Patron’s Pyrat XO Reserve is perhaps one of the most controversial rums on the planet.  Derided by many as little more than an orange flavour liqueur it still sells by the bucketload all around the world.

Pyrat XO Reserve offends people on many different levels.  Not only does the orange flavour gain criticism from those in hope of a more authentic rum its over the top packaging and garish orange box serves only to fuel people’s ire towards this rum.  Then of course is the little matter of the added sugar and the desecrating of what was at one point a very decent rum (when it was called Planter’s Punch and not owned by Patron – this is not my words just want I have noted online so don’t quote me!), which all adds upto it being the Marmite of rum.

You seem to either love or hate it, which was a little odd because I found it overall to be pretty okay (once you get past the fact it’s not really all that rummy).  If you are interested my review is here.

Finding a bottle of Pyrat Pistol has been a bit of struggle – I’m pretty sure it has long since went out of production.  When it was available it came in a very tall, thin (like pistols used in ye olde Pyrat times – bottle, hence the name.  It was roughly the same price of Pyrat XO and also bottled at 40% ABV.  However, the bottle is/was deceptive and holds only 375ml of rum (a half bottle).  Retail price in the UK is around £40.  You can still find the odd bottle online.  Though most of the bigger stores have long since sold out.

For once I actually planned ahead with my purchase of Pyrat Pistol and ensured that I kept some XO Reserve to compare and contrast.  Suspicious me felt that the rum would be just the same – albeit you paying for even more fancy packaging.

The first thing to note about this very long thin bottles is just how easy they are to topple over and smash.  I’ve had spirits go the journey before in such bottles.  Admittedly usually when I have drained quite a lot out of said bottle and been slightly under the influence………

On with the review.  The first thing I notice is that despite the appearance in the bottle the Pyrat Pistol is much darker than the XO Reserve.  So much so that even my wife who takes little interest in such things said that they must be “different” rums.  I stand corrected (as usual) on them being the same rum.

The nose on the Pistol has more going on than the XO Reserve.  In my original review I noted that the XO was a “one note” rum.  Pyrat Pistol has the same orange notes but they are more muted and are carried alongside some milk chocolate notes and also a hint of cognac.  It’s gives a nose which suggests a wine cask finish.

It’s been difficult getting any real information on the provinence of either Pyrat rums and with so much information around on the internet I’m not going to comment.  The rum is very much a blend of (probably) numerous Caribbean islands.  The hydrometer tests shows that likes its older brother the Pistol has also been sugared (29g/L) and likely has other additives and “finishes” along the way.  If this was a very pricy product I could get quite annoyed about these things, but its not and anyone buying Pyrat thinking it is “authentic” rum really hasn’t done any research!

Sipping Pyrat Pistol offers a very similar experience to the XO.  It is sweet and easy to drink – too easy perhaps.  Like the nose,  it does exhibit more depth than the XO.  It offers again a more “wine” like note alongside the orange notes.  It exhibits little real burn and also little real finish.  You get a burst of sweetness on the tongue followed by a very gentle exit which leads to a pretty unremarkable finish.  The sweet notes are all very pleasant but much like the XO it doesn’t seem very “rummy”.

In terms of “classic” rum profiles it is most in keeping with the sweeter Demerara rums but even then more so the El Dorado line.   Again we know these have also been sweetened.

This isn’t as sweet as the XO and more complex.  Alongside the sweet notes you get a little bitter marmalade and a slight but very short spicy kick on the finish – but its very brief.

I find myself mixing the XO Reserve more than I ever sip it.  The Pistol I would probably use as a “dessert” rum if there is such a thing.  It is in many ways what sweet Spanish dessert wines are to “normal” wine.

I would say this is slightly better than the XO but the price (if you can get it) means you get half as much “rum”………….