Planteray Xo 20th Anv. Rum

Planteray XO 20th Anniversary is a blended rum from the house formerly sold as Plantation, which now trades under the Planteray name. It sits in the premium aged tier of the range and is made to be sipped. The label gives no ABV, island of origin or age statement, so those details are left out here. Rums of this type are usually blended from aged stocks, and they often get a short finishing period in a second cask. Expect a darker amber colour and a rounder, softer texture than a standard gold rum. On the nose and palate, XO-style rums generally lean toward baked banana, caramel, toasted oak, dried tropical fruit, vanilla and light baking spice. They finish with a gentle warmth and a faint tannic dryness. Anyone tasting it for the first time should look for those notes. Treat them as typical of the category, not as a measured profile of this bottle. The best way to taste it is neat, at cool room temperature, in a tulip-shaped nosing glass or a small snifter. Both glasses hold the aromas better than a wide tumbler. A single large ice cube in a rocks glass works if you prefer it cold. A few drops of still water can open up the fruit and spice. This rum suits the cocktail where the spirit is the main flavour. A Rum Old Fashioned is the clearest example. Stir 60 ml over ice with a bar spoon of demerara syrup and two dashes of aromatic bitters, strain over a large cube, and express an orange peel over the top. A Daiquiri made with this rum can work too, but it should be a deliberate choice and the lime-heavy recipe should be dialled back. For Mojitos, Piña Coladas and Dark 'n' Stormys, a less expensive white or blackstrap rum does the job, because strong mixers hide the cask character of a rum like this. At the table, rum in this style goes well with dark chocolate, roasted nuts, aged hard cheeses, caramelised desserts such as crème brûlée, and grilled pineapple. Reserve the bottle for slow pours after a meal, and keep it upright and sealed away from heat and direct light.