Plantation Grand Reserve

[RumBarPhilly]

This is much lower in price than all the other Plantation rums. As for the quality, its good, but I do happen to like many of the other vintages better.

I was wondering if anybody knew why the new Grand Reserve bottle has changed and why its so much nicer than all the other rums? Its got the same wicker wrapping, only this bottle is short and stout, much like grand marnier. I never saw the price of this rum, did its quality change somehow?

[Matusalem]

Is this the Plantation Grand Reserve (Barbados)?

I bought a first bottle of this not too long ago and was pleasantly surprised. The bottle I purchased is the same dimensions as other Plantation bottles I've seen / tasted (sometimes referred to as "cognac style" bottle).

At $17.99 I thought it was a steal, but much like you, wondered about it's price. (I'm definitely not complaining).

[RumBarPhilly]

The prior bottles I had of this were in the bottle you mentioned. The new one I got was in a stouter bottle similar to El Dorado Aged rums. I am going to do a tasting of the two next time I remember, although I hate opening two bottles of the same rum... unless they are different.

[Matusalem]

I'll definitely grab another bottle of this older one, but was $18 the going rate? IMHO it's extremely good for the price point it's falling under, but I wasn't sure if that was a store anomaly or the correct average price.
:confused:

[rumdog007]

Hi, Matusalem, it's $8.99 a bottle at HiTimes in Costa Mesa, CA. It's a closeout. I'm not sure where you are located. They had the Jamaican for $13.99, marked down from around $30.00, I believe. The Guyana is up around $40.00, still. For the price of the Plantation Reserve, I bought a couple of cases. Earlier this year, the 1.75L was $13.99, also a closeout.

[rumdog46]

Hey buddy,
I was just checking on Hi Times and it's the Matsulem Reserve is listed at 24.99. Is this only for walk in?

[Matusalem]

No they (HiTime) deliver, especially in CA.

[Michael]

They only ship in California for spirits. We've always had good experiences with Hi-Time and just wish that they were in our part of California.

[rumdog46]

I know Hi Times delivers I order from them all the time as I also live in California. I was asking rumdog007 if the Matsulem Reserve he posted being listed at $8.99 if that price was only good at the walk in location as it was showing being listed on their site at $24.99 and not $8.99.

[rumdog007]

It was a response to the member named "Matusalem" about Platation Grand Reserve for $8.99 a bottle. I will go back and re-read the thread, but I was responding to the comments on the Plantation line of rums. They have a upper tier Barbados, and a cheaper Grand Reserve, both bottled with a wicker/straw "ribbon" on the bottles.

[RumBarPhilly]

The higher end Barbados 1995 is my favorite of their current line-up. Id be interested to find some of the older bottlings and vintages. ANybody know where I can find some? I knew of a Venezuela rum they had discontinued last year, Id love to get my mitts on that one!

[RobertBurr]

Plantation showed their full line at RumFest UK's Rum Experience. That's the first time I'd see them all in one place at one time. I like these rums a lot. None of them alone are on my top ten list, but as a group they are a nice collection, each reflecting faithfully the essence of their territory.

The web site has some info in English. (http://www.plantationrum.com/en/produits.php)

[Lew Barrett]

I'm now just home from work, sipping some Plantation Barbados Grande Reserve I got for $8.99 when I was in California in January. It is quite enjoyable, and doesn't reflect it's humble price in the least. A screaming deal. It's not my favorite, but it's a case where the sweetness of the price wasn't undermined by the quality of the product for me.

[Hank Koestner]

I have 6 of the Plantatiom rums, and find that they are all high quality,and each blend as Robert said, represents its region very well.
Lew, it was a steal at 8.99! :D

[Tiare]

Lew, it was a steal at 8.99! :D

That would be the same as 57 swedish crowns. I bought mine for 250 crowns..

[Lew Barrett]

Hank, I ordered four more bottles a couple of days ago. Even with an approximate added cost of $5 each to ship, I think it's a bargain. Of course, I added some other stuff to round out the box!

Since there have been good reviews of the Ron Botran, I got one of those to try, and also added an FDC 18 (at $34) for good measure since my experiment with the FDC 12 came out so favorably. I still want to get a bottle of Castries and one of ED Rum Cream but those will have to wait!
Rum is fun!

[Lew Barrett]

That would be the same as 57 swedish crowns. I bought mine for 250 crowns..

Tiare, when I compare prices in Europe to ours here, I am in disbelief. Of course, we have other issues, but as we have all been successful in keeping politics off the forum, I won't belabor those. Suffice to say that rum remains an affordable pleasure here, whereas certain other imported luxuries may be less so in the not too distant future. In the interim, my sympathies are truly extended!

[rumdog007]

I have really liked all of the Platation rums. I agree, the Venezuela is superb. When it was a closeout, I stocked up. I also have the top tier Barbados in a couple of different year bottlings, Trinidad, St. Lucia, Panama, Grenada, Guyanna, Nicaragua, and Jamaica. I haven't seen the Nicaragua or Venezuela on shelves for quite some time. When I first started tasting the line, I was not sure if one, any, or all of them would be god rums or just a marketing scheme. But, across the board, each represents its region fairly and taste great.

[Hank Koestner]

All of my bottles say Old Reserve. Did they change later bottlings to Grand Reserve, or are there two tiers of rum? I have:
93 Trinidad
93 Barbados
92 Venezuala
97 Panama, all Old Reserve,
and an Old Reserve Jamaican 8. I just finished a second of the Barbados,
so now I have 5 instead of 6.
I would love to aquire the others, Guyana, Grenada and St Lucia. I would also love to compare the different vintages against each other, like the 93 and 95 Barbados.
I have always found the price of this line to be within reason.
They may not enter my top 10, but they will alwasy be on my shelf if they are available.

[rumdog007]

The "upper tier" rums, the ones which you have listed and mine also, have "Old Reserve" in small lettering, near the top, by the crest.

Barbados, only, has 2 rums, an upper tier Old Reserve which has a year date. By this I mean that each bottle has a year of bottling proudly displayed near the center. The other Barbados is the lower tier "Grande Reserve", no date. The bottles differ slightly in that the Grand Reserve is about 1/2 inch shorter.

I have a couple bottles each of the upper tier Old Reserve from Barbados '93, '94, and '95. All of my Venezuela, Old Reserve, is 1992. All of my Jamaica is listed as Old Reserve Jamaican 8. Then, all of the others are single years, each and listed as Old Reserve.

I believe there are 8 upper tier and one lower tier.

BTW, the Jamaican 8 is $13.99 at HiTimes!

Also, I have seen even newer bottlings of the upper tier rums from Plantation which have a pronounced change in the label and a really brightly colored sealer on the cap/cork. The wicker ribbon is also gone on these bottles.

[The Rum Ambassador]

The higher end Barbados 1995 is my favorite of their current line-up. Id be interested to find some of the older bottlings and vintages. ANybody know where I can find some? I knew of a Venezuela rum they had discontinued last year, Id love to get my mitts on that one!

You're not the only one. The blender from Cognac Ferrand (producers of the range) told me that they were willing to buy back full bottles of their Venezuela 1992 , because they couldn't even find it. So if any one has a couple of bottles, sip one because it's a beautifully blended rum, and keep the other. It's a modern classic and will be worth a few pennies...if it isn't already.

[krustykrab]

I just came across a bottle of 'Old Reserve 1986 Vintage Plantation Barbados'

Does anyone know anything about this rum?

[RobertBurr]

I just came across a bottle of 'Old Reserve 1986 Vintage Plantation Barbados. Does anyone know anything about this rum?

I only have the 1993 Barbados from Plantation, which is quite good. Chances are, that '86 is not available anymore. Can you get more than one?

[krustykrab]

I only have the 1993 Barbados from Plantation, which is quite good. Chances are, that '86 is not available anymore. Can you get more than one?

No, a friend of mine's father found a bottle in his cabinet and knowing that I was quite into rum gave it to me!

[rumdog007]

I have a case + a few bottles of the Venezuela 1992, but none of the 1986 Barbados. In fact, I never got to taste that one. I bought all this line of rums by the case and have a pretty good stockpile in the Rum Bunker. Thanks for letting me know about the Venezuela '92. I will hold on to it more tightly from now on!

[angelsword]

I have a case + a few bottles of the Venezuela 1992, ...

Might I have anything that might interest you as far as a trade for one of those bottles?

[RumBarPhilly]

Might I have anything that might interest you as far as a trade for one of those bottles?

I second that.

[rumdog007]

I'll keep you guys in mind, for sure. Right now, I can't think of anything. But one thing is certain, I won't be leaving it out at big parties anymore. That's a job for the Barbados Grande Reserve at $8.99 a bottle with 12 cases in storage. It's good, not really a fine rum, but more than passable.

[RobertBurr]

Thanks to a good friend for bringing along a few special bottles: first, the Old Reserve 1992 Vintage Plantation Rum from Venezuela. He also brought a special version of the Havana Club 7 and a new three year old Angostura.

What's better than good friends and good rum? Thanks, Ian.

[forrest]

That's a job for the Barbados Grande Reserve at $8.99 a bottle with 12 cases in storage. It's good, not really a fine rum, but more than passable.

i don't know, i'd say Grand Reserve was quite a bit above passable-- especially for $8.99 a bottle!!

i posted tasting notes for 6 of the top tier line here: http://www.ministryofrum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1546&page=2

i love these guys!!

[Hank Koestner]

I was lucky enough to get the Venezuela 92 a while back, and will be sad :(when the bottle is finished. It is a great rum.

[sluijsj]

A while ago I found 2 bottles of Plantation 1986 barbados rum and 2 bottles of Plantation 1983 Jamaica Rum. Finished one of the '83 ones. The rest I will keep closed for now :)

Yesterday I ran into a Plantation 20 years Extra Old Barbados rum. I bought one and ordered a 2nd one. Only I can't seem to find any info on it on the net. Does anyone now more about this one?

[lebear]

Tiare, when I compare prices in Europe to ours here, I am in disbelief. Of course, we have other issues, but as we have all been successful in keeping politics off the forum, I won't belabor those. Suffice to say that rum remains an affordable pleasure here, whereas certain other imported luxuries may be less so in the not too distant future. In the interim, my sympathies are truly extended!

Regarding alcohol taxes in Sweden. For distilled liquors, the current tax rate is approx. $70 USD per litre of pure alcohol. The maximum volume of bottles sold is 0.7 litres, so for any bottle (~40%), the alcohol tax is about $20 regardless of brand/quality.

Added to that is the 25% VAT, which is calculated after the addition of the alcohol tax. So, bascically: price for the seller (our beloved state-owned alcohol monopoly) + $20 + 25%

I've seen calculations claiming that for a 0.7litre bottle of Absolut Vodka, 81% is taxes. And if it's a cheaper brand (but same amount of alcohol), the actual percentage of taxes is naturally even higher (Explorer Vodka: 94% taxes!)

http://www.skattebetalarna.se/Templates/News1.aspx?PageID=e0002318-eec3-4328-addd-de523ea9e803

(here, skatt = taxes)

FYI, a bottle of Plantation Grand Reserve Barbados is about $37 here. (But that varies due to exchange rate fluctuations, obviously)

[italia1983]

I have a case + a few bottles of the Venezuela 1992, but none of the 1986 Barbados. In fact, I never got to taste that one. I bought all this line of rums by the case and have a pretty good stockpile in the Rum Bunker. Thanks for letting me know about the Venezuela '92. I will hold on to it more tightly from now on!

hello i see you say you have alot of the plantation rums
i was wondering if you would be willing to sell me a bottle of the venezuela to complete my collection

please email me at isgro01@email.franklin.edu