Cockspur 12-Year

The aroma in the bottle is mild...subtle even. I think Barbados is rapidly becoming my favorite source for rums and I'm not certain why. I notice that a lot of the rums I really like come from Barbados. Hmmm...maybe it's time to take a vacation there. A nice sweetness in its flavor with a little of an oak tingle...quite smooth with no real burn...just a nice warmth that flows down the throat and lingers leaving a nice caramel aftertaste. Definitely a good sipping rum.

I got into this rum from my father in law who made it his go to after Mount Gay decided to increase their price on XO (had to pay for that fancy new bottle design somehow). It is a great to sip on and has notes of vanilla and is very smooth. The mouth feel is not as thick as say Diplomatico or some of the other longer aged rums, but it nonetheless excellent.

This was the first sipping rum I tried, and every time I have it...it still holds up.

Nose : I smell some esters : very slightly "jamaican" I would say ? Mostly Alcohol at the beginning but let your glass breathe for a while and some better aromas will come. Taste : quite smooth, oaky/vanilla. I find the taste very different (and smoother ) from the nose which is always something interesting.
OK it is not smooth and complex as others (RL Seales...) bot honnestly at this price tag it is really more than decent ! A good surprise. Perfect to try a "true" bajan rhum for a budg if you only know sugar-syrup like rhums.

Le nez me rappelle un peu les rhums jamaicains , toute proportion gardée. Comme beaucoup d'autres rhums il mérite de s'évaporer un peu quelques minutes sinon on sent surtout l'alcool. En bouche c'est plutôt sympa, finalement beaucoup plus doux et rond que le nez le laissait présager. Pas mal de boisé et de vanille, pas autant que du RL Seale's ou des rhums plus chers mais franchement à ce prix c'est plus qu'honnête. Une bonne surprise quoi.
Je le recommanderais à ceux qui veulent savoir ce qu'est du "vrai" rhum de la Bardbade sans se ruiner.

Un rhum britannique avec des notes rappelant parfois le Caroni, parfois le rhum traditionnel, mais avec une finesse moindre.
Des notes de pétrole, caoutchouc, mais aussi de caramel et de fruits exotiques en nez. Bouche légère, courte, moyennement sucrée, avec un peu de fruits. Finale courte.
Intéressant mais dispensable.

I am actually very surprised at how good this stuff is. In the glass it seems basic as any other rum, vanilla oak and the cask. Taking it straight is surprisingly good, very very smooth, almost made me doubt its 80 proof! Initially you're gonna get hit with a vanilla cask taste followed in with an earthy smokey taste. The flavor then bottoms out and changes to a Cinnamon/allspice flavor with sweetness in the back. My only desire with this rum is I wish it was bolder! It has all these great flavors and abilities but it is SO tame. if you pour this in cola most of it's flavors (except the cinnamon/allspice flavor) come out. Make it BOLDER! Get some gonads!

I'm a dedicated fan of the bajan style. Not only because of the general taste, but also because it's often priced very reasonable and unless the rum is bottled by independent houses, it's sugar and aditiv free. The cockspur 12 carries many of the classic bajan traits. Your nostrils fills with coconut, vanilla and caramel, while retaining a frehness. On the tounge it's naturally semisweet with a bit of dark chocolate, tobaco, spices and perhaps a smidge of peach. It's not particularly refined and the finish is kinda short, but considering the price, that's all fair. It's absolutely sippable, but I would probably use it as a primium mixer. It's a good rum in the range but when it comes to value for money, you dont need to pay much more to get fx. the excellent Dorly's 12 fx.

À venir prochainement.............................

Angenehm in der Nase, im Mund eine leichten Rauchgeschmack und Schärfe im Abgang.

This Bajan rum is classic Barbados. It is simply amazing. Well Balanced with aromas and flavors of smoky oak, leather, chocolate and citrus. You can really taste the bourbon barrels it was aged in but it's not overpowering. This is a simple but complex rum (if that even makes since) that is one of my favorite sippers. Cheers