This lightly aged rhum agricole from Rhum J.M in Martinique is a clean tasting workhorse that performs better than many more premium positioned rums.

At 50% ABV, Rhum J.M Gold is not only the youngest aged agricole in Rhum J.M’s core lineup, but also their highest proof. Technically an “élevé sous bois” (literally “raised in wood”) meaning it’s at least one year old, J.M says the Gold spends time in both new oak and ex-Bourbon barrels. Everything about this rum suggests this is the aged option from their core line they expect people to mix with, including the price tag, which, at $39.99, while not super cheap, is the least expensive bottle we tried from Rhum J.M (Martinique Agricoles can be a pricey game).

We measured a density of 0.927g/cc and a refractive index of 1.3576, indicating no additives, in line with the requirements for the Martinique Rhum Agricole AOC.

On the nose it’s very clean, with little to none of the more funky vegetal notes you find in some agricoles. Instead there’s some dried fig, bourbon, apple, oak, and marmalade. On the palate the apple takes center stage, the bourbon sticks around and toasted vanilla notes enter the chat. The finish is medium strong, with vanilla and sweet cinnamon notes carrying through.

In our blind taste test we thought it was pretty good neat (7.3/10), and great mixed into a daiquiri (8.2/10). While not the undisputed champ, Rhum J.M Gold performs pretty well considering its age and price point—it outscores several offerings positioned as “nicer” rhums. The prominence of the bourbon cask is almost enough to count as an editorial choice, and the proof makes it a great option to lend some strength to a ti’ punch. This one has become a staple in my home bar for most drinks that call for an aged Martinique agricole, and given its position in the Rhum J.M product line, that’s probably the highest praise I could give it.

 

The Superficial: Over the course of this project I purchased multiple bottles of Rhum J.M Gold, and saw two distinct packaging treatments. The first (I believe older) had a plastic stopper with a natural cork and no embossing on the glass, whereas the second had a metal screw cap and the classic Rhum J.M crest embossed on it you’d find on the V.O. or V.S.O.P expressions. The label also matches the general vibe of the core line. While it’s clear that in both iterations of the bottle the Gold opts for less expensive choices, it’s nicer than a lot of workhorse mixers.

Tags:  Cane Juice | Lightly Aged | Martinique | Single Column Still | Standard Release