Cruzan Hurricane Proof

Tasting this neat in a snifter. For better or worse. Nose: All ethanol, but sweet, like you’ve been inhaling fumes a bit too long and it’s starting to affect you. Palate: This is where it gets interesting. Hot entry, but immediately creamy on the palate. I get creamy vanilla, some rum-like sweetness, then it becomes earthier with raw turbinado sugar and some honey towards the back of the palate. Quite interesting for what it is. Yes, it’s hot, but not nearly as much as one might expect at this alcohol percentage and this price. Finish: Medium in flavor and long in warmth and earthiness. It’s a smooth transition from the earthy flavors to the honey sweetness and bitter oaky finish. The flavors linger somewhat, but eventually, the tannic oak remains, leaving my whole tongue feeling somewhat bitterly coated and desiring another sip. Summary: Well, this is surprisingly good for what it is! I’ve used it in cocktails plenty, and it provides a strong rum backbone at an affordable cost. If you’re not a rum enthusiast and are in a bind, this could even substitute for other overproof options in a cocktail recipe. I won’t choose to sip it neat, but I’ll enjoy the rest of this pour, and would gladly purchase it again. I think this demonstrates that the spirit’s character is entirely dependent on the alcohol percentage. And rum, unfortunately, tends to be bottled at pretty low percentages or very high ones. Not much in between. This has nearly twice the alcohol of the 80-proof options on the bottom shelves, and with it, you get authentic flavor, not just fumes and a burning tongue. Recommended.

It has a very sweet, raw sugar taste, is obviously potent, with a lot of raw honey on toast, and definitely has a rum-like fermented molasses flavor. Sipping it neat in very small amounts, it's surprisingly good, in my estimation.

This actually has more taste (wood, fruit, vanilla, sweet grains) than anticipated. For less than $20 and a high proof, this is a secret find!