View Full Version : recent tastings
Hi everybody
Did a couple of tastings in the last few weeks with a few friends and I thought about sharing our views.
One rum I was eager to taste was the Cockspur Bajan Crafted 12 years, which was reintroduced in Quebec a few months ago. I had very good memories of a Cockspur extra old from a few years ago. We were quite disappointed with this new bottle though. Not a very good smell, very alcohol-like, and there was a lot of burn when drinking neat. The rum was definitely better with ice; I would only use it to mix. A poor 2/10 for all parties involved.
After the Cockspur disappointment we moved on to a 15 years Zacapa Centenario. I knew that the 23 yrs seems to be a favorite in this forum so I was eager to taste that one as well. We found it way better than the Cockspur, with hints of chocolate and wood, a sweeter taste but still strong. We gave it a 6/10 (always out of personal enjoyment).
We finished with a Plantation Trinidad 1996. Interesting color, orange - copper. The smell is interesting as well, oak barrel, tobacco. The rum is raw, strong, tasty and spicy. It has quite a unique taste, a strong personality; the kind of rum you would recognize easily among others. Grades varied from 7.5 to 8; the favorite of the night. I would be curious to try other Plantation rums.
forrest
09-09-2008, 02:59 AM
We finished with a Plantation Trinidad 1996. Interesting color, orange - copper. The smell is interesting as well, oak barrel, tobacco. The rum is raw, strong, tasty and spicy. It has quite a unique taste, a strong personality; the kind of rum you would recognize easily among others. Grades varied from 7.5 to 8; the favorite of the night. I would be curious to try other Plantation rums.
It's funny, i am having a Plantaion Panama as i type this-- love it!
i love all of the Plantation Rums i wrote what i thought about the latest releases here. . . (http://ministryofrum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1546&page=2)
The Trini is amazing! i'll leave it at that, you can read more if you want by following the link.
The Panama is tricky-- much more difficult, but so amazingly worth the effort.
My two cents..
Great read ! The level of detail in descriptions is almost poetic, and denotes years of experience, whereas I am more of the type : I like it - I don't like it. I guess it will come with years. By reading the post I was expecting your favorite was Guyana.
I took a look at the web site, and I can't seem to find St. Lucia. I seem to remember there was one from there.
forrest
09-09-2008, 04:38 AM
Great read ! The level of detail in descriptions is almost poetic, and denotes years of experience
Thank You, those are very kind words, and they are deeply appreciated.
By reading the post I was expecting your favorite was Guyana.
God in all honesty, i am not sure which one is my "favorite". Right now i would say it is Panama, but that is because i am drinking it right now. . . it is profoundly daedal, extremely involved, and bountifully nuanced.
But that Guyana is stupefying... Most things that are deeply complex, highly intricate, rich in complicated nuance seem almost that 'simple satisfying enjoyment' takes the back seat to 'recherche wonderment', but the Guyana held these two opposing notions in tandem, with a grace and ease that i can only think of describing as-balance.
I took a look at the web site, and I can't seem to find St. Lucia. I seem to remember there was one from there.
Yes at the time that i wrote it. the St Lucia was unavailable, but i went to a tasting (rumdog007, and Dood were there also) and the distributors Rep was there and he brought his bottle of St Lucia with him for us to taste (which was very nice of him!). St Lucia is absolutely fantastic, but we cant find it anywhere-- yet!
Hank Koestner
09-09-2008, 10:01 AM
I, too am a big fan of the Plantation line up.drool.gif
Paulipbartender
09-09-2008, 10:18 AM
Hi everybody
Did a couple of tastings in the last few weeks with a few friends and I thought about sharing our views.
One rum I was eager to taste was the Cockspur Bajan Crafted 12 years, which was reintroduced in Quebec a few months ago. I had very good memories of a Cockspur extra old from a few years ago. We were quite disappointed with this new bottle though. Not a very good smell, very alcohol-like, and there was a lot of burn when drinking neat. The rum was definitely better with ice; I would only use it to mix. A poor 2/10 for all parties involved.
One reason you might not have liked the Cockspur 12 is that it isn't a 12 year old. You'll notice the label doesn't say 'years old' anymore and the blend features appreciable younger rums.
Still an enjoyable sipper though
Michael
09-09-2008, 11:20 AM
One reason you might not have liked the Cockspur 12 is that it isn't a 12 year old. You'll notice the label doesn't say 'years old' anymore and the blend features appreciable younger rums.
Still an enjoyable sipper though
Now the reason why we didn't understand the enthusiasm others felt for this rum is apparent: we have the later and lesser bottling.
Thanks again for your invaluable assistance. cheers.gif
Yes at the time that i wrote it. the St Lucia was unavailable, but i went to a tasting (rumdog007, and Dood were there also) and the distributors Rep was there and he brought his bottle of St Lucia with him for us to taste (which was very nice of him!). St Lucia is absolutely fantastic, but we cant find it anywhere-- yet!
Guillaume is a cool dude. I can't wait for the St. Lucia to make it here. It was really great stuff.
I also have to agree with Forrest that the Panama is just unbelievably good.
primate77
09-10-2008, 01:34 AM
Count me in the "I like/I don't like" camp - and I'm not ashamed to admit it!!!Btmup.gif
RumBarPhilly
09-12-2008, 11:40 AM
We finished with a Plantation Trinidad 1996. Interesting color, orange - copper. The smell is interesting as well, oak barrel, tobacco. The rum is raw, strong, tasty and spicy. It has quite a unique taste, a strong personality; the kind of rum you would recognize easily among others. Grades varied from 7.5 to 8; the favorite of the night. I would be curious to try other Plantation rums.
The Plantation Trinidad is my favorite in the Plantation lineup, defintely a sleeper choice as a top 10 rum of mine.
Lew Barrett
09-23-2008, 06:33 PM
I'm late here, but I agree with you Ben. I am not in the Cockspur camp, and find it exactly as you describe it, but I don't have any problem with people who do like it, and when, if ever, I have Paul's experience with rum, I might change my tune. In the meantime, "me no like,"
The rest are all winners!
By the way Ben, if you have never been catered to by Forrest at "his" shop, you owe it to yourself to go in and buy a bottle or two from him. I'm eager to do it again this January when I make my annual pilgrimage to Orange County. He's just as effusive and enthusiastic in person as he is on these pages.
I'm late here, but I agree with you Ben. I am not in the Cockspur camp, and find it exactly as you describe it, but I don't have any problem with people who do like it, and when, if ever, I have Paul's experience with rum, I might change my tune. In the meantime, "me no like,"
Strange thing is I remember enjoying very much a Cockspur a few years ago, but it was not the Bajan. And since the Bajan seems to be their oldest, I'm quite dumbfounded by my recent tasting. Anyway variety is the spice of life, and it would pretty dull if we would like all the same things.
By the way Ben, if you have never been catered to by Forrest at "his" shop, you owe it to yourself to go in and buy a bottle or two from him. I'm eager to do it again this January when I make my annual pilgrimage to Orange County. He's just as effusive and enthusiastic in person as he is on these pages.
I realize that Forrest is the man behind HiTimeWine, that I know from my pilgrimage on the Web trying to compare prices. With the poor variety that we have here in Quebec, a visit to a store like that for me would compare to a kid being locked in a Toys'r'Us. I'll make sure using my frequent flyer miles to a good use.
forrest
09-24-2008, 01:48 AM
He's just as effusive and enthusiastic in person as he is on these pages.
Wow, thank you for the nice words Lew. Sorry i have to wait till January for you to show up, but i hope you are having fun!
Ben, you rock. Dood and i were out at some tasting (tonight) and we carried on this discussion (about all the Plantation rums-- Trinidad, and the Panama for instance, we love them both for differing reasons!.)
rumdog007
09-24-2008, 02:41 AM
forrest, I found another bottle of the St. Lucia in Colorado today. There is definitley a slip-up in their distribution. Anyway, Has anyone tried the Grenada? I found a bottle some time ago in SF Bay area and it, once again, brings another completley different taste to the lineup.
forrest
09-24-2008, 01:31 PM
Has anyone tried the Grenada? I found a bottle some time ago in SF Bay area and it, once again, brings another completley different taste to the lineup.
The new Grenada (http://www.hitimewine.net/istar.asp?a=6&id=162473!1104) just came in last week, so i am going to have to try it (there is also a new Jamaican coming-- i thought it was here but i just looked and it wasn't online so.... soon?) and still no word on St Lucia:(
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