PLANTATION XAYMACA EXTRA DRY
Plantation Xaymaca Special Dry
Xaymaca- when the Spanish arrived in Jamaica in the 1500’s it was what the native Taino/Arawak tribes called their home island which translated to mean “the land of wood and water”. I thought it was an interesting choice for a name and with an “extra dry” tag on it makes me curious to see if Pierre Ferrand, owners of the plantation rum line, are going to create a Xaymaca line of products. when the company purchased the West Indies Rum distillery they gained a percentage of the long pond distillery so the possibility of a new plantation Jamaican product line is an interesting idea. Speculation aside, what we have with this product is an interesting blend of 100% pot still rums from the Clarendon and Long Pond rum distilleries that are aged in used bourbon barrels. This blend of rums is comprised of two different rums from each distillery, which is then blended and aged another year in used Cognac casks. From Clarendon, the rums are aged for one to three years; of the Long Pond components, one is aged for a year and the second is aged up to 8 years. I had heard there was an older Long Pond component to the blend but there is no mention of it on the label or website. If this is indeed true, I will be curious to see if the omission from future bottlings affects the flavor profile. The rums are blended and bottled at 43% ABV and will be part of the core plantation line along with Three Star, OFTD, and Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple.
Appearance
One of the things I have enjoyed about the most recent plantation rum releases is the amount of information loaded on the labels. In the bottle, the liquid holds a dark copper color and lightens to golden amber in the glass. Swirling the liquid creates a ring that thickens quickly dropping fast moving legs. As the ring continues to thicken a second wave of slower moving legs descend before pebbling and evaporating.
Nose
After pouring the rum I had to take a good bit of time to let it settle in the glass. The aroma had an interesting intricacy that slowly revealed itself as I evaluated the spirit. The tropical fruit notes that drifted from the glass provided hints of roasted pineapple, cooked green apples, toasted bananas, with a hint of apricots before being buried by the pungent alcohol. Herbaceous vanilla and sharp vegetable notes drift and dominate briefly before deeper aromas emerge of smoked leather, charred oak, black tea, and baking spices.
Palate
Sipping the rum delivers a swirl of flavors on a slightly oily foundation that drifts to dry oak notes fairly quickly. The strength of the alcohol initially buries the flavor profile and it takes some time and coxing to discover the hidden components that make up this spirit. herbal vanilla, the tropical fruit notes from the aroma, along with a touch of cherry wood creates the high notes while baking spices, and sea salt form the midline. The foundation of the rum is comprised of the roasted flavor notes and funky vegetable notes. As the rum begins to fade, a sugary sweet pear note emerges and mingles with the charred oak before fading in a long dry finish.
Review
Evaluating this rum neat was an interesting exploration as you really have to be patient with the strength of the alcohol while discovering the tasting notes. Due to this, I would not recommend it for sipping. By design the rum was created to be used in a wide range of cocktails and i can see it getting used across the cocktail spectrum anytime a Jamaican rum is in the recipe. As part of the evaluation process, I tried it out in a simple daiquiri and was happy with the outcome. Other cocktails that had a balanced fruit base also did well. Fairly priced, I can see this rum taking its place as part of the Plantation rum portfolio.
-Article written by Mr. Paul Senft, The Rum Reviewer-
paul,senft
My name is Paul Senft - Rum Reviewer, Tasting host, Judge and Writer. My exploration of Rums began by learning to craft Tiki cocktails for friends. I quickly learned that not all rums are created equally and that the uniqueness of the spirit can be as varied as the locales they are from. This inspired me to travel with my wife around the Caribbean, Central America, and United States visiting distilleries and learning about how each one creates their rums. I have also had the pleasure of learning from bartenders, brand ambassadors, and other enthusiasts from around the world; each one providing their own unique point of view, adding another chapter to the modern story of rum.
The desire to share this information led me to create www.RumJourney.com where i share my experiences and reviews in the hopes that i would inspire others in their own explorations. It is my wish in the pages of “Got Rum?” to be your host and provide you with my impressions of rums available in the world market. Hopefully my tasting notes will inspire you to try the rums and make your own opinions. The world is full of good rums and the journey is always best experienced with others. Cheers!