Dos Maderas 5+5 Rum

Fantastic rum for sipping. It's remarkably sweet and smooth. I haven't detected any smoke or intricate flavors, but I'm certainly no connoisseur. The aroma offers notes of raisins, nuts, brown sugar, and subtle vanilla. On the tongue, there's abundant brown sugar, caramel, oak notes, typical rum characteristics, and a hint of pineapple/tropical fruits on the exit. It's very sweet and wonderful, not overly thick, but possesses a pleasing texture for a 40% ABV, and it goes down easily. It's considerably sweeter and more accessible than Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva, not due to added sugar, but because the sherry barrels retain residual sugar that infuses the spirit during extended aging. This results in an authentic sweetness and a smoother mouthfeel, especially for those who appreciate unadulterated spirits; it's also more affordably priced than the Diplomatico! My current reservations, which I hope to overcome as I finish the bottle, include a lack of flavor complexity, and the absence of smoke and spices that were mentioned. Additionally, the finish is long but lacks intensity or depth of flavor. Nevertheless, this is a highly underrated rum with an excellent price point, requiring no enhancements to be enjoyed, just drink it straight! This might be my new go-to rum! Update: My perception has evolved after opening it further. I'm now detecting more creamy, buttery vanilla, molasses, brown sugar, and notes of cinnamon raisin bread, along with hints of cola. There's a slight burn in the nostrils, some spice, and a sourdough-like savory quality that complements it. More raisin and wine notes emerge when added to coffee (just for testing purposes). When consumed from a warmed cup, it enhances the creamy, buttery vanilla. I've yet to try it chilled, but it appears that either temperature will reveal different textures and characteristics, suggesting a surprising versatility.

Extremely sweet with a pronounced sherry/brandy character. Primarily suited for sipping. It doesn't pair well with most cocktails, including old fashions or sours. The El Presidente is the sole exception I've found where it tasted good. (However, my mixology skills are self-taught, and I only prepare drinks for loved ones, so please don't consider my mixing abilities professional). Diluting it with club soda or a little water unlocks a variety of earthy notes and tones down the sherry/brandy flavor. Bourbon notes become apparent with such dilution. It remains a highly enjoyable sipping rum, but unfortunately offers little beyond that. I find its flavor profile, while bearing a slight resemblance to the complexity of Plantation Xyamaca, is too diverse for most mixed drinks (unlike Plantation Xyamaca).

An elegant, triple-aged rum from aged stocks in Barbados & Guyana. It undergoes three aging stages. Initially, 5 years in American oak casks in the Caribbean, followed by 3 years in Spanish sherry casks previously holding "Dos Cortados" Palo Cortado Sherry at Bodegas Williams & Humbert. Lastly, an additional 2 years in casks that held the 20-year-old "Don Guido" Pedro Ximénez Sherry. It opens with aromas of caramel, sherry, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg & fruit, progresses to a rich & spicy profile with notes of caramel, chocolate, tobacco, leather & honey, concluding with a long & balanced finish of Pedro Ximénez Sherry cask, licorice, caramel & nuts. October 2017 / May / October 2018 / November 2019.

Very smooth, and definitely on the sweeter end. It somewhat masks the natural rum characteristics, but remains very enjoyable and quite distinctive. Update: After several tastings on different occasions, I am significantly lowering my rating. It is excessively sweet for my preferences, and more significantly, it doesn't taste enough like aged rum. Instead, an alternative flavor emerges midway through the tasting, which I suspect is the sherry, and it clashes with the rum enough to create confusion. I wanted to appreciate this more, but it's simply not for me.

A gentle aroma of vanilla and raisin. Tastes of dried apricot, raisins, and a hint of vanilla caramel. It's sweet, but lacks the specific rum flavor I prefer. Although smooth on the palate, a spice emerges on the sides and back of the tongue and down the throat after swallowing, which lingers. While not harsh, it's too much for me and makes me dislike it as a sipping rum. It would be acceptable in a cocktail needing sweetness and a slight spicy kick. The rating is based on neat sipping.

[APPEARANCE] Grade B maple syrup [AROMA] Cinnamon rolls fresh from the oven, currants, chopped raisins, cloves [TASTE] Pedro Ximenez is prominent, bread pudding, sun-dried figs, Spanish caracolas, very oily, flat Coca-Cola, cooking sherries [FINISH] Short, like a Fig Newton, with cracked fig seeds, sweet [MOUTHFEEL] Viscous, flows easily, develops seedy notes, easy