Dos Maderas PX 5+5

I love rum. I thought buying this expensive bottle, I was treating myself with some godly nectar. Unfortunately this doesn't smell or taste anything like rum. Unless you can try before you buy, I would avoid purchasing this... whatever it is.
(70.75 CAD in Dec 2016)

There can be no doubting the quality and uniqueness here - raw material from Barbados and Guyana aged five years in oak, then transferred to Spain for 5 more years in Sherry barrels (two types!). The result has incredible flavor intensity, wonderful aroma and a gorgeous color. But from the first sniff, it's hard to know if you're tasting a rum...or a sherry...or something else. To my taste, this spirit steps over some imaginary line. It's not really a "rum experience". If you're looking for new and unique, try this. If you are a rum drinker looking for a pure, quality rum experience, look elsewhere.

Another math-teachin' rum! Curse me for a lubber, but this rum DOES add up! On the nose, ya get oak and butterscotch... kinda sweet smellin', but not so much. There be raisins for sure, but then there be a hint of sherry, and a ghostly whiff of char hidin' way in the back. An auspicious start! On the tongue, like her 5+3 cousin, the first sip be clear and smooth, with a body to match. She not be as dry as the 5+3, but she not be sickly sweet either! First on board be the raisins and the sherry fightin' for supremacy. When the raisins fall, cocoa steps in. When the cocoa falls, burned sugar takes up the sword. In the end, sherry reigns supreme, but she floats there on yer tongue - the whole time - like the worst kind of flotsam as all the other flavors step up, show their mettle, and pass on to Davy Jones' Locker. As sippin' rums go, this one be better than most. Far better. There be zero burn at all with this one. Avast! If ya not be a proper pirate, and ya not be used to all that rum has to offer, but wish to imbibe on a more mature rum, give this rum a go. Burn and sink me if I be lyin', but ya will not be disappointed! Arrgh!

I recommend neat, chilled in a jigger but leave the ice in the jigger. It didn’t do much for me the first time I had it neat and at room temperature. Thought I would try again chilled and wow, what a difference. The little bit of water off the ice and shaking it in the jigger really makes a difference. Would definitely recommend this rum.

When you add sherry to a rum, you shouldn't be surprised when you end up with a rum that tastes like sherry. If you really like raisins and rums with tons of added sugar, you might like this. If you do some digging, you can find out that Dos Maderas tops off the barrel with sherry, since they solera-age and reuse the barrels for so long that they need to add sherry to keep the flavor consistent.

This rum is unusual - aged in PX casks, it's just way sweeter than a rum should be! If you're in the mood for sweet - it goes down a treat though. Very sherry, thick and sweet. I like it.

One of the best rums I have ever tried, great value for money, interesting story. Robust flavor, dark color, very delicate after taste.

The first time I tried this rum,I was somehow confused. The taste is nothing like classic rum. You can definitely taste the sweetness of sherry as well as smell the dried fruit aromas. I enjoy this rum a lot.

Aroma is all grape and raisin with an edge of burnt sugar. Taste is so smooth, slightly warming, more grape and raisin, tiny alcohol burn on edges of tongue, fruity toffee aftertaste

Very nice, rich notes and a bit of sweetness. Got to try this at a local rum tasting. I honestly didn't know this was a Barbados blend until writing this, but that makes sense. A step up from the 5+3 rum. Also, I'm clearly a sucker for the sherry cask finish.