Rhum Barbancourt Estate Reserve 15 Year

Rating: 14/23 N: Burnt sugar, lemon, some ethanol. Faint vegetal notes bring in a little bit of funk. The funk makes me think of Pusser's, but just a tad. P: Sweet vanilla and caramel, tannic wood, lemon, some herbs getting a bit dank with the Pusser's funk. White pepper too. A little bit of harshness. A smoky bitter layer. There's a bit of oiliness in with the smoke too. F: Wood with tannins and funky vegetal esters. That smokiness gradually grows and it maintains its light oiliness. - Conclusion - This is no Foursquare Détente, but it is quite good. I also find the tannins here to be just a bit too strong, particularly when combined with that oily backing. I'm looking at a 13 to 15 here, though a 13 seems likely too harsh. I like the complexity, but the tannins integrate with the smoke and lemon in a way that just puts me off. This lacks that nice sandalwood vanilla of Frigate Reserve 15 (15/23) and it comes across as thinner and more aggressive - though also less sweetened. Panama Pacific 15 (15/23) also has some of that mellowness that makes Frigate Reserve 15 so nice. At the same time, it has a bit more complexity, but it starts getting into some of what I find a bit off here. I might also have overrated the Panama Pacific. A 15 is seeming unlikely here. Plantation Xaymaca (14/23) seems kind of competitive with this. And Pusser's Gunpowder Proof (15/23) is definitely better than this is. I think a 14 is the appropriate rating here. It's weird that throught this tasting I went back and forth between really liking the funk and finding that it made this rum taste young and a tad harsh. I bet a lot of people really like this, but it isn't for me. As a final check to make sure my palate wasn't being thrown off by way over-sweetened rums, I tried this against Elijah Craig Small Batch and found that this is actually really not that sweet and my palate was well calibrated. Thanks for sharing this, @ctbeck11 !

Nose - molasses, butterscotch, hay, nutmeg, mint, dark chocolate, sweet dough, cashew butter, dusty corn, baked apple, floral notes, toasted coconut, banana, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - baked apple, orange zest, mint, walnut, dark chocolate, molasses, toffee, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, coffee, sweet floral notes, banana milkshake, black pepper, creamed corn, cherry, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with molasses, dark chocolate, baking spice, and toffee flavors. The nose is deep and rich carrying some really nice dark aromas. Molasses, chocolate, toasted coconut, and macerated bananas can be found. The palate is similar, with a sweet corn quality accompanying the other desert-like flavors. The finish isn’t amazing, but it’s long enough and doesn’t turn sour or bitter as the other examples of the category I’ve tried have. This is the last of my rhum agricoles, and it’s definitely better than the others I’ve had. The corn qualities are actually quite surprising, given there is no corn component included. Actually, it smells closer to an aged corn whiskey than a rum, rather similar to an Ironroot Republic distillate. When I first opened this bottle a year ago, I remember thinking this was below average. That’s not the case anymore. I’m not sure whether my palate has changed or oxidation has made a significant difference. Regardless, this is quality rum that I’ll happily sip.

The nose has lots of burnt caramel and toasted marshmallows with a faint grassyness. Light mouthfeel. The palate has burnt sugar, raw sugar cane juice, vanilla extract, a sweet vegetal note like sweet peas, black tea, espresso and a faint hint of fresh coconut water. The finish is short to medium in length and dry. The oak really shines through on the finish, burnt sugar is still there but not dominant. All of the sweetness is upfront, finishes dry and oaky so it doesn't seem overly sweet.

Full of flavor rum! This is 43% which is appreciated. Super full flavor, sweet vanilla dessert, lots of woody spices, cinnamon, sandalwood, clove, and cloves. Flavors need to add water to open up otherwise it’s a bit collapsed as you taste it. It’s not too sweet but sweet enough and not cloying. It’s a lovely sipper on a hot day.

First cane rum I ever had. 15 years in a barrel makes this virtually indistinguishable from a molasses rum until the finish, where some grassy notes start to appear. Very little in the way of funk. Far from the most interesting Haitian rum, and nothing like Clairins, but one of my favorite widely-available rums.

A good drink at a great price. A smooth 15 years Rhum from Haiti with notes of tobacco, grassy and a little fresh mint. These notes are not as intense when compared to Clement Agricole XO, but this is a 15 years so for me this is expected. The flavor are muted a bit.