Flor de Caña Gran Reserva 7 Rum

Totally reasonable value, and a quality product, but acknowledging those things reminds me that I’m just not a big fan of Spanish-style rums, so take my rating with a grain of salt. At the end of the day, however, just about any quality blended or pot-still rum seems to stand head-and-shoulders above even exemplary examples of this style to my palate. Parts of this are quite good - impressively buttery and creamy, and the taste and aroma deliver loads of toasted marshmallow - but then it just arrives somewhere all too close to dish soap, like the marshmallow toasted over an unrefined kerosene fire. Zero harshness, but ultimately a very monotone experience, and the stylistic similarities to a certain bottom-shelf Bacardi product are inescapable. Overall, no complaints since it was purchased as an aged column still product for mixing. Fits the bill and recommended. For sipping, just make sure you like Spanish-style and you’ll have an affordable "any-day" option.

First off, I like this bottle. It is classy, and I like the raised sugar cane on it. The nose isn't very pronounced, but it is nice. It is warm, and rich, like fruit cake, or maybe I just smell the allspice, cinnamon, cloves, citrus, and rum when I have fruit cake? Taking a sip, it is surprisingly like fruit cake, there's dried citrus, there's cinnamon, cloves, some ginger, raisins, immediately on the front of the tongue. There is a tannic note to the finish, evidence that it has spent time in oak barrels. The wood note amplifies the citrus oil characteristics from earlier. It isn't too thin, has a nice texture, and while the finish does linger for a while, giving a nice warm spice, overall the experience is over fast from sip to sip. I don't have the experience to really determine objective quality, but I can say that this seems well done to me, and I like how it isn't overly sweet.

Beautiful auburn color and average legs in the glass. Light nose, sugar and oak. I can see what the Distiller Pro calls a cola smell. In the mouth, this is dry dusty oak, chocolate, and some ethanol. The vanilla and brown sugar sweetness (light) appears towards the finish, but there are little floral or grassy flavors. It's an interesting rum, not what I remember about the 12 or 18 year versions that I quite liked (oak, but more floral). Wish I could taste these all together. Mixes really well in an aged version of a Canchanchara (Cuban: honey, Limon, Aguardiente, ice). The dry qualities moderate the honey and citrus, giving this otherwise bright drink a deeper earthy flavor. Quite nice. Bet it would mix well in general for those who don't want or like a sweeter rum.

L: Clear copper with orange hues, medium crest where some fat & slow drops appears sparsely. N: Vanilla, wood, cinnamon, caramel, fresh bananas, overripe mangoes, walnut, brown sugar, cardamom, light dried earth notes, cola, milk chocolate, blond roasted coffee beans, faint ethanol, light grassiness. M: Medium acidity, hint of sweetness, very light burn, full- body & mellow tannins. Flavors of vanilla, baking spices, wood & nuts with cooked bananas, dark chocolate, same blond roasted coffee, candied orange, dark caramel & old leather with this same light grassy note. F: Long mellow finish with dominants of wood, spices & earth. O: OK as a sipper, excellent as a mixer.

On the nose, very prominent vanilla and caramel with mild notes of coconut and light honey. On the palate, a good thorough swish brings out those caramel and vanilla flavors accompanied by a light note of black pepper and clove in the throat. The finish is quick and clean with few flavors remaining on the palate. Very basic rum, not too sweet, and likely a perfect choice in a Cuba Libre. Overall score: Nose 2.5/5; Palate 2/5; Overall 2.25/5 Repurchase: Yes Type: Mixer

This rum for me was just okay. In general I didn't get a lot more out of the nose than booziness, with one occasion noting a floral fragrance. The taste was mainly slightly woody with an occasional subtle sweetness / caramel. Overall though, I found this boozy for some reason. It was the most consistent thing I noted through the bottle, both with ice and without. I probably won't buy this particular bottle again with all the other choices out there.