Pusser’s 15 Review

More from Chip Dykstra.  He signs on to review Pusser’s 15 Year Old Navy Rum for Rum Connection.com.

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Picture 3Pusser’s 15 Yr Old Navy Rum

(Nelson’s Blood) Review


By Chip Dykstra


Overall Score – 91.0pts


In The Bottle  5/5


I love the shelf presentation of this rum.  A nifty decanter with a nice sealed cork.  Nice label designed to make you feel like it is an authentic Naval Rum.  But what I liked best was the little booklet attached to the stem of the bottle with the history of the rum and its unique distillation.  Other Rums are aged in wood, but Pussers is, according to the booklet, the only production rum in the world to be distilled in a wooden still.   When I brought this rum out for the first time for my firends and I to enjoy  the universal reaction to just the bottle presentation was Ooooooooo!   When an unopened bottle gets this reaction we have to score it 5 out of 5.


In The Glass  9.5/10


The aroma from the glass is very rich.  I get a deep dark brown sugar tainted in old wood.  This is very spicy as well.  I have to let the rum sit in my glass for a few minutes before I can separate some of the different smells indicating a complex yet well balanced nose.  The aromas are not competing for individual victory but rather playing from the same playbook in unison.  Hints of cinnamon, and at the very end a kind of a smell which reminds me of sap from the inside bark of a poplar tree.  I think this is the residue from the wooden still imparting itself into the rum or may be from the 15 years of aging (perhaps even both). This is very enticing yet a little intimidating as the sappy smell at the end is just a little acrid and hints at a bitterness that may lurk in the bowels of the drink.  In spite of the sap this is truly one of the finest noses I have ever experienced with a rum.


In My Mouth 55/60


My word what a taste experience.  A full thrust of spice and brown sugar.  Not that pale yellow brown sugar you buy in most grocery stores but the rich dark brown sugar you find in specialty shops and bakeries.  The spices hint at hot cinnamon and allspice. The mouth is oily leaving these hot spices lingering.  Again at the very back of the palate we taste the wood and the acrid sap.   The woodiness doesn’t actually taste like Oak.  It is more like beechwood or poplar. This may sound bad but it really isn’t.  It is as if a dash of bitters were added to fully round out the taste experience.  Pussers claims that their rum is the single malt of the rum world, and to some extent I agree.  More truthfully I think they have created a rum which is very much like a fine old brandy or cognac, the complexity is astounding.  I really like however, how in spite of all this complexity, the Rum flavours and spices are foremost, while the woodiness, and tart sap stay in the background.  They are just aggressive enough to be discerned and appreciated but in no way overwhelm the palate.


In The Throat 13.0/15


The oiliness noted in the mouth really coats the throat.  But here we have the first flaw serious enough to note.  The woody sappy flavour is the last to leave. Although I liked the compliment in my mouth, having that tart woodiness linger longer than the brown sugar and spice is not preferable.  I like a long finish, but only when the best flavours are the ones that linger the longest.


The Afterburn  8.5/10


This is a quality rum which on uniqueness alone belongs on my shelf with other premium rums.  But for all its glorious complexity and rich vibrant flavour, the ending has fallen a little flat.  What I remember most is the acrid sappy aftertaste in my mouth and throat.  This is confusing because the rum reaches levels of brilliance, but it just can’t keep this level of excellence all the way to the finish.  However I would say that if you enjoy old aged oaky congac then you will also enjoy Pusser’s 15 Yr Old Rum.  I should also note that I have enjoyed this rum a little more each time I tried it.  I suspect I will return very often.


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To read more of Chip’s reviews, tune into the Ministry of Rum.

Copyright 2009



8 Replies to “Pusser’s 15 Review”

  1. This is one of my top rums. I love it! Chip, I agree that the presentation is nearly perfect on this one and adds to the whole experience.

  2. I’m glad you agree with me about presentation Jason. As much as the marketing guys get slagged, whether we like it or not, they influence us. This time in a good way.

    BTW I will try to respond to comments in a small way using this device.

  3. I’m the type that gets pissed off when a $50 bottle of rum comes with a screw cap instead of a cork, no matter how wonderful the rum is. 😉

  4. Pusser’s un-aged product never did a thing for me and then I tried the 15 Yr. I now consider myself a convert. Thanks for the review Chip. I need to seek out another bottle of this.

  5. “full thrust of spice and brown sugar. Not that pale yellow brown sugar you buy in most grocery stores but the rich dark brown sugar you find in specialty shops and bakeries.” Well said, Chip.

    Are you strictly a neat drinker, or do you add a little water or ice to spirits when tasting? I find that most rums and whiskeys open up quite a bit with one or two ice cubes.

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