Review: Mezan Extra Old Rum XO Jamaica
If you’re familiar with Plantation Rum, which offers a wide range of expressions sourced from throughout the Caribbean and beyond, you’ll get the idea of Mezan, a line of rums that similarly has no specific home but rather sources product, most of it vintage dated. These are all limited-edition releases, so if you see one that strikes your fancy, best to snap it up quickly.
Reviewed here is Mezan’s XO bottling from Jamaica. It carries no vintage date, and the rum was produced by several Jamaican distilleries — then re-barreled for marrying and further aging before release. Let’s give it a taste.
“Extra Old” or no, Mezan XO sure seems youthful. The nose is rustic and a bit tough, studded with hospital overtones, petrol notes, and notes of fresh rubber tires. The body acquits itself more amiably, with softer vanillas and caramels, some coconut husk and banana notes, and a significant level of hogo funk on the finish — classic, but young, Jamaican rum. This is a rum that comes on strong, then sticks with you for the long haul. Nothing wrong with that, but I’d probably be more enchanted if it had some more age on it.
80 proof. Reviewed: Batch #008146. 5000 bottles produced.
B / $34 / mezanrum.com [BUY IT NOW FROM THE WHISKY EXCHANGE]
Mezan Extra Old Rum XO Jamaica
$34
age is a misnomer. everyone knows that. after all, Mezan Rum has no added caramel coloring to make the rum “look” older, nor do they add sugar to make it sweeter… nor do they filter to make the distillate look perfect.
Older? Why is this important with other rum companies adding caramel to force their rums to look older. pure disinformation.