Worthy Park 109 Rum - Should you buy THIS instead of Smith & Cross?

[@StevetheBarmanRumReviews]

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[@0956y]

Very engaged review. And exactly the puzzle I am trying to solve: which Jamaican rum to bring with me on Holiday for a great Mai Tai. I already have a bottle of Clement Canne Bleue. I will go for the Worthy Park 109. But am afraid to miss out on the SC banana funk I so much love.

[@stevenarrowsmith2268]

Thanks for this review. One of my favorite Mai Tai combinations is 1 oz of Hamilton Pot Still Black + 1 oz of the Worthy Park 109. The Hamilton delivers a good amount of funk to go with the richness of the Worthy Park 109. They are also great values on the West coast of the U.S. with both bottles available around $25-30 for each.

[@StevetheBarmanRumReviews]

I do wish we could get Hamilton Rums in the UK. Would love to try decent amounts of them to see whether they are actually good…or it’s just hype. I mean, devils advocate here…but I am on the fence, cos surely let’s face it, DDL/El Dorado obvs keep their best Rums for their own Brands. Same with Jamaican and Barbados 🤷‍♂️😇😉

[@rand-san2095]

$24 for 750ml Worthy Park 109 in the US. $22 for Xaymaca. I just stocked up on Plantation Xayamca and OFTD last month. Now I have to go back to the shop to get some Worthy Park to try now. 😅

[@alho9231]

Welcome to the club mate! Before you know it you'll be building an extension to your house to cater for all those rums Steve recommends 😜

[@robmichaels4728]

Nice prices! Florida is a bit more where I’ve looked: Xaymaca about $28, WP109 about $30 (for 750 mL bottles)

[@toddbailey3552]

Oh wow! The Xaymaca was very closely nudged from top spot for single rum Mai Tai and pairs very well with Xaymaca as a killer blend! Awesome indeed however I ran out of WP awhile back so now definitely have to restock 😂. CHEERS 🥂 Steve!

[@NickVolk]

Stevo, every time I watch ya, I fancy myself sittin' in a small theatre with just one actor, so i do like your "One Man Show"🤣👍👌

[@norochmusic]

love worthy park, bought dad a bottle and he forgot it at the back of booze cupboard, good to see you bigging it up!

[@PamD1]

Yes!!!!!! I already own this.

[@richardamiro8266]

Bloody ‘el drinking this now. Flipping great. Gotta go back and get the last few $30 US in Texas small shop in the middle of Hill Country

[@javakidnyc1]

just picked up a bottle in Austin (Austin Shaker) for $26. Bargain. Also picked up a bottle of Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Black which is distilled at Worthy Park. Will be doing side-by-side Mai Tai's this weekend with 1-1/2 oz base spirit and a 1/2 oz 151 floater.

[@Sunscorpio]

$145 a bottle to buy here in Australia 🥲

[@alho9231]

You asked Steve so I shall provide: 1L WP 109 is 39.75 EUR here. Love the 109 🤤

[@StevetheBarmanRumReviews]

Ha, cheers mate! Decent Price.

[@philgringo2438]

Hello Steve. I like this 109 for cocktails. I wonder why it is this colored, is this an addition? Kevin Crossman uses it for Mai Tai half and half with a light rum from Puerto Rico but I haven't tried it yet

[@StevetheBarmanRumReviews]

Think I said in the video... heavily Charred Barrels. People think colour takes ages. But it's a myth. Look at what the Dropworks guys are doing. Use a Char level 4 or 5 Barrel and you can get Colour in a matter of Days! Its just cheaper, quicker, and more convenient for some brands to use Caramel Colour!

[@philgringo2438]

Ah OK. This is in keeping with its slightly burnt sugar flavor. It's always impressive such a dark color. Thank you for the info.

[@jamaicantillidie6626]

Worthy Park 109 - For me is overly complex, full bodied rum, where a little goes a long way. It packs a punch. Rating it as a sipping rum from 1 to 10, I give it 4.5. Simply because I have tasted others more delicious and easier to drink rums. This rum overwhelms my palate with flavour. It is a rum that might come in handy if you have a fever. The effect after every sip is very festive, a party in your mouth, like spontaneous combustion of high octane fuel with a caramel, cherry and chocolate taste. I refuse to mix it, so it will take me a while to drink neat. A tablespoon of water made it easier for me. I must admit that exploring none Appleton rums is new to me. I will try other Worthy Parks but not sure I will revisit this.

[@StevetheBarmanRumReviews]

I think even by Worthy’s own admissions, much like Goslings, Plantation OD, Plantation OFTD, Pussers GP, Denizen, Coruba and many more “Dark Rums”…they’re not exactly built for sipping neat. They are by sheer definition designed for Mixing and Cocktails. For many of us, they are vital to our Cocktail portfolio.

[@thomasredl1279]

27€ for 1 liter bottle here in Austria

[@Dudeist87]

40 euro in Belgium for a 1 liter bottle

[@InsaneStryker777]

I’d honestly describe Worthy Park rums as simply “boring.” The aged rums are over refined, and the overproof 109 tastes old and dusty. It’s kinda earthy and vegetal with a bit caramel, maybe the slightest fruit flavor. Smith & Cross and Doctor Bird are way better. And of course Wray & Nephew is useful for mixing. In addition, Worthy just isn’t fun. It puts you on your butt and gives you a headache.

[@StevetheBarmanRumReviews]

The beauty of Rum, cos everyone has a different perception. Smith & Cross for me is nothing special. Far better Jamaican Rums out there. It's far from terrible. But for cocktails, I have better.

[@InsaneStryker777]

@@StevetheBarmanRumReviews After 5 days or so of air exposure the 109 settled down a bit. Tastes better, but still has an earthy bitter root flavor I find offensive. I’ll try the Xaymaca sometime this summer. Thanks for the reviews!