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piratejabez

Rum Blackbelt | Member since 2016 | United States

325 Ratings | 133 Likes | 7 Followers

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Review

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Neisson Ed Hamilton French Limousin

Exceptional agricole! Le Rhum Vieux Par Neisson. Ed Hamilton 2016. French limousine oak. 57% ABV. A glorious balance of distillate, wood, and age. Everything by I love abou

British Royal Navy Imperial

Up Spirits! A once-in-a-lifetime kind of rum. From the final reserves of British Royal Navy rum, this juice is truly special. Bottled no later than 1970, from rum

Habitation Velier Worthy Park

A favorite Distilled from estate molasses. Marque: WPL. Aged 10 years in Jamaica. Angel's share >64%. Bottled at 59% ABV (barrel proof). (Of course, all that inf

Foursquare Zinfandel Cask Blend

Wow, this is really something else! I am in love with this rum. I first tried it at the 2016 California Rum Festival, along with the Port Cask Finish and a couple other Foursquare offeri

Appleton Estate Joy

Joyful 45% ABV. The Christmas Eve (final) box in the 2017 DbtD rum advent calendar. "Joy" to the world? No nose at first (?), but steadily emerges. Deep a

Bristol Classic Port Morant Demerara Port Finish

Glorious 46% ABV. Very PM nose. Anise, funk, and damp, musty warehouse. Some astringency. Very old wood. P: delicious, old rum. Very savory and umami. Slightly

Foursquare Destino

Just lovely Foursquare Rum Distillery Foursquare Destino Single Blended Rum. Distilled 2003, released 2017. Aged 14 years in the tropics. Double maturation: 12 ye

Foursquare Empery

Quite a fine bourbon- and sherry-aged rum Exceptional Cask Selection Mark IX, released in 2019. Aged 14 years (mix of blended rum aged 14 years in bourbon casks, and pot still rum aged 10 year

Renegade Guyana Uitvlught

A tasty Uitvlught 12 years bourbon and “enhanced” in Chateau d’Yquem (Sauternes) casks. 46% ABV. Super good. Dry, woody, fruity, some mineral notes, peppery. 9-

Highly underrated. 100% pot-still rum from Monymusk, aged on-pemise. 40% ABV. N: Fruits, fusel oils, rubber, glue, bike chains. So a bit like a Caroni, but much fruit

Neisson Profil 105

A successful experiment Neisson Profile 105 - 54.2% ABV, yet the label says 80 proof. Accoring to my sources, they used zebra casks of American and French oak, which may or m

Plantation Fiji

A well-tamed Fijian Distilled (pot and column) in 2009 and aged for 7 years in Fiji in Bourbon barrels followed by the typical 2 years in France. Bottled at 44.8% ABV.

Mr. Seale has done it again! I purchased this to be my top-shelf sipper, and am not disappointed. This is a rum for rum drinkers who are tired of syrupy, additive-laden concoction

Ron Zacapa Edicion Negra

Head & shoulders above the Sistema Solera 23 I only had a small taste of this rum, but it really surprised me. I'm a fan of the Solera 23, but still find it overly sweet. The Edicion Negra is muc

Mount Gay 1703 Old Cask

Holy delicious rum, Batman! MG 1703 starts off immediately with a very interesting nose. Slightly sharp, but warm and comforting. The palate is oaky, rich, complex, and simply de

Real McCoy Limited Edition

Super delicious. The addition of madeira cask-aged rum adds a little extra interest to the already exquisite RM12. A little more oak, with complex fruitiness from the

Neisson Reserve Speciale

Very impressed. This rum erupts from the glass with a lovely bouquet—full of sweet oak and red wine. It's the sweetest Martinique agricole I've tried to date. For me

Havana Club Selección de Maestros

A great value sipper. On my last international trip, picking up a bottle of this rum was among my top priorities. When I finally tried it at home, I was completely satisfie

J. Bally Paille

One to savor Disclaimer: The bottle I sampled was older, and I have been able to find no mention of it whatsoever on the interwebz. I selected the Paille because i

Foursquare Port Cask Finish

Exceptional I am a big fan of the "Exceptional Cask Selection" releases from Foursqure and Mr. Seale. At sub-$40, this port barrel-finished rum is the best value

Neisson L'Espirit of Neisson 70

Amazing 70% ABV. Wow, this one comes out swinging! Big nose of grass and creamed corn; some glue. Yes, rather hot, but no trace of any off-putting alcohol not

Privateer Navy Yard Barrel Proof

Exceptional American rum [171130] 58% ABV - New oak only? (no clue) Very warm, rich, and spicy, like a strong Bajan. Really draws you in. Very warming and somewhat astringent.

El Dorado Enmore

Best El Dorado I've had by a long shot. El Dorado Rare Collection Enmore 1993 - 56.5% ABV. Very interesting! I'm not a huge fan of El Dorado's standard offerings, but this one's a real tr

Barbancourt Estate Reserve

Delightfully deep 43% ABV. Very rich in nose and flavor. Deep vanilla and caramel. Dried fruits. Leather. Thick, oily mouthfeel. Hint of tar (yes!). One of those rum

Cadenhead's Worthy Park JMWP

Exceptional aged Jamaican 57.9% ABV. Nose: Tire rubber. Sugar. Tart cherries. Hint of banana. Nail polish. Palate: very hot entry. Bigger bananas. Ripe pineapple. Back to the n

Bristol Classic Port Morant Demara

Fantastic 46% ABV. Amazing nose. Wood and raisins. Lighter palate. Characteristic PM. Shortish, dry finish, but it doesn't matter. An exceptional long-aged rum.

Rum Nation Caroni

Delicious Bicycle Chains *200th Rating* 55% ABV. Bottled 2015 (so, 15–16yo rum). Luxuriously dry nose. Industrial lubricant, tar, petrol, and a hint of cherries. Touch of s

Cadenhead's Classic

An Exceptional Blend A 5-year-old blend of rums from Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Panama, and Trinidad. 50% ABV. A: Dark (uncolored) with bits of sediment from the welcome l

Golden Devil Jamaica

Continental Jamaican Distilled 6/06. 1 bottle of 296. 50% ABV. Very warm nose. Oak. Herbs. Hint of brine. Overripe bananas. Very sharp palate. Very dry and astringent. Med

Rhum Rhum Liberation

Love this stuff 58.4% ABV. N: a bit hot at first, then warm. Caramel-y brine. Same on the palate. Pleasantly prickly and complex. Long finish. Just lovely. 9.

Habitation Velier Caroni

A big industrial treat Distilled 2000, bottled 2017. 55% ABV. Nose: boatloads of tire rubber. Something herbal; spearmint? Mouth: huge, explosive flavor. Dry and delicious.

Worthy Park Single Estate Reserve

A lovely Jamaican 45% ABV. Aged 6–10 years. I'm afraid I was so enamored of this rum I didn't take good notes. Typical banana-forward funk, tempered by some glorious

Habitation Velier Forsyths WP

One of my favorites 57.8% ABV. Bananas, caramel, pepper. Amazing. My tasting notes are sparse because I was having too much fun learning about and enjoying this rum. I

Hamilton False Idol 151

Great stuff 75.5% ABV. 85% Guyanese, 15% Jamaican (Worthy Park). Very tasty. All the goodness and nearly all the heft of the original but with just a bit of Jamai

A 1710 Rare R579

New kid on the block 52.5% (great strength!). Creamed corn and brine. Great flavor. 8- 8

Spiced cider? 43% ABV. Very herbal. Sweet grass. Peppermint and cherries. Anise. Mulled cider. Cinnamon, clove? Cranberries. Brine. More cider on the palate. Hint o

Renegade Barbados Black Rock

Enjoyable. 8 years bourbon and “enhanced” in port casks. 46% ABV. Never had a rum from Black Rock before, but no surprises here. Just another easygoing, enjoyabl

Admiral Rodney HMS Princessa

My favorite of the three. 40% ABV (so we are setting our expectations low). 5–9 years mostly ex-bourbon aged, with some ruby port aging. It is a little fruitier than the other

Solid blanc 50% ABV. Surprisingly gentle nose, but typical agricole notes. Surprisingly sweet palate. 7+, 8-?

A 1710 La Perle Brute 66

Funky, fancy agricole 66% ABV. Big funky agricole nose. Explodes onto the palate. Briny, round, oily. Very fun. 8-

St. Lucia Distillers Ruby Reserve

A very tasty blend 46% ABV (at last!). A 6-year-old rum, containing rum up to 12 years old. Created to commemorate the 40th anniversary of St. Lucia's independence from

A tasty agricole-style rum 42% ABV. Blended (pot + column). Fresh nose, very cane-y, fruity, banana, a little briny. Clean. Punches above its weight, flavor-wise, given the rela

Barrell Tale of Two Islands

A fun one. Barrell seems to know what they're doing! 66.4% ABV. Jamaican pot-still rum, aged 8 years in (probably) ex-bourbon barrels, and finished for 1 year in Islay whiskey barrels (hence the name). T

Rhum JM Cuvee 1845

Pretty good 42% ABV. Big, clean, oaky nose. Hint of cherry. Clean taste. Medium finish. 9-, 8+

HSE Sherry Pedro Ximenez Finish

Slightly sweeter than the fino/oloroso 45% ABV. Aged 6 years. Similar to the fino/oloroso, but slightly sweeter finish. I'm thinking HSE is having just a little too much fun with all these

Chauffe-Cœur Dark

Fake agricole? What is it: cane-juice rhum from Martinique aged at least partly in France and bottled there, too. Apparently they got into some hot water for claimin

Cadenhead's Guatemala Green Label

A delicious dram 46% ABV. Nose: a touch of alcohol, lots of oak, candied cherries, vanilla, coconut. Palate: great strength. Lots of oak here too; very woody, like a b

Habitation Velier Foursquare

Super interesting, super tasty 64% ABV. Aged for 2 years in the tropics. A rare 100 pot-still from FS. Very hot, very dry, and very nutty. Almond butter? Kinda bitter. Herbal, li

Very nice 47% ABV. A unique collaboration between Foursquare, Hampden, and Velier, Probitas (US; Veritas everywhere else) is a blend of 3 distillates: unaged Ha

Pusser's British Navy

I find it very tasty, in spite of myself Aged 15 years in the tropics and bottled at (only) 40% ABV. Big nose. Lots of caramel/molasses, oak, smoke, varnish, anise. The palate is much smal

Chairman's Reserve Master's Selection - Martin Cate

Very good Aged 6 years. Bottled at 57.4% ABV. Great nose. Funky. Varnish. Some ethanol. Tastes delicious. If you've had the Hamilton St. Lucia Pot Still rums

Very good American agricole! Koa means "warrior." The same aging regimen as the Koho, bottled at barrel strength: 61.6% ABV. More power, and more funk. Fantastic. As a colleagu

A tasty little agricole "Koho" means "to select or choose." This rum spent 3–6 months in new oak, then 18+ months in (primarily) bourbon barrels before being bottled at 45% A

Plantation Xaymaca Special Dry

A fantastic little Jamaican, and a positive step for Plantation What it is: A blend of Jamaican pot still rums from Clarendon and Long Pond (muck pits!). Most of the marques are the result of a 1-week fermentation

Plantation Peru

Quite a good little sipper Distilled in 2004 (100% column), aged in Peru for 12 years in Bourbon and Solvenian oak casks, then aged for an additional 2 years in France before be

Plantation Overproof O.F.T.D.

Another winner from Plantation! What happens when you take seven rum experts (Jeff "Beachbum" Berry, Martin Cate, Alexandre Gabriel, Paul McFadyen, Paul McGee, Scotty Schuder, and Da

Smith and Cross Navy Strength

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

Mount Gay XO Extra Old

Quite lovely, just somewhat lacking This is a solid, unsweetened sipping rum (just my style). It boasts a lovely bouquet, and a moderately complex flavor profile. It gives me most of wha

Santa Teresa 1796

A Lovely Evening Sipper ST 1976 is similar to Mount Gay Extra Old, but with a little more depth of flavor. With little/no added sugar, this is a solid, dependable, dry sippin

Denizen Merchants Reserve

A very special rum for a very special cocktail Many people in pursuit of authenticity prepare an "original" Trader Vic's Mai Tai using a blend of aged Jamaican and rhum agricole from Martinique. An

Smuggler's Cove Plantation Haiti XO

Quite Different & Rather Good This is a single-cask offering made for (or sold to) Smuggler's Cove in San Fransisco. The bottle states it is a Haitian rum aged for 8 years in the C

Owney's Overproof

Pleasantly Surprised I'd never heard of Owney's New York City Rum before I tried this one. Indeed, their website doesn't even list the rums they produce, much less offer a

Excellent rum. Surprisingly smooth for a 5-year. Naturally sweet (no additives). Beautifully distilled, blended, and aged rum from Foursquare. The price is high in i

Aptly named. Top-notch. At first the name was a bit of a turn-off. I thought it was a cliche marketing trick of using a recognizable name with positive connotations but no re

Exceptionally smooth I tried this at a rum festival, and was very impressed with the smoothness and balance of this offering. It boasted a similar profile to its 9-year ol

Montanya Oro Dark

A very unique rum. This rum is very interesting! (And also somewhat polarizing, based on the ratings.) It starts with a very unusual nose. Immediately spicy, but not

I quite like this one! Mezan Jamaica 2000 starts off with a slightly peppery nose, and light funk (compared to some others). There's a trace of spearmint. The flavor is neit

Plantation Panama Single Cask Red Pineau Finish

Excellent. I tried a bottle from cask #25, specially labeled for a local tiki bar. I don't remember too much about it, but thought it was very well balanced, and

El Dorado Special Reserve

More complex than the 12, with a long finish. This is quite a tasty rum. You get all the complexity of the 12, and then some. Like the 12, still very sweet (far too much), along with more charred

High quality, good value On my last international trip, I brought back 2 bottles of rum: Havana Club Selección [de Maestros], and Havana Club 7. The latter was a last-minute i

Hamilton St. Lucia

Fantastic rum. This was the first higher-end Hamilton I've sampled. The one I tried was about 46% abv, so not the "cask strength" version. Nevertheless, it was simpl

Plantation Contrabandista

The Ron Zacapa of Smuggler's Cove Like Zacapa, this is an aged rum from Guatemala that is sweet, bold, and balanced. Unlike Zacapa, it makes no misleading age statement, nor is it avai

Pusser's British Navy

Up spirits! This rum is deep, complex, powerful, and surprisingly good. Heady, oaky pot-still aromas fill your nostrils. There is the harshness of youth without a

Appleton Estate Rare Blend

A great everyday sipper Follows the trajectory set by the Signature (V/X) and Reserve. Very smooth, and rich with caramel and oak. Being a blended rum, there is subtle pot-st

Pusser's Gunpowder Proof

Excellent, but doesn't quite match predecessor Recently I've become a big fan of Pusser's. I love these dry, full-flavored rums. I tasted this one side-by-side with the "old" 109-proof offering.

Denizen Aged White

A fantastic white rum Well-balanced Trini rum with a hint of Jamaican funk (I wouldn't mind a little more). This versatile rum—like Banks and Plantation 3-Star—brings plent

Chairman's The Forgotten Cask

A very good sip Rich, caramelly, smooth. Nothing outstanding (especially for a St. Lucia rum), but it is very tasty. 7+

Plantation St. Lucia

A Top-Notch Plantation Very interesting nose! Some caramel, which develops into cotton candy. Throughout, there's a good amount of brine. It's really a delight to smell.

Frank High Proof

Outstanding American overproof! 67.5% ABV (135 proof) rum from Hillsboro, Oregon. Double-distilled from "diamond 007" molasses in an antique French still, then aged in ex-Cognac barr

A Comfortable Sipper I imagine this rum is a crowd-pleaser. It's well-aged, dark, offers you flavors of deep caramel, tobacco, and charred wood without being too dry, stro

Awesome Value This new release from Doorly's (a Foursquare brand) is fanstastic. A moderately sweet and very smooth Bajan rum, it's well-rounded enough for sipping,

Mangoustan's Carte Grise

Very approachable, fairly complex, and rather delicious. Rhum tradicionnel! N: hits your fast. light, lively, fruity (mind-trick mangoes? passion fruit?). Some rubber (bands?). Reminds me just a little of OF

Saint James Hors d'Age

Excellent but subdued agricole Super faint nose, almost nonexistent. It's subtle, it's warming. Fresh caramel. Becomes more pronounced over time, but unfortunately, so does the alco

Saint James Vieux

Delicious Lovely nose. Hint of licorice (and grass). Tiniest bit of vanilla. Taste: slightly briny. Dry and delicious. Hint of tequila. Reminds me of J Bally (t

Clement Canne Bleue

A most excellent blanc. Warm, grassy nose. Subtle brine. Not as much grass on the nose; it's sweeter. Very cane-y. With time, some plastic. This rum is fantastic! Tasty on it

Compagnie des Indes St. Lucia

A tricky one My exposure to St. Lucian rums has been rather limited, but I usually find them intriguing. This one (my first CdI) was no exception. It opened wit

Damoiseau Pure Cane

Surprised Me I was not expecting a 110-proof unaged agricole to be sippable, but this one is! (At least to me, anyway... Does that make me weird?) This rum has a p

Doctor Bird Pot Still

A winner all around! As west-coaster who's sadly spent almost no time in Michigan, I'd never heard of Two James Spirits before this bottle appeared on the shelves of my (w

Clement Premiere Canne

Excellent blanc. Grassy and delicious. Hint of sweetness. Highly drinkable at 40%, though I wish it were stronger. This is a better Batiste. I'm torn between giving

An excellent rhum. This 43% dram is very gentle on the nose. Maple, candy, cherry, hint of solvent. Mouth - I like it! Rather woody, smooth, and complex. I could just si

Neisson Le Rhum Par

Fantastic 52.5% ABV. Wow… hugely wet-grassy nose, some creamed corn. A little like what I've tried from Marie-Galante. Mellows fairly quickly, but maybe that's

Neisson Eleve Sous Bois Rum 50

Excellent rested agricole 50% ABV. Somewhat sweet nose, with caramel and some brine. Rather dry on the palate; the brine is more prominent. Some mild harshness at the beginning

Privateer American Amber

Impressive! Not sure where OP got "Amber" from... it's labeled as "True American Rum". 43% ABV (earlier bottles were 40%). Batch 35. A blend of rums aged in ne

Unbeatable Value At first I thought the bottle was a little gimmicky (well, I still do). It certainly stands out on the shelf. But it's also lovely and ergonomic—one o

Real McCoy Pagan Idol 92-Proof

Excellent dry Bajan Light nose. Caramel. Big dry entry. Moderately astringent. It's nice to have a moderately aged, moderately strong, dry rum available. In a Daiquiri

Whiskey rum (Please forgive me if I've gotten the name wrong; I tried it on it's first day of availability and did not get a chance to see the bottle.) 46% ABV

Mezan XO Jamaica

An excellent Jamaican! 40% ABV. Delightful nose! Muted but funky ripe bananas and other tropical fruits. Reminds me rather of a gentler Hamilton Pot Still Jamaican. So, I'm

Novo Fogo Silver

A great cachaça 40% ABV. Big nose. Super funky. Rotten fruits. Corn. Easy entry. Dry and somewhat briny. I wouldn't mind stronger, but this is some good stuff! 7+,

Not bad! 40% ABV. Playful nose. Wood, hint of caramel and vanilla. Palate: dry, with notes of oak, tobacco, earth, and vanilla. Moderately astringent. An impre

Weak but decent rum with a sherry finish 40% ABV. Too low, but hey, it's a budget brand. Very delicate nose. Kinda Plantation-y. Hint of caramel and sherry. Reminds me a little of Foursqua

A decent Diplomatico 43% ABV. Fairly strong nose. Caramel, raspberry, cinnamon/spice, brine. Later, cherries. Oak and vanilla on the palate, with a sherry finish. Oily mou

Barbancourt Traditional White

Delightful. 43% ABV. Pot-distilled. Very fun nose. Not too big, but funky. Cane, creamed corn. More agricole-y than I was expecting. Palate: brine, salted caramel

Barbancourt 3 Star

Surprisingly tasty 43% ABV. Pot still. Cane juice. Nose: Hint of creamed corn. A good amount of brine. Some oak. A savory note I can't place. Hint of something medicinal

Hamilton Guyana 151

Fantastic Demerara Overproof Insanely strong nose. You can smell and sip it neat, but a few drops of water help. Deep, rich caramel. I prefer it to the current Lemon Hart 151. It'

Hamilton Navy Strength

Outstanding, honest Navy rum 57% ABV—that's "full proof," as the name indicates. Lively, prickly nose. Young Jamaican funk really excited to get out of the bottle and into your se

The Scarlet Ibis Gold

Deep, dry, complex gold. 49% ABV. I believe the bottle said the blend of Trini rums were aged 3–5 years before bottling. Interesting nose. Some high notes. Mouth is a bit deep

Richland Single Estate Old Georgia

An impressive, oaky rum. Bourbon, anyone? A very interesting rum. It's made from sugar cane syrup (not molasses, nor fresh-pressed cane juice, so I do not believe it is technically an "agricol

Plantation Barbados

No surprises here 42% ABV. N: Hmm, rubbing alcohol that fortunately dissipates quickly. Dark caramel. Noticeable pot-still influence. P: No surprises here. You get bala

Best Guyanese rum I've ever had. 40% ABV. N: Oh man, what a nose! I have never smelled anything like it before. Glorious brine. Bananas. Flowers. Super hogo, but not like a Jamaican.

Wright & Brown Barrel Aged

Great craft rum 45% ABV. Double-pot distilled. Re-charred French oak. N: Delicate. Caramel, oak, vanilla. Some pot-still excitement. Nothing crazy. P: Bigger. Nice an

Wright & Brown Single Barrel Selection

Excellent but room for improvement 49.5% ABV. A Blend of toasted and American and French oak. Single-distilled. N: some rotten bananas. A hint of alcohol. P: dark and woody. Smoke. Vani

La Favorite Coeur d'Ambre

A lightly aged, in in-your-face agricole 50% ABV. Aged 18 months in oak. Huge nose. Cane, grass, corn, brine, funk. Peach? Same on the palate. Fairly rough. Not getting much oak, except for h

Penny Blue XO Batch 001

Delicious Ordered a shot of this at a local rum bar. (Twice.) Holy cow—this is some good stuff. Only slightly sweet, no added sugar, and very, very smooth. Slig

Plantation Panama Single Cask Cabreuva Finish

Very tasty 42.8% ABV. Big, fruity nose. Interestingly, reminds me of the current Cask Clement single-barrel bottling. Plantation-signature sweetness on the palat

Plantation Royal Blend

Very tasty, just a little too sweet. 45% ABV. A blend of rums from Barbados, Trinidad, Jamaica, and Guyana. NAS. Maury cask finish. Very peculiar nose. I like it a lot. Rather varnish-

Wray & Nephew White Overproof

Love the funk Original review 4/17: You should know what you're getting into if you ask/reach for this rum. This ain't no Bacardi. You're going to get lots of fu

English Harbour Madeira Cask Finish

Good Stuff 46% ABV. Piggy-backing on the success of Foursquare, it seems, with a special "cask finish." This rum has spent 5 years in ex-bourbon barrels, and 4 m

Appleton Estate Reserve Blend

A good introduction to Jamaican rums! ORIGINAL REVIEW (6+): It's not at all offensive, but there's just not much there of what makes a confident Jamaican mixing rum. Not enough funk (too b

House Spirits Triumvirate Original Edition

Very Good 52.5% ABV. "Limited edition 100% pot-distilled rum commemorating the first three Masters of the Cove" Pretty faint nose, but astringent (not in a rubb

Capovilla PMG Liberation

Excellent Stuff 45% ABV. Warm, rich nose. Slightly vegetal. Very woody. Some pleasant acetone-y high notes. P: absolutely lovely. Warm, dry, slightly bitter. A bit to

Sugar House White

Exceptional White Rum 43% ABV. Nose: Very interesting. Faint astringency quickly vanishes. Rather briny, a good bit of funk, and a melange of fruit (mango, banana, cherry).

Delightful! Proof and Wood's (whoever they are) "The Funk." 50% ABV. "Heavy Unaged Pot Still Rum" from St. Catherine, Jamaica, which means Worthy Park. Gloriou

Uruapan Charanda Blanco

An exquisite introduction to a "new" "rum" category! 46% ABV. Bottle 2155/16300 (wow, that's dedication to hand-numbering!). Big nose. Creamed corn, brine, touch of cane. An herbal note. Later, that indu

Clement Bourbon Cask Collection

A singular agricole Pertinent label notes: Clement Cask Collection Rhum Agricole Vieux No du fût (Barrel #): 20000027 No de la bouteille (Bottle #): 293/406 Origine

Real McCoy Smuggler's Cove

Good Solid Rum 46 ABV. Similar to the standard 12-year; complex, oaky, slightly sweet. There's an orange note on the nose that really comes out in a Daiquiri. A fant

English Harbour

Tasty but dull 40% ABV. Formerly XO. 10-12yo. A little dryer than 5. Not as fruity, nor as smooth (more sugar added to the 5?). Earthy. Some bite despite the low str

English Harbour Sherry Cask Finish

Sweetest & most flavorful of the 3 46% ABV. Aging: 5 years ex-bourbon followed by 6 months ex-sherry; I think the rep said 18% of it is actually the 10-year-old. The flavor is full,

English Harbour Port Cask Finish

Tasty enough 46% ABV. Faint nose. Aging: 5 years bourbon followed by 9 months port (the longest finish of the series). Nose: standard EH, with some varnish? Pal

Mount Gay Black Barrel

Grows on you When I first tried this rum a couple years ago, it was relatively new to the market, and there seemed to be a lot of marketing hype around it. I thoug

Plantation Belize XO Single Cask Porto Finish

Quite good Plantation Old Reserve Belize 2004, Cask & Cooper of Washington, cask no 18/19, bottle 355/450. 41% ABV. Unlike today's Plantations, there are no note

Big, bold. 51% ABV. My first clairin—and my first Velier! Big, round nose. Funky creamed corn. Wet rags in a field. Vinegar. Explodes onto the palate. Tastes

Clairin Casimir

Huge character 2016 harvest. 48.5% ABV. Nose: rancio gives way to loads of sweet barbecue, roasted cauliflower. Palate: prickly, smokey, briny. The "biggest" of t

Habitation Velier Last Ward

Very good, but not my jam Distilled 2009, bottled in 2018. 59% ABV, straight from the cask. Barbados single rum. n: so delicate compared to the Caroni alongside it. Cherry w

A delicious, un-aged, pot-still rum 40% ABV. 100% pot still. Great nose. Grass, brine, ripe bananas. Slight astringency. Richer, smoother flavor than The Funk, but it gets a little sharp

Trois Rivieres Réserve Spéciale

An interesting aged agricole 40% ABV. Equal parts 5yo and 9yo. 80% French oak (1/3 new 2/3 used), 20% bourbon. Very mellow, very smooth and enticing. A bit harsher on the palat

Navazos Palazzi Cask Strength

Fun stuff 51.5% ABV. Interesting nose; some industrial scents, oak, and... bubble gum? Probably not, but something fruity I can't nail down. It's very drinkable

Clement Cask Collection

A big, bold Clement 62.5% ABV. Just shy of 4 years old, aged in new American oak. Rather briny, some oak and cherry. I'll want to revisit this one at some point if I can.

Rhum JM Single Barrel Reserve Speciale

A fun little JM 47% ABV. Laid down 5/1/5015 and bottled 7/12/2018, so 3 year old. Aged in (new?) American oak. Bottled for Nasa Liquor in Houston, TX. Bottle 301/368.

HSE Port Cask Finish

My favorite HSE so far... 42% ABV. Aged at least 5 years (not sure if the 12 months in port barrels are included in this number or not). Cherries still, but yes, grapes also. S

Ypioca Cinco Chaves

Dry 38-39% ABV. Madeira finish? dryer and more whisky-like. 7+, 8-?

Transcontinental Rum Line Fiji

My favorite Fijian rum so far Ageing 65% tropical 35% continental. Batch distilled. 48% ABV. I have "T2c1+" in my notes by haven't a clue what it means... please message me if you

Super interesting! Shame it's gone. 46% ABV. A blend of Jamaican and Guyanese rums. Very dry and smokey. Little bit of funk. Also, briny (like a sea wind???). Medium finish. A really

Neisson Bio Agricole Blanc 52.5

Organic Agricole 52.5% ABV. Huge, green nose. Exceptionally grassy. Interesting palate. Round and prickly at the same time. Those creamed corn, "plastic diaper" notes

Very good but not (or no longer) great Faultline St. Lucia Pot Still Rum - 45% ABV. Similar to some of the Ed Hamilton bottlings (he imported this one as well), bottled at 45%. Funky, but a

Rhum JM Multimillesime 2002-2007-2009

Quite good 42.3%. Rich old nose. Oak and just a touch of cherry. Full flavored. Dry. 8+

Solid vieux 40%. Gentle nose. Mellow palate. Wish it were a little stronger, but it is easygoing and delicious. 8

Admiral Rodney HMS Royal Oak

A good SLD column-still rum 40% ABV (so we are setting our expectations low). 7–12 years ex-bourbon. Less fruity than the Princessa, less aggressive than the Formidable and 1979.

Renegade Jamaica

Hampden 2000 8-year Not sure if this is the same bottle (not enough info in the name). The one I tried was distilled at Hampden Estate in 2000 and aged for 8 years bourbo

Great nose, weak palate. Pleasant nose. Def some PM, if not all. Liquorice, spice. You really have to work at it. And yes, as others have said, it really falls apart on the pa

Three Roll White

Impressive unaged American rum FKA "Cane Land". 40% ABV. At first I thought I was drinking their 45% ABV agricole-style rum (the one I ordered). It certainly tasted like one! Lovely

Rum Fire White Overproof

A wonder bottle 8/19 This stuff has really grown on me. Captivating on its own, in small doses it does wonders to a cocktail. Truly a special rum from a very special

Saint Benevolence Clairin

Very interesting! Round tones, subtle brine, hint of plastic. Extremely savory. Rather agreeable, but may be challenging to most. 50% abv is fantastic. Deploy as a grea

A 1710 Rare B 69566

New kid on the block 52% ABV creamed corn and super funky. Round, oily mouthfeel. 8-

Clement Colonne Créole

Surprisingly smooth and fruity 49.6% ABV. Surprisingly smooth and fruity. Interesting, recommended.

Clement Colonne Créole

Expected a little more 40.9% ABV. A bit of astringency and cherry. Same on the palate. Quite a bite compared to the Blanc. Make a Daiquiri with the later and a Ti punch with

Worthy Park Single Estate

Great rum, just not my cup of tea I LOVE Worthy Park, and was thrilled to be able to try a pre-release version of this one. Classic WP. Very dry and woody. But the bananas of its youth

Rhum JM Multimillesime 2003 2005

Expected more 42.5% ABV. Good but kinda dull and too cherry-forward. JM’s just not my jam. An 8 rum I'm giving a 7 for personal taste.

Lemon Hart 151 Yellow Label

A good mixer ABV: 40% Nose: Alcohol that yields to brown sugar. Palate: Sweet, slightly rough. Finish: Medium This is an older bottling, with a plastic scr

St. George California Reserve

An improvement over the unaged version 40% ABV. Aged 4 years in French oak. N: olives grass, bananas, papaya, vanilla, nutmeg. P: a bit dry and bitter. Nutty. Walnut, pecan, almond? Very in

Longueteau 55° White

Artichaut 55% ABV. Please, can we not say "blanc" instead of "white"? Big, very round nose. People were saying artichoke. 8-, 7+

Stolen Overproof

Something else... 61% ABV. 6yo Hampden juice at cask strength. Hugely funky nose. Pineapple, cherry, glue. I'll try to update this at some point with better notes, but

Single Cane Estate Worthy Park

WP don't make no bad rums 40% ABV. Ok, ok. I, fortunately, was not duped by the sneaky faux-premium branding. And while I tend to avoid Bacardi at all costs, I do love me so

Koloa Kauai Reserve

Koloa's best, which ain't sayin much. "Koloa 12 Barrel Reserve" - 46% ABV. Aged 3 years. Vanilla, caramel, good bite, not too sweet (though it is on the sweet side). Like a sweeter MGXO. B

Uninteresting 39% ABV? A little bit smoother than its younger siblings, but not more interesting. I’d need to spend a little more time with this one, but it’s just

Slightly spicy 40% ABV. 5yo? Dry, a little spicy, still kinda funky and rubbery. I don't recall if I liked it more or less than the others, so I'll just give it a 7

Mount Gay Mauby

Super interesting 40% ABV. I'm assuming this is basically eclipse infused with mauby bark. There's quite a lot of ethanol on the nose after first pour (similar to Eclip

Trois Rivieres Ambré

ESBs generally not my thing Rhum agricole élevé sous bois. 40% ABV. Aged 18 months in oak. Gentle nose. Fruitier and less briny than the blanc. Some cherry. I'm not big on ESB

Impressive, but too weak I had the opportunity to taste 3 single-varietal agricoles—the ones that variously go into the Kea blend. All are unaged, and bottled at 40% ABV. Here

Dutch East Indies Trading, Ltd. Batavia Arrack Van Oosten

Bacon rum? 50% ABV (I think, unless it was By the Dutch that I tried...). Nose: smokey, sweet, bacon-y. A bit of a round, creamed corn note. Palate: very smooth

Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Black

Dark and Tasty I'm not wild about the fact that the only thing separating this from the Gold offering is a bit of caramel color, but I understand the market need. An

Tasty, Sweet Of all Koloa's over-sweetened rum, this one might actually not suffer from it. Yes, it is exceptionally sweet (still sweeter than I would prefer), and

Clement Select Barrel

Excellent Starter Agricole Wood and grass on the nose. (The grass is very subdued compared to Clement's blancs.) A bit harsh at first—benefits greatly from >15 minutes breathing

All-rounder Being a cane rum, I expected this to be more like rhum agricole—it's not. In fact, it's rather sweet. I'm not sure whether to use this as a light, gol

Ron Zacapa 23 Solera

Accessible, Respectable Huge nose and flavor profile. Sweet and bourbony. Slight maple. A tad sweet for my tastes, and not as smooth as you would hope for 23 years (the young

Very well balanced. I tried this at a rum festival, and was very impressed with the smoothness and balance of this offering. Indeed, it was among my favorites at the even

Solid Go-To Hawaiian Dark This rum is indeed very dark. It's strikes a good balance of sweet and dry, and is slightly unctuous. Not well-suited for sipping, but works beautiful

Plantation XO 20th Anniversary

German Chocolate Cake Reading the reviews—both here and on other sites—this appears to be a nearly universally-adored rum. And why not? It's incredibly smooth. A tad too sw

Great value, but too sweet. Edit 4/2017: This was my first "premium" rum (not counting Zaya), first tasted in 2015. It's very tasty, but also extremely sweet. Having tried 50+ r

Damoiseau Blanc 55%

Lots going on here Huge nose. Bartender suggested creamed corn, and he's right… but also with corn fungus. The fermentation vat must have been busy! Fortunately, it's sw

Ragged Mountain Gold

Good but not great. Pot-still fermented, but no trace of funk. The nose is a blend of typical rum aromas, as well as tequila. The tequila notes fade after a while, and is

English Harbour

Simple, tasty. 40% ABV. Supposedly a blend of rums 5–7 years old. This is one of those rums that simply met (or just exceeded) my expectations; no real surprises.

Flor de Caña Gran Reserva -

Compared to HC7... Having first familiarized myself with Havana Club 7, I assumed FdC 7 would be similar (direct competitors, even). Tasting this one, and then both side

Barbancourt 5 Star Reserve Especiale

Very good, just not that exciting. Original 5/17 - This rum is very good; I like it a lot. It's exceptionally smooth, and sweet enough to satisfy most palates. (It's also pretty reasona

Appleton Estate V/X

Better than expected! I had low expectations for this rum, but it surprised me. There was no alcohol on the nose, and the flavor was rich and fairly smooth. Definitely blen

Plantation 3 Stars Artisanal

A white mixing rum you can also sip neat. Who'd a thought? There's a reason this rum stands above all others in its category. Plantation knows what they're doing here, and they're indeed doing it well. A blend

Duquesne Élevé Sous Bois

It's just ok. This lightly-aged rum agricole exhibits good character. Strongly briny on the nose, with a mild sweetness. It's got some kick, but not as much as, say

Go-to Jamaican mixer This rum is dark, smooth, and caramelly sweet with just enough funk. Highly drinkable, it's no wonder this is widely regarded as the best "dark/Jamaic

A big step up from Leblon Very grassy and vegetal. Smells quite a bit like sparkling apple cider, though certainly harder and not add sweet. Packs more of a pinch than its 84 p

Montebello Blanc 50%

Full-flavored Agricole 50% abv. This rum has a tremendous nose. Super grassy, with some hay. I really felt like I was getting my vegetables! It's very "round". There's somet

El Dorado Smuggler's Cove Private Reserve

Excellent sipping mixer :) My bar neighbor said that to him this sits nicely between the El Dorado 12 and 15 years. I agree! It's not as saccharine as the 12, nor does it boast

Lovely It tastes lovely—trademark Foursquare, magnificent blending and balanced sweetness with just a hint of oak. Might be a higher rataing were it not for

Gustoso Aguardiente

A Marketing-Driven Crowd-Pleaser This rum hails from Michoacan. Very smooth and easy-drinking (well, it is 40%). A little too smooth, with very familiar rum-caramel flavors. Would hav

Neisson Rhum Agricole Blanc

Solid agricole ABV: 50% Nose: Very grassy. Some rubber/industrial aromas. Palate: Slightly sweet and salty. Finish: Short. A solid agricole blanc. Recommende

El Dorado Smuggler's Cove Private Reserve Spiced

Best spiced rum I've ever had! This rum is not only exclusive to Smuggler's Cove in San Francisco—it's probably also made there. They take their proprietary El Dorado Smuggler's Cov

Three Rocks Spiced

Delightfully Spiced 40% ABV rum from Troutdale, Oregon, offered at McMenamins. An interesting nose: Orange peel, cacao, cinnamon, herbs, slightly bitter and medicinal.

Solid Blanc 50% ABV. N: Lots of grass and fruit. Fades with time, replaced with brine and some tire rubber. P: Warm. Some of that salty sweetness. Very good, bala

Quite good, but not quite great A 12 year-old agricole? Sign me up! I loved the nose. But the rum itself is just too sharp. It holds onto its agricole brine just a bit too much. A

Entering Sipping Territory At the tasting, the pourer skipped the 5 and 7-years and went straight to this. It tastes about as you would expect... caramel, hint of tobacco. Could

Reasonably good stuff Once again, no suprises—solera-aged, little to no dosage, latin-style rum with a bit of 18-yo juice inside. More oak coming through compared to the 12

The Duppy Share Caribbean

Solid mixer 40% ABV. Mmmmm, an aged Jamaican and Bajan blend? Sounds delicious! The Jamaican immediately delivers with light but unmistakable funk right off. T

Archetypal "Grassy" Agricole Round, sweet, grassy, tequila-like nose. A friend said "nutty," which I agree with as well. Hugely grassy taste. The strength (100 proof) shows throug

La Favorite Habitation

Refined & approachable, but weak Also called "Cœur de Rhum" (beyond Canne and Ambre), with a newer bottle design to match the others. I was already familiar with the other two, which

Santiago de Cuba Extra Anejo

Solid Cuban, just not my style Smells like cherry cola with a hint of cinnamon. Some tobacco on the palate. Easily recommendable as a sipper. It's an 8 rum to be sure, but just n

Plantation Original Dark Double Aged

Exceptional value standby If you're familiar with Plantation, you know what your getting here: an exceptionally blended and carefully aged rum, with some tropical aging and an

Dillon Blanc 55

Very good. Nose is a bit hot and not super flavorful. But there's cut grass, and some plastic-y notes. In the mouth: fairly briny. Mellows after time. Also with

Lost Spirits Navy 61

A Buttery Enigma I've put off this review for a long time. Lost Spirits bottlings are a bit of an enigma—which, I imagine, is not at all unintentional. With Bryan Davi

Lost Spirits Navy 68

Lost Spirits Navy Style 68% See my notes on Lost Spirits Navy Style 61%. Strong notes of creamy vanilla, buttered toast, and charred wood. This one is stronger than the 61%, and

Lost Spirits Navy 55

Lost Spirits Navy Style 55% See my notes on Lost Spirits Navy Style 61%. Strong notes of creamy vanilla, buttered toast, and charred wood. This one is lighter than the 61%, and s

Lost Spirits 151 Cuban Style

Lost Spirits Cuban-Inspired 151-proof See my notes on Lost Spirits Navy Style 61%. Very creamy, vanilla nose. Buttery chocolate chip cookie dough. With time: flooring (damn you, aut

El Dorado ICBU Single Barrel

Wasted Opportunity This "Single Barrel" series is an attempt by El Dorado to edge into the limited release market. But even with all their vast stores of fine rum, deep

Lost Spirits Navy Polynesian 66

Slightly more complex than the Navy Style releases Light in color and nose than other LS releases, but same buttered toast profile. A bit different on the palate. Pineapples, cotton candy, brine (!). A

Pirate's Grog No. 13

Better than expected. Quite good, really. 40% ABV. Nothing lowers expectations like naming our product “Pirates Grog” (not even an apostrophe?). Very hard to take this brand seriously... Go

Don Q Gran Anejo

Excellent PR 40% ABV. Super caramel. Super smooth. Fairly sweet, with vanilla notes (though no added sugar). It's really good rum, just super boring. About a

Trois Rivieres Cuvee de l'Ocean

Very good agricole 42% ABV. Grassy. Cane, brine, corn. Dry-smelling. Very mild on the palate. Would benefit from a higher proof. Not very dry, not very sweet. Coconut. V

I don't get this one 45%. Nail polish / varnish on the nose. Dissipates after a bit but never really goes away. Fairly “light”; high notes with little in the way of flavor

Wood's 100 Old Navy

Molasses Navy Current bottling, 2017: 57% ABV (the original "100 proof"). Big nose of molasses, brown sugar, and vanilla. Very sharp. Drinkable neat, but very swee

Novo Fogo Barrel-Aged

Boring cachaça, but good mixer 40%. Agreed 2 years in oak barrels. Copper put distilled. Dry wine on the nose, dissipates quickly. Nose is warm but not hot, with some brine. Hint of

Novo Fogo Graciosa

Similar to the standard Barrel-Aged 42% ABV. Aged in oak and castanhera (chestnut) for an indeterminate number of years, but probably 2. Copper pot distilled. Delicate nose. Very delicat

Cloven Hoof Spiced

A unique take on spiced rum I'm not a big spiced rum guy, so I was hesitant to try this one, but I'm glad I did. The makers of this rum (which is a blend of Guyanese and Trinidad

Surprisingly decent A fair amount of alcohol on the nose, which soon gives way to vanilla and fruit. Slightly briny on the palate; off-dry. I'd guess this is a blended ru

Plantation Trinidad

No surprises 43.2% ABV. Distilled in 2002. Aged for 10 (tropical) years in an ex-bourbon cask, 4 (continental) in an ex-cognac cask, and finished in an ex-red pine

Plantation Pineapple Stiggin's Fancy

Quite a surprise! 40% ABV. Finally—someone who knows how to flavor a spirit without going overboard! Those guys at Plantation really know what they're doing. Just a

Kirk and Sweeney

A fine rum Easily approachable and exceptionally smooth. Lovely presentation (I don't want to know how much has been spent on marketing this product.) Will updat

Kirk and Sweeney

Slight improvement on the 12 A solid, if run-of-the-mill sipping rum. Typical flavors of caramel and vanilla. Balanced sweetness. Will update if I get another chance. 7+ Up

Hamilton New York Blend

Watered-down Navy 42% ABV. A blend of rums from Guyana and Worthy Park. Deep nose. Different than Navy Strength. Funk, smoke, brine. On the mouth: lots of brine. Som

Hamilton 86 Demerara

My go-to Demerara 43% ABV. Aged up to 5 years. Rich nose—though not as big, say, Foursquare Port. Slightly astringent. Caramel, hint of funk. Chocolate. Charcoal. I'm p

Plantation Original Dark Overproof

A strong Lemon Hart contender... 73% ABV. Very strong nose. Highly astringent. Hard to pick out any distinct flavors—it mostly burns the nostrils. More approachable palate. Still very

Very good, but... Delicious nose with warm grass, oak, and caramel. It's really a pleasure to smell. Unfortunately, the palate goes another direction: saltwater and bri

Mount Gay Eclipse Black

An excellent mixer 50% ABV. A fine nose. No astringency. Very dry. Tastes of caramel and charred oak. Quite nice! Short finish. Great strength, good flavor, no off-n

Lemon Hart Original 1804

A decent demerara 40% ABV. N: Strong coffee, caramel, and chocolate. Butter, but that might be the hot buttered rum ordered next to me... Nah, definitely buttery toffee

Twenty Boat Spiced

Good spiced rum! 47.5 ABV. Lovely bouquet of spices on nose and palate. Typical notes along with a very welcome dose of juniper. Nice and dry! A very good spiced ru

Golden Devil Dark Overproof

Good Value 57% ABV. Vibrant orange color. N: Pretty sure I'm getting some Hampden funk. Quickly followed by sweet caramel and rich demerara aromas. The Jamaican

Very good, but... 43% ABV. Pleasant, slightly harsh nose. Hint of Jamaican funk. This follows into the palate. There's also a good amount of brine. Nice and dry. Shorti

Banks 7 Golden Age

Very good, but... 43% ABV. Pleasant, slightly harsh nose. Hint of Jamaican funk. This follows into the palate. There's also a good amount of brine. The addition of Pana

Sam Smith's Boatyard

Pretty good 43% ABV. Distilled in Florida. Aged 2 years. Pleasant nose and palate. I'm guessing pot still. Nothing exceptional, but certainly one of the better Am

Bristol Classic Guadeloupe & Guyana Overproof

Windex? 59% ABV. Aged in "very old barrels." N: Windex and rubbing alcohol. Dissipates somewhat to cane sugar. Something deeper hiding underneath. Fairly swee

Holey Dollar Overproof

Quite tasty Rather funky, Jamaican nose. Slightly industrial. Oil? Gets sweeter with time. High notes on the palate. Reminds me of a tamer Hamilton St. Lucian. Su

Myers's Original Dark

Surprisingly not bad! 40% ABV. Years ago I used this for baking only, but recently I had the opportunity to actually try it neat. It’s better than I was expecting. It’s you

Unadulterated marshmallow rum 40% ABV. Product of Guyana (unaged PM), Barbados (unaged), and Trinidad (8yo). N: wow, so different from the 62. Marshmallows and cotton candy. It's v

Shows promise 40% ABV. Product of Guyana, Jamaica, and Barbados. N: Bananas, brine, hint of corn and yeast. Very nice, but very mild. Milder palate. Hint of brine.

Diablo's Shadow California Gold

Bourbon-y 42.5% ABV. Nose: very woody and bourbon-like. Lightens after time, with some briney astringency. Some vanilla. Palate: also extremely bourbon-y. Loads

Diablo's Shadow Navy Strength

Oaky and... a little too strong? 58.5% ABV. Extremely bourbon-y. Nose and palate both a bit light and a bit too astringent. With water, marshmallows. Medium-short finish. A rare ex

Owney's Original

Great light rum Batch 3 2015. 40% ABV. Briny nose. Overripe bananas. Faintest bit of astringency. Very briny palate. Absolutely solid light rum. If you're in the m

Pacifica 174 Proof

Impressive overproof 87% ABV. Unaged. Light nose. Surprisingly drinkable. Not as astringent as you might expect. Slowly coats mouth. Marshmallow. Nice and fruity. It ma

Plantation Barbados

Solid Gold This rum surprised me! Given that Mt. Gay Eclipse had long been my go-to mixing rum, I was expecting something similar. Now I understand both producer

House Spirits Triumvirate Final Edition

Some like it hot Well hello to you, too! Here’s one sharp & prickly rum. Quite a little burn there, though there’s no unpleasant alcohol on the nose. Good thing it’s g

Avua Still Strength

Very good cachaça 45% ABV. About what you would expect. Brine and creamed corn on the nose, which is big but not overpowering. Similar palate. Surprisingly strong for o

Old Harbor Barrelflag Navy Strength

Quite good, but not great 57% ABV. Blend of rum from demerara sugar,* molasses, and pure cane juice. Long-fermented. Batch 8. Lovely smoke/gray glass bottle with a competent hi

Royal Standard Dry

Top-notch mixing white 42% ABV. A new rum from Joel Richard, seemingly from a new "Royal Standard Collection." Light nose. Hint of alcohol. Some sugar, but very dry. Mout

House Spirits Katun

Hard to pin down 40%. Guatemalan molasses pot still aged 18-24 months. N: sweet and spicy. Vanilla, oak, molasses. P: very mild. To bad it's so weak. But the flavor is

The one, but not the only... Lemon Hart 151 yellow label (current) - 75.5% ABV. Review forthcoming. 7+ Lemon Hart 151 red label (previous) - 75.5% ABV. N: Deep caramel and Deme

Sergeant Classick Classick Gold

OK, but weak 40% ABV. 100% pot still rum from Hawaiian molasses (a rarity these days). Decent nose. Slightly funky caramel notes with some vanilla marshmallow t

Wild stuff 2016 harvest. 48.8% ABV. 100% spontaneous/wild fermentation. Nose: cheese pizza with oregano, fennel (also added: ginger, lemongrass). Very herbal.

Saint Benevolence

A strong first release from Saint Benevolence 42% ABV. 5 years old. A blend of cane syrup-based rum from the Dominican Republic, and molasses-based rum from Barbados. One is pot, one is column (or

Trois Rivieres Blanc 50%

A solid agricole blanc. 50% ABV. Somewhat delicate nose. A little funky/plasticy, a little briny. Hint of fruit; pineapple? 7+

New Grove Old Tradition

Not bad 40% ABV. Fruit quickly turns to something reminiscent of Caroni, with some burned tire rubber. Passion fruit? Dry, spicy finish. "Fresh and spicy" is

Hamilton Pot Still Blonde

A Hamilton misfire? 45% ABV. The same (funky, young, Worthy Park, pot-still) distillate used for Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Gold and Black was aged for 18 months in St.

Road's End Navy Strength

Quite good 57% ABV. Batch 1, bottle 195. Distilled and bottled at Three Oaks, MI. Unknown ageing. Light gold/straw color. Surprisingly gentle nose. Vanilla and c

A bit of a disappointment 42% ABV. A solid agricole, very dry and a good amount of oak. But there's just too much cherry on the nose, and it's bottled far too weak. 7+

Rum-Bar White Overproof

Very tasty, but doesn't unseat W&N (Originally posted 3/2018; updated 10/2018) 63% ABV. 100% pot-distilled. N: Many bananas, salt, smoke, baby powder. Very briny. Agricole funk (with

Mount Gilboa Triple Distilled

Not bad at all. 40% ABV. 100% pot-distilled. Lightly aged notes with some caramel and a touch of cherry. Very much like a Last Ward lite. Strange gassy, rubbery odor

HSE Sherry Fino & Oloroso Finish

Dry, cherries 45% ABV. Aged 6 years. Hmm… cherry on the nose. Very dry, almost whisky-like palate. Finishes with a creamy kind of finish, with a hint of sherry. I'm

Ypioca Chrystal

Better than expected! 40% ABV. Great nose. Rubbery mouthfeel! Not bad. 7, 7+?

Copalli Barrel Rested

Barrel-rested agricole-style rum from Belize 44% ABV. 100% pot. Rested 6-10 months in ex-bourbon barrels. Round vanilla at first. Later, oak and barrel char. Later a bit of bourbon cherry comes o

Better than expected 42% ABV. Interesting nose, like sweet barbecue sauce. Very smoky, obviously. The palate, fortunately, is a bit more muted. It makes a curiously palata

Okinawan Cor Cor Red

Totally unique This rum is wild. I wasn't expecting too much for a 40% rum, but this is bonkers. Incredibly savory. The closest comparison I can make is to Batavia A

English Harbour Smuggler's Cove

Nothing new, but solid 67% ABV. Distilled 2014, bottled 2019. First use Buffalo Trace barrels. Lots of vanilla. Good bite, but still drinkable. Not terribly interesting, but

Impressive, but over-diluted 40% ABV. Aged 4-6 years. Distilled from fresh cane juice. Funky, savory nose. Like a gentler, sweeter Vaval. Rotten banana and touch of industrial hig

Admiral Rodney HMS Formidable

Skippable. 40% ABV (so we are setting our expectations low). 9–12 years ex-bourbon. More oak (than the others in the lineup), but also more cherry. A bit like co

Very Briny Salt—and pepper! Grass, hint of sugar. P: very dry. more salt, more pepper. After breathing: quite a bit better. Less pepper, less salt, but still

New Grove Oak Aged

Not much to see here 40% ABV. Fresh molasses without sulfer (?). 100% French oak, of which 30% is new. I tasted these New Groves alongside offerings from Trois Rivieres

A capable Demerara, but not the best 40% ABV (there is a 45% version in the US). Nice warm nose. Lots of caramel and vanilla. Tastes exactly how you might expect. Rich, with that chocolat

Mount Gay Eclipse

Dependable Used to be my my go-to rum. Almost always mixed. A good value rum that drinks smoothly with minimal harsh ethanol aroma. Not too much character, eithe

Sammys Beach Bar Light

One could do worse—much worse Though a tad overpriced (docking it one point), this rum's really not bad. Not a big fan of Mr. Hagar or his brand, but he sources his sugar cane from

Koloa's best is still not that great From my perspective, this light rum is Koloa's best, and it's all downhill from here. I actually think they just make this one rum—no unique distillat

Different, in a good way Forget the bottle. This is a fine rum. Aromatic. Complex. Singular. Notes of spice, grass, and funk. Makes a mighty fine cocktail, probably is amazing

Rational Spirits Santeria

Aritificial-Tasting I got to taste this at a rum festival recently. It's my first (and so far only) introduction to the products and collaborations of Lost Spirits Distil

A Fine Mixer It's nice and dry, but I get quite a lot of alcohol on the nose, and very little fruit. Was mixing Daiquiris for guests, so wasn't able to let it sit

A solid choice for mixing. And can be sipped neat. It has a very light nose, with slight alcohol. Fairly sweet palate. Not bad at all. 6+

Chairman's Reserve Silver

Meh. Blend of rums aged 2–4 years (pot & column), according to their website. Bit of a nail polish nose. Pretty bland taste; I'd say it was over-filtered a

Admiral Rodney Extra Old

Not my style. On the nose: Very sweet! Very strong aromas of maple syrup and vanilla. I don't think I've ever smelled a rum with quite so much maple syrup character

Paranubes Oaxaca Aguardiente de Caña

A Decent Mexican Agricole This a new agricole-style rum hailing from Oaxaca, bottled at 54% ABV. It opens with a hugely briny nose redolent of manzanilla olives. It’s fairly gr

Rhum Rhum Blanc PMG 56%

Not my style Nose: hot, briny, slightly funky. Palate: suuuuper salty. Finish: short. You've gotta be into the brinier agricoles to go for this one. It's fine

Angostura White Reserva

Not bad Surprisingly approachable. Excellent choice for Daiquiris or Mojitos. 7-, 6+

Recommended Spiced Vanilla spiced rums aren't really my thing, but this one is quite tasty, and has an upstart/small production vibe about them. I could be wrong, but I

Kirk and Sweeney

A crowd-pleaser A solid, if run-of-the-mill sipping rum. Typical flavors of caramel and vanilla. Balanced sweetness. A solid, if run-of-the-mill sipping rum. Typical

Pyrat XO Reserve

Ah, the (in)famous Pyrat... I'd heard the buzz, and was eager to give it a try for myself. On first pour, I hardly picked up any citrus notes (it had been store in the fridge)

It's fine Pourer said age statement is solera (sigh), so there's only trace amounts of 12 year-old juice in here. But hey, it's fine; tastes how you'd expect. I

Very disappointing 40% ABV. Faint alcohol on the nose. Some nail polish. That's about it. Watery. Some tannic astringency. Vanilla. Harsh. Short finish. Improves with ti

Gosling's Black Seal

Needs improvement 40% ABV. Lots of alcohol on the nose, with caramel, molasses, and artificial aromatics. After a while, the alcohol fades and the molasses dominates. M

Rumbullion Navy Strength

Good for a sweet, spiced rum 57% ABV Sweet, but complex nose. Vanilla, orange, artificial cherry, hint of cinnamon and cardamom. Very sweet on the palate. Does quite a job mask

Botran Reserva Blanca

Surprisingly good 40% ABV. This rum was smooth and slightly sweet. Almost no hint of off-putting alcohol aroma. Maybe the slightest bit of coconut. Not too different fr

Plantation Barbados XO

Kind of a big disappointment 40.6% ABV. Cask 3, bottle 131 (Smuggler's Cove ed.). N: Cane sugar and peaty smoke. P: Sweet with a smokey finish. Vanilla. F: The sweetness lingers.

Mocambo Single Barrel

Sweet, fruity 40% ABV. Big, caramel-y nose. A bit like a sugary sweet demerara. Very weak on the palate. Tastes of artificial watermelon, a la Jolly Rancher. Cloyin

Bacardi 1909 Superior Heritage Limited Edition

Good for a Bacardi 44.5% ABV. Plenty of rubbing alcohol on the nose. It's hard to get past that. Fortunately, it dissipates after 10 or 15 minutes, but still pops its he

Dos Maderas 5+3

No nose. 40% ABV. No nose. Seriously… smells like nothing. If I swirl and inhale vigorously, I get the faintest hint of caramel. Wouldn't say sherry if I didn'

Pacifica Pacifica

"Light" Lost Spirits profile from 18 mo of barrel time 56% ABV. Very buttery nose. Toffee ice cream. Vanilla. Some char. Somewhat akin to a softer Lost Spirits. Very different initial taste. Hits the tongu

Better than Bacardi/Captain. On the nose are harsh high notes of nail polish/varnish, which give way to sweet caramel. Taste is also sweet, with a medium-light body and finish. It

Prichard's Fine

It's fine. 40% ABV. Much better nose than the Crystal. American oak. Like a faded Bourbon. Hint of fruit—bright cherry, pineapple, apricot. Smooth palate. Sweet

Flor de Caña Extra Dry 4

Great value! This solid mixing rum stands some steps above most light rums you see at the grocery/liquor store. Simple, clean. Sure, you can do better for special

Rumbullion Spiced

Above average 42.6% Nose: a big hit of cinnamon (not the most natural; skewing toward red hots), vanilla, nutmeg, and maybe a hint of clove. It’s largely that sa

Sugar Daddy Amber

Vanilla-marshmallow-buttercream Jamaican 40% ABV. Pot-distilled in Jamaica then "aggressively matured" for 2 years in CA in Chardonnay barrels. Nose: buttercream and marshmallows. Slightest h

Golden Devil Jamaica

Just not for me 62.7% ABV (presumably cask strength). 273 bottles in this run. What can I say... big, bold Hampden funk. Rocket fuel. Unsurprisingly, the flavor pr

Plantation Grenada

Bland and sweet. 42% ABV. Boring as all get-out. A good example of what Plantation so often does wrong (though admittedly less so these days). Presumably a waste of de

Bundaberg Original UP

There's just nothing there... "The Original". 37.0% ABV (one of those oddly and unnecessarily specific values...). Faintest nose of any rum I’ve tried. The flavor isn’t bad, but it

St. George California

My Dirty Ti Punch (2/2017) So, it's hard for new to rate this rum accurately. It smelled overwhelmingly of bar olives. I don't necessarily want my rums smelling like ba

Meh. Nothing special here. A bit medicinal, slightly artificial-tasting. OK for mixed drinks, but not a great value.

Kraken Black Spiced

Good enough Nice and dark with good spice, not too bitter, not too sweet (edit: not too sure about that, but it's not syrupy. sugar est 26gpL), not too alcoholic,

Zaya Gran Reserva

Quite flavorful, but heavily doctored Update (3/2018): Got to try one of the older bottles with grass around the neck and the script-style logo. Just how I remembered it—vanilla, coconut,

Papas Pilar Dark

Maple Syrup 1/2018 Update: Having spent quite a lot more time with this rum, my original impression has been proven correct. It's drinkable neat, but not very en

Peculiar Immediately on smelling it, it's very apparent that it's different from the Prata. They have very little in common. The noise is very interesting.

Pampero Especial

Sharp and sweet Noise is pleasant enough; caramel and chocolate. Mouth-feel is thick and sweet, though the flavor is thin and sharp, and the medium finish leaves a ba

What happened? 46.05% ABV. Aged Jamaican rum finished in "red wine" barrels in Berkeley, CA. My sources say 100% column still. Rather light in color. Delicate nose.

Prichard's Crystal

Avoid. 40% ABV. Very unique nose. Extremely reminiscent of Red Vines. Artificial cherry flavor. Liquorice. Almost Hampden-like, but not in a good way. So far

Blackwell Black Gold Special Reserve

Best avoided Update: So I purchased a bottle after seeing it on sale. Took it home, tasted it... hated it. Loads of artificial vanilla and some unwelcome cherry co

Batiste Rhum Silver

Good vodka. Bad rum. Also, shenanigans. This is an interesting little rum. It's light and "clean" and fresh, as others mention. There's really not much heft to it at all. There are aromas of

Gosling's Family Reserve Old

Don't fall for it. 40%. Don't let the packaging fool you... there's no age statement (NAS), so could be 2yo (or unaged) with a drop of 16. Also no additives disclosures.

Ron Del Barrilito 3 Star

Disappointing, and technically not even rum. 11/2018 - Bottled at a fairly respectable 43% ABV. 6 years old (up to 10). This is a fairly hard-to-find (and generally well-regarded) rum [edit: dist

Sailor Jerry Spiced

Cupcakes! Vanilla cupcakes! With frosting. That's all I get on the nose, along with a good kick of alcohol. Maybe the cupcakes were made in a kitchen that also

Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva

Syrup Wow. I knew it was going to be sweet, but I didn't realize just how sweet. As others mention, there's VERY little bite, and only mild warmth on the

Vanilla extract (12/2018) 40% ABV. Nose: strong vanilla extract with molasses and a bit of caramel. A tinge of cherry syrup. Palate: it seriously tastes like watered-

Richland Single Estate Old South Georgia Terrapin Double IPA Single Barrel

Very interesting What is it? Richland Rum Single Estate Old South Georgia Rum, Terrapin Double IPA Cask Exchange Single Barrel Select. 43% ABV. Distilled “12/12” (webs

Sickly Sweet To be avoided. One of the sweetest rums I've ever tasted. It's a shame... I so wanted to like this rum from Kauai, but it seems only their light rum i

No. Just, no. First off, this product is bottled at only 35% ABV, so regardless of what else is in there, it can't legally be sold as “rum” in most countries. Rathe

Wishlist

Brand

Review

Rating

Compagnie des Indes Jamaica New Yarmouth

Habitation Velier Caroni

A big industrial treat Distilled 2000, bottled 2017. 55% ABV. Nose: boatloads of tire rubber. Something herbal; spearmint? Mouth: huge, explosive flavor. Dry and delicious.

Velier Royal Navy Very Old

RumRanking:

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