch 001 since before without have tasting it.

8

Foursquare 2005

Seale and Foursquare never disappoints me, 8+ Time for Birka’s rumcruise 2019 at the Baltic Sea. This was the top brand at Ian Burrell’s “Blindtest” Master class. It was one of the easier to get r

8

Pére Labat 8-Year

Monk Rhum? This rhum from the Poisson distillery in Marie Galante/Guadeloupe is named after the Dominican monk Père Labat (Jean-Babtiste Labat) active in a lots

8

Rhum JM Vintage 2002

XO Reserve Speciale 2002, 7yo, 47% I’m not sure if it’s the same Rhum here rated as Vintage 2002 or if it’s an older variant of the ordinary XO. This one is a little bit older and also

8

Bielle Ambre

A great just 3yo rhum Just back from this years rumcruise at the Baltic Sea with Birka cruises. It’s a fantastic opportunity to taste new rum, rarities and old favourites.

7

Domaine de Severin XO

Another nice Agricole from Guadeloupe Just back from this years rumcruise at the Baltic Sea with Birka cruises. Tested this and bought me a bottle to my Guadeloupe collection. It’s a blend

7

Gunroom Spirit Navy

This has sting! Time for Birka’s rumcruise 2019 at the Baltic Sea were I tasted this. The person representing it told me it’s a blend of rum from Trinidad, Jamaica, G

7

Rhum JM Vieux VSOP

Perfect 1st Agricole Time for Birka’s rumcruise 2019 at the Baltic Sea. This one was included at Ian Burrell’s “Blindtaste” Master class. It was quite easy to get it right

7

Papas Pilar Dark

OK+ Time for Birka rum cruises 2019 at the Baltic Sea. This was one that I tested. Nice bottle and story around it. The 43% balance up the rather high swe

7

Havana Club Selección de Maestros

More pricewhorty than the 15yo It’s OK and more pricewhorty than the 15 yo. It tastes more alcohol than the 15yo, but have a much longer afterburn which I like. So far after have t

7

Flor de Cana 18-Year

OK! OK but nothing special! Nose and afterburn is nothing to write home about but taste is OK mostly because it’s not as sweet as many Spanish styled “Ron

7

Ron Botran Solera 1893

Not bad at all! This Solera Ron with distillate between 5 and 18 years old has a well balanced sweetness. In your nose you can feel oak, vanilla and caramel but also

7

Saint James Reserve Privee 15-Year

Too oaky Tested this one together with the 12yo and I find this one a little too oaky for my taste. I like the 12yo better. But this one is also a great Agric

7

Westerhall Estate No 10

Tasteful standard rum A smooth rum in a nice bottle lots of caramel in nose and mouth with a quite long afterburn. Picture: My Grenada shelf.

7

Angostura 1824

Good I think it needs some minutes in the glass. In the aroma and taste you can find some vanilla, nuts and dried fruit I think. It’s smooth and the sweetn

7

J. Bally 12-Year

Nothing special The bottle is why this rhum earns a place on my shelf. The nose and the taste is alright, but no more. It’s quite sharp but there is nothing else that

7

1931 84th Anniversary

A special blend Now I have tasted it at home and I must say that it didn’t reached my expectations. I now think it tastes to much alcohol. Sa I have to change my rate

7

El Dorado 12-Year

Quite sweet The 12-year one is quite sweet but not to sweet. It’s very easy to drink and a perfect rum to take your first steps with into the rumworld. It’s very

7

Ron Quorhum 23-Year

OK from O&O A price worthy rum in Sweden now sold in the same 50cl bottle as Unhiq. Nice aroma of sweetness and nuts. The taste is quite sweet (vanilla) with sig

7

Plantation XO 20th Anniversary

Coconut in a bottle The package is very nice. In the aroma you find banana, vanilla and some coconut. In the mouth it’s the coconut that takes over but you can also feel

7

Ron Zacapa Royal

Didn’t catch me I tested this one on Birka Cruises rum cruise on the Baltic Sea, and it didn’t catch me. Maybe I’m unfair when I rate the XO higher, but right now I’m

7

Atlantico Private Cask

Quite good Well balanced, lots of vanilla and dried fruit and some arrack, but unfortunately a little too sweet for me. Once I got a bottle that tasted pure arra

7

Appleton Estate Rare Blend 12-Year

Good every day rum It’s together with Chairman’s Reserve and the 5 year old English Harbour my best every day rums by moment. Th balance is good, it’s fruity and spicy

7

Chairman's Reserve

Good choice for the money Most people wants to find rum with good value for money. Well, here it is. It’s very hard to find anything better for this amount of money. The only o

7

Barbancourt Reserve du Domaine 15-Year

Rock Stars Rhum My expectations were very low for this one, Rock Stars Rhum, “Jack Daniels” Rhum with a screw cork. But I must say it’s surprisingly good and really

7

Smith and Cross Navy Strength

Strong fruity explosion This is a rum with sting! It’s very fruity and quite spicy in the nose and mouth. The afterburn is quite long and dry. If you should have one navy str

7

Angostura Cask Collection No 1, Ed 3

Extremely dry Bought one of the bottles that was left in Denmark after the introduction there. It’s OK but extremely dry and it didn’t live up to my expectations af

7

Doorly's XO

Pricewhorty Tested this at a restaurant some times ago. Doorly’s XO is as all rum from R.L. Seale’s and The Foursquare distillery pricewhorty. But I won’t let it

7

Plantation Barbados Grande Reserve

Better than expected! I’m not a fan of Plantation, think it’s a little bit dull. But this one is definitely pricewhorty with it’s quite alright taste and flavour.

7

Antigua Distillery Skullduggary

Nice bottle Tasted it this afternoon at Skullduggerys Cafe at Fulmouth Marina in Antigua. The cafes owner is the creator (together with ADL) and owner of the bran

7

Plantation Trinidad 2003

Pricewhorty It’s quite good. I really don’t have something bad to say about it. But I think Plantation (and also some others) is a little bit dull. I mean if I f

7

El Dorado Enmore 1993

Nothing for me! I like all the standard rum from El Dorado (12, 15 & 21) and of course the 25yo which is fantastic. Tested this one during Birka’s rumcruise 2018 and

7

Six Saints Gold

Better than expected, 7+ Nice nose and palate with a quite long afterburn. It’s very fruity, a clear taste of citrus and banana. There’s also hints of spices which feels good

7

Cockspur VSOR 12-Year

Value for money, 7+ Nose and palate tells you that this unquestionably is a Bajan rum. The nose and palate is a little bit weak and the afterburn is medium long. It isn’

7

Ron Malteco 20-Year

OK, but nothing more Time for Birka’s rumcruise 2019 at the Baltic Sea were I tasted this one but I think it’s a little to weak for my taste. You can recognise vanilla, sp

7

Barracuda Cay Dark 18-Year

Unquestionably a Panamanian Just back from this years rumcruise at Baltic Sea with Birka cruises. It’s a fantastic opportunity to taste lots of rum and to participate in differen

7

Neisson Le Rhum Vieux Par Neisson

A nice Neisson Just back from this years rumcruise at the Baltic Sea with Birka cruises. It’s a fantastic opportunity to taste new rum, rarities and old favourites.

7

Ron Zacapa Etiqueta Negra

Better than the “23” It’s much like the “23”, very smooth as the “23”, but much more wood and not as nearly as sweet as the “23”. So I will choose this one 10 times out of

7

Diplomatico Planas

Oldest white rum tasted so far Tasted it while at a short trip with Viking Line from Sweden to Åland when the Swedish importer was onboard and offered it. In nose as well on the pa

6

Bielle Marie Galante

Best Blanc I’ve tasted so far Just back from this years rumcruise at the Baltic Sea with Birka cruises. It’s a fantastic opportunity to test new rum, rarities and old favourites. T

6

El Dorado Port Mourant 1999

Nothing for me! I like all the standard rum from El Dorado (12, 15 & 21) and of course the 25yo old one which is fantastic. Tested it during Birka’s rumcruise 2018 a

6

Mount Gay 1703 Old Cask

Must do a 2nd test This was the first rum in English style that I tested and maybe my rate is unfair because of that. Today is the English style my bag, but at that time

6

Ron Zacapa 23 Solera

A former favourite This was my start on my adult rum journey and many bottles has passed by. Nowadays I’m not so much into the sweet Spanish styled ron. Instead I’m more

6

Ron Esclavo XO

Too sweet for me There are some good flavours in it, but too sweet for me.

6

Angostura 1919

Earns it place One of the first rums I tasted and it’s still pleasing me. Today I think there is too much taste of arrack. If I want arrack I buy arrack. I will tast

6

Ron Abuelo 12 Anos Gran Reserva

Nothing special Tested this long ago and you can definitely taste that it’s a Panamanian Ron. It has it all, but everything is weaker than in the better ones. ——————

6

Fair XO

Nothing I can recommend Time for Birka’s rumcruise 2019 at the Baltic Sea. Tasted this for my last taste tickets and it was really nothing to write home about. Weak in nose,

6

Havana Club 7-Year

A mixer that could be consumed neatly Time for Birka’s rumcruise 2019 at the Baltic Sea. This was one of the rums that were included at Ian Burrell’s Master class, “Blindtest”. We tested i

5

Matusalem Gran Reserva 15-Year

Not for zipping Too weak and thin with too much alcohol taste in my opinion. Works quite well as a mixer, but nothing I can recommend for zipping. It was one of the

5

Gosling's Black Seal

Perfect drinkrum Nothing I prefer as avec or for zipping, but perfect for my favourite rumdrink “Dark ‘N’ Stormy”. So I rate it a 5, which for me is the highest rate I

5

Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva

Insulin chock Much much too sweet for me. More liquor than rum. So for those how want liquor to the coffe it maybe OK.

5

Antigua Distillery Cavalier

OK mixer It’s ok to use as a mixer when in Antigua where Goslings is to expensive when you do a false Dark ‘n’ Stormy.

4

Negrita Dark

Negrita This is another rum that I used as a youngster to mix my rum and coke. I remember that I liked this better than the white ones.

4

Kraken Black Spiced

Not for sipping You can use it sipping bu I don’t recommend it. It’s better to use it as a mixer rum. It’s too sweet for me, but I like the bottle.

4

Negrita Spice

Negrita spiced Got it from my brother in law. Have used it as a variation in my favourite rum drink, Dark ‘N’ Stormy. It’s not perfect and cannot compete with the or

4

Havana Club 3-Year

Fine mixer rum Time for Birka’s rumcruise 2019 at the Baltic Sea. Bought me mojito now and then just to get a break from all the zipping. They used the Havana Club 3

4

Dead Man's Fingers Coconut

Nothing I would buy Got a sample of this as a gift when I bought some other rum. I don’t get a rum feeling at all when I drink it. It’s maybe OK as a mixer in a coconut d

3

Ron Carioca White

Carioca This mixer rum was one of my favourites when I was young and only used rum as a mixer.

3

Bacardi Superior

The big mixer rum Hard to judge it correctly, but I think that I won’t rate a mixer rum higher then 5. This Bacardi is good enough for most of the simpler rum drinks.

3

Ronrico Silver Label

Ronrico This rum was another of my favourites when I was young and only used rum as a mixer.

3

Antigua Distillery Cavalier Light

OK mixer It’s OK to use as a mixer to a TiPunch or RumPunch.

3

Mekhong Gold

Rum or Whisky? Saw that it was rated here, I have always thought that it was rice whisky. There have been some bottles when at vacation in Thailand before I found S

2

SangSom Special

Thai rice rum The easiest way to get drunk in Thailand is to mix this with Coke or Sprite and it tastes slightly better than its brother Mehkong which is whiskey ma

2

Wishlist

Brand

Review

Rating

Trois Rivieres Bois d'Inde

Trois Rivieres Grande Cuvée Oman

Saint James Quintessence

Neisson Le Rhum XO Par

Bellevue Godfrey Reserve

Bellevue 1821 6-Year

Neisson XO 45

La Mauny XO

Dillon XO 12-Year

Depaz Cuvee Prestige

Bellevue 1821 10-Year

Clement Cuvee Homere

Flor de Cana Centenario 21

Karukera Christopher Colombus 1493

La Favorite Millésime 2009 (fevrier 2009 / Septembre 2017)

Longueteau XO

Malecon Rare Proof 2003 13-Year

Diplomatico 2000 Single Vintage

Diplomatico 2002 Single Vintage

Diplomatico 2004 Single Vintage

Reimonenq 1999

Flor de Cana 25-Year

Cubaney Centenario 25-30 Year

Santiago de Cuba Extra Anejo 20-Year

Opthimus 25-Year Port Finish

Barbancourt 5 Star Reserve Especiale 8-Year

Bielle 40th Anniversary 2008

English Harbour Extra Old

Clarkes Court # 37