Diplomático Reserva 8 años

Comparing the 8 year old (Reserva) with the 12 year old (Reserva Exclusiva) is a easy task. The older rum is much smoother and has a great aftertaste that last.

Eye: Brown-red with lighter edges. Warm and looks delicious. Both the Reserva and the Reserva Exclusiva looks the same.

Nose: Not as warm as the 12 year old and a alcoholic sting is present. Raisins and plums, sherry - a sweet rum.

Taste: The body is not as smooth and full as the 12 year old. A sting of the alocholic taste, disturbs the experience. The raisins and plums are there, but also a odd taste.

Aftertaste: A disapointing aftertastes doesn't leave much for the drinker. Well it's still some nice flavours still left. But the sting and that odd taste disturbs a lot.

Not as good as the 12 year old - Reserva Exclusiva. It's not a awful rum, but comparing the two makes is easy to chose. Still a rum that beats many others.

Grade:

5/10

Dipomático Reserva Exclusiva 12 años

I've had the 12 year old for some time now and got my hands on the little brother - the 8 year old "Reserva". Origin of both rums is Venezuela and they should be a blend of rums aged in white oak barrels.

Eye: Brown-red with lighter edges. Warm and looks delicious. Both the Reserva and the Reserva Exclusiva looks the same.

Nose: Warm, raisins and plums, sherry - a sweet rum.

Taste: A really smooth rum, with a full and warm body. The raisins and plums are there

Aftertaste: The raisins and plums develops into a rich aftertaste. Really smooth with no edges. A full aftertaste that's sweet and makes a really great finish.

A really good rum, very smooth and with it's full body it gets high scores from me. In comparasion with the little brother - the Reserva. The 12 year old is a lot better I must say. Well worth the extra money.

Grade:

8/10

Ron Pampero Aniversario

Ron Pampero Aniversario comes in a small bottle in a leather sack - still a 700ml bottle. The info says it should be a blend of rum aged for 4 to 6 years, well it taste as a more mature rum. Origin is Venezuela.

Eye: A really dark rum that looks warm and nice.

Nose: It has that alcholic nose to it, but don't be fooled. Also some vanilla, lemon, cocoa.

Taste: A really smooth rum, that has a kind of easy taste at first. We've a sweet but also kind of salt taste. Toffee, vanilla and cocoa.

Aftertaste: Things starts to happen and we leave the smooth candytaste and a more mature taste reveals. A nice blend of wood, cigarr and vanilla comes in for a great finish.

This ain't a bad rum. Actually one of my favorites as it was a surprise that one of those cheaper rums could deliver so much. Easy so drink and enjoy, but also with a great finish. The taste at first isn't bad but not that complex - just smooth.

Grade:

8/10

The day before christmas

Santa came with some early christmas gifts this year - a whole box full with bottles of rum. I also managed to visit the swedish "Systembolaget" today and bought myself one of their news for december - a bottle of "J. Bally Millesime 2000".

I'm having a cold for the moment and therefore I'm not really in the shape for sipping rum and write reviews. But I know that I've some nice moments in the future waiting for me.

The following bottles are unopened and standing in line...

• J. Bally Millesime 2000
• El Dorado 15 Y.O
• Rum Plantation Trinidad 2000
• Barcelo Imperial
• Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva 12 Anos
• Mount Gay Extra Old Barbados
• Malecon 18 Y.O

La Caracol Saxo Bio

Saxo Bio is an belgian strong ale at 7.5%. It's a blonde ale marketed as a ecological product.

Eye: Light color, golden yellow and foggy. It's has a large white foam and the look indicates a lot of bubbles.

Nose: Fresh summer ale, mango, lemon and pineapple. Sweet.

Taste: A fruity taste that comes out rather sweet. The mango, lemon, pineapple-taste. Pretty much bubbles and then some hops.

Aftertaste: A sweet aftertaste sticks in your mouth. Some lemon notes is left with the hops. Sweet but also a dry sticky feeling.

Fits for summer and should be served really cold. I prefer to drink ale that are not icecold, but this one just got too sweet when it got a little warmer. Not that much taste of the alcohol, a fruity taste that stays intact through the whole drink. Too sweet.

Grade:

4/10

Rum Plantation Guyana 1990 Old Reserve

Rum Plantation have several different rums on the market. This one comes from Guyana and is a 1990 Old Reserve. Other Rum Planations are for example the Jamaica from 2000 and the Barbados Grande Reserve.

The bootle is at 45 % and matured in french limousin oak barrels.

Eye: Medium dark, golden and looks a little oily in the glas.

Nose: Raisin and druit figs. Some nuts and arrak.

Taste: A complex taste hard to identify. We have some figs, earth/gras. It has a dry taste and some citrus.

Aftertaste: It leaves a complex aftertaste and it really don't hold it together as the aftertaste suddenly dips and switches to new tastes. From grass and figs we get some dry, citrus taste instead.

This ain't a bad rum. It's one of the older Rum Plantations that's easy to find - still I can't say that it's better than the other Plantations I've tried. A complex taste that's not really kept together trough the whole drink - eye to aftertaste.

The grade has to come out of comparing to other rums and this one ain't really my favorite as both the Jamican and Barbados taste better than this. If you enjoy a complex and dry rum this might be something for you.

Grade:

5/10

Innis & Gunn Rum Cask

Innis & Gunn introduced 2007 a ale finished in barrels which previosly contained rum - Rum Cask!

Well this is bottle that have been laying for over two years I'm reviewing and I've 7 or 8 more of them laying around. A lot of people seemed to dislike this brew, with the motivation too sweet, to strange...

Well, it's a odd brew. The fact remains - I like sweeter ales and I'm fan of rum! A perfect drink for me?

Eye: Dark brown/redish in color.

Nose: Dried fruits, light spicies, some oak and leather.

Taste: Sweeter then the average beer, but what to expect from ale aged in rum caskes? A lot of taste, but the body ain't that heavy. Still I taste dried fruits, some wood and a rum taste. The carbonation is medium, still maybe a little to much for my taste.

Aftertaste: At the end a lot happens! A heavy, spicy taste. It's oak, fruits, sweet, leather and also some associations to old cellar/cigar-like taste that some rums have. But in this case it's not too much. It mixes good with the rest! This is nice!

Fits really good to food that are a little more heavy. Not sweet chili-kind of spicy but dark & wild meat for example.

I also belive that the Innis & Gunn Rum Cask has aged really good during those 2 years in the cellar. A lot of taste, but still really smooth. Still! Remember that this is a odd brew and not for everyone ;)

Grade:

8/10