Plantation 3 Stars White Rum

Rating: 11/23 I've heard that this is one of the best mixing rums out there, so I'll be trying it neat, but also mixed N: Lots of fruit with some real funk, a dry side, plentiful sweetness, and a bit of alcohol coming through. It really reminds me of Plantation Xaymaca with its funky, fruity nose. Just nosing this, I would guess that it had aged in curaçao casks, which I find boggling. There's banana, orange, and pineapple for sure. P: Sweet but full. Fruity then spicy. Funky with a bit of a savory vegetal flavor to it. Banana and orange with perhaps a bit of lime rind. A waft of alcohol, but not too much. F: There's a bit of a clean alcohol flavor here that wasn't in the palate. I find the alcohol flavor to actually be mostly enjoyable here. - Conclusion - Trying this mixed in different cocktails, I've found that when it's good, it's really good. On the other hand, its particular profile clashes in some drinks, making it riskier than a simpler light rum like Bacardi. If you only put one light rum on your shelf and aren't serving knowledgable palates, this might not be the best bet since it stands out so much and costs a fair bit more than the standard options. That said, this rum does excel in a lot of fruity, tropical drinks, especially funky ones. Considering that, I endorse stocking it, but being aware of its risky characteristics when using it. Look, neat this is fine. I mean, I can definitely sip it, but it's like a less good version of Plantation Xaymaca (14). Where this really shines is in cocktails, though my general conclusion is that the Xaymaca is better in most cases there as well (though it does cost substantially more). Neat, I can't justify going above a 12 for this, but it's certainly not lower than a 10. I'd probably go with an 11. I think I might stick to only rating liqueurs and bitters based on mixability since the majority are intended for that use anyway. With regular spirits, I don't want to create confusion by considering some cheap ones for mixability and rating them higher than some more expensive ones that might be even better in a cocktail. For that reason, this gets an 11, but I still recommend it as a cheap(ish) light rum for mixing. That said, my personal preference for a light rum mixer is Wray And Nephew Overproof. It's funkier but a lot more interesting. Not for the faint of heart though. But there are certainly cocktails for which a more standard rum is preferable. With curaçao, I was all ready to write this off in favor of Wray And Nephew (mainly), Xaymaca, and Lemon Hart 151. Then I switched to Hypnotiq. In that case, the normalcy that this provide was highly desirable. Wray And Nephew was a garbled mess. Xaymaca was good, but needed some edges smoothened. Lemon Hart was interestingly different - good, but challenging. So, there's a clear place for this. And picking a mixer is far from simple.

Nose: White and demerara sugar are the immediate aromas along with agave syrup. The nose is restrained but has body. Behind the sugar top-notes there is an array of fruity notes and some toasted coconut flakes. The overall impression is of richness and whilst ethanol is noticed it does not dominate the nose. Palate: Very pleasant arrival – smooth and sweet but not merely sugary. There is a plush fruity quality and a grassy note that is slightly reminiscent of a rhum agricole. The mid-palate develops a sweetness more akin to agave syrup than cane-syrup and this grows to dominate the palate, but it is balanced somewhat by a light spicy zing. The texture is creamy and glycerous. Finish: Medium/short. The palate fades softly into a sweet demerara aftertaste with grassy, waxy notes. The neat nose is very pleasant but does not provide an exciting aromatic experience, and neither should it do so. Similarly, the palate is an exercise in "subtle richness" (if there is such a thing) with dark-sugared fruit flavours that are full but subdued. That said, it is notable how much this spirit seems to gain sweetness when diluted - I guess that's the trademark Plantation dosage showing up and it can verge on cloyingly sweet, so if you have a particular aversion to very sweet rum this might not be a good choice as a mixer. The profile may not sound particularly interesting but it does enhance rather than compete with the other ingredients in a cocktail. Be aware, however, that on occasion this can actually be too powerful for some drinks - I do not like it at all in a pina colada, for example, because that drink needs a crisp quality to work best, and this rum is far too sweet for the task (for my palate, anyway). It is well structured and acceptable neat or on the rocks as a sipping rum but I'd strongly suggest adding a slice of lime or lemon to help balance the sweet profile. Plantation 3 Star is a good rum to use as the basis for cocktail experimentation, but just keep its sweetness in mind and reduce the quantity of other sweet ingredients that may be called for (like simple syrup or agave syrup), if possible. It is well priced and one of the white rums I regularly buy, along with Flor de Cana Seco and Mount Gay Silver, depending on what is on special at the time. "Above Average" : 82/100 (3.25 stars)

So, Wray and Nephew overproof Jamaican rum might not be the best mixer. Onward to Plantation 3 stars - allegedly less funky but still flavorful. Why I don’t just buy Don Q and call it a day I’m not sure. Anyway, nose of raw sugar cane, overripe bananas, ocean driftwood, hint of kerosene but nothing close to Wray. Smooth and sweet with a bit of funky something, lemon zest, banana, gram cracker and splash of ethyl alcohol. Much more straightforward than Wray, no where near the funky fossil fuel or bitter notes. But also much less overripe fruit on the nose. This is more sugar cane (although likely molasses prior to distillation) and less of everything else. Will it mix? Let’s try a classic 3-part daiquiri. It does add a small amount of funk and burnt sugar to the mix but not enough to stand up to the lime. Now with a splash of Wray we’re talking! Now there is balance. I’m guessing I got my cocktails backward last time. The plantation would be solid in a mojito but is almost absent in a daiquiri. It would probably be solid in most soft, fruity cocktails but anything with bountiful citrus and the Wray wins. Splash this into a spritzer perhaps. Not great on its own, less robust than most tequilas but usable. Maybe with time it’ll grow on me.

Nose - light molasses, grass, mango, pineapple, vanilla cream, overripe banana, orange, black pepper, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - light molasses, ginger, pineapple rind, black pepper, vanilla, overripe banana, earthy grass, simple syrup, sweet floral notes, yeast, clove, lemon pith, mild to moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium short with vanilla, simple syrup, ginger, and overripe tropical fruit flavors. This happens to be my standard rum mixer. Let’s see if it holds up well to sipping. The nose is very light, sweet, and grassy. It’s not too far from an over-sweetened, funky rhum agricole. The palate is very sweet, almost cloying, with some bitter and citrusy notes accompanying vanilla and tropical fruits. The finish is short and unremarkable, with some sweet, citrusy, and bitter notes quickly fading into the abyss. Overall, this is a good mixer but not a great sipper. It verges on cloying territory, as it doesn’t have enough depth to support the bland sweetness pervading the entire experience. While I plan to continue using it as my house rum mixer since it’s cheap and mixes inoffensively, I’m open to suggestions for better, more versatile white rums to stock.

1.29.22 Served: Neat, Snifter Bottle Open: Same Day Aroma: First impression is that of rich caramel on the stove. The smell of sugar just before burning, and the nutty mallaird reaction of browning butter. Second sniffs with more intense swirling yield tropical aromas, mostly papaya, with a bit of mango. There is a smell that I can only describe as "freeze pop" that I attribute to many other rums that has a faint presence here. It's a plastic-y and artificial fruit sort of smell. On the whole, much more pleasant when left to rest. Flavor: Medium, lingering body. First impression is buttery like the nose breathing back out gives a papaya-banana combo. A decent amount of sweetness. The burn is suppressed but not completely muted by the flavor. Overall impression: Might not drink this straight, but its pleasant character would do well in simple cocktails where the mixers support rather than overpower its flavors.

Bought this for mixing Labor Day drinks, but before I drown it in fruit juices... Smells like rum. Very complex nose, actually. There’s some older Jamaican rum in this and it shows. Nose is bananas, mango, coconut, vanilla, and a bit of hogo. Creamy on the palate. Plantains, pineapple, more mango and banana. Slight (and I do mean slight) puff of the proof (an oddly specific 41.3%). Short and fruity finish. This was made for tropical drinks. Now, I made one of my new favorite cocktails with this. It’s called a Painkiller. Think of it as a grown up version of a Pina Colada. Try it for yourself: 2 oz Rum 1 oz Orange Juice 4 oz Pineapple juice 1 oz Cream of Coconut (Coco Lopez) Shake over ice and open pour into rocks glass. Garnish with ground nutmeg. Thank me later. Cheers all! Happy Labor Day!