Plantation - XO Barbados 20th Anniversary Rum 70cl, 40% ABV

Product Information

They say that the GI must be inclusive and faithful to the roots of all Barbados rum making. To me, that sounds like a flashy excuse for being allowed to cut corners. I am no Barbados history expert, but I am sure there were shady practices in the past of Barbados rum-making, just like every growing and unregulated industry in the past. How is rum going to get the respect and prestige it deserves if its standards don’t match up to Scotch and Bourbon? Scotch and Straight Bourbon don’t allow additives aside from water and caramel coloring. Aren’t shady practices in American whisky the reason why the Bottled-in-bond act was made? Co se týče vizuálu, tak ten ozvláštňují vlákna třtiny či spíše nějaká forma lýka, nechybí zlaté logo a ve středu etikety v kroužku výrazné označení „XO“. Kdysi tam byla dvacetka, ale svádělo to k myšlence, že se jedná o dvacetiletý ročníkový rum, takže výrobci ji velmi rozumně přemístili pod zmíněný kroužek. Trochu zklamáním je umělý korek. No co už.

Plantation Rum Is Best? We Review 8 | Drinks Geek Which Plantation Rum Is Best? We Review 8 | Drinks Geek

Despite all the information provided re Barbados rum, the proposed GI and the different approach to rum by Plantation and its parent Maison Ferrand, you end up finishing the review by tarring all Barbados rum with the same brush in the statement: “If this is the future standard of Barbados rum, then I will not buy anymore Barbados rum in the future.” Irrespective of whether Maison Ferrand win or lose (hopefully lose) in their efforts to change the Barbados GI, the other producers are not likely to follow their lead and as such you should very much advise drinkers to try Barbados rum, but to encourage them to look at the rums from Foursquare, Mount Gay and St Nicholas Abbey distilleries. Očarí vás ohromujúca ovocná vôňa, ktorá postupne prechádza až do kvetinovej arómy. Po niekoľkých minútach, čo rum necháte chvíľu vydýchnuť ucítite vanilku, kakao a mliečnu čokoládu. Na jazyku sa vám začne rozplývať chuť škorice prekladaná výraznou cukrovou trstinou a maslovým keksíkom, ktorú dopĺňa spomínané kakao a vanilka. Zakončenie je stredne dlhé a iba čiastočne sladké. Rum si udržiava konštantnú kvalitu napriek zvýšenej produkcii a dopytu po ňom.

The Bar Classics

On the other camp is Maison Ferrand (MF) whose rum arm is Plantation. Plantation used to only be an IB rum bottler. Then MF acquired the West Indies Rum Distillery (WIRD) in Barbados in 2017. They are now distilling and aging Barbados rum in WIRD. They still continue to source rum from countries like Fiji, Panama and Trinidad. Along with that acquisition were shares in Jamaican distilleries Long Pond and Monymusk/Clarendon. I’ll add that they also want to make changes with the already established Jamaican GI. Passionate, curious, refined taste for beauty, Alexandre Gabriel is a tireless entrepreneur in search of perfection. An artisan businessman, he delivers the best product by implementing the most advanced and precise production methods. He knows that a great cognac, a superior rum, is above all a powerful emotion to be shared. Alexandre Gabriel applies the discipline and passion of ancient craftsmen, artisans, and goldsmiths to his rum and cognac. A Central American molasses rum, Plantation Gran Anejo, is distilled and aged in Guatemala in casks formerly used for American whiskey before being re-casked and further aged in France at Maison Ferrand’s Chateau de Bonbonnet in barrels formerly used for cognac for up to a year. I recall hearing the words “there is power in a name”. I don’t remember when and where I heard this. But I’m very sure this rings true in the liquor world. A liquor brand may not be recognized by a consumer. But a liquor’s provenance will automatically communicate its prestige and quality. What is a GI? According to the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) 1995 Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), GI’s are defined as “indications which identify a good as originating in the territory of a Member, or a region or locality in that territory, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographic origin.” For example, both Scotch and Bourbon have GIs.

Plantation Rum | ALKOHOL.cz Plantation Rum | ALKOHOL.cz

Maturation must be in new oak or in refill casks from a list of recognised wine and spirit denominations. Při tomto rumu se velmi často zmiňuje výborný poměr cena a kvalita. To už nechávám na vaše posouzení, jestli je cca 999Kč za 0,7 litrové balení v kartonové krabičce dostatečně přiměřené nebo ne.

Our Cookies

For additional flavour, in France, it is then re-casked to finish ageing from several months to a couple of years in casks formerly used for cognac. Yummy! This cookie is set by Rubicon Project to control synchronization of user identification and exchange of user data between various ad services.

Plantation 20th Anniversary XO 0,7l 40% GB | ALKOHOL.cz Plantation 20th Anniversary XO 0,7l 40% GB | ALKOHOL.cz

These then have post-fermentation and distillation sugar added (a practice the brandy/cognac industry calls dosage). The rum is then aged in oak barrels in France for various lengths of time depending on the style of rum. Conclusion

THE SIGNATURE BLENDS

Plantation je značka, která se na trhu objevuje od roku 1999, takže od ní nějakou extra historii neočekávejte. Spíše výjimečný marketing a příležitost. Majitel značky Alexander Gabriel nejprve doslova vzkřísil luxusní koňak Pierre Ferrand (ještě v roce 1989) a aby využil vzácných sudů, kde tento božský mok zrál, rozhodl se, že v nich budou pokračovat rumy. Not generally disagreeing with points raised in this “review” of the Plantation XO 20th Anniversary, but there’s a few comments I’d like to make in response: Essentially the extra-aged version of the company’s flagship Barbados 5 Year Rum, Plantation XO was unsurprisingly created for the brand’s 20th anniversary, but is a regular part of the rotation and the most “premium” of the standard Plantation brands. This one is significantly older on average, being a blend of column and pot still Barbados rums aged tropically for 8-15 years, before spending at least 2 and as many as 10 years in secondary maturation in France before final blending. Plantation notes that the French aging takes place in “many different types of casks, ranging from new white oak to bourbon casks, as well as Ferrand casks, each with different level of toasting.” Complexity is no doubt what they’re shooting for, though one wishes that such a product would have been released at a strength above 80 proof. This one also has moderate dosage. Výnimočný vyzretý rum Plantation XO 20th Anniversary vznikol pri príležitosti dvadsiateho výročia pôsobenia Alexandra Gabriela v jeho materskej destilérke - Maison Ferrand. Unikátna zmes rumov starých od 10 do 25 rokov pochádzajúcich z Barbadosu dokonale vystihuje atmosféru tohto nádherného ostrova.

Plantation - XO Barbados 20th Anniversary Rum 70cl, 40% ABV

A sweet and full-bodied rum, Plantation Gran Anejo opens with spiced toffee and vanilla. Mid-palate reveals nutmeg and cinnamon. A smooth and long finish of toffee, tobacco, woody notes Summary There will still be those who most will recommend the infamously sweet rum from Spanish speaking countries like Diplomatico (Venezuela) or Ron Zacapa (Guatemala). But these are likely those who like sweet drinks and don’t think much of transparency, or don’t care about being lied to by brands via fake age statements and unlabeled dosing of rum. This sweet and velvety rum has notes of tropical fruits, orange marmalade and coconut. A smooth finish of vanilla and creamy caramel. Summary

Consider this similar product...

The paragraph with the statement: “But they just can’t call whatever they make in WIRD Barbados rum” is a little one sided. You’re right that rum that is sent over to France, to be second aged and treated to their dosage process of adding “aged sugar” (their words not mine) shouldn’t get to call it Barbados rum, based on the GI that’s been proposed by the majority of the distilleries on the island. But, in theory, there shouldn’t actually be anything to stop WIRD producing Barbados rum, which could meet the proposed GI and therefore be able to call it Barbados rum. Of course whether they’re willing to do so is a different matter.