Lemon Hart Original 1804

I've had my eye on Lemon Hart 1804 Original for a while now and finally got round to picking some up. The price was favourably comparable to a couple of my other choices for go-to cost-effective rums so I was pleased to find it. First off, is this a black rum? Well the clear glass bottle looks blacker than the devil's coal cellar so I'd say yes, it counts as black although it's actually a dark brown amber sort of colour - looks great in the glass. Anyway let's get on to what this rum is actually like. On the nose I get Christmas fruits, hints of solvents and something very familiar that I can't quite put my finger on. Darn it I sat there and sniffed the glass for ages trying to place this recognizable yet not recognized scent; if it ever comes back to me I'll edit this review, no worries. Time for a sip! I get just a hint of tobacco smoke with cough sweets, muted citrus notes and a strong impression of Victory-V lozenges. I find this rum just a little sweet and smoother than comparable products, with nutty notes and a fair amount of spice/burn. But how do I feel about it? Honestly I wasn't expecting to be blown away but I have to admit that I've found my new favourite mass-market inexpensive rum. Its flavour is robust enough not to completely vanish in a cocktail and as a sipper I thoroughly enjoyed it. Great! I could drink Lemon Hart 1804 Original any day and, whilst it's not up there with a more expensive or refined product, I'd happily recommend it to anyone. All in all a very acceptable rum at a very acceptable price and, whilst I've scored it a 7, I really feel it deserves a 7½. Go try it out.

Laka Lono Rum Club tasting on 7/27/22. Dark brown in color. Iron, ferric notes. Big caramel . Toasted, yet thin.

Picked up a bottle as a tagalong for the flagship 151, which I hadn’t been able to get around here for a while. On its own it seems like a serviceable rum, but doesn’t stand out in quite the way I was hoping. Fairly smooth for a mid-shelf rum, but somewhat monotone. I taste an intriguing cinnamon/baking spice primarily, with just a hint of dried plum on the finish. Smells of caramel, but I don’t get much on the tongue. Curious to see if this adds body in mixed drinks a la Coruba (since they are similar price, but Hart & Son is easier for me to find for now) noting that the characteristic “funk” of Jamaican is absent here, since it’s a Demerara. I could see this becoming a regular in my rotation, but I had higher hopes!

It has the caramel notes you'd expect to find in a demerara rum with some burnt sugar and raisin notes. It plays well with limes, lemons and everything else that rum likes. I would use this for all dark rum needs.

It's similar to any of the cheaper (non Bacardi/Morgan) rums. Reminds me of Lambs Navy, if anything. It's hard to stand out in the sub $30 bottle range, I suppose.

It'd make a decent mixer, but so would cheaper stuff

Adds a great caramel flavour to coke, coffee, or black tea, but it has a harsh flavour neat.

I really wanted to like this rum. It is a Demerara rum, it is a navy style rum (without being overly vocal about that), it is quite no-nonsense in presentation. All things that I like.

The nose is satisfyingly molasses, but a bit too burnt for my taste. I enjoy caramel notes, but this one somehow is a bit too much for me, feeling more malty in nature. Some dried fruit, all very nice.
Taste confirms this. There is a lot of molasses, rich and medium-sweet mouthfeel. All very good. But there is a sort of burnt sugar, burnt cocoa, or even licorice like note in the background that I do not enjoy. I am fine with bitter notes in spirits, in fact, I like them. But this is a sort of burnt, slightly herbal, slightly acrid, but also sweet-ish bitter-harsh note that I do not like, for whatever reason. It seems off to me.
It also has raisins, a bit of dark chocolate (also slightly burned), possibly coffee (the burnt taste might do that) and a bit of alcoholic sizzle (which I like).
I would like to add that sweetness is on the manageable side. It is fairly muted, not cloying. No idea whether sugar was added - I would suggest that a bit of added sugar is likely, but could be wrong.

I enjoyed it in hot beverages, but I do enjoy cheaper rums for the same purpose, so that is not enough.

Overall, a very solid rum at a decent price. I would not refuse this rum at all, if I was to be given a glass of it. But I would not buy a bottle again. If my negatives sound good to you, I am fairly confident that this rum might be for you. For me it is not.

On first tasting, I was caught by surprise. There are some interesting notes here, and an almost savory flavor. Over the months, I've come to really appreciate this one.

There notes of chocolate and vanilla, as well as some darker and funky flavors that I struggle to put into words. Part of me wants to draw a comparison to Worcestershire, but I don't want to scare off the unfamiliar who may be reading this before tasting it for the first time. It's definitely not an unpleasant flavor, but it has been unique in my experience so far.

This is the rum that helped me to dip my feet into the depths of flavors that are present in rum, and helped elevate me from a casual drinker into someone who can appreciate the subtleties of different brands.

If you are a rum newbie like I was, I challenge you to give this a shot. Its affordable, available, and complex.... and may be your introduction into the wide world of rums and the huge range of flavors and nuances that this drink affords us.

I definitely prefer this one mixed with a cola, but the flavor profile is unique and delightful, as well as memorable
This is a staple in my house.

Really weak nose. Slightly bitter flavour. Woody. Decent enough for cocktails but doesn't pack the flavour of an El Dorado.

I like this rum. While not a specially old or complex it just works with a cup of ice, of mixed. Mild Demerara flavors but nothing like ElDorado. Better options for the price point. Don’t want to go anywhere near the 151.