Afrohead XO Rum

I can't believe the low scores this excellent rum has received. This rum is GOOD. It doesn't carry the amount of molasses flavor as many rums....it's there though. This rum is actually very well balanced with all the "traditional" rum flavors appearing one after another in a harmony of taste delight. It doesn't have the "funk" of some other aged rums...Bacardi 8 comes to mind. The oak in this is mellow and well rounded with just a touch of char coming through. This is coming from a boubon (Knob Creek 120p) /peated scotch (Laphroaig) lover. Try this one out. I think the review from distiller is pretty right on too. Excuse me while I go back to my glass....

An intense, Dark Rum by Joe Farrell, owner of the Harbour Island Rum Company in the Dominican Republic aged for 15 years in ex-bourbon casks. It has a complex birth with notes of caramel, mango, tobacco, spice& leather; while a crisp & warming life adds notes of sweet banana & rich toffee; that leads to a very long death with notes of lime, ginger, spiced toffee & espresso. January / March / December 2019 / September 2020

Taken as a sip or shot the very strong molasses flavor comes through. Smoky and spicy. I did not enjoy it. When mixed with soda the spiciness goes away and it has a nice smoky sweet flavor. If the only rum available will do good as a mixed.

Lots of flavors here, with a a nice char/vanilla smell on the nose with tastes a beguiling mixture of brown sugar, oak and maple. A bit too much of an acerbic aftertaste to everything but other than that an extremely complex, interesting rum.

Smell is molasses, yes I know that's obvious but thats all I can smell with this one. Maybe a little pepper. Taste is all thick caramel, ripe banana hint of lime, leather comes in near the end. Pretty sweet. Sweetness lingers for a while.

Might be my favorite rum I have had that doesn’t have an overbearing vanilla component. Super mellow tasting with a decent amount of wood picked up from the barrel.