The Duchess Premium Caribbean Blend (44%)

Is this really a blend? What a playful, happy rum - worth every penny and every sip and that for 12 years old, wow! This is what I call a BFYB: Bang For Your Buck. Highly recommended!

Tasting notes: 

Nose: As soon as you hold your nose above it, the ripe fruits of banana and mango jump out, with a hint of those high esters in the background that grab you immediately. And that is exactly what this blend serves you in the glass. By the way: you really wouldn't say this is a blend, that's how seamless it comes across. Nice, light vulpon notes (thanks to that higher ester content) - the Caribbean funk is unmistakable here. The whole thing is rounded off in the glass with a hint of green olive and almond notes that keep surprising you.

Taste: This is a dangerously delicious glass that drinks away so smoothly that if you're not careful you'll empty the glass before you know it. Smooth and fruity, with that ripe mango and banana feel that turns into a wonderful butteriness - think the creaminess of Danoontjes, but refined.

Finish: A medium-bodied, buttery finish with some liquorice notes lingering subtly in the background. Balance and Complexity: The nose and flavour are perfectly balanced and well represented. What you smell, you actually taste. Unfortunately, those green olives from the nose are not reflected in the flavour, but on the other hand, the taste has a complex, creamy butteriness that keeps you enthralled.