Mount Gay XO Extra Old Rum

This is likely the right listing for Mt Gay XO Triple Barrel Blend, sourced from a Flaviar three-rum sampler. Drank it neat from a glencairn. The color is a coppery walnut, with substantial sheeting and slow legs after swirling, suggesting a full and smooth texture. The aroma is quite appealing, featuring deep butterscotch, maple sugar, creme brulee, brioche, and hints of baking spice. It's complex, without any harsh alcohol or acetone smells. A really pleasant scent overall, making me eager to taste it! The flavor matches the smell, delivering the rich mouthfeel hinted at by the legs. Expect notes of overripe banana, a touch of bitter banana peel, turbinado sugar, ripe dates, caramel, subtle cafe au lait, vanilla, and maple. The conclusion is brief, with traces of allspice, dark chocolate, and a sweet egg bread-like massa sovada. I enjoy this rum; it’s a good sipper, though it would improve with a higher proof. Online sources suggest it was discontinued in mid-2020, though it could be a new bottling. Locally, it’s around $65. It doesn't rival Foursquare Sagacity (not even close), which costs only about $10 more and is now quite scarce, so I won't rush to purchase it. Value is subjective, as is taste – and in my opinion, this is a delicious rum. Perhaps not the best value, but that hasn't stopped people from praising Blanton's bourbon, so that’s something to consider. It’s above average.

Nose: Fresh aromatic oak, vanilla, cinnamon, and caramel. A whiff of ethanol is present on deeper inhalation. Hints of orange peel in the background and over-ripe tropical fruit appear as it opens. It resembles a bourbon that retired to the tropics and adapted to the local lifestyle. Palate: Sweet start with substance. Hot cinnamon and clove spice, along with bitter orange peel and oak tannin, are upfront, settling into dark fruit notes, mocha coffee, and tobacco. The texture is full and pleasantly dry, not cloying. Finish: Long, sharp, and spicy, with barrel notes and a lingering trail of vanilla on the palate. The only clear indication of rum is a touch of brown sugar or molasses in the finale. A well-balanced Bajan rum offering good value. It could fool some people in a whiskey tasting, initially suggesting a heavily-spiced bourbon with an unusual profile. It's fragrant and sweet on the nose, with a wood presentation many whisky distillers would admire. While I'm unsure if any sweetener is added by Mount Gay, it's moderate and fits the profile. Suitable for neat sipping or in cocktails/mixed drinks requiring dark rum (it makes an excellent Cuba Libre). 'Good': 84/100 (3.75 stars).

This is, for me, the most captivating rum I've tried, and I'm savoring the last of a bottle from last summer. I drink it slowly to make sure I always have some without spending a fortune. It resembles a blend of Barbados and Jamaican rum, and it's incredibly tasty. Flavors include raw sugarcane, cola, nutmeg, clove, a touch of vanilla, and molasses taffy. I find its low score of 83 to be almost insulting given how good it tastes. Perhaps I got a particularly good bottle, but others seem to agree. I bought another bottle recently and may update on batch differences, but if it's like this, it gets 4.5 stars every time. It's a thoroughly satisfying sipping rum for my palate, far surpassing El Dorado 21 for me and costing a third of the price.

Nose: Warm cedar and oak, cola, well-toasted bread, and a subtle maple aroma. Body: Medium to full-bodied. The spice is delayed upon sipping but emerges after the initial taste and lingers on the tongue. There's evidence of good aging here (the producer claims 8-15 years). Taste: Initial flavors include dark chocolate, followed by the spice of black pepper, clove, and tobacco. The finish features burnt caramel, as the sweetness is balanced by a bitter quality as it goes down. Overall: It has enough maturity and sophistication to be a decent neat drink. It's too complex to waste in a mix, but it might be a bit too bold for novice rum drinkers to add to their regular sipping selection. Overall, it's a good introductory rum for those looking to explore more serious rums.

This is my first sipping rum, having only had rum in mixed drinks before deciding to try more mature beverages. I chose this one as it's often considered a benchmark for tasting rum, and I'm happy with my choice. I detect fruit and spice on the nose, with a slight sweetness. I don't get the banana aroma others mention, which is good as I dislike bananas. On the palate, I experience spiciness, primarily pepper, and some fruit, though my palate isn't refined enough to identify it specifically yet. I will use this rum as a reference for all future rum tastings.

I enjoy sipping rums from Barbados to recall lovely shores, welcoming faces, and kindness. Mount Gay Rum is a source of pride for most people from Barbados. Their facility has been active for more than 300 years, so they are quite knowledgeable about rum. The Mount Gay XO presents a nose of cola blended with oak spice, followed by a rather brief, dry palate of clove and black pepper. My most cherished aspect is its enduring, bourbon-esque warm finish, which enhances the spirit as you sip it. Best served over ice. 7.5/10.