Name: Matusalem 18 Year Grand Reserva
Type: Rum
Origin: Dominican Republic
ABV: 40%
Price: Around $43.00; Purchased from the Wine and Cheese Place in Clayton, MO.
Rum has been on the upswing in my house as of late. As I mentioned in my last libation review, Matusalem is one of my favorite affordable rums to purchase. As I was killing time before a music gig a few weeks ago, I ventured over to one of my favorite liquor stores in St. Louis. After perusing the scotch selection, I made my way to the rum selection to look for something unrelated to this review. In doing this, I happened upon the 12 Year Matusalem which I reviewed last time…as well as the bottle I am posting for review today. I didn’t find what I was looking for that particular day but I ended up walking out with the bottle of 18 year Grand Reserva.
To my eyes and the lighting I have downstairs, the 18 Year Grand Reserva seems darker in hue than the 12 Year. It reminds me of going to the store to buy dark brown sugar…which wouldn’t be too far off as the nose on this had notes of dark brown sugar, toffee and caramel. The front of the palette, after a few tastes, brought about toffee and slight notes of molasses. The middle of the palette interesting enough had hints of spice, just enough to balance the flavors of the rum. The back end of the palette brought the biggest brown sugar flavors familiar to me as a long time Matusalem drinker. The finish on this rum seemed to hang on the palette a little bit longer than normal. Overall, I found it more balanced and a smoother drinking experience compared to the 12 Year – and that was smooth and easy going to begin with.
Just like its 12 Year Old cousin, this rum can be paired with nearly any kind of cigar you’d prefer. Again, I would probably avoid most flavored cigars with this other than perhaps a Java or something with vanilla flavors. It’s going to complement more or less anything you wish to pair it with. My wife recently enjoyed a glass with a Rose of Sharon (review coming soon) and loved the pairing between the cigar and rum.
The price on the 18 Year Grand Reserva is slightly more than the 12 Year and in my opinion it’s a steal for what you are getting at. Not everyone wants a hard hitting whiskey (I have no idea why) and rums like Matusalem make a great alternative, both for the pairing with a cigar or as a standalone enjoyment. We had a college friend and her family visiting us a few weeks back. Our friend in a million years would never go near any of the whiskeys my wife and I enjoy. My wife hands her a glass of this rum (accepting with slight apprehension)…and then has a couple more after that one. I’ll be buying another bottle soon; my wife has already submitted that request.
Final Score: 9.5/10
Thank you very much for reading and I look forward to the next time I can share my thoughts with you.
