Review: 896 5 Year Old Rum
896 5 Year Old Rum is made from a blend of rums distilled and aged for a minimum 5 years in Barbados. Sitting next to 896 5 Year Old Rum on the shelf at Total Wine and More is 896 8 Year Old Rum. Both are imported and bottled by Universal Brands in Princeton Minnesota. If you have ever visited a Total Wine and More, I have no doubt you are amazed at the selection of beer, wine, and spirits they carry. While they sell most of the top name brand spirits you would expect, they specialize in selling local craft spirits, along with spirits you just can’t find at any of your local liquor stores. Some of these spirits are hidden gems from craft distillers that would never make there way to your state if not for Total Wine and More. Others are produced or bottled by some of the nations biggest private label distilleries including the one in Princeton Minnesota that produces 896 Rum. Unfortunately little or no information is available about these products. I often stay away from these products because as a reviewer there is very little to write about other than the actual product review. I purchased this bottle because I am a big fan of rum produced in Barbados and since it was on sale for $13.99 I thought I would give it a shot. Read more 
Review: The Real McCoy 5 Year Old Rum
The Real McCoy 5 Year Old Rum is produced at the Four Square Distillery in Barbados. The Real McCoy brand of rum is named for Bill McCoy the pioneer rum runner of the Prohibition era. He was the first person to load his boat with rum and sail up to New York in January of 1920. He parked his boat 3 miles of the coast in international waters so as to obey the law. His rum was never cut with turpentine, wood alcohol, prune juice or water as many others did. His rum soon became know as the Real McCoy because it was unadulterated. Bailey Pryor while producing a documentary of the life of Bill McCoy found the distillery that supplied Bill McCoy his rum. After speaking with forth generation master distiller Richard Seale he launched the Real McCoy brand. The rum is created in a classic dry rum style which was the style Bill McCoy sold from his ocean parked boat. The rum is made from black strap molasses, yeast, and pure spring water. After a 44 hour fermentation in a closed top tank, the molasses wine is split in half. Half is distilled in a 2 column Coffey still and the other half is distilled in a 1500 liter copper pot still. The rums are aged separately for 5 years in heavy char American oak bourbon barrels. Once mature these rums are blended. Barbados spring water is then mixed to reduce to 80 proof. No sugars, perfumes, or coloring are added before bottling. Read more
Review: Bacoo 5 Year Old Rum
Bacoo 5 Year Old Rum is one of three rums crafted under the Bacoo label in The Dominican Republic. The others include an 8 Year Old and 12 Year Old Rum. A Bacoo is a mischievous mythological spirit claimed to be found in the Caribbean. Bacoo’s are told to be found in empty corked rum bottles floating in the Caribbean Sea and are said to have magical powers. A Bacoo is described as a short man with large eyes, long arms, and legs and lives on banana’s and milk. As long as you keep Bacoo happy and well fed, he will grant your wishes. Bacco Rum is made from estate grown fresh cane juice. The rum is distilled in a unique copper still and then aged for 5 years in oak barrels. Read more
Review: Doorlys 5 Year Old Rum
Doorlys 5 Year Old Rum is a blend of pot and column still rums blended before and after ageing in previously used bourbon barrels. Doorlys is named for Martin Doorly who founded the company. Each barrel is aged a minimum 5 years. Doorlys is one of several rums produced at the Foursquare Distillery. Others include Foursquare Spiced Rum, RL Seale, and the Real McCoy brands. Doorlys has been made on the island of Barbados since 1908, and was the first rum ever to be exported from the island. Read more
Review: Plantation Barbados 5 Year Old Rum
Plantation Barbados 5 Year Old Rum is made from molasses in the birth place of rum, Barbados. The Plantation Rum brand was born in 1997. It was created by Alexandre Gabriel, the President and Owner of Maison Ferrand. Maison Ferrand also produces Pierre Ferrand, and Landy Cognac, Citadell and Magellan Gin, and Froggy B Vodka. Plantation Barbados 5 year old rum is fermented for 3-5 days and distilled in pot still and column stills. The spirit is aged for 3-4 years in bourbon casks in Barbados. The rum then crosses the sea where it is aged a second time, for 1-2 years in Limousin oak barrels previously used to age Pierre Ferrand Cognac. Read more