Dark rum

[angelsword]

Would Pyrat XO be considered a dark rum or a flavored rum?

[junkhauler]

I would consider it a pour cousin to curacao. To my palette it is so cloyingly sweet and overpowered by orange peel that I do not enjoy it neat or on the rocks, and in use of any traditional cocktail recipe it would shift the flavor too much.
Just my opinion, which I guess is strong. I hope this does not come off as an attack, it is not meant as so. I was very excited when I heard that the company that produces Patron tequila was getting into to rum, and was very saddened by the results. Their Pyrat (light?) should only be used to clean paint of your shoes. It has that chemical finish that a lot of cheaply produced Martiniques exhibit.
Once again, sorry for the rant, and this did not answer your question. Hopefully Edward Hamilton or someone else on the forum can chime in on whether this is considered dark, as I am pretty sure I took the bottle out of my (home) bar.

[Dustin]

This rum, in my opinion isn't considered to be a flavored rum. I have zero problems with Pyrat XO, but I do find it to be a very warm bodied rum. I'm not sure about you, but I have rums for specific occasions. I take a lot of cruises around the caribbean, and currently have somewhere around 50 bottles of rum in my collection. Some of them are definitely for collection purposes only as they do taste like gasoline or something to that effect. One such rum I have is called Soka, and it comes from the island of Dominica. Neat place to visit, but I won't be drinking the bottle anytime soon.

Anyhow, for me, I prefer Pyrat XO on colder days as I find it to be a very warm bodied rum. Many people I talk to really like this rum, and it's a good one in my opinion to have around. I would consider XO to be a darker rum though as opposed to anything else. I have some Jumbie rum that comes from St Marten that I definitely consider to be flavored. I keep wanting to mix a little of it in with some punch, but just haven't gotten around to doing so yet.

Dustin

[Edward Hamilton]

I would consider Pyrat XO an orange-flavored rum, but as the other posters suggest, everyone has their own opinion. In the rum industry it is permissable to add flavorings and some distillers talk about it and some don't.

Pyrat XO is one of those rums which has changed significantly since it was first introduced to the market in the mid '90s. Every few years I've noticed more and more orange flavor.

To get an idea of whether or not a rum has a lot of added flavorings and / or sugar try this: Pour a few drops from a small glass on to the palm of your hand, pouring from the bottle will probably result in a mess. Then rub your hands together to heat the spirit then smell your hands. If nothing has been added to the spirit your hands won't be sticky.

[Dustin]

Ed, that's a neat test! I tried it just a moment ago and you're correct about the residue left behind. It's a bit early still, but I had to retry this rum simply because I haven't opened it in a few months. I can sense the orange in it after trying to find it in the mix of things. The hand idea is fascinating in a way because it allows one to actually feel their spirit of choice and to really get an idea as to its construction. Maybe it was the orange that made me prefer it around holiday times and I never noticed it before, but the hand thing was neat and thanks for the tip.

Dustin

[Hank Koestner]

I try to judge each rum on it's own, before I compare it to anything else.
Then, I may make comparisons.
If I am in the mood, I like a little XO on the rocks with a small wedge of lime and sometimes lemon. The water tones it down a bit, and pushes awy the orange flavor. This is definitly a fruity rum, maybe an apertif before lunch.
It can stand up to an medium bodied afternoon cigar. It sort of stands on it's own, but not a classic at all.

[angelsword]

To get an idea of whether or not a rum has a lot of added flavorings and / or sugar try this: Pour a few drops from a small glass on to the palm of your hand, pouring from the bottle will probably result in a mess. Then rub your hands together to heat the spirit then smell your hands. If nothing has been added to the spirit your hands won't be sticky.

I tried this on quite a few of the spirits on my bar and saw that it worked quite well for sugar level. But it didn't seem to work as well for ethanol extracted essences.

[Milicent]

This is a great idea and works with several of the rums I tried it with that I know have additions. I tried it with the Pyrat since that's what originated this conversation but didn't end up with any stickiness as I would have expected from the strong orange flavor and other's impressions that it must have had something added. Perhaps, I administered the test incorrectly, but Pyrat came up clean on three separate occasions. Has anyone else tested their rums or Pyrat in particular?

[Roger]

Pyrat XO was at one time a few years ago one of my favorite rums. It had (and still does) a few good things going for it. It was an aged blend of rums up to 15 years. It was smooth and tasted very good (I liked the very light orange flavor as I knew where it came from). And it was priced at $25. It's difficult here in Oregon to find rum that is as good for under $30 so it is something you could drink often without breaking the bank.

Dave and I were in Anguilla a couple years ago with our wives sailing from from Antigua to the BVIs for a few weeks and stopped into Anguilla Distillery and learned about how Pyrat Rums were made. http://www.rndrumreviews.com/rnd%20at%20pryat%20distillers.JPG They now buy bulk aged rums from a few partners in the Caribbean and blend them there. They also make a special orange rum liquor there called Savage (which you can only get on the island. Pictured here: http://www.rndrumreviews.com/RnD%20tasting%20Cask%2023%20at%20the%20Pyrat%20pla nt%20in%20Anguilla.JPG over our shoulder against the wall). Well the rums that make up XO and Cask 23 (or 1623) are moved and sit in a barrel for a period of time that had the Savage Liquor in it. We looked at the barrel logs and saw what had gone through them and for how long.

Back then the flavor was a little lighter and I bought the fact that they just "visited" these barrels for some time but today they might actually put a little of the savage in or possibly leave them in these barrels longer.

Either way this is a great dark aged premium rum that you can get for very little money. I still like it (and the Cask 23) but haven't had any form a new batch.

On our website the barrels on our main page (that contain links to our pages) hold Pyrat XO Reserve and Cask 23.

Regards,

[Hank Koestner]

While in Anguilla I had a chance to sample the present Pyrat XO along with a bottle that was 3 years old. The current blend has more orange flavor, and a slightly heavier consistency. This particular bartender was keeping an amount of the old Pyrat, as he preferred it to the new. What Roger said is true, the rum is a blend of well aged rums, and the unknown seems to be if they add Savage or just age the rum in the barrels. I think the flavor of Pyrat is very unique, so it is hard to compare it to other rums. I keep a bottle on hand,
so when I am in the mood for it I can have a glass. Also, I enjoyed Pyrat Pistol with tonic, it was a good refreshing afternoon drink. :)

[angelsword]

I'm still trying to figure out which bitter ingrediant thay are using. It tastes like it could be cascara sagrada or chaparro amargosa.