Plantation Grande Reserve Rum falls under the Cognac Ferrand umbrella, and each rum in the Plantation range undergoes a two-step maturation process. Step one involves aging in the Caribbean in American oak; step two moves the rum to France, where it’s finished in old French oak casks. In this case, the Barbados-sourced Plantation Grande Reserve is aged for five years in ex-bourbon barrels in the Caribbean before heading to France. The result is a rum that’s rich in flavor and aroma, with notable oak accents.
On the nose, Plantation Grande Reserve offers aromas of ripe bananas, toasted coconut, leather and caramel. Take a sip to taste vanilla, caramel and molasses, plus some orange peel, fruit and baking spices. It’s loaded with flavor and offers more sweetness than the nose suggests. The lingering finish is a mix of sweet and spice, with lots of cinnamon heat fighting for attention in the enveloping background of sugar cane sweetness.
The dual-oak aging process comes through with American oak notes like caramel and vanilla mingling with the mild fruit notes likely supplied by the French oak. It’s certainly a viable sipper, which is always welcome at such a modest price point. That said, Plantation Grande Reserve is great in cocktails. Try it in a daiquiri or a fruit-forward tiki drink, or add a rum float to your Cognac Julep.
Stats:
– 40% ABC
– $20
CE Rating: ★★★★
Outstanding rum for the price. My new favorite. It’s great mixed, but it’s so tasty I prefer to sip it neat. Connoisseurs should not be fooled by the price. This holds up next to much more expensive rums. Give it a try, you won’t be disappointed.
Plantation 5 is an really lovely rum. Full of ripe bananas and caramel on the nose. Creamy, smooth, sweet and absolutely delicious. It’s very good neat or on the rocks, but it also makes a beautiful Daiquiri. This is the best value I have ever found on any bottle of any spirit I’ve ever bought.