M&S Bajan Estate XO Rum

Introduction

M&S Bajan Estate XO Rum. Supermarket rum is not something which usually excites me when browsing the local shelves, especially when looking for something to sip. Even as a mixer a Supermarket own brand bottling will be pretty much a last resort.

There have been a few rums over the years that have bucked that trend but they have pretty much all crashed and burned as the clientele continue their pursuit of Captain Morgan and Dead Mans Finger’s…..Sainsbury’s had an above average Jamaican Rum and a Trini offering which was aged 8 years. Both have long disappeared.

However, Marks & Spencer is no ordinary Supermarket (so they tell us), and over the years they have made various dedicated attempts to capture the attention of spirits enthusiasts looking for something a bit different on the shelves. Often partnering with notable international producers and blenders to elevate their own brand offerings.

Naturally, given their usual curation efforts and historical presence in retail, I was deeply curious to see how their own brand rum releases stack up in 2026. I also figured that interest might be high amongst my UK based readers.

Barbados has a proud, centuries old distillation history built on uncompromising integrity, yet supermarket releases of this nature often rely heavily on lifestyle marketing and superficial bullshit to entice gullible uneducated consumers.

(Note: I have previously reviewed the original release of this expression on the site; you can check out my past thoughts in the M&S Bajan Estate Rum XO Review.)

The M&S Bajan Estate Rum XO is presented in a fairly stylish heavy glass bottle, though the label design leaves a little to be desired with its overly busy typography and somewhat generic marketing jargon. Which attempts to evoke heritage, island tradition and artisanal craftsmanship. Looking closer at the back label, it notes that the rum is tropically aged in ex-Bourbon casks before being blended and finished in oak Brandy barrels over in France. Hmmmmmmm……..

Crucially turning the bottle around reveals the ingredients list explicitly showing Sugar Cane Syrup. Hydrometer testing on this expression places it at around 19g/L of additives making it another dosed offering. I think we can probably all joim the dots at this point.

Its safe to say that our good friends in Cognac -Maison Ferrand via their Planteray rum brand are responsible for the liquid in this bottle.

I noted that I found the previous M&S Bajan Estate Rum to be similar to Plantation’s (as they were at the time) 5 Year Old Barbados Rum. It will be interesting to see if this is still the case. The price point would suggest its highly likely.

It’s bottled at a standard 40% ABV, so at least its above the 37.5% ABV often used in standard Supermarket Rum.

I’ve not much else to say so lets move onto the fun part.

Tasting

In the glass, the rum is Golden Amber. Pretty standard aged rum colour.

Nosing the rum reveals an immediate wave of Brown Sugar, Vanilla and a lot of very sweet Coconut. When I say a lot, I mean an absolute fuck ton of it.

There are some underlying notes of Orange and Banana peel and an almost now generic Tropical fruit aroma, but the dominant profile remains resolutely Coconut. This intense sweetness masks much of the underlying oak influence which you might get in very faint wafts and it completely mutes the traditional distillery character you would usually hope to find in a genuine Bajan rum from Barbados.

Taking a sip, it starts with an interesting Coconut taste on the entry, but this quickly becomes a synthetic, cloying, sugar and saccharin taste which sadly continue even into the mid palate. The Coconut is overpowering and you would think this is a Coconut flavoured liqueur

The influence of that 19g/L sugar dosage is front and centre alongside, whatever is producing the Coconut taste, Cocounts you say? Hmmm I’m not sure this is freshly scavenged Bajan Coconut. Not a chance.

Sadly this leaves the rum feeling completely overwhelmed and artificial on the tongue. Instead of natural maturation characteristics or genuine wood integration, you get a syrupy yet at the same time quite thin mouthfeel that lacks proper structural balance, showing very little development of complex spice, authentic oak ageing, or mature oak tannins. Basically no signs of any aged spirit! No signs of any aged Barbados rum.

The finish continues this sweet and synthetic trend but to call it a finish is being kind – it isn’t long lasting and you are just left with a very bitter saccharin note in the mouth. This coats the mouth unpleasantly and leaves you reaching straight for a glass of water to clear your palate of the heavy, chemical like aftertaste.

Verdict

The M&S Bajan Estate Rum XO is a major disappointment and a clear example of why transparency in labelling remains such a critical issue in the rum world today.

While it starts with an interesting coconut taste, this quickly becomes synthetic with cloying sugar and saccharin taste throughout. Due to the added sugar cane syrup and artificial profile, it leans much closer to a sweetened liqueur style concoction than a traditional, authentic rum.

I was expecting something akin to Planteray’s Barbados 5 Year but these has adopted a profile very similar to their 20th Anniversay XO offering. Which I truly detest. I gave that 1 star and I can’t see this achieving much more.

It lacks the depth, authenticity, and structural complexity required for a satisfying sipping experience, and even as a mixer, the cloying sweetness is hard to overlook or balance out properly in cocktails without completely drowning out every other ingredient in the glass.

As this is around £20 cheaper than Planteray 20th Anniversary XO I assume that the overall age of the spirit is younger. In all honesty you would never know from tasting this or its more expensive cousin. Both are hideous.

If you want a genuine taste of Barbados without the artificial sweetening, sugar dosage, and misleading age branding, seek out additive free options from distilleries like Foursquare, Mount Gay and St Nicholas Abbey or reputable independent bottlers who respect the integrity of the spirit and believe in transparency.

The only thing saving this from a half star mark is the half decent bottle and the fact it is bottled at 40%.

Final Thoughts: As far away from authentic Bajan Rum as it is possible to be….avoid at all costs