Black William Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Barbancourt vs. Matusalem Last weekend I finally was able to find a bottle of Barbancourt rhum from Haiti. I’ve always wanted to try this rum and have heard great things about it. My usual favorite is Matusalem Gran Reserve rum from the Dominican Republic, around the other side of Hispaniola. I was interested in comparing the two. I was on my way to visit my friends Mary and Roger for the weekend and, needless to say, the bottle of rum was brought out Saturday night. I was playing my pirate songs for Mary, my old mentor in tunes from the Emerald Isle. Well, we had a rum first, and Mary topped off my glass between songs, refilling hers almost as often, and occasionally Roger’s (Roger, ye best fill your own rum if ye wants your fair share!). Well, of course, the bottle did not last the night, as should be. But when I went to buy another bottle of rum, they were out of Barbancourt, the scum! So now I have to do the comparison by foggy memory alone. So as not to influence the results, this comparison is being done over a Goslings Black Seal. Both of these rums are “sipping” rums. Comparison is based on both rums being drunk neat. Points only awarded if one rum has a clear advantage over the other. A couple of things you can note on the bottles: Barbancourt is 8 years old, the Matusalem uses a 15 year Solera method. Barbancourt is a sugar cane rum. Matusalem doesn’t say, so I assume it is made from molasses. Both are 80 proof. Matusalem has a cork stopper, the Barbancourt a twist-off. Barbancourt also makes a 15 year old rum and perhaps this would be better for the comparison, but I can't find this locally yet. 1. color - both the Barbancourt and Matusalem are a medium brown. Perhaps the Barbancourt is a bit darker, but I would need both in front of me for a more accurate comparison. 2. smoothness – At the first taste I remember thinking that the Matusalem was smoother than the Barbancourt. By the end of the bottle I remember thinking that the Barbancourt was very smooth. Still, a point for Matusalem. 3. taste – This is where I really need both rums side by side to compare. Both have a bit of sweetness without being cloying. Matusalem has a very clean taste. Barbancourt may have a stronger flavor, but both are medium bodied. What I do remember is that both rums had strong clear and unmistakable rum flavor. Duh! you may say, but so many rums today try to mask the rum flavor with other flavors: Pyrate tastes of orange, Zaya tastes of vanilla and toffee, or some other candy. Not necessarily bad per se, but I like the taste of rum and want my rum to taste like rum! (The Goslings tastes like rum!) 4. bite – Both rums had a good bite. You knew there was alcohol in it. 5. effect – yep, both are alcoholic beverages and both produce the desired effects. True comparison may require an outside observer. Wait, we had some! May’s kids mentioned “Mom, you sure were drunk last night!” Don’t have an equivalent for the Matusalem, but still, point for Barbancourt. Mary liked my pirate songs while drinking the Barbancourt. Still don’t have an equivalent for the Matusalem, but clearly at least another point for the Barbancourt! 6. Hangover: I felt great Sunday morning! No hangover whatsoever. Neither Mary nor Roger showed or mentioned any ill effects from the night’s debauchery. However, I’ve never had a Matusalem hangover, either. We’ll call this one even. 7. Price – $26.99 for Barbancourt, $28.99 for the Matusalem, ($32.99 at the store I got the Barbacourt at) clear advantage to the Barbancourt. Point! 8. Availability – The nearest liquor store is 45 minutes away so I gotta keep my stock on hand. The Matusalem is carried by our locally-owned liquor store, nice folks. Barbancourt is only available in our area at a big chain store – Point for the Matusalem. Unless I am already on that side of town, getting to the chain store requires another 30 minutes of driving in traffic to get there and another 30 minutes back. Price of gas makes up for the price difference, and time is priceless. Another point for the Matusalem. Well, adding up the points, I have 3 for Matusalem, 3 for Barbancourt. If I am already on the far side of town, I will go for a bottle of the Barbancourt, since I can’t get it as easily. Note that I evaluated smoothness without a side-by-side comparison…not really fair….. and I bet Mary would have gotten drunk on either. Both are clearly fine rums! The biggest differences are price versus availability. I hate draws and will have to do the test one more time. I look forward to re-evaluating them side-by side. Black William Here's a bloody rum to a life of sailing free - Black William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black William Posted March 10, 2010 Author Share Posted March 10, 2010 The Barbancourt distillery suffered some serious damage following the Haitian earthquake. From Trade News Online (sorry, I don't have the link but you google it...) "Rhum Barbancourt’s Port-au-Prince distillery will not resume production for at least a month following significant damage sustained during the Haitian capital’s recent earthquake. One of the facility’s exterior walls fell, and barrels of aging rum were destroyed along with equipment inside the plant. Two of Rhum Barbancourt’s employees died in the quake, while around one-fifth of its staff of 430 lost their homes, the distiller said. Immediate supply disruption of Rhum Barbancourt in the U.S. will likely be lessened by the fact that the producer shipped stock the day before the earthquake, but when precisely the distillery will again be up and running is uncertain. The company recently formed a long-term distribution pact with Crillon Importers, making the New Jersey-based importer Barbancourt’s exclusive North American distributor." Get yourself a bottle soon and wish them a quick recovery. Here's a bloody rum to a life of sailing free - Black William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pew Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Matusalem > Barbancourt. , Skull and Quill Society , The Watch Dog "We are 21st Century people who play a game of dress-up and who spend a lot of time pissing and moaning about the rules of the game and whether other people are playing fair." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt. J... Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Mount Gay>Barbancourt>Matusalem For what it's worth Capt. J... Yo Ho....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pew Posted March 12, 2010 Share Posted March 12, 2010 I can play this game. Ron Zacapa Centenario 23-Year-Old>any Mount Gay , Skull and Quill Society , The Watch Dog "We are 21st Century people who play a game of dress-up and who spend a lot of time pissing and moaning about the rules of the game and whether other people are playing fair." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black William Posted March 12, 2010 Author Share Posted March 12, 2010 My compliments to you all. It has been a while since I have tasted The Mount Gay and must reacquaint myself. I've yet to try the Ron Zacapa Centenario. It is spoken quite highly of, but I also hear it is a bit sweet and tastes of bananas.... Matusalem in hand, I must say that the rum that passes the lips is far better than tat on the distributers shelves......... Here's a bloody rum to a life of sailing free - Black William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jas. Hook Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I picked up a bottle of Barbancourt 15 over the weekend... I wasn't very impressed. I think I'll stay with Black Seal or Pyrat. The shop didn't have any Matusalem on the shelves. Jas. Hook "Born on an island, live on an island... the sea has always been in my blood." Jas. Hook "You can't direct the wind . . . but . . . you can adjust the sails." "Don't eat the chickens with writing on their beaks." Governor Sawney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt. Bo of the WTF co. Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I can get the Gran reserva 15 at two locations on my way to and from the campus now, one place it's $31 and one place has it under $30. Used to be able to get the ten year old too but they quit carrying that. I have become quite a fan of Matusalem, but I always save the top slot for Ron Zacapa 23! Sea Wynde works best if there's plenty of loud music though. Bo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pew Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 Spiced rum game: Kraken>Sailor Jerry>The Cap'n , Skull and Quill Society , The Watch Dog "We are 21st Century people who play a game of dress-up and who spend a lot of time pissing and moaning about the rules of the game and whether other people are playing fair." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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