Plantation Xaymaca Special Dry

A great option to start getting deeper into Jamaican rums. Definitely not your Smith and Cross or Worthy park, but a step up from Appleton’s offerings.

...than this rum. I can hardly believe there could be such a variation in ratings as on this rum, and maybe, just maybe it is like cilantro? Just genetically, perhaps some of us are wired to taste something grizzly where others taste something delightful. But I can honestly say I've never tasted any rum so "medicinal" as this. I have had good-tasting Plantation Rum in the past (I don't remember which variation), but this Xaymaca is truly awful to my own taste-buds.

I mixed this in a traditional Mai Tai with dry curacao, lime juice, and orgeat syrup. Very tasty.

Nice Jamaican funk, kind of on the milder side for me, but that may be due to the ABV compared to say Wray & Nephew, Smith & Cross or Hampden. Could be a nice entry into Jamaican rums, but if you've gotten used to some of the funkier rums, this one is a bit one note. Personally, I think I'd reach for Coruba over this around the 40% ABV category. Granted that's assuming you can find Coruba, in which case, this is looking like a pretty good option.

Nose something I can't quite identify maybe tropical fruits. Dry with a harsh bite on the back end.

Like with any Jamaican rum, your mileage may vary depending on how you react to the various esters, phenols, etc., but for me, this is exactly what I want from a Jamaican mixer. Neat it's bone dry and a bit spicy with overripe banana, pineapple, and mildly grassy notes. Cocktails is where this really shines and becomes a flavor bomb. Lovely stuff, blows Appleton Signature completely out of the water.

Disappointing would be an understatement. I understand that people enjoy tastes differently but when I took my first sip I couldn't get coke into the glass fast enough. This is the ugly step sister of the Plantation world.

Duft: Kirsebær, fermenteret frugt, sødme. Score: 2
Smag: Røg, røg & røg, træ, sødmen er i god balance, tør. Score: 2

Tasted next to the Appleton 12 Rare Casks and liked this better because of it's slight sweetness without dosage. Unmistakable Jamaican nose of ester funk and full body, but short finish.

Somehow I was not very impressed, absolute average.