Found this at an independent liquor store about a mile from my house. I’m not sure why I never stopped in but this beauty from 2010-2015 was there for just $41. The character of this Mount Gay Extra Old blend leans a little heavier and has more traditional oak barrel flavores than the current XO expression that leans a bit fruitier. Chocolate notes are stronger in the older blend, too. Then as now, this is issued at 43% ABV.
I was lucky to find a 2000s era Extra Old in another local store a few years back, so I now have four generations of XO expressions, though my 2015-2019 era bottle is almost gone. These are all very flavorful Barbadian rums that for me a pretty easy to sip at this ABV level and they’re missing the “over oaked” taste you sometimes get with aged rums. These are great on those nights when I want to taste the rum but don’t want to deal with cask strength ABV.
The latest XO expression is commonly seen over $60 which factors as a premium for the well-known Mount Gay brand but which also means that savvy shoppers can find better values by looking at brands such as Doorly’s, Old Brigand, and Real McCoy (all produced by Foursquare on Barbados). Nonetheless, the XO has remained a good option for those looking for widely available and approachable sipping rums from Barbados.
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