Gosling's Family Reserve Old Rum
Category: Dark
Country: Bermuda
Aged: Minimum 10 years
Alcohol: 40% (80 proof)
Availability: Extremely Limited
Price: $65-$90 (750 mL)
Appearance (0-5): 5
Aroma (0-25): 23
Taste (0-35): 33
Smoothness (0-10): 8
Body (0-5): 5
Overall Quality (0-20): 20
Machete Grade (0-100): 94
Notes: Gosling's Family Reserve Old Rum is the Maltese Falcon of rums - classic, rare, and perhaps even worth a pricey expedition to find. For starters, the presentation could scarcely be more elegant: a champagne bottle of dark green frosted glass, individually hand numbered, a simple label encircled with a metal band, cork-topped and dipped in thick black wax (the black seal). Gosling's infinitely more attainable - in price and availability - Black Seal is a standard favorite of mine for mixed drinks, but Family Reserve takes the same robust blend to an entirely new plateau. Sturdy, leggy, and deep, dark brown - few rums present with such immediate authority. The aroma is semi-sweet caramel, vanilla, oak, and a soft hint of prunes and dried stone fruits. Tastes are ranging and complex: caramel, molasses, and smoke are first to present, followed interchangeably by baked apples, roasted nuts, vanilla, tobacco, wood, cherries, spice... A velvety yet deceiving smoothness wraps around your tongue and still finds a way to softly kick on its way down - as a proper rum should. Mixing this rum with anything whatsoever would be a travesty; even ice should be avoided as enjoying it warm in a snifter is the only way to appreciate this wonderfully nuanced experience.
Reviewed: January 2008
Website: http://www.goslingsrum.com/
Category: Dark
Notes: Angostura 1919 from Trinidad is a rum that, for my tastes, is just shy of perfect. The elegant bottle with large cork only begins to prepare one for the quality inside. The radiant and clear golden amber hue has thin-to-medium legs. The rich bouquet is the highlight: toasted caramel, sweet molasses, ripe banana and vanilla. It's this combination of sweet aromas that makes 1919 ridiculously approachable. On the tongue it is not as sweet, but it is still excellent. Smooth and sweet, this is the crème brûlée of rums. Round, creamy, and warm, the tastes are classic and fairly uncomplicated: lightly burnt caramel, brown sugar, toffee, and vanilla with some smoky alcohol. Did I mention that it's smooth, smooth, smooth? While it could be a nice rum in a mixed drink - and Angostura themselves recommend using it in their Ninetini - it would be shameful to hide this quality behind other flavors. Sip Angostura 1919 neat, or with a single ice cube you deem worthy. This is a great rum that is mature beyond its eight years, and is as much a superb introduction to quality rum as it is a treat for connoisseurs.
Category: Dark
Notes: Mount Gay Distilleries has been producing rum for over 300 years. They know what they're doing. Mount Gay XO (Extra Old) is the distillery's finest product, a blend of rums aged 12 to 17 years. The bottle has wide rounded shoulders with a bubbled neck, similar to another Bajan product, Cockspur 12. The liquid is an elegantly lustered brown-amber with gripping legs. From the moment the cork is removed, the aroma is unmistakeably Bajan and heavily of bourbon. In fact, without aeration, the Bourbon mostly overpowers the other aromas; but given a few minutes, warm notes of oak, nuts and caramel are released. Tastes of brown sugar, spice, vanilla, oak, and, of course, bourbon. Lingering burnt wood and molasses. Very complex and robust. Bite is firm and intense, but pure - not from immaturity or improperly added spice. A small splash of cool, clean water evokes an additional taste of creamy bitter chocolate and maybe a very faint frutiness. Loses some of its initial character when on the rocks, but is a fair trade with the gain of slightly more approachability. Perfect for medium to heavy cigars. A later tasting was paired with a Romeo y Julieta Reserve Maduro Belicoso for a poweful combination that could very well leave the unsuspecting light-headed. Another tasting paired with an 
Category: Dark
Notes: I am not alone in considering Pyrat XO among the ten or so best rums under $30 in the world. Its warm, alluring aroma has a unique but not overpowering touch of fruity and spicy sweetness. The peppery bite and bit of harshness on the back of the throat was a little unexpected, but it seemed to enhance the overall complex variety of flavors of molasses, citrus (orange), vanilla, and maybe anise. Has an interesting overtone of whiskey. A splash of coke and a twist of lime balance out the slight bite to make an unbelievable, seemingly orange-kissed 
Category: White
Notes: I brought back a few bottles of Havana Club from my honeymoon, including an Añejo Blanco that I quickly used to make Mojitos. Almost needless to say, it was amazing. The rum was very smooth and subtly sweet. I kept the drinks strong, and the rum held up extremely well against the sugar and mint and lime. I later had some on the rocks and, had this been a blind aroma test, I would not have thought this to be a white rum as it is missing a lot of the harsh alcohol smell associated with young rums. Although white rums aren't typically had neat or on ice, the taste was still smooth, light, and refreshing with a nice balance of sweetness and a mildly appropriate bite. Additional soft tastes of vanilla and oak. Finished with a citrus and honey aftertaste. I topped it with some lime juice and a splash of club soda to finish it off. It's the best white rum I've ever had - incredibly clean and crisp - and definitely makes the tastiest 