Elixir Distillers of London Black Tot Rum Master Blender’s Reserve 2024 2024 54,5%

"Edit: tasted again, not bad, but from memory it doesn't come close to the Anniversary. Just sipped briefly, but the first impression is on the up again. Extensive tasting will take place on Saturday with the Franconian Tasting Gang and special guest Jakob."

"Now the latest Blender's Reserve bottling and unfortunately the weakest for me! It is clearly too unbalanced for me and has nothing to do with the original version. The nose initially gives the impression of a Barbados in the glass. But only briefly, then lots of sweet/sour red fruits with wood and vanilla appear. So far so good. On the palate, there is an initial sweetness that only lasts for a short time. Then a strange mixture of spices and fruit that doesn't really harmonize. This also continues in the finish"

"A shadow of its former self. Anyone who knows the previous bottlings (especially those from 2020) can only be disappointed. Despite a really long standing time (necessary!), this blend simply remains boring. Of course, that's complaining at a high level. But who can get out of their skin? I'm afraid this rum will remain on the shelves: It will be too sub-par for advanced aficionados and too expensive for curious beginners, among whom it is bound to find some fans in terms of taste. All in all, a sad performance. Perhaps the series would be better discontinued."

"8,4:On the nose, the first impression we get is roasted wood and tropical fruits like banana.There are chocolate, caramel, roasted nuts, perhaps toffee.We cannot miss dried fruits and citrus, metallic notes... On an aeration, molasses is with menthol and vegetal, the wood spicy, the fruits bourbon yellow, citrusy and very pleasant... 8,5:On the palate, the attack is very fruity, spicy with all kinds of tropical fruits like mango, passion fruit, banana, perhaps mandarine and dried currants.The wood is spicy, dry and very roasted with nuts, chocolate, caramel and pepper. The molasses is dark, bitter with licorice. When rested, it becomes more medicinal with menthol, rubber and tar.The wood is more charred, earthy, there is some fudge.Nicley balanced and round, as vegetal notes neutralize sweetness from charred wood notes. 8,5:The finish is tasty and long, woody and dry.There are coconut, tasty tropical and red fruits, citrus, delicious chocolate and nuts, complemented with earthy and dirty plastic, tar and bitter molasses with some wood tannins..."

"Delicious Black ToT. In direct conparsion to the 2022 and the 2023 version, this one is ahead! It looks like we‘re moving forward! Nice complexity and nice ester, rubber and mango notes. The finish tastes like a creme brulee with a orange peel and minty leaf on the top! The alcohol is integrated well!"

"So on the nose at first a lot of Barbados (Foursquare notes) glue/polish, fruity. On the palate, initially ester/fruity, then after a while in the glass light rubber and dirty/dark notes, dried fruit. All in all, the 2024 makes quite a young impression. Personally, it didn't quite pick me up, I was expecting a little more complexity."

"Not bad, not a sensation. There's more going on on the palate than on the nose - somewhat thicker and fuller-bodied. Sweeter too. Somewhat alcoholic on the finish. Glad to be able to try the sample, but I don't need a bottle of this."

"Franconian Rum Tasting Gang & Jakob, 2023-07-27 "Vorglühen": The first Black Tot since the 50th Anniversary that isn't too sweet for me. But somehow I can't get excited about it. Too unspectacular, too simple, too boring."

"First impression not really convincing. Seems very young, somewhat undefined, alcohol could be better integrated. I can't really taste Guyana, there is a somewhat bitter finish reminiscent of Clarendon."

"Basically a delicious blend and relaxed to drink, drinkable and inviting/accessible. Overall, however, a little one-dimensional and I would have expected more. I found the predecessors much better here."

"My first Black Tot! Slightly phenolic on the nose, medicinal influences with dark fruit. This is also confirmed on the tongue, alcohol comes out a little, but is not too dominant. Dark chocolate, barrel and strong aromas. Delicious rum that needs time and can be enjoyed at leisure"