Elixir Distillers of London Black Tot Rum Master Blender’s Reserve 2023

"The 2023 Master Blender’s Reserve from Black Tot is very complex and aromatic. It’s a blend of rum from Guyana, Barbados, Trinidad, Jamaica and a very old one from Grenada. The nose is spicy and fruity with aromas of tar, black pepper, cocoa, pears, figs peaches and some licorice. At the palate there are flavors of cocoa, dark chocolate, tar, tobacco, licorice, smoke and dried fruit. The finish is rather long with the flavors from the palate remaining."

"Another step backwards compared to the 2021 bottling. A little better than the 2022, but unfortunately not outstanding either. Edit: Tasted again at leisure. Quite pleasant neat. Now also tried as a mixer in the CubaLibre, where I find it even better. Franconian Tasting Gang goes Tiki Better than the 2022"

"A very nice Navy style and not much more. I really enjoyed the original 50th anniversary blend (which I still have 2 bottles of 😀) and my memory tells me this doesn't quite come up to that standard. Still a good rum though, quite woody, slightly bitter, with spices and dark chocolates. Shortish finish"

"Delicious Black ToT. In direct conparsion to the 2002 and the 2004 version, this one falls short! This one lacks in complexity and it‘s more on the „boring“ (unspectacular, seems to be just another Black ToT…). The alcohol is integrated well!"

"I like it better than the 2022, rounder and better integrated. Great balance of roasted notes, wood influence & dark fruits. Quite a long, dry finish with coconut, leather and chocolate that offers a nice conclusion."

"Taste of chocolate, coffee and raisins as well as ripe banana. Long aftertaste of cinnamon and nutmeg spices together with cocoa."

"08.03.2024 Tasting with Romhatten. Retasting and I still like it a lot. --------------- #4281 06.10.2023 finally got the new one and tasting 2021 - 2022 - 2023 side by side. This one is really close to the 50th Anniversary release. Medium intense profile with well integrated wood. The nose is well rounded, the palate nicely balanced with a perfume touch. The finish is medium to long and dry. I like the light medicinal note in the profile. Draws really nice curtains in the glass. The empty glass has light varnish, chocolate and faint leather notes."

"Tasted in direct comparison with the Black Tot 2021. For me, the TDL notes are more dominant in the 2021. The 2023 seems a little fresher and unfortunately there are also musty notes. For me, the 2021 has the edge!"

"Will Guyana's 31.5% dominate the rest? I can't say. This cuvée presented a few notes that I don't like as much, such as a very present bitterness, tannins that are too pronounced too, I think, and which crush a little on the finish. Tasting notes: Nose: not quite ripe peach, fruity, blood orange (yum, delicious), and woody. Palate: coffee and dark chocolate take over at first, but are overtaken by that not-quite-ripe peach, which is a little less sexy. Finish: coffee, dark chocolate, pleasant woody notes in the foreground, unfortunately replaced by a bitterness and tannins that are less to my taste, and which linger a little too long on the palate. I'd like to say that all the ingredients were present for an excellent moment, but the overwhelming finish cut me off a little. Without it being a failure, or bad, this bitterness and these tannins upset my opinion a little. NB: I'd encountered these notes before in older Guyana rums (20-30 years), and they'd already left me with this memory. I guess it's just not my style."

"A new interesting Black Tot bottling. I personally like it better than the 2022. In the taste clearly more Guyana, some bitterness and a very good integration of the alcohol. I lack a bit of complexity and the special to the rum. Nevertheless, you can have his pleasure with him."

"One of the best navy blends out there. Every years edition is different yet great."

"A nice blend with fruit, spice and chocolate... a little artificial flavoring disturbs the flavor harmony a bit though!"

"The nose is clearly woodier and toastier than I remember from the previous bottlings. In the mouth, however, I like it much better. It is much fruitier and more multi-faceted here. As always with Black Tot, a successful blend, but I remember its predecessors as being somewhat better"

"I like it very much! I'm creeping out Worthy Park in particular. Will have to taste against the previous ones soon...."

"In fact, more beautiful Guyana notes on the nose than in the 2022. Then on the palate, unfortunately, somehow inharmonious. And funny, somehow intangible notes that bother me. As if a few very short aged components don't blend in properly. Zumindedt not as nice as in the nose, which I like very much."