Lucky bastige!!!
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Black Seal I like - have a couple bottles of it, and don't think you can compare the two against each other.

Black Seal - I like to call it a "hearty" rum. It's very unusual to me in the world of rums. Straight or mixed - it gives you two distinct tastes as if it was two different rums. Also keep in mind, if you've never seen a bottle of it, that the bottle itself is actually clear and not black!

Black Strap on the other hand left me with a please God - remove my tongue from my mouth and I'll go to church everyday and twice on Sunday.

Seriously - Black Strap tasted like it was distilled in old pig gut barrels with bridle straps cut from a dead horses ass tossed in for flavor.

Took four shots of Flor de Cana 12 year to cut the taste from my mouth.

Could just be me though - my friend Bob tried it and seemed to enjoy it. So either I'm way off base or he has a hankering for dead horse butt.


Ron
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I compared my Appleton Estates today (Reserve and Extra 12)

the Reserve was so much smoother, and slightly sweeter. the 12 year has a strong alcohol burn/kick at the end. I don't think I'll be drinking the 12 year unmixed, the reserve however seems to be good with a couple ice cubes
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:-) on the Ron Matusalem

I don't know whether to thank Ron or curse him for introducing me to this one. Zaya is great, and still probably my favorite, but Matusalem is such a great value at the price here, $26.
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Did a quick review of my three sipping rums: Zaya, RZ23 and Pampero
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And...
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I liked the Ron Zacapa the best, sweet, but not artificially so, and very smooth.

2nd was the Pampero, less sweet than the RZ, and with an oaky hint, also quite smooth

3rd was the Zaya. I was most excited about this one, I love vanilla, and everyone says this has it in spades. Well it does, but it was the least smooth, and had the most alcohol bite. It was still good, but I think it will reside in the freezer.
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I've heard similar things, seems to be a love it or hate it kinda thing, with more people in the 'hate it' camp. I'm a big fan of Black Seal, and most of Cruzan's other rums, had high hopes for Blackstrap. Oh well.

Great notes on those three, I agree with everything except the ranking. I'm partial to Pampero because it's less sweet and more 'oak-y'. I don't remember a 'bite' from Zaya though, especially served with an ice cube, guess I'll need to refresh my memory :-)
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Yep. I was looking forward to it myself. Not a fan obviously. You know after my year off from any spirits (due to medical problems) - Black Seal was my first rum choice when I was able to resume - :-)

He didn't say if he was tasting the Trinidad or the Guatemalan version. In a recent side by side of the two I did notice a slight bite in the Trini version.


Ron
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:-) Hey, I'm not an enabler - just making you aware of various products out there - :-)

Love that Matusalem!


Ron
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It's the Trini version, and the bite wasn't bad, but it was present. But whoever said it tastes like vanilla extract smells was dead on.

the aftertaste is like pure adams extract on the palate, which I find enjoyable
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I'm revisiting the Zaya, with multiple ice cubes this time, and am not experiencing any bite. Just pure drunken vanilla... I likey
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which Zaya do you guys prefer? Guatemalan or Trinidad?
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GUATEMALAN!!!

Had them side by side and there was noticably more bite in the Trini version. And had too much vanilla for my taste.
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My current favorite is Zacapa 23, but after all the high praise, I intend to find a bottle of Zaya when I get home from this desert.

The only bottle in my collection that hasn't been mentioned is Seven Fathoms. It is currently only available in the Cayman Islands and is well worth trying if you can get your hands on it. The strong oak flavors are slightly reminiscent of a good bourbon. I am more stingy with this stuff than I am my pre-Patron Planters Gold Pyrat XO Reserve.
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These were dropped off at the house the other day. Nummy Nummy.
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Scott, I certainly hope you tipped your delivery driver....very impressive "drop-off" to me! :-) :-)

(Oh, next time you see him, tell Bobby I said hey!)
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Unless you're going to try to find the Guatemalan version, don't bother. Zacapa is better than the Trini Zaya.
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Which ever is available, most likely Trini. I think for changing locations they were able to maintain an amazingly high level of consistancey between the two blends :-) and fwiw, the Guat Montecristo is the best rum I've had from that distillary.
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My parents were on Grand Cayman this summer, brought me back a bottle of Seven Fathoms, and Havana Club. They actually brought 3 bottles of Seven Fathoms back, and managed to get two different batches. There's a noticeable difference between batch 9 and batch 10. If I remember right, 10 was the first batch with a new still. Since it's a small shop, there's room for that sort of variance from one lot to the next. I think that makes it even more interesting. Which lot is your bottle from?

In other rum news, I spent the weekend in St. Pete, FL and came home with a bottle of Barbancourt Grand Reserve, Prichard's, and Centenario rum. Tasted all three side by side, at room temp, neat.

Centenario tastes a lot like Zacapa 23. Haven't tried 'em side by side yet, but not sure I'd tell the difference otherwise.

Prichard's is quite good, especially since it's a Tennessee rum. Has a bit more barrel flavor, almost like a hint of Bourbon. I like the 'toasty' rums better than 'sweet' rums, so at first taste I put this above Centenario. Might improve with a tiny piece of ice, but not bad neat.

The Barbancourt is the loser of the bunch. It wasn't all that great, definitely not on par with the other two. Needs another try though, maybe on ice.
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I tend to agree with this, other than the vanilla taste in the new version. The old version was a bit smoother, but if I don't compare side by side, only the vanilla stands out as a difference.
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I don't know. The bottles are patiently sitting on a shelf waiting for my return from this desert. What did you think of the "underwater rum?"

I also have a bottle of Havana Club that has been in a closet since I brought it home in 2002. I really need to crack the seal on that one.
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