Review: Bumbu Rum XO
Bumbu got its start as a spiced rum, with cane sugar sourced from throughout Latin America and distilled in Barbados before being spiced up to pair with your bottle of cola.
Now Bumbu is back with a second expression: Bumbu XO, an 18 year old (unspiced) expression. Some production details:
Bumbu Rum Company is pleased to announce Bumbu XO, a small-batch ultra-premium rum aged up to 18 years in bourbon barrels and finished in white oak sherry barrels from Andalusia, Spain. Bumbu XO is distilled and aged at a 120-year old Panamanian distillery and proudly uses only local sugarcane and pure spring water.
Bumbu XO is a full-strength, 80 proof rum, with aromas of toffee, toasted oak and vanilla giving way to orange zest, peppery spice and even a hint of coffee on the palate. Bumbu XO is perfect for traditional rum cocktails but is even better on its own, neat or over a single ice cube. It is packaged in an ultra-heavyweight, fragrance-quality paperless glass bottle, with a striking matte black finish, silver and white details and a tarnished silver “X” medallion.
Bumbu Rum Co.’s heritage dates back to the 16th and 17th centuries when sailors and merchants, unsatisfied with their customary grog, added Caribbean fruits and spices to enhance their rum’s flavor, giving it the name “bumbu.” Bumbu Rum Co.’s portfolio also includes Original Bumbu, which has quickly become the world’s most decorated rum, including back-to-back “Best In Category” honors from the International Wine & Spirits Competition in Los Angeles. Original Bumbu is a Barbadian craft rum, beloved by fans of sipping rums for its unique, exquisite taste. With its rich, dark hue and golden metal “X” medallion, Original Bumbu is now far-and-away the fastest-growing brand in the ultra-premium rum category, driving the largest distribution gains in the United States of any of the Top 10 rum brands.
Bumbu Rum XO Review
The rum kicks off with a nose of distinct coffee notes and a mild citrus element, with notes of roasted nuts also heavy in the mix. A strong sherry influence also permeates the aromatics, heavy and thick, in the Pedro Ximenez style.
On the palate, the rum feels well-sherried and heavy with roasted nuts. Coffee and black tea are prominent, though the palate is also quite fruity with notes of red, macerated berries. The rum’s finish is soothing and quite sweet, its notes of tea overpowering the coffee in the mix. Ample fruit lingers on the back end, alongside light notes of spice and incense, both of which help to round things out and further elevate a solid, worthwhile rum.
80 proof.
A- / $45 / bumbu.com [BUY IT NOW FROM THE WHISKY EXCHANGE] [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Bumbu Rum XO
$45
Bumbu xo ???