Appleton Estate 2003 Hearts Collection

Bythefatrumpirate December 17, 2021July 12, 2025

Appleton Estate 2003 Hearts Collection. My only hope with this review is that I have enough to write about to flesh out another full review. I fear I may have covered quite a lot of ground with my previous review of the Appleton Estate 1984 Hearts Collection.

That said I’m sure I’ll find something to rattle on about. After all I’ve managed to review a whole host of Foursquare bottlings over the years and I (hope) I haven’t repeated myself too much.

From the amount of views already on the post above, I am going to make an assumption that most of you have already read the review. If not the link is there for you. Based on that assumption I’ll move on. I won’t bore you all again with the details of how I came about trying these two bottlings.

Now, upon publishing my review it came to my attention that a couple of other reviewers had scored the 1984 quite a bit lower than myself. It’s always interesting when reviewers, who I have respect for (they are a small handful, I must admit) have differing opinions to myself.

The two reviewers in question are Serge Valentin over at Whisky Fun and Roger Caroni (not his real name) over at Le Blog a Roger. Both felt that the rum was too woody and dry. Whilst I can see where they are coming from, I just didn’t find that to be the case. Yes it was pretty dry and quite woody but I felt the intense fruity flavours and spicy notes still came through more than enough. It felt to me akin to the Velier Demeraras as opposed to the El Dorado range. It was just a much more concentrated/intense Appleton experience, than you would get from their standard range.

I really enjoyed it and they enjoyed it less than me. This is why when reading reviews you should take notice of the notes made by the reviewer. As well as any score they may or may not give. It is not a case that one person is right and one person is wrong. They just taste things differently and (as all humans do) enjoy different things.

Obviously in this instance I am right though……….

There is no point asking me why another reviewer has given a different score or asking why I gave a higher score than the other reviewer. The only answers I can offer will come across as a touch on the blunt side! Or just plain rude.

Anyway lets get back to the rum review………

Appleton Estate 2003 Hearts Collection is a run of 5000 bottles. So like previous Hearts Collection releases it is not a Single Cask release. It is a bottling of various barrels of the same marque, maturation etc of rum.

It is a 100% Pot Still rum and Joy Spence once again will not reveal the marque of rum used in the release. The rum has been aged for 18 years in Jamaica in ex-bourbon barrels. The rum was bottled in 2021.

For the geeks Total Congeners 688g/100 LAA. For those with deep pockets a 70cl bottle of Appleton Estate 2003 Hearts Collection coming in at 63% ABV will set you back around £218 from The Whisky Exchange. Using the 1984 as a guide the price of the 2003 seems reasonable enough.

Now as mentioned already this Appleton Estate 2003 Hearts Collection rum does seem to have been more favourably reviewed/commented on when I have had a little look around the internet. By giving the 1984 a top score I haven’t given myself much wriggle room. That said if someone can tell me the difference between a rum scoring 96 and one scoring 95 I’d love to hear it……….(the answer isn’t 1 point smartarse)

So lets get some of this in my glass………

When poured the rum is a dark brown possibly slightly lighter than the 1984 but not hugely different.

The nose is instantly more familiar than the 1984’s. It’s very typical aged Appleton and has much in common with the “new” 8 Year, 12 Year and the 21 Year “standard” Appleton releases. So you get a nice waft of treacly molasses, orange peel, citrus, toffee and some chocolate-y oak (?). Beneath this is a nice warming mix of all spice and Christmas Cake.

It is undoubtedly more approachable and “easier” on the nose than the more intense 1984.

Sipped it is a bit spicier than I was expecting and the initial sip is nice and fiery. I’m getting fair bit of ginger and a heavy hit of oak on the entry.

However, as the palate adjust to the 63% ABV liquid the more the notes on the nose come through. The initial sip becomes much mellower. There is a nice intricate mix of honey, vanilla, toffee and chocolate going on.

The mid palate moves into a more spicy and citrus led direction. There is a slight smokiness in the background. Although the oak is less prominent than in the 1984 the fruityness is similar. This time I feel we are getting more of the “warming” notes, I find in Appleton 12 Year. So more of the chocolate, a touch of coffee, maybe. It’s a bit like a nice warm hug in a glass really. It’s nice and beefy but it has a gentleness to it as well?

As we move onto the finish we are treated to a long lingering spice and those wonderful chocolate, honey and vanilla notes. Which build nicely alongside a slightly herbal note and some orange no, hang on tangerine like notes.

The finish is long and elegant and wraps this wonderful rum up nicely.

I’m afraid I might look a bit like an Appleton Estate/Velier fan boy here but once again, I really don’t feel any reason not to give this a top score. It is dangerously drinkable even at 63% ABV.

I’ll answer the question though which do I prefer the 1984 or 2003?

I’d probably go for a bottle of this, given the choice – but I think both rums over something completely different. Both have been rums I have been really lucky to try and I am glad I was offered the chance.

Ultimatum Rum Selected Blend

Ultimatum Rum Selected Blend
Bythefatrumpirate December 30, 2017January 15, 2019

Ultimatum Rum Selected Blend. Ultimatum Rum as I was recently informed by a very kind commentator and reader of the site is “Ultimatum rum is the rum series of the Dutch importer and independent bottler van Wees who is mainly known for it’s independent whisky releases under The Ultimate label. The Ultimatum is the rum variant of that label and stands for single cask rums from a variety of regions and styles.”

Ultimatum have produced a number of single cask, but not cask strength rums from varying parts of the Caribbean and beyond over the past year or so. I first came across them at Dutch retailer Zeewijck. I’ve used this retailer on a number of occasions – often receiving my good faster from them than I have from domestic retailers! I recommend them highly (I even have a link on the main page of the site).

Ultimatum bottle their rums at 46% ABV. This particular offering is a blend of rums. 50% of the rums contained in the blend are Pot Still. It was priced at 28 euros (around £25) so I figured it was worth a punt. Like British Independent bottler Mezan Ultimatum make a point that the rums are Natural Colour, Non Chill Filtered and No Sugar Added. Like Mezan they do not have much control over what happens prior to them buying the rum from a broker/distillery but they are committed to only reducing the ABV down from Cask Strength to 46% ABV. They do not add anything else bar water.

Ultimatum Rum Selected Blend is a blend of 8 different rums. Unfortunately I do not have any information on what the rums are. It is sadly not disclosed on the label. Ultimatum state that 50% of the rums are Pot Still so I’m assuming that 4 are 100% Pot Still with the remainder either being all column or pot column blends. It states on the label the rum is 8 years old. Again I don’t whether this means all the rum in the blend is at least 8 years old or if it is a weighted average whereby some older rum compensates for younger rum giving an “average” age. As I say I’m just guessing on the make up. For the price I paid for this rum I’m really not to fussed to be honest.

Presentation wise the Selected Blend comes in the standard modern, stubby bottle used by Ultimatum. A synthetic plastic topped cork seals the rum. I quite like the presentation. The branding is pretty decent and I would be interested in these bottlings if I found them in a “real store”.

I’ve reviewed a few Ultimatum rums and like most independent bottlers they can be a bit hitty miss. Offhand I don’t recall having anything truly bad from them though. Just maybe sometimes not entirely my style of rum. This is one of those bottlings that just piqued my curiosity. Strange being that I am.

So lets get on with the fun part and see what this Ultimatum Rum Selected Blend has to offer.

In the glass Ultimatum Rum Selected Blend is a golden brown colour. The nose is pungent enough to detect some Jamaican Pot Still in the blend. Yet it has a creamy toffee note running through it which reminds me of blends such as The Duppy Share. Which combine Jamaican rum with other rums to create really nice balanced rum blends.

There is a very nice top note of burnt banana with a slight medicinal Hampden or Long Pond like sharpness to it. It delivers quite fiery kick to the nostrils but its tempered slightly by a lovely, almost soft, buttery quality. I could guess all kinds of rums are in this blend Worthy Park, Hampden, Foursquare etc. However with the amount of rums Ultimatum have released over the past year or so I won’t dwell to long on the likely make up of the blend beyond this.

This really is a lovely little blend. Enough Pot Still to keep it interesting and deliver a complex enough sip and enough “balancing” column rum to keep it all in check. At 46% ABV it isn’t going to knock anyone socks off but at the price I paid I’d certainly take this as an everyday kind of sipper. It displays a lot more complexity than many so called “Premium” rums on the market today.

I like the funkiness of this rum from the Jamaican Pot Still rum held within, but its key is its balance. It plays out very nicely. It’s a rich, warming rum. Dried fruits, a touch of milk chocolate a nice array of spices from the oak and just enough vanilla to impart some sweetness. All topped off with that Pot Still funk.

I did mix this as it wasn’t too pricey and it made a really good rum and cola. I’ve enjoyed this rum tremendously and I hope they continue to create blends such as these.

A lot of reviewers and rum enthusiasts seem to be shying away from “blends” particularly from multiple distilleries. In this instance they are really missing out.

Top stuff at a bargain price.

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Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva

Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva
Bythefatrumpirate April 9, 2026April 28, 2026

Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva. In many ways my days of reviewing these “kind” of rums should perhaps have been pretty much numbered.

However, this website is now over 12 years old. Now I’ve seen plenty websites come and go in that time. So I’m having quite a good innings to use a cricketing (or rounders, sorry Baseball) analogy.

During my 12 years of reviewing rum their have been quite a few changes. None which have impacted buying habits as much as I would have liked, unfortunately. Perhaps the most fundamental change in the past 10-15 years is the “truth” around additives in rum.

El Dorado, Bacardi, Ron Zacapa and Diplomatico are all multi award winning rum producers who have been “found out”. Their Gold Medals tarnished in some peoples eyes due to their use of post distillation additives. In particular the use of sugar and glycerin (amongst others) to sweeten, soften and smooth out their rums.

Perhaps the most noticeable effect of this has been the tightening of EU Rum Regulations. Previously up to a staggering 99 g/L of additives could be used and something could still be labelled “rum”. Anything over became a liqueur (not liquor!). This is the equivalent of over 25 level teaspoons of sugar.

This has now been tightened to 20g/L (still around 5 level teaspoons per litre). Anything over this and below 100g/L is labelled a “Rum Based Spirit Drink” or words to that affect. See Don Papa and Bumbu for reference.

Diplomatico had (prior to the EU changes) been recorded at around the 30/gL range in independent testing.

So I was curious to see how Diplomatico have reacted to the EU ruling.

I’d seen Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva on sale on Amazon on numerous occasions over the past 18 months. I finally saw it drop down to just over £30. I figured that even with Amazon’s huge stock levels it was likely that by this time I would be getting a more recent bottling which would reflect any changes made post the EU 20g/L ruling.

I’ve bought rum from Amazon before, which has been more than a couple of years old….just floating around in their warehouses.

Upon arrival I was immediately taken by the cylinder the rum came in. Whilst in the photo it may look largely the same as the bottle, the colours are considerably darker and the overall quality of the print is much lower than the older bottle I got (some 13 years ago now!). It looks a bit screen-printed and cheap.

That said the classic “postage stamp” stubby bottle with their mascot “Don Juancho” still proudly the centerpiece, still remains. Sadly the rear label (as pictured) spoils the aesthetic slightly with the Brown/Forman Import information and the calore content. I don’t suppose the HMRC sticker helps either…..

I’ve stopped commenting so much on the bottle presentation but for these type of rums……..the presentation is still key. Very important for the pretty bottle brigade.

Perhaps the most important thing about the presentation is that Diplomatico Reserva Exclusive is still labelled as a rum. So it must have under 20g/L of additives……..

I’d noted on Rum Revelations that Ivar had measured this in 2022 and found only 18g/L of additives.

I whipped out my Hydrometer and found the same reading – this is a 40% ABV reading and the Hydrometer shows 35% ABV suggesting 18.8 (I’lll call it 19) g/L of additives.

So additives have been reduced (or changed to something less noticeable with the Hydrometer), I wonder how much effect this has had on the actual rum?

Well lets visit the Diplomatico website and see what information they have on the rum in the bottle?

Well, not a lot it is part of their “Tradition Range” and is bottled at 40% ABV. The rest is just marketing flannel, awards and tasting notes.

So what is Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva? I’m going to have to go with what Diffords Guide tell me but I make no claims that this is 100% factually correct. The information is pretty old as well

20% light column distilled rum with 80% Pot Still Rum aged up to 12 years blended by Master Blender Tito Cordero who admits to adding a “little” cane sugar prior to blending.

This is as good as we are going to get I am afraid. In fairness Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva does not have an age statement nor does it hide behind any random fake number of any overly prominent XOXO style labelling. Even at its priciest it rarely comes in above £45 and hasn’t seen a dramatic price increase over the years.

This rum was featured as one of The Lone Caner’s “Key Rums of the World” not because he particularly rates it. He gave it 74/100 on his 50 point scoring system 50-100 which is middling at best. He noted it as Key Rum more due to its omnipresence on the scene and the number of times it is referenced and recommended. Not so much in more serious enthusiast/geek circles but amongst less serious more casual rum drinkers.

So lets get down to it.

In the glass the rum retains the dark hue of old. It is a very deep dark brown colour with a reddish hue.

The first thing I am noticing is that the legs on this rum do not seem as viscous as I previously remember. I don’t normally comment on the “legs” but this is very obvious and must be due in part to the reduction in additives?

Interesting. On the nose it doesn’t seem as sweet or intense as I remember either. Not so much raisin and coffee as before. Definitely less interesting as well.

It seems a little muted. It’s much lighter and the sweetness whilst still carrying a fair amount of weight to the profile has a slightly artificial note to it.

In all honesty I am a little surprised than long term drinkers of this haven’t noticed the shift? I’ve certainly not seen much by way of commentary around the shift in profile. There definitely is one from the 2014 edition. Not a subtle nuanced one either.

This seems thinner, less complex, less interesting – more like a fairly average Spanish style mixer. Nothing more. The nose is completely unremarkable.

Sipped it is agreeable enough. Light, sweetness with a slight saccharin note. Very little burn (next to none) and no real oak or aged profile at all. There is a bit of vanilla, some faint aroma’s of milk chocolate and a very sugary overall taste. Easy going, inoffensive, unsubstantial, muted and pretty boring overall.

Mixed it adds sweetness and a little fruitiness but its not pulling up any trees.

Whilst my taste shifted quickly away from Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva the first time around, I do feel that the reduction in the “additives” is really noticeable. I’d imagine for its fans its probably not a good thing. Which is why I am a little puzzled there has been no backlash from.

Have they even noticed? They surely aren’t that basic in their tastings as to not have? Have their palates caught up a little and are they preferring this in its less sweet guise? I’d be very surprised. The casual end of the rum drinkers spectrum has barely shifted in 20 years.

I recall when reviewing their “no additive” Distillery Collection that I could kind of see why they used additives. I feel the same with this.

It’s very, very average and in all honesty I can no longer see its lasting appeal even to those who prefer sweetened spirits. I feel this is living on a past reputation. Nevertheless it still seems to be selling.

Anyway I’ve added a fancy photo using AI the type that helps sell this kind of thing. You like?

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Ron Zacapa XO Centenario Solera Gran Reserva Especial

Ron Zacapa XO Centenario Solera Gran Reserva Especial
Bythefatrumpirate January 26, 2016

Ron Zacapa XO is the “super premium” addition to the regular Ron Zacapa range. There are many others yearly variations on the rum but this one along with the Sistema Solera 23 has been available for a number of years now.

I’m sure we are all aware of the marketing and the awards Ron Zacapa have won over the years. Not to mention the criticism the brand has come in for due to the sugar additions to their rums. Zacapa holds the accolade of being widely recognised as “one of the best rums in the world” on one hand whilst seen as the devil itself by many within the rum community.

A bottle of this coming in at 40% an unspectacular ABV of will set you back anywhere from £80 to £120 in the UK.

I personally don’t mind Zacapa 23 – I think its overpriced for what it is but it makes a decent enough sweet sipper and mixes pretty well.

As with the 23 this is a Solero blend of rums. The XO rather than being a mix of 6 to 23 year old rums is actually a mix of 6 to 25 year old rums. So it is a slight step up from the 23. Like the 23 it also features some added sugar, the results of which can be found on my Hydrometer tests page.

The presentation of the XO is spectacular with a beautiful crystal like decanter with embossed metal labelling and a beautiful box to store the rum, with a few notes on the rum and its heritage. At this kind of price you really should be getting top notch presentation. It’s very much a rum you could imagine a non rum drinker buying for a rum lover as a present. It’s very eye catching and its appearance does suggest quality.

Pouring the rum it reveals itself as a dark mahogany colour with flashes of red and orange. It’s very dark both in the bottle and the glass.

The nose is sweet, dark chocolate with bursts of sweet citrus notes. It is rich with coffee notes and a little tobacco. There is also a brandy like intensity about the nose. Hints of leather and oak ageing. It is reminiscent of the 23 with that distinctive Zacapa like sweet note. It’s a complex and very rich nosing experience and something which will certainly appeal to a lot of rum drinkers.

Moving onto a tasting. This is much richer than the 23 with a lot more citrus notes. In some ways I found the 23 to be very slightly vegetal (slightly agricole like in some respects) however this rum has huge notes of Christmas Pudding. It reminds me very much of Bristol Classic Rum’s Black Spiced. This is very sweet and to my mind it is practically a spiced rum.

On the other hand the XO does have quite a lot going on. As well as the strong Christmas pudding notes of orange peel ginger, cinnamon and plump brandy infused dried fruits it also has a slightly dry almost sweet and sour note which is common in Bourbon. I kind of Sour Mash feel going on with it as well.

There is sweet mocha like coffee along with a little tobacco but really the sweetness overall dominates. The rum doesn’t taste aged because it is so sweet. Any tobacco or oak notes are lost in the sweetness.

Zacapa does not itself as being produced using “sugar cane honey” and that’s very appropriate because this rum really is as sweet as honey! Unsurprisingly the finish is very smooth and it slips down all too easily. It’s very much in the sweet and smooth camp – heavily sugared (and possibly other tricks going on as well)

It is better than the 23 overall but it probably isn’t worth double the money. Nor is it something I would go out and buy again. It’s just not my thing anymore. It’s too sweet and I would be looking elsewhere at this kind of price.

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Bacardi Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron

Bacardi Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron
Bythefatrumpirate July 19, 2014July 13, 2015

A Premium Sipping Rum isn’t really a big deal anymore. You could probably spend most of your life trying every premium sipper and never get close to trying them all. However, what hasn’t really been done before is a white sipping rum. Whilst the casual rum drinker may consider Bacardi Superior to be a premium white rum, in terms of sipping it doesn’t even come close to the kind of smoothness and complexity that befits a true sipping rum.

So far I haven’t seen another review (I’ve seen press releases) of this new offering from Bacardi. Whilst I won’t proclaim to be the first to appraise this rum I haven’t seen this rum featured on any other blogs to date (19/07/14). I could almost claim an exclusive on this rum review….

The presentation of the Gran Reserva pays homage to the companies flagship rum – the Bacardi White Superior. Same green tinged thick glass bottle. The customary red Bacardi bat logo. However, unlike the Bacardi Superior this bat is presented as a plastic badge set back slightly from the bottle in its own little alcove. This adds a touch of class. As does the vintage labelling (as pictured).

The presentation of the rum is excellent. It is immediately recognisable as a Bacardi product but it is also very apparent that this is something a little more special. The Gran Reserva is currently only available at World Travel Outlets (Duty Free to you and me). So it is currently a limited release. In the UK Duty Free shops the rum is £36.99 for a 1 litre bottle. For a Premium Sipper this is a very competitive price. When it is introduced to the UK market I would expect to pay at least that for a 70cl bottle. The rum is bottled at 40% abv.

The presentation of the rum reiterates that is intended as a Premium Sipping Rum. It is filtered through Coconut Shell Charcoal (I have no idea what this is). The rum has a wooden topped synthetic cork enclosure which is as good as any I have seen to date. It is big and gives a very satisfying “pop” when the bottle is opened. It also has a picture of (whom I presume) is the legendary Facundo Bacardi.Overall the presentation of this rum is really very beautiful, eyecatching and mightly impressive.

I haven’t drank a great deal of White Rum. Chairmans Reserve White Label and Bacardi Superior are the only “brands” that come immediately to mind. I have drank quite a bit of supermarket white rum but nothing beyond that. This is not due to any real snobbery towards white rum – I just haven’t seen any which has really appealed to me. This is the first white rum that I’ve thought “I’ve got to try some of that!”.

I would imagine that the rise of Premium Vodkas such as Grey Goose and Belvedere over the past few years have made Bacardi consider a premium white sipping rum. Bacardi Superior is often a ready and more flavourful replacement for vodka in cocktails so it makes sense that this enjoyed neat could appeal to both rum and vodka drinkers.

From what information I have been able to source the rum in the blend is aged for around 3 years. Compared to other sipping rums this isn’t very long. It would seem that this Coconut Charcoal Filtration must really do the business in removing any unpleasantness. Unlike Bacardi 8 this is not from the Bahamas plant. It is from the Puerto Rican operation which produces the majority of Bacardi’s rum. As I was also able to get a bottle of Bacardi Superior at a very good price when in the Duty Free, I can make a comparison. This is mainly to determine if the Gran Reserva is noticeably better than its more popular older brother.

So first up is the nose. When poured into the glass the Gran Reserva is noticeably thicker than the Superior. Rightly or wrongly this gives me the impression of a better rum. The nose is very fruity and sweet. If you are a big Bacardi Superior drinker then you will immediately recognise this as Bacardi. Scents of Apple, White Grape and Orange lead the way with very little in the way of ageing in terms of oak or spiciness. In many ways I was expecting to get a more premium Bacardi Superior experience and this is definitely what this delivers. There is little in the way of alcohol coming through the nose, the fruits are much more intense.

Bacardi have labelled this a white sipping rum. This has causes a bit of a stir in the rum community. I’ve no doubt this is entirely intentional. Other producers are looking towards more premium white rums but few have the clout of Bacardi. So on with the sipping.

As you pour the glass you notice immediately that this rum is quite viscous and clings to the side of the glass. It is (despite the Georgian glass bottle) almost entirely clear. The initial sip is very sweet and intense. It is certainly very different to any other sipping rum I have tried. For those familiar with a Bacardi and Coke its very much like a more intense version of that. All in a tiny sip. I can definitely see this converting a few vodka sippers but many rum enthusiasts will not appreciate what Bacardi are trying to do with this rum. Unlike the Superior this rum is ridiculously smooth and clean. It almost coats the throat on the way down. I’ve chilled this rum in the freezer for a couple of hours and compared alongside a Belvedere vodka it wins for me. The rum is smooth and clean. It is sweet and fruity, citrus and green apple flavours.

As is the way I have mixed the rum with cola. However, once mixed the rum is really not noticeably better than the Bacardi Superior. I feel that this rum is one which is best enjoyed ice cold. Either with an ice cube or left in the freezer to chill. It is a bit of a waste to mix this rum when it is so smooth and you can get roughly the same flavour profile from the Bacardi Superior.

I’ve no doubt that once again this is a rum that will be bashed by the rum snobs. Again as far as I am concerned this is something different. If you want to drink the same rum, in the same drink then why bother experimenting? Why like such a diverse spirit as rum? Just go back to your local store and buy a bottle of the same old.

This is a premium white sipping rum and must be accepted as that. It isn’t made to compete with Zacapa or Diplomatico it is a completely different rum. There is no oak or spice its just a very clean white rum. I doubt Bacardi will like this but it might just work beautifully in a Mojito or Daiquiri. Only on special occasions though.

Related

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Foursquare LFT White Barbados Pure Single Rum

Foursquare LFT White Barbados Pure Single Rum
Bythefatrumpirate August 7, 2022

Foursquare LFT White Barbados Pure Single Rum. Whilst it is fair to say, all releases from Foursquare Rum Distillery are very sought after this is perhaps one of the most anticipated releases of 2022.

It’s not out yet (I’m just lucky enough to have been sent a very generous sample) so I can’t advise on the bottle numbers or the price. It is going to be released as part of the Habitation Velier series of rums.

So it will likely prove even more popular. Particularly to speculators and “collectors”. As usual I just hope enough drinkers can get their hands on this and enjoy the rum.

Due to the prolific nature of Foursquare since this site began (a very “nervy” interview is here when I hadn’t met Richard in person!). – I am sure any regular readers will be familiar with the distillery’s output and the views and opinions of the owner Richard Seale. In order to try and keep things interesting, I’ll not go over old ground in the opening part of this review. Instead I will give Mr Seale’s insights into this particular rum and its name.

“If any of you have listened to my recent discussions on our Habitation Velier “high ester” white rum, you will know that I am not comfortable with the name. It was simply the least worst choice I came up with to call it “high ester”.

Not that it is not “high ester”. By Jamaica standards, anything over 300 g/hl abs alc has left the “common clean” category (incidentally they do not like that category name either). At 555 g/hl abs alc, it is certainly high in ester content.

But the reference to Jamaica explains the problem. High Ester Rum is Jamaica terminology. I do not like using it. You cannot be an advocate for IP rights and steal the IP of others. While it is true that most of the Islands produced what we would consider “high ester”, it is really Jamaica that has kept it alive, made it famous and codified it. They own it.

It was the least worse name I could think of in haste. It is not agricole (its not 100% juice and more importantly its not produced in the French Islands). Grand Arome would also be a misappropriation. Heavy rum could be a fit (its got lots of congeners), save for the fact, thanks to Caroni we associate that more with a heavy, oily, tails heavy rum in the Trinidadian style.

I think what Savanna do with HERR is very clever. No overt use of the words “high ester” but a clever way of communicating the nature of the rum and emphasizing its their version.

So taking a leaf from their book, I will also use an acronym – LFT – Long fermentation type – an early distinction in rum making once fast fermentation (with added cultured yeast) came into play.

See the attached description from the 1908 Royal Commission – where it was debated whether traditional long fermentation and new short fermentation type rums were both entitled to be called rum.

After all, that is what we are trying to do – make a long fermentation style rum. High ester is just a natural corollary of that and the Jamaicans have their own way, very distinct to ours and quite unique to them.

For the record, we have made rums of over 1,900 Esters – this blend is to strike a balance between power (for your next cocktail or rum cake) and palatability for those who want it neat.

To be released soon.”

Foursquare LFT White Barbados Pure Single Rum is 100% Pot Still Distillate. Unaged and distilled back in 2021. It has a 555gr/hlpa Ester Count. If you want to compare this to another “High Ester” rum then Hampden HLCF (Hampden Light Continental Flavoured) comes it at between 500-600gr/hlpa.

Just to note for the purposes of this review I won’t be looking to compare this rum from Barbados to Jamaican rum. It will be reviewed on its own merits – not as some kind of “copycat”. I think that would be a pretty stupid thing to do.

The rum has been bottled at 62% and as noted in the picture to the right it is a blend of cane juice and molasses based rums.

The molasses based rum was fermented with a cultured strain of yeast for over 72 hours. The cane juice rum was fermented with naturally occurring yeast for several weeks.

I’m not going to claim this really makes a lot of difference to me as I’m not hugely into the whole distillation process etc – I just comment on the end result! I claim no expertise in this area. I figured, however a lot of “Rum Geeks” will appreciate this type of information.

In my glass I’m getting a completely transparent rum – so unaged white rum as expected.

I’m kind of expecting something akin to Veritas with this rum but I’m not 100% sure quite what to expect. I’ve not tried any cane juice rum from Foursquare before.

Vanilla – very heavy on the vanilla. Sweet chewy toffees, varnish and some light grassy notes. Given this blind I might well have said it was Jamaican rum. Or perhaps a blend of Caribbean rum.

Time in the glass and the rum shows more menace, notes of petrol and varnish become more noted. The vanilla subsides a little. It’s intense though and quite sweet on the nose. Certainly much less “savoury” than most high ester rums. For me its a bit more agreeable version of Savanna HERR.

The nose is intense and whilst quite sweet it also has a really nice intensity of flavour and complexity.

Sipped it is markedly less sweet – quite spicy with notes of chilli pepper, salted caramel and some cinnamon. Black Pepper and an almost Vindaloo like heat especially on the first sip.

A few sips in and you begin to get more of the sweeter molasses notes and a hit of sugar cane juice. Lightly grassy but with lots of toffee and caramel. For me it seems more like a high intensity mixer than an actual sipper.

It’s not bad but being unaged it is a bit fierce. There’s loads of flavour and a lot going on but its something I feel will work better in a Daiquiri or a Ti Punch.

The mid palate is a little peppery but you get more vanilla and toffee. The finish doesn’t really evolve much from the mid palate. It takes a while to fade out due to the powerful nature of the rum. That said it doesn’t really seem to add much to the overall experience.

I might not sound all that enthusiastic about this. I think I just prefer a more aged offering from Foursquare. Especially bearing in mind this will be as expensive as a lot of well aged rum.

I’ve still got a bit left from my sample so I’ll give it a bit of a mix……….

BOOM! A rum and cola is quite frankly a bit insane with this rum. It’s a huge flavour overload of toffee, molasses,vanilla and caramel. Alongside a hard hitting whack of floor polish, petrol and varnish. It’s pretty fantastic.

Ti Punch it works excellently as well giving a really sharp yet sweet hit to the drink. A Daiquiri is a bit mental as well.

As a sipper I’d probably look elsewhere but as a mixer Foursquare LFT White Barbados Pure Single Rum is pretty intense stuff.

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Gosling's Black Seal Rum

Gosling’s Black Seal Rum
Bythefatrumpirate October 9, 2014December 3, 2015

So Gosling’s famous Black Seal Rum. Named due to the Black Seal on the front of the black bottle? Wrong. Oh and the bottle is clear not black – the liquid held within is black. This is Goslings Black Seal Bermuda Black Rum. So that must be why it is called Black Seal.? I’m afraid you’re wrong again.

Gosling’s Black Seal Rum is actually named as a result of the black wax used to seal the original bottles. (old champagne bottles no less) A black seal. The Family Reserve Gosling’s actually uses a black wax seal to recreate that oldey world charm. Personally, I’ve only experienced a wax seal on one bottle – Foursquare Spiced and I found it to be a bit of a pain in the arse to be honest!

The current Black Seal gets away with this and is sealed with a plastic screw cap. The Black Seal comes in a standard bar/wine bottle. The front gives all the information you would require and the overall design is decent enough. The rear label gives some background and on the neck and rear their is a note that the rum gained Platinum status at the World Spirits Championship (scoring 96 out of 100 and being noted as best buy).

The Black Seal I am reviewing is bottled at 40% ABV and comes in a 70cl bottle. The rum retails at the £20-25 mark.

I’ve tried this rum a few times but I’d never went out and bought a bottle until fairly recently. I was buying a bottle of the Gosling’s Gold (which was discounted) and it just seemed foolish not to buy it’s older brother at the same time. Gosling’s Black Seal is one of the most easily available rum’s on the market in the UK particularly online. The rum has quite a high profile (the producers have trademarked their Dark N’ Stormy cocktail) but is strangely absent from UK supermarkets.

I bought a miniature bottle of the Black Seal 151 (75.5%). I think overproofs are great and no doubt useful in mixology but for my drinking purposes it wasn’t a hugely enjoyable experience. I’d tried the Goslings Black Seal on numerous occasions in the Las Iguanas chain of restaurants (a restaurant chain with a better than average stock of rums) but in Dark N’ Stormy’s mixed with Idris Fiery Ginger Beer. Fiery Ginger Beer and spicy Mexican/Brazilian cuisine doesn’t really leave much rum for a considered assessment of a rum. I’ve also had the odd shot or two of Black Seal mixed with cola on nights out. However, up until now I hadn’t ever had a bottle and hadn’t really formed a reliable opinion on the drink. Unlike some reviewers I do not believe in “reviewing” rum’s based on free miniatures or 20cl bottles.

So on with the rum. As the first picture shows the rum presents itself as an almost black dark brown with reddish tones. It’s very much like a port or red wine in colour. From viewing the rum from the rear of the bottle you can easily mistake it for a port or red wine. In some ways it is a little reminiscent of a fortified wine (fortified rum anyone?) but anyway more of that when we get to the taste of this rum.

When poured in the glass the rum retains its dark reddish brown hue. As you can see from my second picture the bottle is clear and it was the rum making the bottle appear black. Despite my numerous tastings of this rum I have little idea what to expect from such a dark rum. My pre-conceptions of such rum’s have been shaken a little by my recent experience of the very strange Bacardi Black (a sheep in wolf’s clothing!).

The nose is very pungent. Heavy thick treacly molasses and sweet caramel. It immediately reminds me of the kind of Jamaican/Guyanan blend of Pussers Navy Rum. I found the Goslings Gold to be quite “strong” in terms of flavour, for such a light looking (almost straw in colour) gold rum. It’s older brother certainly cranks that up a notch or two.

The Black Seal is frequently mixed so I went into this review expecting quite a rough and ready experience when sipped. The Black Seal sip’s remarkably well. Despite its pungent aroma it is nowhere near as rough and ready (or as strong) as Pussers Blue Label (the ABV is 54.5% after all). It’s initially sweet like liquorice, there is a little heat and spice in the mix and the finish is long and slightly bitter. Black Seal is quite one dimensional in terms of flavour and is reminds me a little of Woods 100 Navy Rum. However, I find it less bitter, sweeter and overall much better balanced.

The very fact I am comparing the Black Seal with Overproof Navy Rum’s tells you a lot about the make up of this rum. I’ve no doubt that unlike its Bajan cousin’s it probably has some additives in the rum. The rear label states a “recipe” which is closely guarded. Well it’s a good recipe!

As a sipper Goslings Black Rum is quite a nice (if slightly one dimensional as mentioned) experience. In short its a sweet liquorice hit with a slightly bitter and spicy exit. Having said that its a damn sight better than some supposed sipping rums!

As a mixing rum, I feel is where Black Seal really comes into its own. With cola it makes a fantastic long drink with ice and lime. The Black Seal is like Black Treacle (a very English experience). Black Treacle Syrup is a very dark sweet liquorice like affair. Gosling’s isn’t viscous like black treacle but it is every bit as tasty. One of the joys of pouring a true Dark N’ Stormy is watching how the Black Seal swirls into the Ginger Beer and ice. Often leading to a top layer of rum (more so with the 151 I’ve found).

As a dark mixing rum I rate this above Woods, Skipper, OVD and Bacardi Black (such a strange rum). I personally find that this kind of rum goes brilliantly with Cola and Ginger Beer. It’s a must in a Dark N’ Stormy. I’ve seen it said that there is no such thing as a sipping rum or a mixing rum – just good rum. Well my star system suggests that this is a indeed a Good rum!

This rum is available from

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