Benchmark for sipping rum. Smooth, sweet, complex, and well balanced. Outstanding value.

I think that Abuelo 7 years is really smooth and sweet, spicy tasting rum. Hint of choclate. And prize is pretty low.

Finally a white rum with flavour, diversity, and personality. Dry, not cloying, and perfectly rounded. Crisp and clean finish.

Very sweet rum 9sugar added0 with hint of spices, and better than the regular Don Papa

It was a pleasure to drink but a little to sweet for my taste

Next level of rum tasting. Harmonical, smooth and complex taste.

Raisins, pear and caramel in aroma; sweet caramel, pear, molases in body; sweet tail.

7,2:The nose of this rum has all the makings of an elegant candy, blending maturity with whimsy. Cinnamon, vanilla and orange peel seem to have come a long way together, blending and harmonizing to create an almost woodsy ambience.
7:The palate is soft but not at all sweet, offering a really pleasant texture. The spices take charge, almost bringing a graininess to the palate. The orange peel is carried by this spicy bouquet, before returning the favor with a slow decline.
7:The finish is quite long, spicy, with orange peel.

A fabulous young rum. Right up there with my favourites. Nearly finished the first bottle and will buy again soon no doubt. Edit, bought a second bottle and it’s fantastic. The version which I bought (twice) is the red wine super cask. Delicious, rich and complex.

I picked up this rum after trying the Appleton Joy and wanting something to celebrate a big birthday. Initially, it came forward as hot and fruity, but as the bottle has sat open and with slight dilution, the more delicate notes come out. On the nose it smells much like the Appleton 15, with marmalade being the strongest note, followed by warm spices. On the palate, it is quite light and more akin in texture to a fine white wine. The marmalade finally gives way to a hint of the typical vegetal finish of an Appleton rum, but remains lighter than most of their offerings. While is may not surpass the transformative experience that Appleton's Joy presents, it sits firmly in second place as one of the finest spirits they have produced.

I find it very nice to sip smooth nice oak tone, one of the good appletons would recommend

At first sip I liked the nutty taste but I lost that after the first drink… It worth a try, but better idea since it comes in a nice bottle, gift it and have a drink with a friend!

This is a rum from the Foursquare distillery, matured for 10 years in bourbon casks in Barbados, then finished for 3 months in Germany in PX sherry barrels together with some sherry that was forgotten in the barrels. Don't know, why here is written that this rum should be from Austria and only aged for 5 years. Simply wrong !
Nose : the sherry influence is unmistakable. Dried fruits (raisins, figs and dates). Also coconut. Everything is very sweet, warm and pleasant. Nothing that disturbs. Looking forward to the first sip
Palate : the full power of the dried fruits fills your mouth. Vanilla sweetness joins in. Also the coconut is there. Sweet, quaffable, mild. Mouth-filling. Realy pleasant
Finish : medium long. All influences from the palate remain. And it also remains mild and soft, nothing becomes bitter or sharp. Nothing scratches, nothing tastes of alcohol.
Conclusion : The base of this rum is a Foursquare rum. That is a good prerequisite. The PX sherry cask is a frequently chosen finish, but in this case the mixture of rum and forgotten sherry is particularly successful. No sugar was added and yet the rum is exceptionally mild and the 40.3% is barely noticeable. It is as if a good old friend is visiting you. And that is exactly who you want to drink this rum with. The rum has an excellent price-performance ratio (costs max. €40 in Germany). A clear recommendation, especially for beginners.
Actually 9 points, but 1 point deducted because it is not pure rum, but a mix.

Avast! As over-proof rums go, this one be pullin' the ol' switcheroo from nose to tongue, so pay heed, ya swabs! On the nose, she does NOT smell over-proofed. Curse me for a lubber, but she has a fine smell about her! Oak with bits of vanilla and caramel - a grand start as most rums go. Every now and again, I be smellin' somethin' savory, which I took as coffee, but hidin' just below deck there be a bit of spiciness about her and a brightness that, I dare swear, comes from fruit. Just when ya think ya got this one all figured out, she rips off the mask she was hidin' behind and reveals her true self. On the tongue, flavor explodes in a confusin' number of ways. First with burnt sugar, followed by apples (!), then mocha (!!), then a hint of spices, and finally a soft bitterness that may be comin' from... coffee? Other than that last whiff of coffee, none of the aromas come on board. She be slightly sweet the more ya drink, but this rum be HOT. Hang me for a lewd cur, but there be a decent burn on the lips, the mouth, the tongue, the throat, and the belly. More heat than I've seen from other over-proofed rums - which were a much higher proof than this 114-proof rum! The burn fades the more ya drink, so that be a kindness, but the big question be: Might this be a sippin' rum? Aye... if ya can handle the burn. The flavor be decent, and if ya be lookin' for an over-proof rum with zero funk, this be the one to try. Arrgh!

That's some easy stuff to drink. Polyvalent rum. For a novice who wants to try out some of the undisputed rum names. You gonna like it. When your palate is able to differentiate some very good stuff, you gonna enjoy to have a Matusalem Solera 15 for a nice and elaborated long drink to enjoy with your friends during a nice summer barbecue. And you will drink something else neat as a digestive.

Nice try, that's all. Hard to write something more positive. Just ordinary booze. It is 16EUR and only 38%, shame for that price. You can afford better for that money, like Myers's.

I really should learn to try the original base spirit before venturing into weird bottles. The Myer's Single Barrel Select, finished in Sazerac Rye sucks. So, I kind of stayed clear of the cheap looking standard Myer's Dark for quite some time. This is far better than the single barrel select. Very similar to Coruba, and thus fantastic for tiki drinks or similar cocktails that call for a dark Jamaican rum. Blind tasting the two side by side I still pick Coruba, but Coruba is much harder to find, unlike Myer's which is on just about every shelf I've ever seen. So, if I ever run out of my precious Coruba without a replacement, this will definitely do. It's better than Appleton Signature (6), but not quite as good as Coruba (7) or Dr. Bird (7), so this sits squarely in the middle with a strong 6.5. Giving it a 7 seems a bit generous, but I think the fact that you can often find this for less than $20 justifies it and it's close enough to Coruba that I'm fine giving it a little bump. Not sure it needs to be said, but not a sipping rum, this is purely for mixing.

This is my first full bottle of Foursquare. I've had the chance to taste a few different Foursquare bottles at tastings, and always rated them super high, but this is the first bottle I get to enjoy at home, and I'm in love. I was beginning to get worried because I recommended Foursquare to a friend and they didn't enjoy the high proof, but man are they wrong. This is one of those special bottles where the proof means more flavor, not more ethanol or bitterness. Strong notes of burnt sugar, very well balanced flavor, no overpowering wood or bitterness that I get from some other aged Barbados rums. Excellent.

Had some fun doing side by side comparisons between Doorly XO, Doorly 12, and R.L. Seale 12. This one blows the other three right out of the water. Unfortunately, I couldn't really do a blind tasting because the proof makes this one obvious, but the flavor is just amazing.

I've been putting off this review for a long time because I couldn't find this bottle anywhere and I didn't want to rate it with nostalgia goggles. This was my first bottle of coconut rum and I remember absolutely loving it. Then I tried Malibu and I began to question everything. I have finally tracked down this bottle and have tried at least half a dozen other coconut rums since and I'm comfortable rating this as my second favorite coconut rum, after Siesta Key. Perfect, clean coconut taste. No caramel, no chocolate, just pure coconut flavor, and no artificial taste. This is far superior to Koloa Coconut, and at a much better price if you can find it. It is a bit sweeter than the Koloa, but since both bottles are only useable as mixers and neither is good for sipping, it really doesn't make a difference. Probably the best coconut rum for mixing.

My favorite coconut rums:
Siesta Key Coconut (10) - Light coconut and caramel, no artificial flavors, amazing for sipping, amazing for mixing
Brinley Gold Coconut (8) - Strong coconut, no caramel or chocolate, no artificial flavors, great for mixing, not for sipping
Planteray Cut & Dry (8) - Very strong coconut, strong chocolate, no artificial flavors, great for sipping, just ok for mixing, it can overpower drinks
Koloa Coconut (7) - Strong coconut, no caramel or chocolate, slightly artificial, good for mixing, not for sipping

Very different than Selection de Maestros with ratings not even close. However, in a different way, I would consider this very much a sipper but versatile at the price point to be a great mixer.
Initially a bit harsh on the finish but half way through the first pour this was very enjoyable Enjoy!

I'm not sure how 2 more years can elevate this that much over the 12 year, but it does. This is one of the best bottles I've had that I can still find on the shelf. And for the price!!

The nose just pops. Very aromatic; vanilla, oak, spice, a slight burn to it.
The vanilla and oak continue into the palate, and just sit there for days. Great mouth feel, slightly warming. My only complaint is that the finish isn't super complex. However, the only rums I put over this were double or triple $$, if you can even find them.

For a $30 bottle, it's very tasty. Good vanilla flavors, maybe a bit sugary, but still good.

I really like this. The port cask gives it a little richness, but doesn't overwhelm the rum. It has a very nice color to it. The nose is delicious and pretty complex. Drinks great, punchy up front with a dry, oaky medium length finish. . You don't get nearly as much sherry as expected. The nose was probably the best part of this drink. Definitely worth the price tag though. If you're looking for something sweeter with more of the sherry notes, I'd go for Dos Maderas 5+5 instead.

Great dark color, wonderful nose. The palate is very rich with the Sherry mostly overwhelming the rum. That said, it's quite good. You get just enough oak and vanilla at the end to round it out and it finishes very well. If you're looking for a dessert sip, I'd recommend this. Probably a good intro rum for wine drinkers or a sweet dram to go along with a cigar.

Licorice sweet, vaguely jägermeisterish. Unpleasant neat.

Benchmark for sipping rum. Smooth, sweet, complex, and well balanced. Outstanding value.

I think that Abuelo 7 years is really smooth and sweet, spicy tasting rum. Hint of choclate. And prize is pretty low.

Finally a white rum with flavour, diversity, and personality. Dry, not cloying, and perfectly rounded. Crisp and clean finish.

Very sweet rum 9sugar added0 with hint of spices, and better than the regular Don Papa

It was a pleasure to drink but a little to sweet for my taste

Next level of rum tasting. Harmonical, smooth and complex taste.

Raisins, pear and caramel in aroma; sweet caramel, pear, molases in body; sweet tail.

7,2:The nose of this rum has all the makings of an elegant candy, blending maturity with whimsy. Cinnamon, vanilla and orange peel seem to have come a long way together, blending and harmonizing to create an almost woodsy ambience.
7:The palate is soft but not at all sweet, offering a really pleasant texture. The spices take charge, almost bringing a graininess to the palate. The orange peel is carried by this spicy bouquet, before returning the favor with a slow decline.
7:The finish is quite long, spicy, with orange peel.

A fabulous young rum. Right up there with my favourites. Nearly finished the first bottle and will buy again soon no doubt. Edit, bought a second bottle and it’s fantastic. The version which I bought (twice) is the red wine super cask. Delicious, rich and complex.

I picked up this rum after trying the Appleton Joy and wanting something to celebrate a big birthday. Initially, it came forward as hot and fruity, but as the bottle has sat open and with slight dilution, the more delicate notes come out. On the nose it smells much like the Appleton 15, with marmalade being the strongest note, followed by warm spices. On the palate, it is quite light and more akin in texture to a fine white wine. The marmalade finally gives way to a hint of the typical vegetal finish of an Appleton rum, but remains lighter than most of their offerings. While is may not surpass the transformative experience that Appleton's Joy presents, it sits firmly in second place as one of the finest spirits they have produced.

I find it very nice to sip smooth nice oak tone, one of the good appletons would recommend

At first sip I liked the nutty taste but I lost that after the first drink… It worth a try, but better idea since it comes in a nice bottle, gift it and have a drink with a friend!

This is a rum from the Foursquare distillery, matured for 10 years in bourbon casks in Barbados, then finished for 3 months in Germany in PX sherry barrels together with some sherry that was forgotten in the barrels. Don't know, why here is written that this rum should be from Austria and only aged for 5 years. Simply wrong !
Nose : the sherry influence is unmistakable. Dried fruits (raisins, figs and dates). Also coconut. Everything is very sweet, warm and pleasant. Nothing that disturbs. Looking forward to the first sip
Palate : the full power of the dried fruits fills your mouth. Vanilla sweetness joins in. Also the coconut is there. Sweet, quaffable, mild. Mouth-filling. Realy pleasant
Finish : medium long. All influences from the palate remain. And it also remains mild and soft, nothing becomes bitter or sharp. Nothing scratches, nothing tastes of alcohol.
Conclusion : The base of this rum is a Foursquare rum. That is a good prerequisite. The PX sherry cask is a frequently chosen finish, but in this case the mixture of rum and forgotten sherry is particularly successful. No sugar was added and yet the rum is exceptionally mild and the 40.3% is barely noticeable. It is as if a good old friend is visiting you. And that is exactly who you want to drink this rum with. The rum has an excellent price-performance ratio (costs max. €40 in Germany). A clear recommendation, especially for beginners.
Actually 9 points, but 1 point deducted because it is not pure rum, but a mix.

Avast! As over-proof rums go, this one be pullin' the ol' switcheroo from nose to tongue, so pay heed, ya swabs! On the nose, she does NOT smell over-proofed. Curse me for a lubber, but she has a fine smell about her! Oak with bits of vanilla and caramel - a grand start as most rums go. Every now and again, I be smellin' somethin' savory, which I took as coffee, but hidin' just below deck there be a bit of spiciness about her and a brightness that, I dare swear, comes from fruit. Just when ya think ya got this one all figured out, she rips off the mask she was hidin' behind and reveals her true self. On the tongue, flavor explodes in a confusin' number of ways. First with burnt sugar, followed by apples (!), then mocha (!!), then a hint of spices, and finally a soft bitterness that may be comin' from... coffee? Other than that last whiff of coffee, none of the aromas come on board. She be slightly sweet the more ya drink, but this rum be HOT. Hang me for a lewd cur, but there be a decent burn on the lips, the mouth, the tongue, the throat, and the belly. More heat than I've seen from other over-proofed rums - which were a much higher proof than this 114-proof rum! The burn fades the more ya drink, so that be a kindness, but the big question be: Might this be a sippin' rum? Aye... if ya can handle the burn. The flavor be decent, and if ya be lookin' for an over-proof rum with zero funk, this be the one to try. Arrgh!

That's some easy stuff to drink. Polyvalent rum. For a novice who wants to try out some of the undisputed rum names. You gonna like it. When your palate is able to differentiate some very good stuff, you gonna enjoy to have a Matusalem Solera 15 for a nice and elaborated long drink to enjoy with your friends during a nice summer barbecue. And you will drink something else neat as a digestive.

Nice try, that's all. Hard to write something more positive. Just ordinary booze. It is 16EUR and only 38%, shame for that price. You can afford better for that money, like Myers's.

I really should learn to try the original base spirit before venturing into weird bottles. The Myer's Single Barrel Select, finished in Sazerac Rye sucks. So, I kind of stayed clear of the cheap looking standard Myer's Dark for quite some time. This is far better than the single barrel select. Very similar to Coruba, and thus fantastic for tiki drinks or similar cocktails that call for a dark Jamaican rum. Blind tasting the two side by side I still pick Coruba, but Coruba is much harder to find, unlike Myer's which is on just about every shelf I've ever seen. So, if I ever run out of my precious Coruba without a replacement, this will definitely do. It's better than Appleton Signature (6), but not quite as good as Coruba (7) or Dr. Bird (7), so this sits squarely in the middle with a strong 6.5. Giving it a 7 seems a bit generous, but I think the fact that you can often find this for less than $20 justifies it and it's close enough to Coruba that I'm fine giving it a little bump. Not sure it needs to be said, but not a sipping rum, this is purely for mixing.

This is my first full bottle of Foursquare. I've had the chance to taste a few different Foursquare bottles at tastings, and always rated them super high, but this is the first bottle I get to enjoy at home, and I'm in love. I was beginning to get worried because I recommended Foursquare to a friend and they didn't enjoy the high proof, but man are they wrong. This is one of those special bottles where the proof means more flavor, not more ethanol or bitterness. Strong notes of burnt sugar, very well balanced flavor, no overpowering wood or bitterness that I get from some other aged Barbados rums. Excellent.

Had some fun doing side by side comparisons between Doorly XO, Doorly 12, and R.L. Seale 12. This one blows the other three right out of the water. Unfortunately, I couldn't really do a blind tasting because the proof makes this one obvious, but the flavor is just amazing.

I've been putting off this review for a long time because I couldn't find this bottle anywhere and I didn't want to rate it with nostalgia goggles. This was my first bottle of coconut rum and I remember absolutely loving it. Then I tried Malibu and I began to question everything. I have finally tracked down this bottle and have tried at least half a dozen other coconut rums since and I'm comfortable rating this as my second favorite coconut rum, after Siesta Key. Perfect, clean coconut taste. No caramel, no chocolate, just pure coconut flavor, and no artificial taste. This is far superior to Koloa Coconut, and at a much better price if you can find it. It is a bit sweeter than the Koloa, but since both bottles are only useable as mixers and neither is good for sipping, it really doesn't make a difference. Probably the best coconut rum for mixing.

My favorite coconut rums:
Siesta Key Coconut (10) - Light coconut and caramel, no artificial flavors, amazing for sipping, amazing for mixing
Brinley Gold Coconut (8) - Strong coconut, no caramel or chocolate, no artificial flavors, great for mixing, not for sipping
Planteray Cut & Dry (8) - Very strong coconut, strong chocolate, no artificial flavors, great for sipping, just ok for mixing, it can overpower drinks
Koloa Coconut (7) - Strong coconut, no caramel or chocolate, slightly artificial, good for mixing, not for sipping

Very different than Selection de Maestros with ratings not even close. However, in a different way, I would consider this very much a sipper but versatile at the price point to be a great mixer.
Initially a bit harsh on the finish but half way through the first pour this was very enjoyable Enjoy!

I'm not sure how 2 more years can elevate this that much over the 12 year, but it does. This is one of the best bottles I've had that I can still find on the shelf. And for the price!!

The nose just pops. Very aromatic; vanilla, oak, spice, a slight burn to it.
The vanilla and oak continue into the palate, and just sit there for days. Great mouth feel, slightly warming. My only complaint is that the finish isn't super complex. However, the only rums I put over this were double or triple $$, if you can even find them.

For a $30 bottle, it's very tasty. Good vanilla flavors, maybe a bit sugary, but still good.

I really like this. The port cask gives it a little richness, but doesn't overwhelm the rum. It has a very nice color to it. The nose is delicious and pretty complex. Drinks great, punchy up front with a dry, oaky medium length finish. . You don't get nearly as much sherry as expected. The nose was probably the best part of this drink. Definitely worth the price tag though. If you're looking for something sweeter with more of the sherry notes, I'd go for Dos Maderas 5+5 instead.

Great dark color, wonderful nose. The palate is very rich with the Sherry mostly overwhelming the rum. That said, it's quite good. You get just enough oak and vanilla at the end to round it out and it finishes very well. If you're looking for a dessert sip, I'd recommend this. Probably a good intro rum for wine drinkers or a sweet dram to go along with a cigar.

Licorice sweet, vaguely jägermeisterish. Unpleasant neat.