Kirk and Sweeney 12-Year

Great presentation and heavy bottle.
This rum has some similarities with Bermudez rum.
The old cellar taste is unique and so pronounced only in the 12y K&S. We can describe it also as moldy wood or wood with apricot.
Kirk & Sweeney is made from Bermudez rum from a distillery on Dominican Republic.
DomRep rums are not very heavy, because all three distilleries (Barceló, Bermúdez and Brugal) uses multi-column distillation.
What we know about multicolumn-distillation is:
"These large factory-sized stills use several columns which typically produce a distillate of more than 95% ABV. Such rums are characterized by being lighter, much less rich in esters, and are aromatically almost neutral. They are therefore modified: by producers who make blends, white rums, spiced or flavoured rums, or low quality spirit for mass consumption."
http://rumaniacs.com/Notes_and_Categories

I get an impression of books from an old cellar in the nose, this can also be benevolently described as white oak with apricots. A hint of vanilla, a bit of caramel, red fruits.
The taste is a little bit watery with some wood and apricots (moldy wood), hints of caramel, burned sugar and vanilla. Pleasant taste, I would rate it with 81 points.

Smell: white oak with apricots, vanilla, soem caramel, red fruits
Taste: fruit (apricot), some cocoa, some vanilla, white oak/barrel, burned sugar, again the old cellar in the finish. Remains pleasantly fruity in the mouth.

Sweetness: 1.5/5
Fruits: 2/5
Spice: 2/4
Mildness: 4/5
Value (33€): 3.5/5

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If I were going to rank the three K&S's I've tried, it'd go 23, 18, and 12. 12 is definitely the worst of the three for me.

But that isn't saying much, because it's honestly still really good, which just goes to show the quality of what Kirk & Sweeney puts out.

To be honest, when I first tried this, I expected it to be a high-quality mixer, but only a middling-to-decent sipper. I was wrong. What makes it my least favorite of the three is the fact that it's harsher than the other two. As always, age mellows an alcohol out, and Kirk & Sweeney rums are no exception.

What elevates this one is that the vanilla is oddly more pronounced, at least to my palate. I would absolutely call this a vanilla bomb, which is something I very much enjoy. And yet, like the other two, this has either very little or no additives. So, like the other two, I highly recommend it.

This is a good intro rum for those who have not drank rum neat before. It is light, slightly sweet and heavy on vanilla on the nose and the palate. Some oakiness is present as well. Maybe a hint of apricot? Everything about this rum is pleasant. I give it only 8 because it is missing a kick or some body. Something to make it more memorable. Maybe the 18 and 23 will have that little something the 12 is missing?

Smooth, vanilla and carmel. I am always buying new rums & rhums to try but I always keep a bottle of this on hand.

A really nice smooth rum with a delicious hint of vanilla. Liked this more than I thought I would

6 /10 seems a little stingy but its my rating against many others. cool looking bottle, corked and nice colour. much promise but not what I expected. All good but flavour swings off towards the leathery cigar type Cuban rums. I tried it all ways but enjoyed the neat mostly. I have barely any sense of smell so cant offer a view. Ill finish the bottle but wont rush out to buy another soon

Dry. Very dry. Really nice.

Sainsbury’s had it for £28 too. Good do all round.

This is essentially a worse version of diplomatico. Extremely sweetened, but some nice flavors in there

This bottle has never let me down. The glass is perfect, the shape, the weight, the design, on point. Seems to be designed in the fashion of an old perfume bottle, happily the juice inside is NOT of that flavor. Looks amazing on the shelf, and tastes, eh, almost as good. The 18 year is far better for the money in my opinion.