El Dorado 5-Year

I went to Antigua and they gave us this bottle at the resort we were. I did not expect much, but I was surprised by the taste of this rum. Ok, it is mostly great for mixing, but nevertheless, it is a good sipping rum too. I start with this one before having some better rums, to warm my throat and palate.

Nice rum for the pricetag (around 25 $ in Canada)
Very good for mixing, a bit harsh but can be sipped on ice.

Would certainly pick this rum over Captain Morgan / Bacardi Gold (same price)

Good value for the money! it both sips and mixes well.

This rum is one of my favorites for under $20. It has a floral spiced flavor that is slightly sweet. Just right for sipping on ice on those hot summer nights in south Florida.

This RVM should be the cheap version of the family, but it is a very pleasant surprise! I didn't think a distillate so refined. There is a spicy smell and a mineral taste to try, for not to mention of the good price. Strongly suggested!

This one will be a little dry for those who love rums such as Zaya, Zacapa and Diplomatico. Nicely robust Demeraran and one of the best buys in the $15 price range.

This one has a different blend of rums from the 8 and 12 yr and is closer to the 15 in terms of flavor profile, with substantially less added sugar (12 grams/ltr vs 30 for the 15 yr). Don't be fooled into thinking the aging is responsible for the smoothness of the 15 yr, who knows what percentage of the rum is actually 15 years old? (Only the blender).

It's a shame you can't really buy this outside Guyana, as it's a very yummy rum.

I've sipped this straight and had it in a few tiki cocktails. It's a solid rum which should be a staple for most rum enthusiasts who want a basic but quality aged rum mixer. I would recommend this to have in a bar collection, especially if you like tiki cocktails. But if you want a sipper or something with more character, move up to the 12 year.

Thoughts: We're really struggling to get excited which is a shame for El Dorado rums. Really light in smell and taste it's a challenge to pull any banging flavours out of it. £27 is too much to pay for this, we'd rather use our money elsewhere.

Rating: 4/10

Smell - green banana, burnt sugar
Taste - light in flavour, spicy wood, vanilla
After Taste - medium length, caramel butteriness

Arrgh! This be a somewhat disappointing rum. On the nose, there be oak and butterscotch in a thick, buttery way, but there also be a hint of sweetness from some fruit that - fetch me up for daft - I cannot identify. There also be a leathery aroma that shows up at the very end, like findin’ out someone has a leather kink about them AFTER you set sail from port and they be asking about cabin boy "positions". On the tongue, she not be sweet, but she not be not sweet either. That first hit on the tongue be as clear and empty as a blue sky in spring. Aye, there be a hint of sweet, but it be like drinkin’ sweet water, not rum. A flurry of flavors attack shortly after that, but none of them be enjoyable, and none of them stay long enough to sort out. There be barely a burn, but nothin’ worth talkin' about. Aye, there be no afterglow with this rum. Ya pay the lady and she be gone like the darkness at dawn - all quick like. I have a 5-year-old powder monkey doin' a better job than this 5-year-old rum. Might this rum be good for sippin’? No. Might this be the worst rum ever? No. There be rums more suitable for cleaning sword wounds, but this rum be just above that. Barely. Might this run be better added to somethin’ else? That not be an option, mate. Get off my ship! Arrgh!