A superb-looking decanter bottle of XO rum from Barbados, aged in bourbon barrels before being shipped to France for a secondary maturation in Cognac casks from the Ferrand house. The result is a well balanced rum with a remarkably long finish, with a palate of chocolate, banana, coconut and mango. Now this is some very good stuff.
Hints of spicy oak on the nose, with guava, a little desiccated coconut and dried banana. Buttery.
Spiced, creamy palate entry, with sweet vanilla notes and caramel. Oaky spices.
Caramel. Toasted oak.
Lot of expectations yet a lot of artificial vanilla and spice, no body, and quite frankly a ok mixer, I am shocked price/value is long gone and rum reviewers still praise this rum. Maybe it's just me...
good.....
Best rum I have ever tasted! Very smooth, a little sweet with very little oaky taste. Perfect!
Tried it several times; latest right after a superlative La Favorite Cuvee Privilege (a 35 year old rhum agricole from a family-owned distillery in Martinique with extraordinary complexity and length). It's a sweet rum with very strong notes of burnt caramel in the nose, think top of creme brulee (strong enough to be detected by a non drinker next to me). Smooth in the mouth, with a taste again reminiscent of creme brulee caramel with that sweet-bitter touch. The other dominant note was overwhelmingly coconut in the nose as it disappeared down my throat. So sweet it almost reminded me of limoncello. Simple and to the point, well balanced, very enjoyable as a dessert or in replacement thereof. Probably the perfect after dinner spirit for non-rum-enthusiasts as well. Oddly enough I think the other Plantation Barbados (5 year?) might be more interesting, although a little less balanced and harsher; more salted caramel, less burnt, and the coconut comes earlier.
too bad i finished already the nelsons blood since it was my clear favourite until now... would love to have being able to compare as this now tastes like heaven. maybe the best?
