Cachaca Barao Dourado Amendoim

Bythefatrumpirate

Cachaca Barao Dourado Amendoim Review by the fat rum pirateCachaca Barao Dourado Amendoim. I think Barao Dourado roughly translates into English as the Golden Baron but don’t quote me on that. Feel free to verify if you know otherwise.

Cachaca has been produced at Barao Dourado Farm for over 200 years. The farm is situated in Santa Maria Madelana, Rio de Janeiro.

This Cachaca has once again been produced on Copper Pot Stills. The total age of this Cachaca is 2 years however I have information which suggests that it has been stored in stainless steel vats and transferred to Amendoim casks for at least 6 months. It is said that Amendoim is the perfect wood type for the storage of classic white cachaça, the subtle notes of the wood hardly changes the flavour profile or the colour.

Cachaca Barao Dourado Amendoim is bottled at 40% ABV and is available in a more familiar 700ml bottle unlike many Cachaca’s. It is also available in 250, 160 and 50ml bottles.  The presentation is clear and uncluttered – but a bit basic and appears a little “cheap”. So it may need upgrading should it wish to make an impact in the European/Western markets. However we know better than most here, that its not about the presentation.

Barao Dourado currently produce 5 Cachaca’s this is one of their “silver” Cachaca’s. This one has the benefit of some wood ageing but their Tradicional Silver Cachaca is “aged” in stainless steel vats. In Brazil a 700ml bottle of Cachaca Barao Dourado Amendoim will set you back around £13. If this did make it to Europe I would expect a retail price of £30.

In the glass Cachaca Barao Dourado Amendoim is a crystal clear liquid. I’m quite surprised the wood hasn’t had any impact on the colour, to be honest.

Nosing reveals a very creamy quite vanilla heavy nose. This is balanced by some more vegetal notes – a slight grassiness which has a slight soapiness to it. It is nicely balanced but slightly aggressive. You can tell this is a fairly young spirit. This may put a few off but I often prefer a little aggression in younger spirits. Further nosing reveals notes of lime and some banana leaf. Overall it has a nice balance to it and it is quite a pleasant Cachaca to nose.

Sipped I am surprised at how easy-going it is especially on the entry. At 40% ABV I was expecting a little more burn but it’s reasonably “smooth”. It’s quite mineral like in terms of flavour and not as sweet as I was expecting from the nosing. There is a slight note of citrus and some light grassy notes similar to a young Agricole. Further sips reveal more of the light vanilla ice cream that I got on the nose alongside some hints of coconut.

Cachaca Barao Dourado Amendoim Review by the fat rum pirateIt has a really good balance to it and is very pleasant to sip on. These young white Cachaca’s are reminding me of the Clairin from Haiti. I do however think that these are more elegant. I’m thinking Clairin as a Jamaican rum and Cachaca more as a Bajan rum. So whilst one is full on the other is more subtle with more balanced nuances.

This is a really pleasant almost entry-level white Cachaca. It’s not hugely complex as spirits go but it is has enough going on to make it a very pleasant sipper or aperitif. As a mixer it works well in a Caiprinha or with lemonade or soda. I didn’t mind it with cola but I don’t think I would recommend drinking it that way.

I am finding these younger white Cachacas to be very agreeable. Much like young white Agricole I am finding that they are all of a certain quality. It is worth noting at this stage that Cachaca allows only a small amount of sugar in its production 6g/L. Which if you have looked at the Hydrometer Tests page you will know that 0-5 g/L is dismissed as being from the cask extracts. So 6g/L even if added to the Cachaca is not a lot to be adding. For the record I tested this and it hit 40% so that is academic. I guess what I am saying is that as they aren’t permitted to muck around with the spirit you get a certain quality as a result – much like Jamaica, Barbados and Martinique

All in all this is another impressive Cachaca.

 

 

 

 

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  • Companheira Gatinha Cachaca

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Companheira Gatinha Cachaca rum review by the fat rum pirateCompanheira Gatinha Cachaca. This is the second release from Companheira (Companion in English) that I have reviewed. I have previously reviewed the brands Extra Premium, which was one of the best cachacas I have sipped to date.

    Companheira have been producing cachaca since 1994 and have a number of products in their portfolio. Companheira Gatinha has won awards recently at the Expocachaca in 2018 and Cacharitiba earlier this year. As a result of this I am assuming that it is a fairly recent addition to the market.

    Companheira Gatinha is presented very differently to the Extra Premium. Companheira have a few different bottle types in their line up. They don’t keep a consistent “branded” approach to their bottlings. Presentation wise Companheira Gatinha is a little more “Brasilian” the Extra Premium with the opaque screw cap bottle. The label is a little more modern Gatinha translated into English means kitten, so this Companion Kitten cachaca.

    The cachaca is available only in a 600ml bottle and will set you back around R$34-50 around £6-9. Were this to come to the UK/Europe I would expect to see it priced at around £30. It is bottled at 40% ABV. The price online of this cachaca is quite variable so if you are able to buy it from a Brasilian vendor then shop around.

    Companheira Gatinha is a blend of cachacas aged in different types of wood. All the cachacas are first distilled in small batches on the companies custom built Pot Stills. The blend also includes some unaged cachaca.

    The exact ratios are unknown but the blend includes cachaca which has been aged for 4 years in American and European oak barrels, Cachaca which has been stored in Amburana vats for 2 years and finally cachaca which has been rested in stainless steel tanks.

    Should you require any further information on the brand then they have a pretty decent website, which is worth looking at. It translates reasonably well into English using most search engines and plug-ins.

    Companheira Gatinha Cachaca rum review by the fat rum pirate

    So lets move onto the review. In the glass Companheira Gatinha is a straw/white wine coloured spirit.

    The nose is full of double cream, vanilla and a slightly soapy aroma. A little light citrus can also be noted.

    It is a nicely balanced and pleasant nose. There are some light spices from the oak which give it a bit more body – hints of ginger and some aniseed.

    At 40% ABV it shows little “boozy” qualities and does not smell like a young spirit at all.

    Sipped, it is certainly more fiery and spicy than I was expecting from the pretty delicate nose. It has quite an oaky bitterness on the initial entry which gives why to black pepper heat especially on the first sip.

    After another sip or two you will feel the heat on the entry diminish considerably. This gives way to more of the creamy and vanilla notes that were present on the nose. There is a floral almost perfumed flavour to this cachaca. Fortunately it balances nicely with the creamy notes and I’m also getting a little fruitiness on the mid palate. Touches of peach and some rose water.

    It’s a very pleasant, quite easy going cachaca to sip. It is also reasonably complex with a really nice overall balance.

    Finish wise this cachaca has quite a long and very warming finish which I really enjoyed. It is howev

    Companheira Gatinha Cachaca Rum review by the fat rum pirate

    er, still a relatively young spirit so whilst I enjoy the overall balance it does have a bit of heat to it which might not be to everyones tastes as a sipper

    Mixed it forms a great basis for a Caiprinha or a Ti Punch. The rough edges are smoothed out and it makes a very flavourful, yet in many ways subtle mixer. At the price you could certainly use it as a mixer.

    It is perhaps of little surprise that this tasty little cachaca has already won a few awards since its release.

    Another impressive cachaca from the Companheira stable.

     

     

     

  • Cachaca Princesa Isabel Cana Caiana

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Cachaca Princesa Isabel Cana Caiana Rum Review by the fat rum pirateCachaca Princesa Isabel Cana Caiana. This is the second cachaca up for review from the Fazenda Tupa which produces the Princesa Isabel range of cachacas. Hailing from Linhares, Espirito Santo state, Princesa Isabel is a family run business.

    They produce their cachaca from two strains of sugar cane RB7515 and RB5453, which are suited to the climate present at Fazenda Tupa. The brand is named after the Cellia family matriach Isabel.

    Husband and wife cachaceiros Adao Cellia and Maria Isabel de Moraes are helped by their children Maria Clara, Gabriela and Pedro.

    Cachaca Princesa Isabel Cana Caiana is the latest cachaca to be released by Princesa Isbael. It was first released in 2019 and is limited to only 2,000 bottles per year.

    As with all the Princesa Isabel cachacas it is produced from estate grown sugar cane which is harvested manually. The sugar cane juice is extracted within 12 hours of the harvest. The sugar cane juice is then fermented with commerically available strains of yeast (I am unsure for how long), before it is distilled on the Copper Pot Still at Fazenda Tupa.

    Cachaca Princesa Isabel are a relatively new producer – they have been producing cachaca since 2016. When you look at the tall sleek bottles and the occasionally rounded stubby style bottles, you can see that they are taking a more modern approach to their presentation. This is perhaps not surprising as daughter Gabriela is in charge of the marketing for Princesa Isabel.

    So we have a very sleek tall, thin bottle with wonderful watercolour art work of the birds and fauna surrounding Fazenda Tupa. The branding and appearance is modern and in line with brands such as Leblon, Novo Fogo and Yaguara. All of which are produced for the European and/or US market. A 700ml bottle will set you back around R$140 in Brasil which is just over £/€20.

    Cachaca Princesa Isabel Cana Caiana Rum Review by the fat rum pirateIt is noted that Cachaca Princesa Isabel Cana Caiana is made using a rare and difficult to grow strain of sugar cane. I am not sure which variety it is of the two strains they are noted down as using. I translated “Cana Caiana” and all I got was “Cane Cane”. So that wasn’t particularly helpful.

    Should you want some more helpful/useful information on Cachaca Princesa Isabel, then they have a website which translates reasonably well into English.

    Cachaca Princesa Isabel Cana Caiana is not aged in wood once it has been distilled. It is rested in stainless steel tanks for 12 months. It is then bottled at 44% ABV. Although cachaca can be produced at an ABV up to 48% ABV, it is not common for a “White/Silver” cachaca to be bottled at 44% ABV. Quite commonly the minimum 38% ABV is used.

    In the glass Cachaca Princesa Isabel Cana Caiana is a completely clear spirit. The nose is bursting with sweet sugar cane aromas, vanilla and double cream. It’s rich and vibrant and the nose is big and bright.

    Taking a sip, this is a very flavourful spirit. Lots of fresh, sweet sugar cane flavours. Very much like a higher ABV White Agricole. There is a slightly earthy and grassy note as well. This is backed up with some vanilla. I’m not getting much of the creaminess I got on the nose. What I am getting though particularly on the mid palate is a very nice chilli like burn. With all the sweetness going on this is a nice counter point and very much adds complexity to the spirit.

    The finish moves into a nice slow burn of sweet sugar cane and that chilli spicy heat. It slowly feed leaving behind the more grassy aromas and something a little mineral like. It’s a decent length and overall this is quite a nice little sipper.Cachaca Princesa Isabel Cana Caiana Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    Or perhaps more a palate cleanser? It’s a nicely balanced cachaca and doesn’t have a great deal of acidity – I’m not getting any citrus notes I sometimes get with young cachaca. The chilli heat seems to have replaced this with this spirit.

    As a mixer it performs really well. Working nicely in a Caiprinha or a Ti Punch or even just with some Lemonade. So its a versatile cachaca. I’d probably head more towards sipping though if I had a bottle.

    All in all a very tasty well rounded and nicely balanced white/silver cachaca.

  • Cachaca Barril 12 Cachaca Extra Premium

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Cachaca Barril 12 Cachaca Extra Premium Rum Review by the fat rum pirateCachaca Barril 12 Cachaca Extra Premium. We are back on the hunt for some Premium Cachaca, rums (though it’s highly debatable) older brother. Today we are visiting the city of Caldas Novas in the state of Goias located in the centre-left in Brasil.

    Cachacaria Vale das Aguas Quentes is where Cachaca Barril 12 is produced. The sugarcane is harvested on site at the 300 hectare plantation. As well as sugarcane, local fruits are also grown at this location. Cachacaria Vale das Aguas Quentes produce a number of different products, such as flavoured cachaca and liqueuers. A full list of their products, can be found here.

    The company has its own website. This is nicely designed but I would have liked to have had a bit more information on their production processes available. It just makes my life a little easier! It’s also good to get the facts from the horses mouth, so to speak.

    Cachaca Barril 12 Cachaca Extra Premium has won numerous awards since its production began back in 2007. It is currently unavailable for export due to the demand in Brasil. The company at present cannot increase their production to make this cachaca available to overseas markets. So if you visit Brasil is this a cachaca worth picking up? Well we’ll come to that a bit later. First I’ll give some details of what I have been able to find out about this cachaca.

    Cachaca Barril 12 is produced on Pot Stills in£28 small batches. It is then aged between 6 and 8 years in Oak and Chestnut casks. These casks are 200 litres in capacity and the ageing takes place in a kind of “attic” at the Cachacaria Vale das Aguas Quentes. Cachaca Barril 12 is available in a variety of bottle sizes 150ml,500ml and 670ml. It is bottled at 40% ABV.

    Price wise you will be looking at paying around R$150 (£28 UK) were this to come to Europe I would be surprised to see it for anything less than £50. Presentation wise Cachaca Barril 12 would probably need a bit of a face lift – the bottle size would need to be standardised anyway, for the EU market. It’s very Brasilian in style. That said I do like the little round stubby bottle. The branding is strong if a little old fashioned. The screw cap would need to be altered to a cork as well.

    Cachaca Barril 12 Cachaca Extra Premium Rum Review by the fat rum pirateCachaca Barril 12 has won a few awards over the years as a few of the images online show. They’ve got quite a nifty looking visitor centre as well! So this should be fairly decent. It’s certainly got a nice amount of age to it, so lets dig in and see what we think.

    In the glass we have a very vibrant golden brown liquid.

    Nosing Cachaca Barril 12, you get an intial sweetness of toffee and a slightly menthol note. The oak and spice come through nicely with a good array of spices. A touch of cinnamon, some clove, traces of ginger which compliment the nice “woody” notes that also come through onto the nose.

    It’s a light and very nicely balanced nose. I would say one of the best I have had so far in the Cachaca world. Everything just falls into place nicely.

    Sipping on Cahaca Barril 12 is a similar experience in terms of balance. It’s a fantastically well balance spirit by any standards. Each and approachable but with enough complexity to keep you interested.

    The initial sip is sweet and quite minty. It’s very smooth (not a word I like to use) and easy to drink. There is some “burn” but its a very pleasant array of the spices that first appeared on the nose, with an added layer of oak and the chestnut wood. This really adds a lovely softer array of flavours to the cachaca, Ginger, hints of cinnamon, toasted bread rolls, a little hit of sweet red grape. Cachaca Barril 12 Cachaca Extra Premium Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    Finish wise it hangs around longer than I had expected. It never “burns” as a stronger ABV spirit might but it tingles along on the tongue for a long time – giving you further time to appreciate the spices and flavours imparted by the 6 to 8 years of ageing in two different woods.

    I’d say this is one of the best cachacas I have had to date. It really showcases the difference between well aged cachaca and the grassier unaged cachaca. NB – I’m not saying there is anything wrong with unaged cachaca just that they are very different spirits!

    It’s also interesting to note that the another cachaca I reviewed from Goias state Cambeba, also came in a small rounded stubby bottle. It was also very good. So it’s definitely an area where they make some good stuff!

    If you do get the chance to buy some of this then I would definitely do so.

     

     

     

  • Pampero Ron Anejo Blanco

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Pampero Blanco Rum Review by the fat rum piratePampero Blanco along with the others rum in the producers range have recently had a makeover.  Makeovers in rum seem frequent.  Although this blog has only been running since 2014 you will already notice that a number of bottles reviewed have since had their packaging changed.

    In this instance the makeover is more of an update really.  Giving the rums a more modern feel.  For Pampero Blanco the company have opted to move the rum from a tall bar style bottle into a shorter, rounder stubbier bottle.

    Pampero blanco will set you back around £20 for a 70cl bottle here in the UK.  It is bottled at 37.5% ABV.  It is a blend of rums aged for a minimum of two years in ex-Bourbon casks. Under Venezuelan law, rum must be aged for a minimum of two years. It is then filtered to remove all colour.  I have no firm evidence but I think the rum was produced on a continuous column still.

    Pampero rums are quite popular in UK bars and clubs nowadays.  This is likely to do with the fact the companies overarching ownership.  Industrias Pampero C.A. are a Venezuelan subsidiary of the global powerhouse Diageo.  So getting shelf space in bars will not be a big problem.

    It’s took me a while to get around to Pampero Blanco.  I’m quite a fan of the Pampero Aniversario and the Anejo Especial is okay for the price.  I tend to go through little phases of picking up white rum.  I haven’t really found it to be all that exciting.  Some white rums are so close to being neutral tasting its quite frightening.

    White rums just tend to get talked about all that much.  There doesn’t seem to be a white rum that everyone really agrees on.  Plantation 3 stars is the most lauded but I have to say I’m not that sold on that one.  People just don’t seem alPampero Blanco Rum Review by the fat rum piratl that excited about white rum.

    But hey I must complete my duties and give you all as broad a spectrum of rum as my time and wallet can afford.

    Clear in the glass and what everyone expects from a “white rum”.

    The nose you will also find familiar if you have dabbled in any of the lower end Venezeulan rums or just Pampero in general.  There is a sweet “butteriness” to this rum a little like a sponge cake or a fairy cake batter.  I’m also getting a kind of bitter charcoal or a chalky character on the nose.  Light fruity notes and a subtle touch of citrus fruits and a little white grape.

    Pampero Blanco actually works quite nicely as a sipper.  It’s quite refreshing and the lightness of it is a bit like a sorbet.  It’s quite a palate cleanser.  It works beautifully in a simple Daiquiri.

    When you sip the rum or add just a little lemonade it gives you a very vibrant and very fruity drink.  It’s not overly smooth or overly simplistic.  It has a bit of a bite and it has a lot of nice well defined and bright fruity flavours.  The notes on the nose transfer over and are added to by a little more fruit and a touch of coconut.  It’s quite zesty lemon Pampero Blanco Rum Review by the fat rum piratand lime but I’m also getting tangerines and some white grapes.

    This white rum has an extra almost aged quality to it which sets it apart from a lot of quite generic white rums.  It’s not hugely oaky or full of aged notes but it does have a lot of fruity flavour.  Unfortunately for me it doesn’t work all that well mixed with cola.  It’s not bad but I enjoyed it more with lemonade or even soda water.

    You seem to be able to pick this up online for as little as £15 if you shop around.  It’s well worth a try.  Not a bad little rum to have knocking around in the collection.

  • Cachaca Japi Classica

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Cachaca Japi Classica Rum Review by the fat rum pirateCachaca Japi Classica. This cachaca hails from Itupeva, Sao Paulo. It is produced at the JP Distillery. Cachaca production at JP Distillery began as far back as 1890. However, in 1925 the property on which the distillery was housed was sold to an Italian immigrant Cyrineo Tonol.

    Cyrineo decided that he wished to cultivate coffee as it was more lucrative so the distillery was deactived and the cultivation of coffee beans began. Unfortunately partly due to the US Stock Market crash and the resulting “Great Depression” demand and the price of coffee plummeted between 1929 and 1931.

    Whilst the family were able to find other ways to make the land profitable the distillery wasn’t reactivated until 1948. Cachaca Japi was born.

    The name Japi refers to the Serra do Japi, which is the mountain range in which the JP Distillery is located. I’ve been unable to find out why the distillery is called JP unfortunately.

    Cachaca Japi do have a website but I struggled to get it to translate into English. I’ve pieced together the best information I could work out! So bear with me if anything is wrong.

    Cachaca Japi Classica has been aged in Amendoim barrels for 9 months. It has been bottled at 39% ABV. In Brasil I bottle will set you back around $R25-30 (£4.50 – £5.60 UK). Where we to sit in the UK I would expect it to be priced at around £25-30.

    Prior to distillation and bottling the sugar cane is produced and harvested manually on site. All sugar cane is then processed within 24 hours and the juice begins the fermentation process. Once completed distillation takes place on Copper Alembic Pot Stills only. No column distillation is used at JP distillery.

    So let’s move on and see how I found this particular “white” cachaca.

    In the glass we have a crystal clear liquid, the 9 months of ageing in Amendoim have not added any colour to the spirit.

    The nose on Cachaca Japi Classica is very pleasant with very minimal alcohol fumes. I was expecting a bit more fire to be honest. It noses a lot “older” than I was expecting. It has a lovely elegant floral balance. Rosewater and some grassy notes mingle along really nicely.

    Further nosing reveals some light citrus – lemon and lime and a touch of grapefruit. There is a slightly herbal note as well with hints of lemongrass and some light basil.

    There are some aromas of toffee and ginger as well.

    It’s a really complex nose for such a young spirit. There are no off notes and it all works quite nicely.

    Sipped neat it is a real palate cleanser of spirit. Full of clean citrus and vegetal notes on the initial sip. A good hit of spices as well – ginger and a touch of white pepper. As you move into the mid palate the cachaca becomes a little bitter with more spice and some woody notes.

    The more floral aromas that were present on the nose are in the mix throughout giving this cachaca and extra layer of complexity.

    Finish wise, like many cachacas at this ABV it isn’t overly long or complex. You get a fair amount of spicyness left behind but this is more young alcohol than anything else. That said this cachaca is marketed more as a mixer/shot than a Premium Sipping Cachaca.

    Cachaca Japi Classica Rum Review by the fat rum pirateUsing Cachaca Japi Classica for mixed drinks makes for some excellent classic drinks. A Caiprinha with Classica Japi Classica is a really enjoyable spicy/citrus heavy affair and Ti Punch is really great – a bit more ABV would have made this even better.

    The 9 months in the Amendoim wood has really given this a bit of an edge over most white unaged cachaca. I think it has really tempered some of the young alcohol. Kind of smoothed off the edges and added a nice layer of complexity in its place.

    Good stuff – I’d certainly be keen to try their Ouro given the chance.

     

     

     

  • Ron Zacapa XO Centenario Solera Gran Reserva Especial

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Ron Zacapa XO Rum review by the fat rum pirateRon 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.Ron Zacapa XO Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    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.

    Ron Zacapa XO Rum review by the fat rum pirateThere 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.

    3 stars