Cruzan Black Strap

Saw this on a friends shelf and asked to try it. Should have known what to expect it was her cooking shelf in the kitchen. Very sweet but not really that bad with no bad aftertaste. Would be best used in cooking but I will take her some ginger beer to try with it. Maybe I can get her to trade for some rum balls. I would give it a 3 to drink but a 10 to cook with, for me that comes out as a 6.

Not really a fan of the Cruzan brand but was curious about the Black Strap Rum. Don't laugh but when I smelled the rum after opening it I was reminded of good pancake syrup. That was a promising sign. Tasting it was interesting. Hits the tongue rather hard but fades nicely with a lingering sweetness that reminded me of a good pancake syrup. Definitely a molasses flavor but not overpowering. I could see this being sipped straight but best used in a cola where the sweetness is accentuated. No objectionable aftertaste. But does leave some odd flavors on the tongue. Now I need to try it with some ginger beers for a Dark & Stormy. I tried it in Coke Zero and was not pleased with how it turned out. This might be good in various rum punches and mai tai's. I believe it would be best suited in baking.

UPDATE: I wrote my initial review/opinion almost 2 years ago. I recently picked up another bottle for a second chance and discovered improvements in this rum as opposed to the older version. I still have the older bottle for comparison and there is a distinct improvement in aroma, appearance and flavor. The aroma in the newer bottle is quite good and no longer reminds of me of pancake syrup. Swirling it around my snifter reveals excellent legs. It is the darkest rum I have sampled. A dark chocolate hue. The flavor reveals the distinctive blackstrap molasses flavor and has a nice finish. Maybe I had a bad batch bottle initially or perhaps they improved their formula. Either way it's worth a 3-point increase in my rating. Definitely a good mixer but also a nice after-dinner dessert sipper.

I like Cruzan rums and Black Strap is a good choice in black rums. It has a strong molasses/brown sugar scent. Reasonably priced. For me it is my third choice in black rums, behind Captain Black and The Kracken. Use it as a mixer with Dr. Pepper instead of cola. It does foam a lot when mixed though. Nice to have around if you like blackstrap rum. Probably good in tropical mixers too. I will try that next.

Very smoky, but lacks the sweetness that it desperately needs. Good with Coke.

Go to Rum for Mai Tai at Roy's. Try at happy hour.

Tastes just like molasses. I don't often drink it straight, but if I'm making pineapple rum glaze for my island spiced chicken recipe, this is the best.

Has a bit of a bite. Not to $$. Brown sugar / molasses favors. Ok on the rocks but better with a mixer. Haven't yet tried it in a Tiki drink.

I rarely find a rum I will drink straight from the bottle, but this? Add some fresh cream and you're better than halfway to a genuine horchata! The Molasses is very noticeable in both the nose and the aftertaste, and this is an easy drink which won't go after your stomach lining in 5 or 6 hours. I will say this tho- it doesn't play well with "Plantation" style drinks. Black Strap will overpower the fruit punch taste of plantation style drinks in a hurry- Be Warned...

Cruzan has a super strong molasses flavor to it. Drunk straight, the molasses flavours can be overwhelming. I was not a fan. Really needs to be used in mixed drinks.

Very strong molasses flavor, almost like liquorice. Not bad on the rocks, but better mixed with a little coke or ginger ale.