This was part of a sample shipment, so I don’t actually have pics of the bottle. So instead, have a poorly photoshopped picture of a bird opening the bottle.

Note: No age statement, but appears to be aged for 2-3 years in Fiji in ex-bourbon casks, then finished for a year in France in Ferrand cognac casks.

Review

Smell

I’m getting vanilla, caramel, a slight earthiness, and an even lighter fruitiness, along with a good hit of acetone. The nose doesn’t really give away too much.

Taste

It’s quite sweet, has a mild alcohol burn, and actually has somewhat of a decent body. The flavor is predominantly vanilla and caramel, but I can also definitely slightly taste something earthy and bitter, like maybe a burnt sugar or a cooked-down honey. I suspect that this rum is a blend of column and pot still, because it’s light and pleasant, and there’s a bit of fruity funk, a bit of body, but it’s not nearly as full-bodied as a pure pot still rum. It being watered down to 40% doesn’t help it either.

It’s a bit of a Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva situation here, where overall, I think that the rum itself is solid, but the only flavors that I am getting are sweetness and barrel, and I have to really dig deep for anything more complex than that. I guess the palate goes a bit long, since as I am sitting and writing the review, I am getting some floral pear flavor on the back end, similar to what I get from drinking Ron Santiago de Cuba.

Verdict 5.5/10

Damn, I bet this rum would be amazing if it was sold at cask strength. It’s decent, but it’s just not that interesting. The price is not terrible at $25, I certainly would not feel scammed by this rum, but also, you could just get Appleton Estates Signature for even less money and get a product with even better body and even better fruity funk. Or, if you really want a Planteray rum, Xaymaca is almost certainly sitting right beside it for the same price. A lot of rums find themselves below 6/10 for being controversial. This rum has absolutely nothing wrong with it. It’s smooth sipping, it’s just the right amount of sweetness for my palate, it’s not too young but also not too oaky and tannic, it’s just incredibly forgettable. It might be a nice introductory rum for someone who isn’t sure if they really like rum, a la Diplomatico.