I am going on a bit of a bender right now on Industrias Licoreras de Guatemala rum. Not in terms of drinking, but in terms of researching. For example, you might know that Zacapa's claims of it being unsweetened and it not containing glycerine are untrue, and Zacapa's claims of the rum being 23 years old are untrue, but did you know that their claim of it being solera aged is also untrue? Well, sorta. It's a blending procedure that is "inspired by the Solera method". ILG is most famous for Ron Zacapa Centenario, but they also have some other brands as well, basically made in a very seimilar procedure, such as Ron Botran and El Pasador de Oro. Like Zacapa and Botran, El Pasador de Oro XO is a blend of rums, aged between 6 and 15 years (though on average closer to 6), but with a key difference — taking a page out of the playbook of the most highly regarded distillery in Barbados, the liquid gold is then shipped to France to be finished in cognac casks. Also sorry for doing these lame one-offs still, but I really just needed to fill in reviews up to 92, as I want 100 to be something special, and my next review is going to be an 8 parter (that's a big hint). Review Smell Light on the nose. Vanilla, oak, sweet. Smells very similar to other ILG rums. Taste Very sweet. I would say that sweetness is the dominant note. Not very complex at all, in fact, I would say that it is very smooth and uncomplicated. Sweetness, oak, vanilla, that mild rummy coconut flavor. Ok body, not particularly interesting. Finish is actually not as short as I would have thought; it does have a bit of length. I was not able to try it side by side with anything from the Zacapa lineup, but I've had Zacapa 23 enough and this is pretty much identical as far as my memory goes. Maybe slightly harsher than I remember? But it's by no means a harsh rum. Verdict {rating}/10 I have had Zacapa Edición Negra, and I have had Zacapa XO. I have not reviewed them yet because I didn't get the chance to try them side by side with Zacapa 23, and just on the standalone taste, they taste basically exactly like how I remember Zacapa 23, so for now, I want to hold off on reviewing them until I get a chance to actually try them side by side, to tease out the tiny difference. However, this appears to be pretty much a direct competitor to Zacapa XO, as Zacapa XO is a blend of rums aged 6 to 23 years (but overwhelmingly closer to 6 years on average), and Pasador de Oro is a blend of rums aged 6 to 15 years (but overwhelmingly closer to 6 years on average), and, as far as my tastes and memories go, it's basically identical to Zacapa XO. The big benefit is the price point. At $50, it's priced equal to Zacapa 23, and about 2x to 2.5x cheaper than Zacapa XO. If you're in the market for a rum like Zacapa XO, this basically fills in the exact same role but at a much better price.

Let's get started with DOKtober! I have way too many Hampden rums waiting around to be reviewed (mostly because after trying Hampden, I can't really taste anything else for the rest of the evening) and I figured now is a good time to try everything based on its mark. I'm starting with the lowest ester mark, OWH, and I really don't have any rums that use OWH other than my two sets of 8 Marks, so for now, it's just going to be the 1 year compared to the unaged, and also Probitas, since that's a lower ester blend with Hampden and lightly aged, just so that I have some point of comparison. Review Smell So bright and fruity. Even OWH, the lowest mark, is bold on the nose. Pineapple, banana, blueberries. Compared to the unaged, the 1 year has a brighter, bolder nose, so I think that the aging unlocked some more complex flavors. Probitas really doesn't compare as it has a much stronger vanilla and caramel nose (probably from the foursquare portion), and so the nose is a lot more muted compared to the 1-year-aged OWH. Taste The aging is pretty light, but immediately noticeable. It's slightly tannic, and has a richness and complexity, while the unaged OWH is also fruity, but not as fruity. While the unaged has some pineapple and banana notes as well, it has some unrefined edges to it. It definitely comes across as an unaged rum, and while it's still delicious, the 1-year just brings a pop of blueberries and caramel on top of the really bold banana and pineapple, and has a retrohale that reminds me a bit of Doctor Bird (even though that's WP). With the 1-year OWH vs the Probitas, the OWH puts up a strong fight. It's much funkier in the drink than the Probitas, so just on that basis, it might win, but on flavor, Probitas is more balanced. It's hard to describe, but it's just crisper, it's more balanced, and it tastes like a rum made for daiquiris. Interestingly, I think the unaged makes a better daiquiri than the 1-year because its young unrefined edges don't hold it back compared to drinking neat. Verdict {rating}/10 Overall, it might seem crazy to rate a Hampden the same as an Appleton, but while the daiquiri test was interesting and the two OWH marks actually made great daiquiris, I can't imagine really pouring either over a cube of ice and sipping on it, while I can (and do) sip on the various Appletons, even if they're not my first choice. That's sort of the difficulty of assigning a unified rating to rums with very different purposes. Going forward, I imagine the blends actually for retail sale will fare much better.

Here it is! The legendary Hampden 8 Marks! I've reviewed them recently, but I was doing filler reviews just to make sure that I can celebrate my 100 reviews with these. I feel like this set is sort of a rite of passage for people who are into rum. Review Smell Light, fruity, pineapple, caramel, and banana. A bit of ethanol and feet smell as well. Taste Not very powerful but still subtle and complex. Fruity, dry, blueberry, caramel, banana. Very nice burnt sugar caramel taste. Palate is pretty long. Finishes with rotten banana. In a daiquiri, it's a bit imbalanced since I did 2:1:1, but at 60%, it's a lot of alcohol. Very fruity, very pineapple, but also harsh. The burnt sugar caramel comes through and the finish is actually kind of smoky. Verdict {rating}/10

I got some of this rum a while ago, but it was a real thinker. There's just a lot going on here, and I wanted to try this rum several times spaced over several days to think things over. Review Smell My first thought was that it smells kind of like something from Worthy Park. A bit of banana but also a bit of industrial smell. Kind of like a mix of fruit, acetone, and glue. It then transitions to a bold smell of oak and vanilla from the 15 years of tropical aging, but it's impressive that this rum is so bold that even after 15 years, the oaked age isn't the predominant smell. Taste It's very bold. Mostly acetone and glue, but also some bananas and wild berries. The finish is quite long, and has notes of maraschino cherries, licorice, black current, and that fake strawberry flavored cough syrup. Great body, melts nicely on my tongue, and very bold and complex. That said, I think that it's best enjoyed with a bit of water or an ice cube and allowed to open up a bit. Verdict {rating}/10 This one's been kind of complicated, because on one hand, I want to love this rum for all of its complex and good flavors, but much like with Worthy Park, the industrial and weird glue flavors just bring it down for me. Still, I very much enjoy this rum with an ice cube, though, for the price, I'd rather get a nice aged Jamaican instead. It's a step up from Forgotten Casks for sure, but I think that I enjoyed Foursquare ECS 2008 slightly more, just because it didn't have the off flavors. So, overall, I leave it at a respectable 7.5/10

I have tried so many rums in the Dominican Republic! I am very sad to say that, due to our tour company being very bad and unhelpful and screwing us over so many times, instead of visiting Barceló, I got rebooked to go to some tourist trap gift shop where you get to try super sugary Oliver & Oliver rums. Yaaayy.... Fortunately I will get to briefly go to the Dominican Republic again later this year, and I'll make sure that I go to Barceló. For now, I plan on making a big post on Brugal, though I also want to finally review my Hampden 8 marks as well, so I'll have to find the time to compile all of my notes. For now, I'll have to give you another stinker from the backlog. Review Smell Harsh spirit and anise. There's not really anything else of note. Taste Neutral, a good bit of anise flavor, and dry since it's sin azucar, but you can basically achieve this same taste by soaking anise in vodka. Verdict {rating}/10 There's nothing exciting about this. But if you like it, you like it. For a lot of people, this is all that they can regularly afford, and so, it is what it is. There's definitely a vibe to it. I was talking to our tour guide for one of the days in the Dominican Republic, and he offered us rum and coke on the boat. It was quite bad rum— Ron Cabaret Dorado. Very harsh and sickly sweet. I told him it's the second worst rum that I've had from the Dominican Republic. But, he responded that this rum and aguardiente are his two regular drinks of choice. The nicer Brugal and Barceló are for special occasions. So, I don't feel bad for reviewing it, even if it was obvious that it was never going to score high. Aguardiente is the rum of the people.

I have tried so many rums in the Dominican Republic! I am very sad to say that, due to our tour company being very bad and unhelpful and screwing us over so many times, instead of visiting Barceló, I got rebooked to go to some tourist trap gift shop where you get to try super sugary Oliver & Oliver rums. Yaaayy.... Fortunately I will get to briefly go to the Dominican Republic again later this year, and I'll make sure that I go to Barceló. For now, I plan on making a big post on Brugal, though I also want to finally review my Hampden 8 marks as well, so I'll have to find the time to compile all of my notes. For now, I'll have to give you another stinker from the backlog. Review Smell Harsh spirit and anise. There's not really anything else of note. Taste Neutral, a good bit of anise flavor, and somewhat sweet as it has sugar added, but you can basically achieve this same taste by soaking anise in vodka. Verdict {rating}/10 There's nothing exciting about this. But if you like it, you like it. For a lot of people, this is all that they can regularly afford, and so, it is what it is. There's definitely a vibe to it. I was talking to our tour guide for one of the days in the Dominican Republic, and he offered us rum and coke on the boat. It was quite bad rum— Ron Cabaret Dorado. Very harsh and sickly sweet. I told him it's the second worst rum that I've had from the Dominican Republic. But, he responded that this rum and aguardiente are his two regular drinks of choice. The nicer Brugal and Barceló are for special occasions. So, I don't feel bad for reviewing it, even if it was obvious that it was never going to score high. Aguardiente is the rum of the people.

This one is a weird one because a brazilian actually brought it to a convention I was at in Florida, and I have never seen this brand before, and it seems to not be sold in the US. Review Smell It smells pretty grassy, like HSE or Leblon. Also a pretty prominent alcohol burn. There's a slight scent of vanilla and oak, but it's predominantly grassy and hot smelling. Taste First off, it has quite a strong initial burn. I had been drinking a lot of rums on that day, so my palate was already acclimated to spirits, and it still felt like it burned quite a bit. But aside from that, it's quite fun. A bit grassy, but also a bit fruity, a bit like a clairin, so sort of pineapple notes and some vanilla from the oak, but for the most part, the Leblon-like grassy taste and alcohol dominate the palate. Verdict {rating}/10 It's a bit disappointing because there's some really interesting flavors here, almost kind of funky, but the spirit just burns too much to be a sipper, and it's generally just grassy and almost savory tasting despite the light fruity notes. It's a mixed bag. For the price in Brazil, I can't really argue — I bet it makes a decent caiparinha. I was not able to test that as I had not yet started carrying a bottle of lime juice and simple syrup with me everywhere yet, but I decided that I don't think I'll run into this bottle again anytime soon if ever.

So, right now, I am vacationing in the Dominican Republic. Beautiful beaches, beautiful birds, and I am very excited to tour the Barceló rum distillery very soon. I'll be sure to take lots of pictures and notes so that I can report back what I learned. Also I plan on doing a big mega post about Brugal and Barceló, because to be honest, not to spoil anything, if this even is a surprise to anyone, but their various expressions are not very different from one another or all that exciting. I've also been trying various mamajuanas, including a homemade one that the staff of my hotel make every morning. So I figured that today, it would be appropriate to make a post about a rum that I picked up while I was in Little Dominican Republic in Washington Heights, NYC. Review Smell Absolutely nothing. No alcohol burn, no aromas, nothing. Completely absent on the nose. Taste Very interesting taste. Just imaging smelling a box of fresh packing peanuts. That's sort of what the taste is like. Slightly sweet, very plasticky. Not terrible, but also, I wouldn't even clock this as a rum. I'd think it was some kind of craft vodka. In a daiquiri, it's again like a vodka daiquiri. All the burn of Bacardi but none of the flavor. Completely forgettable. Verdict {rating}/10 Just don't buy it. It's not pleasant to sip, and as a mixer, it's not even as good as Bacardi. I guess it's supposed to be ultra cheap well rum. It tastes like styrofoam and packing peanuts. At least they didn't try to "fix" it and make a Caribaya. 3/10.

When I did my review of Old Monk XO Amber 20, someone messaged me that they have the original XXX 7yr and can send me a sample to try side by side, so of course I said yes. So, as I don't have pics of the bottle, I have a poorly photoshopped picture of a bird opening the bottle. By the way, if you ever wondered why this rum, the XO Amber 20, and most Indian spirits in general are 42.8% ABV, you may recall that full proof strength in the British Empire was defined as 57.15%, and 42.8% ABV is actually 75 degrees proof. > Note: I can also see a list of ingredients on the label: Demineralized water, extra neutral alcohol, malt spirit, caramel color, and natural & artificial rum flavor.(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/OldMonkRum.jpg) Review Smell Intense sweetness, caramel, and brown sugar, as well as definitely the same blend of spices as in the XO Amber 20. Cinnamon, cardamom, etc. it's hard to pick them all out, it's like a pastry bouquet. Taste My initial reaction was "oh no". Quite bitter. Not very flavorful and burns a lot. It is not an easy sipper. I also can't really tell that this rum has any actual rum flavor, it just tastes like the spice mix in alcohol. Notes of burnt sugar, dark chocolate, cardamom, allspice, anise. Short finish, thin body. In a rum and cola, it's passable. I tried it side to side with XO Amber 20, and I still prefer the rum and coke with the XO Amber 20, but the gap is narrowed by the soda. Verdict {rating}/10 There is a lot of similarities in the tastes of XXX and XO Amber 20. But the big difference is that XO Amber 20 actually is light, the rum flavor is smooth, and it has notes of butterscotch and vanilla that actually make it a very nice mixer with cola, and almost a passable sipper. I genuinely don't mind it. XXX, however, is definitely best mixed with cola, as a cheap way to get drunk. In that respect, it's not bad. In fact, I would say that it's largely saved by how decent it is in cola vs how unpleasant it is neat. The spices are interesting, but the rum is pretty bland and harsh.

I've been sitting on this for a while because the flavors in this rum are just so strong and complex that I had a bit of difficulty putting it into words and giving it a rating. But, I think it's about time I finally review it. Note: This rum is a blend. 50% is 3 year LFCH, 20% is 4 year LFCH, 15% is 5 year HGML, and 15% is 2 year DOK Review Smell Very bold. Distinctly Jamaican, with strong overripe banana and pineapple. It really fills the room with the scent. Compared to Great House 2024, Xaymaca smells similar, but far lighter on the nose, and smith & cross is a lot more vanilla and caramel smelling. Taste Just one drop on my tongue and my mouth is completely coated in funk. Aside from banana and pineapple, it evolves into something smoky, buttered popcorn, and blueberry. On the back, it's a bit of floral notes and green apple. Compared to Great House, Xaymaca is just weak and tepid, like I am drinking spicy seltzer. Smith & Cross holds up, but it's way more caramel and vanilla tasting. The first time I tasted Great House 2024 was just before thanksgiving dinner, and even after a full thanksgiving dinner, I would burp and taste the funk. The flavor literally lasts for hours. I also tried just letting it breathe for 15 minutes and added an ice cube, and it really opened it up and made it less overwhelming. In a daiquiri, it's very good. The fruit and sweetness, and to be honest, just the dilution, really improve it for me. It's much more palatable this way. I am trying it back and forth with a Smith & Cross and Xaymaca daiquiri, and really Xaymaca isn't even in this competition, but it's genuinely hard to pick one between Great House and Smith & Cross. They're both so good, and Smith & Cross delivers a better caramel note while Great House has a fantastic pineapple note. Verdict {rating}/10 Can there be too much of a good thing? I feel like Great House is approaching it. If I had to either only have Great House or Smithy & Cross and had to choose, it's hard, but I think I slightly prefer Great House. This isn't taking the price into account. At $130, it's a tough sell for me when Smith & Cross exists and it's almost as good. These rums have a lot in common, but I very slightly prefer the Hampden. Not by much. I'd say half point. I heard a lot of good things about Great Houses from earlier years, maybe I will try to hunt those down.

Wow, a rum from India! To be honest, it's not incredibly surprising that India produces a lot of rum, but it never really crossed my mind until I saw Old Monk at the liquor store. What caught my eye was the big 20 on the box and how it was only $20. Kind of sus for that price, I figured some solera shenanigans might be going on, but I have never had an Indian rum before, so I was excited to give it a try! > Note: This rum itself is a blend of the original Old Monk 7Yr XXX rum, and a 20-year-old rum. Review Smell This rum smells like no other rum I've smelled before. Vanilla, oak, butterscotch, caramel, brown butter... it literally smells like a buttered rum or a butterbeer! Taste Holy vanilla! Very vanilla forward. It's also spicy, not like in a hot way, but it's definitely borderline a spiced rum. Quite sweet but not terribly so, with butterscotch, anise, cardamom, and notes of dark chocolate, cumin, and orange peel. It's quite smooth, has some decent body, and is only a little bit bitter, with a bit of burnt rubber on the back end. But, it's not like an artificial industrial rubber, but more like a bitter burnt spice. But, again, the overall dominant flavor is vanilla and butterscotch. It makes probably the best spiced rum & coke I've ever had. I'm sorry if this rum is supposed to be too fine and delicate for mixing, but I really think that a rum and coke is the best way to consume this. Verdict {rating}/10 I wish I had Old Monk 7Yr XXX to compare it to, but it was only $3 cheaper, and I didn't want to buy both, lest I don't like one and regret buying a second. Overall, this is definitely not a fine rum, and the 20 on the box is definitely misleading, but if you ignore the fancy box it's in, if you ignore the claims of it being "premium", and judge not as a high quality dark rum, but from the perspective of it being a spiced rum, then it's a darn good spiced rum. Seriously! Admiral Nelson, Captain Morgan, and Sailor Jerry have roamed the seas for so long on their quest for spices, and didn't think to add anything other than cinnamon and cloves this whole time‽ This mix of Indian spices is actually really good, and actually more complex than the rum itself! 6/10 would rum and coke again.

(formerly J. Wray Jamaica Silver Rum and Appleton White Jamaica Rum) I got this bottle of Kingston 62 at duty free for cheap. I don't think I have ever seen this elsewhere in the US, though I have seen Appleton white and J. Wray Silver, so my guess is that it's just a slow rollout. I got this 1.14L bottle for a mere $17 tax-free, but my local liquor store has J. Wray Silver in stock at 750mL for $18 + tax, so that's probably closer to the actual price you'll encounter. So, obviously when it comes to a lightly aged white column still rum, I'm comparing it to Bacardi, as it seems to be a direct competitor. Review Smell Not very strong on the nose, but I get sweetness, coconut, vanilla, and some alcohol harshness. In comparison, Bacardi smells the same way, but much stronger, including the harshness of the alcohol. Taste Drinking it neat, the primary sensation is the harshness of the alcohol, followed by coconut and vanilla. It is slightly smoother than Bacardi, which is rather rough to drink neat, but honestly, the flavors are pretty much the same. In a daiquiri, there is a slight difference in taste, where the Kingston 62 is a bit less strong on flavor, but also being slightly less harsh as well. This difference is pretty tiny, though. If I ordered a Bacardi daiquiri and you gave me one with Kingston 62, unless I was literally trying them side by side like I am now, I'd never pick out the difference. Verdict {rating}/10 I gave it the same score as Bacardi, because if I wasn't literally trying them in a side-by-side comparison, I couldn't tell the difference. Kingston 62 is slightly less flavorful, but also slightly less harsh, but it's really not a huge difference. Also, in terms of price, they don't seem to be much different. I got it for $17 at duty free, and right next to it was the same 1.14L of Bacardi for $16. The same liquor store that has 750mL bottles of J. Wray Silver for $18 has Bacardi right next to it for $17. So you're basically paying $1 more for a very similar rum.