Goslings Family Reserve Old Rum

Be prepared for this one, or you might be let down. Full disclosure: I primarily drink bourbon when forming these opinions. The presentation is impressive, and the wax seal is always captivating... a great display bottle! It has a very dark hue with wide, slow-moving legs. The aroma hints at dates, cinnamon, spice, and oak, suggesting a sweet and dense experience. The texture is viscous. Flavors include some smoke, spice, hints of raisin or dark fruit, possibly from the dates, but it's significantly sweeter and fruitier than the whiskeys I'm accustomed to. The finish is long, with a lingering cigar or tobacco note. It's good for a change of pace and allows for a long sip. I can appreciate it, but it's not my current preference.

Nose: molasses, tobacco, leather, raisin, coconut, cardamom, overripe banana, mild distinctive rum aroma, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, boozy chocolate, a whiff of smoke, low ethanol burn. Taste: molasses, overripe banana, vanilla bean, coconut, sweet tobacco, leather, chocolate, sweet cream, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, raisin, low alcohol bite, finishing long with creamy vanilla, molasses, banana, and baking spice flavors. This is really good. I appreciate the Black Seal offering for mixing, but this is a solid neat drink I could see myself having after dinner. It's on the sweet side, but extremely well-balanced and subtle, not at all overwhelming.

An outstanding rum from Gosling's lineup. It's crafted from premium black rums from Bermuda, similar to Black Seal, but aged longer in former Bourbon oak barrels. Produced in very limited quantities, it's bottled as it was over a century ago, in champagne bottles sealed with wax. Nose: An aromatic opening with notes of caramel, vanilla, oak, dried fruit, and black tea, accompanied by subtle hints of tobacco, plum, and citrus. Palate: A rich profile emerges with notes of wood, cherries, aged fruit, spice, and thick molasses. Finish: A long and mellow conclusion with a trace of Cognac.

A nice long finish with a touch of vanilla bitterness to balance the sweetness. It's similar to Diplomatico Reserva in sweetness and smoothness, but this one is more potent, though less complex. Unfortunately, it's more expensive, making it a poorer value. This rum is more forward with bourbon and vanilla notes—it drinks more like a cask strength due to its intensity, yet it's still perfectly smooth. It's darker than Appleton, Plantation XO, or Zacapa 23.

The color is dark amber with red tones. The nose has tobacco, with hints of molasses. The first sip feels a bit thin in texture, but it's full of flavors: dried fruits, a spice similar to rye, oak, and cinnamon. The finish has additional baking spices that remain. Overall, it's very enjoyable, but the added sugar and the price prevent it from being an everyday sipper that it could be.

Abundant unique and surprising flavors emerge; it improves significantly with time. Definitely a spirit to be savored slowly, ideally paired with a cigar or a fruit-forward beer. It was perfectly complemented by Shiner Cheer during Christmas, followed by a Drew Estate Dirty Rat.