Pusser's Rum Original Admiralty Blend (Blue Label)

I purchased this some time ago and forgot to write about it. It was brought to my attention when I was looking for the right rum yesterday for a rum & tonic. Since I've been craving rum lately, I decided to try it now, especially because I enjoy hogo flavors whenever I can find them, which is infrequent. I'm unsure if it's just the Ohio market that is poor (which it is), or if the entire Midwest has limited options for quality rum. If I didn't have to worry about TSA stealing from me, I'd love to go to Florida, load up on rhum and cigars, and leave this place. But alas, I'll take what I can get, and in this case, some classic British navy rum sounds quite refreshing on this cloudy, pre-storm day. The color is an incredibly deep and rich mahogany, reminding me of when the bourbon market used to offer products with this same depth of color. The legs are very thick and form slowly, barely moving. A funky, raw sugar syrup and hogo combination fill the air around the glass, but the actual nose is vegetal, woody, and slightly hot, with plenty of molasses and some chocolate notes. The sweetness from the bourbon barrels really comes through here, with notes of sweet oak, toffee, and cookie blending well with the rich but funky and hogo molasses notes. The body delivers a lot of flavor upfront but is definitely quite light. The heat from the nose also makes its way into the sip, keeping the body approachable but no longer weak. Classic raw sugarcane and molasses are easily detectable at the front, but there's also a bitter tinge that runs through the entire finish. There's a great balance and interplay with all of the above notes, as well as a polished, sweet woodiness and a touch of gum burn all mixed together. The finish is quite bitter and tastes dry, but the body doesn't fade for a considerable time. The hogo notes on this one are definitely upfront and easily detectable, tasting approachable enough for more amateur rum/rhum drinkers (like myself) while still having deep enough flavor to be impressive for the price. It does make me wonder if the sweet/bitter combination of this would pair well with tonic, and what other best uses in cocktails would be. It's certainly one of the most unique rums I own so far, and although I don't have many, it has enough distinction to stand alone, as well as make me want to find similar flavors in other products.

Positive feedback and a desire to broaden my liquor experiences led to this acquisition some time ago. Poured neat, the aroma has... this is very distinct from any whiskey I've encountered. I'm detecting some unusual characteristics. Burnt popcorn with butter, agave nectar, blackstrap molasses, incense, and the interior of a mechanical pencil sharpener. It's complex and evolving, and I'm enjoying it immensely. The deep, dark color precedes a palate of smoky caramelized brown sugar, orange zest, semi-sweet chocolate chips, vanilla extract, and seasoned birchwood. The finish features drying wood, charred sugars, mild anise, and fading butterscotch. An excellent harmony of sweet and smoky char notes. This is an outstanding spirit. I didn't anticipate rum could be so rich and robust with such varied flavors, but this truly delivers. I'm now motivated to explore rum further. It would undoubtedly mix well, but it's certainly worth savoring straight. While my rum experience is limited, I recognize a quality spirit when I taste it... 86/100... An easy repurchase and exceptional value at approximately $20-25.

Nose - brown sugar, fermented banana, caramel, nutty notes, coffee liquor, aged hide, cigar leaf, funky decaying fruit, adhesive, pepper, nail, raisin, smooth dairy, slight alcohol sting. Palate - smooth vanilla, cider, brown sugar, spice, warming spice, spice, spice, spice, citrus, citrus, raisin, aged leaf, fermented banana, less funk than the nose, smooth dairy, noticeable alcohol sting, concluding fairly swiftly with receding fermented, tart fruit, baking spice, spice, and vanilla notes. Bottom line - this is quite good. The finish has some tartness I'm not fond of, but the flavors meld nicely and it's not excessively sugary like some other dark rums.

Wow, that funk! The aroma is a paradox, both richly sweet and quite earthy. Flavors include molasses, cola, vanilla, butter, vegetation, cumin, oxidized metal, plus a whisper of woody spice and leather. On the palate, it's similarly sweet but not excessively so, counterbalanced by herbal, grassy, and both peppery and savory spice notes. Molasses, vanilla extract, cinnamon stick, allspice, cracked pepper, and bitter greens. It's light to medium in body, yet it gains substance with chewing. The legs are heavy, slow, and perfectly straight. The finish offers brown sugar melted in butter, cola that has aged in very astringent barrels, and a hint of chocolate-covered raisins along with a touch of tobacco. Aroma: 6 Palate: 8 Body: 8 Finish: 7

Wow, intensely burnt sugar on top of creme brûlée! It's so strong that it dominates everything else that reaches my nose. It hits the palate with a thin, sweet cola flavor, followed by a quick burst of ethanol, and then returns to the creme brûlée with its burnt sugar crust. Perhaps a hint of odd banana, but it's very subdued. What sets this apart is the sensation that the scorched molasses was scraped directly from the still and mixed back into the finished spirit. It's too focused on one note for my preference, but that burnt sugar character is a welcome change from typical cheap rum. I might play around with this one – it could pair nicely with Woodford Reserve Double Oaked and a splash of Four Roses Single Barrel...

For something under $25, I love this. I would recommend it for someone who doesn't want to spend a lot and thinks rum is just Captain Morgan and Bacardi. You definitely get that pot still flavor and funk here. I'm not great with all the flavor profile details, but it's a full flavor experience with a molasses note. I've been waiting to try this, it's sort of hard to find for some reason, but absolutely great value. Some say not good straight, but I disagree.