Don Papa Rum

I'm quite torn about this one. To be direct, this isn't a rum. It barely qualifies as a spiced rum, making its marketing as a rum feel misleading. It's more akin to a Seasonal Liqueur, perfect for a very boozy eggnog, than any other type of rum. From the outset, it's clear that numerous additives and sweeteners have been incorporated. Vanilla extract is overwhelmingly dominant, noticeable from several feet away. Cream soda, molasses, sugar, and orange peel are also very evident. It tastes like a flat root beer with undertones of cream soda, complemented by a pronounced vanilla bean profile. Hints of licorice and cinnamon can be found. Rum? Not at all. It's surprising to learn it's even 40%.This would be excellent over ice cream, pastries, or eggnog. However, it is definitely not a rum. If marketed as a liqueur, I would have awarded it a solid 3.25.

Okay. I received a sample from Flaviar. It's very sweet, yet quite intriguing. The nose is packed with flavor: bananas, tropical fruits, candy, coconut, cinnamon. The palate is very sweet, and the only things I seem to detect are sugar and bananas. It's creamy and warm with medium intensity and a pleasant medium finish. I recommend giving it a try. Look, there are numerous rums available, and several are far superior to this one, but why not have some fun exploring them all?

A rich, Dark Rum from the founder of Bleeding Heart Rum Co. in Negros, Philippines. It is aged for 7 years in American oak barrels at the base of Mount Kanlaon. It begins with a rich & aromatic profile featuring notes of candied fruits & spices; its full life adds notes of cinnamon, vanilla, oak, honey & more candied fruits; leading to a long & satisfying conclusion with notes of biscuit, sugar & caramel. December 2019 / August 2020 / January / September 2021

A truly unconventional rum, disregarding all the usual standards. Its sweetness could compete with a bag of sugar for first place, making this an exceptionally easy-drinking rum – almost dangerously so. It's definitely suited for summer days in the garden, perhaps with company around... It has strong fruit and toffee characteristics, with a great long finish due to the sugar content; the alcohol was hardly noticeable.

This is a very sweet rum. A very distinct aroma of oranges/orange peel (and a bit of toffee); the taste is sweet yet bitter. The classic rum sweetness is overshadowed by a flavor very close to Cointreau (the orange peel, sweetness, and burn). It's a very intriguing taste for a rum, but for me, it's a bit too sweet and, most importantly, it lacks the typical aged rum characteristics that I seek in a good rum.

I've been drinking rum almost exclusively for the past 10 years, favoring Zacapa and Zaya. I drink it neat over ice. This is undeniably the finest rum my palate has ever encountered. It's almost like vanilla candy. I'm a fan of Don Papa rum... I prefer this one to the aged version.