Barbancourt 5 Star Reserve Especiale 8-Year

Very drinkable Haitian piece for reasonable price for 8-years aged one

Mellow with honey as the dominant aroma and flavor. Not overly sweet - nice balance. I enjoy this neat when I’m not looking for a complex flavor bomb.

I really enjoy this rum. It is great on its own or in cocktails.

Quite nice. Try it. Tasty spirit and not too sweet.

Rhum à découvrir, plutôt bon que ce soit sec ou en ti vieux. Vraiment à essayer

I got this as an introduction to the Agricole style—reading it was somewhere between the sugar cane spirit and the typical molasses-based rum. I was initially perplexed by the nose—had a harsh acetone vibe that dominated much of the more familiar aged rum notes. Not expecting much, I was pleasantly surprised by the caramel, fruit, and grassy nuances at the top and its smooth, almost soft development as a sipper. But where it really shines is in a Mai-Tai, split with either Smith & Cross or a Demerara rum. Still haven’t tried a true Agricole, but I’m liking where this is heading...

It's OK. No complexity on the nose and as a sipper no flavors standout. It is certainly dry. The dryness does not mean a negative connotation to me. It's a fair sipper on a summer day.

The nose is not terribly assertive but reveals the influence of cognac barrels, complemented by some of the characteristic agricole grassy/herbal note - it is not overpowering at all. The palate is more interesting again, with mild, balanced spice and wood flavours that build to a crescendo reminiscent of the fantastic taste one gets in the crunchy, burnt sugar topping on creme brûlée. A note of marzipan goes out with the fairly long finish. What an elegant rhum! It is polished and balanced. I would happily choose this as a sipper at the end of a great meal shared with friends. A very serious rhum.

This was a nice rhum with a molasses vibe (which is odd since it doesn't use that method), but I guess I assumed I'd be really wowed by the age and price. There's a very forward "grassy" taste to it, which is not my thing but I assume others may enjoy it. On the upside, it's very smooth.

Smooth. I easily rate this 7.4. Nice bite with notes of citrus and grass. Earthy and crisp. Nice long lingering finish. Excellent neat. Very nice rhum. The best thing is without all that molasses and sweeteners there is no doubt you are actually drinking rhum and not some prefabricated franken-liguor.