Brugal Añejo Rum

Saturday May 6 2023 Picked up a bottle on sale at $5 off at my local government liquor store. Cracked the cap the instant I got home. A 2 oz pour in a tasting glass at rhum temperature. There’s a joke in there somewhere. 😉 Anyhoo, if ya wants nuanced, detailed tasting notes, I highly recommend my Edmontonian compatriot at The Rum Howler online, otherwise read my idiosyncratic impressions. I’m not overly impressed with color. Most spirits, including rhum, are darkened with caramel to what the distiller imagines is a pleasing amber hue, and this lot here is no exception. I was so eager to get this on my lips I forgot to sample the nose, but as the case with most all spirits aged in oak, my first impression is vanilla, and of course the inimitable scent of alcohol, 40% strength by the way. I’d love to be able to tell you I can taste organically sourced American White Oak, or some such nonsense, but I’ll stick with the truth, just for now..ha ha! Ok, for a product labeled Anejo, but no actual age statement, this’s pretty darn smooth, and quite besides the matter, Rum Howler rated it 85/100. Not a whole lot else to say, except it’s above average value for hard-earned dollar. Oh, and just one more thing. There’s a very rough, not necessarily accurate dividing line between mixer rum and sipping rhum, and that is the former usually come with an aluminum twist cap, whereas the latter usually have an actual cork. Brugal Anejo comes with a twist cap, but it’s definitely a sipping rhum!

While a little on the harsh side initially, the nose is loaded with yummy, rummy character. There’s burnt sugar, barrel char, vanilla, and even a hint of maple syrup. Not too spicy on the tongue, a nice balance of heat from the alcohol, spicy cinnamon, allspice, and bay contrasted by brown sugar, molases, and vanilla. The body is average with a thin yet syrupy mouthfeel. Legs are somewhat sporadic and undefined, forming quickly but hanging on for a little while before dissipating. The finish is short, sweet, woody and toasty. For the price, this is nice, whether sipped neat or on ice. Nose: 8 Taste: 8 Body: 7 Finish: 7

This isn't necessarily a bad rum, but it's the worst rum I've drunk so far. It hasn't got much going on. On the nose I'm getting exclusively burnt sugar or caramel. On the palate you get the same notes as you get on the nose, but toned down with some alcohol burn. Muted is the key word here. You also get an astringent taste, which I quite can't lay my finger on as to what it is. The aftertaste is dry with a tiny bit of smoke and earthiness. I think this rum would do better when used for mixing. This isn't really a sipping rum, unless you prefer something dry.

L: Amber color, fine crest with slow droplets. N: Vanilla, brown sugar, mild cinnamon, toasted wood,butterscotch caramel, milk chocolate, light coffee notes, toasted marshmallow, faint cola. M: Woody, toasted marshmallow, vanilla, butterscotch, cola, slight banana, cinnamon, amaretto, toasted almond, dried strawberry, figs. Smooth, light sweetness, mild tannins, pleasant heat. F: Long finish with notes of wood, vanilla & caramel. O: OK as a sipper, excellent as a mixer.

Raw and harsh are the first words that pop to mind, then the smokey flavors take over and won't let go. Beautiful deep color, those casks do really work here, but overall it feels rushed and needs more time to make the parts a better whole.

Had this in a Dark Rum Flight, at Red Frog Pub, on the Carnival Sunshine. This, like Brugal 1888, is not bad. I would definitely drink it again. But I have yet found any rum to surpass my favorite Appleton Reserve 12.