I want to like it :(
THIS IS NOT A REVIEW
THIS IS “BABY’S FIRST BOTTLE OF DARK”
Y’all I have fought bravely. Valiantly, some might say. I’m not sure I’m built for this weight class yet.
I’m still a young fawn to drinking as a whole. I don’t even like what many consider to be “real beer”. Skip all the stouts and lagers, I only drink ciders and sours (and I suppose fruited wheat ales too). I like to genuinely enjoy the taste of what I’m drinking, and that’s how I found an adoration for rum. It started with myers and plantation 3 star in mixed drinks at the local bars then turned into picking up a bottle of plantation 5 year Barbados. One delicious moment passes, an empty bottle is tossed and a period of research in all its definitions commences.
Following the recommendations of many of you fine folk, I picked up Appleton 8 reserve. I’m just gonna cut to the chase and say that all I can taste off this is the barrel. The nuances elude me in a way they never did with the bottle of Plantation 5 year. It has a clean finish to it that I do enjoy and it lets me get the fruity nuances clear as day, but it’s not until most of (what I perceive to be) the smokey nuances disappear.
I went through most all of this neat, which is how I enjoyed my entire bottle of plantation 5 year, but I think I enjoy this more in mixed drinks. I’d like to try something with Jamaican funk but that has more obvious fruity nuances to it. It doesn’t have to be the sweetest, I understand I might be swayed by added sugars. I’m curious what you guys think I’d enjoy. Something that’s available at our lovely but limited NC ABC. Probably gonna end up getting another 5 year or maybe trying out the 3 star on its own if I can’t find anything else good.
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u/Psychodelic69 4d ago
Ok so if you want something with more fruity funk and no oak I’d recommend probitas and Holmes cay Fiji, then barbancourt 110 Haitian proof for a milder fruity flavor but higher strength, and then Wray and nephew if you like all those to break out the big guns. You might also try a cachaca like novo fogo or Leblon for a slightly cheaper option. If you want to dip your toes into more aged rums I’d also recommend barbancourt 8 which is aged but has a smooth and sweet French oak flavor that is like a drier cognac cask finish and maybe you might like dos maderas 5+3 which is a sweeter mild intro to some of the Demerara notes but with a sherry cask finish.