Doorly’s XO
Review: Doorly’s Fine Old Barbados Rum (91/100)
a review by Chip Dykstra (Aka Arctic Wolf)
Posted April 14, 2010
I did something a little different for this review in that I gathered a few of my good friends to help me sample the Doorly’s Fine Old Barbados Rum (the rum can interchangeably be called Doorly’s X.O.). We sampled four spirits that evening, three rums and one whisky. I can say with complete confidence that the Doorly’s X.O. was the most favoured spirit by everyone who attended (six persons in all). Everyone commented on the light sweet taste and the remarkable smoothness, both of which were unexpected, considering this is a Bajan rum. This initial first tasting with friends allowed me to garner tasting notes from a variety of persons, and thus my review write-up owes a little bit of love to my friends.
Doorly’s XO, (the XO stands for Extra Old) is a product of R. L. Seale & Co. Ltd. , distilled in Barbados. There are several rums in the Doorly’s family of rums with the XO sitting at, or near the top of their portfolio. The rum does not have an age statement on the bottle, but I did a little checking on a few websites and most seem to agree that Doorly’s is about six to ten years old probably blended from several rums in that age range. The rums in the blend are first aged in American Whiskey Barrels and then finished in Olorosso Sherry barrels.
I was asked by a local importer (Rum Runner Imports.ca) to review the spirit, and anyone reading this review may assume that I did not pay for the bottle of rum used in this review.
In the Bottle 4.5/5
In doing my research, I stumbled upon some pictures of Doorly’s XO which show the rum displayed with a very eye catching canister. I love to display my premium spirits in the protective canisters on my shelf. It just adds so much to the overall presentation. I would have shown you the pictures; but, I was unsure of the copyright implications, so I decided to err on the side of legality; and you will have to trust me that these canisters do exist, and that they look quite fine.
I also like a little story on the label, and the Doorly’s X.O. comes with just such a story. The label reads:
“From the house of Martin Doorly, has emerged a rum without equal. To produce the unique character of Doorly’s X.O., some of the oldest rums are carefully selected for a special second maturation.
The second Maturation is carried out with the oak already seasoned in the aging of the Spanish Oloroso Sherry. The result is a delicate fusing of complex flavours giving rise to a rum of unparalleled excellence.”
The only drawback to the presentation was the pressed on metal screw cap. I was forced to deduct half a point from what was otherwise a perfect presentation. (By the way, the bird on the label is the beautiful Blue Hyacinth Macaw.)
In the Glass 9/10
The rum, when poured into my glass, immediately put forth a nice updraft of sweet dark molasses. Light scents of cherries, vanilla, and oak spice provide support for the molasses, and the immediate nose is mild and pleasant. I like to wait with the rum in the glass to see how the nose changes with a longer exposure to air. In the case of the Doorly’s X.O., my reward for patience was marvelous. The light scents on the original nose coalesce into rich baking spices. Deep dark brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and a light citrus wound their way into the nose which also became filled with a more pronounced spicy oak.
When I swirled the glass I was greeted with a contradiction. Immediately after the swirl, I saw long legs running down the sides of the glass. But… after waiting a few more moments I saw larger fatter droplets crawling down. My sense here is that the rum is a blend of at least two distinctly different styles of rum, each imparting their own characteristics separately onto the sides of the glass.
In the Mouth 55/60
Over a period of two weeks, I sipped Doorly’s X.O., and I was captivated by contradiction. The first flavour I noticed was a sweet mild caramel toffee, yet in spite of the mild flavour, my tongue was also greeted with a tart orange peel and oak tannin. Apricots seemed to dance in the flavour profile with whispers of cherries, only to turn into bananas and raisins when I take the next sip. The addition of an ice cube tames the tartness almost completely, and the result is a more definite expression of banana and a milder toffee profile.
The rum is sweet yet tart. It is soft and rich; yet it has a crispness I normally associate with spirits that have less oil. These contradictions reinforce my opinion that we have a distinct duality of rums in the blend. I seem to be able to taste the different rums in the blend at different times. The first rum is a mild sweet rum full of toffee, and the second is almost an Appleton style rum full of oak tannin and 0range peel. A mild smokey nuttiness acts to bridge the gap between these two styles but does not quite manage to harmonize the flavours. In spite of this apparent lack of balance, and a lack of robustness of the flavour profile, I find myself constantly drawn back to take the next sip to see which style of rum I taste next.
In the Throat 13.5/15
The rum has a mild smooth finish with absolutely no burn. Sweet caramel sits in the back of my mouth after the exit of the rum, and orange peel zest spices my throat. The orange peel seems to gain a little strength and then fades. I taste a touch of smoke in the exit which must be the Olorosso Sherry casks having the last word.
The Afterburn 9/10
It occurs to me that the duality I saw, smelled, and tasted in this rum may have come from not just the different rums in the blend, but also from the two different styles of wood used for aging. The Olorosso Sherry Casks which were used to finish the rum must have imparted a light smokiness and perhaps added a dash of fruit and berry into the flavour profile.
But whatever the cause, it is this duality which has raised Doorly’s Fine Old Barbados Rum from the level of a nice rum to the level of an outstanding rum. It was a treat to taste the different nuances, and allow the contradictions to play with my taste buds.
If you are interested in comparing more scores, here is a link to my other published Rum Reviews.
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Suggested Cocktail
Let me say that I find this rum very easy to sip neat. Adding a touch of ice makes it even more smooth and pleasant. Doorly’s X.O. does not need to be mixed to be enjoyed thoroughly.
But by now everyone knows that I love to mix premium rum. The greater the rum….the better the cocktail. I have no guilt over mixing even the finest rums, as this is the way that I have found my best cocktails.
Doorly’s Easy Cocktail
I will suggest three cocktails for Doorly’s X.O.; the first is a simple cocktail, based upon the Commodore (which is a whisky cocktail which I happen to enjoy). I decided it would be appropriate keep with the Commodore them and so I named this cocktail after a Commodore’s song called Easy.
Easy Cocktail
a cocktail by Chip (AKA Arctic Wolf)
2 Oz Doorly’s Xo
1/4 Oz Lime Juice
1/4 Oz Lemon Juice
dash of Orange Bitters
Sugar Syrup to taste
Mix a metal cocktail shaker with ice
Shake it up until the shaker frosts over
Strain into a fancy glass of your choice
You may garnish with a small strip of orange peel
(P.S. I do realize that the Whiskey cocktail was not named for the music group, The Commodores, but the song sure fits the mood of this cocktail, especially on a Sunday morning.)
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Doorly’s Rum Swizzl
My next suggestion is taken straight from the pages of my handy dandy cocktail book, 1001 Cocktails: 1001 Recipes for the Perfect Drink (Hardcover) ~ Alex Barker (Compiler) On page 562 is a recipe called, The Rum Swizzle. I made only minor modifications and call this:
The Doorly’s Rum Swizzle
2 oz Doorly’s Fine Old Barbados Rum
1 oz Chilled Lime Juice
1/2 oz Sugar Syrup
a dash of Orange Bitters
1/2 cup Crushed Ice
Thoroughly chill all ingredients
Mix in a tall glass with crushed ice
Stir with a swizzle stick until the outside frosts
enjoy!
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Bajan Bay Punch
The final cocktail I shall suggest was forwarded to me by the local Importer for Doorly’s XO, Rum Runner Imports.
Bajan Bay Punch
2oz Doorly’s XO
1/2 oz Amaretto
pineapple juice
chipped ice
Mix in a metal shaker and strain into your serving glass
dust with nutmeg for garnish
Always remember, my aim is not to have you drink more…it is to have you drink better!
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My Final Score is out of 100 and you may (loosely) interpret the score as follows:
0-25 A spirit with a rating this low would actually kill you.
26-49 Depending upon your fortitude you might actually survive this.
50 -59 You are safe to drink this…but you shouldn’t.
60-69 Substandard swill which you may offer to people you do not want to see again.
70-74 Now we have a fair mixing rum or whisky. Accept this but make sure it is mixed into a cocktail.
75-79 You may begin to serve this to friends, again probably still cocktail territory.
80-84 We begin to enjoy this spirit neat or on the rocks. (I will still primarily mix cocktails)
85-89 Excellent for sipping or for mixing!
90-94 Definitely a primary sipping spirit, in fact you may want to hoard this for yourself.
95-97.5 The Cream of the Crop
98+ I haven’t met this bottle yet…but I want to.
Very loosely we may put my scores into terms that you may be familiar with on a Gold, Silver, and Bronze medal scale as follows:
70 – 79.5 Bronze Medal (Recommended only as a mixer)
Steve said
Nice stuff.
chris doorly said
FINALLY I found where to get it. totalwine.com has 27 stores in the U.S. and has most of the Doorly’s rums. Fortunately me they even have a store twenty minutes from me since they don’t do mail order.
ATW said
Hey, Chip.
Just wanted to note something regarding a post above:
“As for whisky being an unaltered spirit, we both know this is untrue. Caramel is regularly added to whisky for flavouring and colour”
E150a (caramel coloring) should be flavorless. The SWA’s definition allows for the addition of ‘caramel coloring’, but not flavoring. Added for color…absolutely. Added for flavor…no, sir.
This was a great little debate. Nice to see informed folk having a civilized chat.
Arctic Wolf said
The SWA does indeed limit the addition of caramel to E150a, however I do not believe (I could be wrong, as although I have read the regulations I do not pretend that I thoroughly understand them), that other major jurisdictions do. For sure the Canadian jurisdiction does not limit the use of caramel to E150a, and after a thorough reading of the US regulations I do not believe that they are nearly as strict as we are led to believe either. (I should point out that although I have read these regulations I easily could have missed something as they are long and tortuous.)
But my comment regarding flavour added through caramel to Single Malts does appear to be in error.
Capn Jimbo said
Nice review, you seem to have caught the major elements. Good work. But as always, I have a few comments…
1. Yes, yes I know the concept of a good cork feels right, and who doesn’t like the sensation of twisting it out and hearing that smooth, subtle pop? I do.
But truth be told, screw tops are far better at storing and retaining a good rum. A vertically stored cork bottle will dry out, and even if stored horizontally to preserve the cork, the cork continues to breath and angel’s share continues to seep out.
2. The notion that there are two blended rums which somehow act independently to provide two types of legs – or that can be tasted separately – is a fun notion. But really not so in my view.
Often a vigorous swirling will carry an excess of rum up onto the sides, such that there is a quick run-off (of the excess), followed by the slow, string of pearls. The latter are the real legs. The former is one’s imagination.
Try this: a better test for the legs is to tilt the glass toward you, hold a moment, then back upright. You will not get the excess runoff, and you’ll be able to observe the true legs.
3. You have forgotten to mention one of the great facts about any Seale’s rum and that is its purity. Unlike most other rums, Richard Seales takes great pride in producing a pure rum that has no hidden additive, flavorings or adulterants.
What you taste in Doorly’s XO is a pure rum – and entirely the product of the distiller’s art.
Unlike most other “rums”.
It is about time that those of us who affect the public perception come clean with them about the hidden alteration of most rums.
As a whisky man I know you must certainly appreciate purity…
Arctic Wolf said
You make some excellent points.
1) The debate between plastic screw caps and solid high density cork toppers is very interesting and to be honest I am finding myself moving in position towards the plastic screw cap as some of my more recent reviews will attest. My preference is the high quality synthetic toppers, which still give that nice satisfying ‘pop’, but eliminate the problems of a breathing cork.
2) I appreciate what you are telling me about the legs and how a tilt of the glass actually works better. I tried this, and I noticed when I was sampling a Canadian whisky that you are correct about this being a better way to test for legs. Thank You.
On the duality of the rum noted in the review:
Most bottled rums are blends of more than two rums, so distince impressions from more than rum source should not be surprising, however,my feeling of the duality of this rum stems from my observations of the legs, the distinctly different nose from the initial nose to the final decanted nose, and the flavours which seemed to be the result of two different styles. These differences may indeed be more of a result of decanting and breathing than from the presence of two distinct styles of rum in the blend, but my description of the duality in the glass is what I experienced, and what the consumer can expect to experience.
3) It is difficult for me to verify with any accuracy whether a particular rum is pure or whether the blenders have added caramel or other flavouring agents. The Caribbean countries where most of the rums come from do not for the most part have rigorous standards which the distilleries are held to. In the end we have to trust outside sources for this kind of information. I readily believe what you say with respect to Doorly’s XO, but I cannot verify it. So, rather than get myself into the pickle of choosing which distilleries to believe and which not to, I leave that subject alone for the most part.
As for my appreciation of purity, it is more of an appreciation of quality. Quality will always show through the fog of adulterants and unnecessary additives. Doorly’s XO is a quality rum and that is reflected in the score.
Arctic Wolf said
I should add here as it may not be evident from my reply that I still believe pressed on metal screw caps are inferior. These caps when installed are under compression which maintains the seal, until they are opened the first time. The act of this first opening has two consequences:
1) The metal perforations holding the cap together must be broken, by tearing them apart. This act deforms the cap and ruins any pressure seal which existed before.
2) Metal expands and contracts at a different rate than glass. In my opinion, even a small temperature change of 10 degrees celcius would be enough to cause an evaporation problems from the metal cap after it is opened.
A quality plastic screw cap should not be affected by these problems.
The second thing which I should mention relative to your comment Captain Jimbo is:
Welcome to the Rum Howler Blog!
Your open honesty is a refreshing breeze blowing through the pages of my Blog!
Capn Jimbo said
With over 150 rums in storage in both vertical and horizontal positions, I can affirm that I have never had a problem with either metal or plastic screw tops. OTOH I have experienced multiple problems with cheap, dry and failing corks.
To me the issue is simple: reliable and relatively loss free storage vs the tradition and pleasure of a cork.
Now let’s cover your statement:
“As for my appreciation of purity, it is more of an appreciation of quality. So, rather than get myself into the pickle of choosing which distilleries to believe and which not to, I leave that subject alone for the most part.”
As published reviewers and influencers of opinion I believe we have a responsibility – and should have the talent – to express our best opinions as to which rums are secretly flavored or altered.
Let’s take one example of many: Zaya. Zaya is not marketed as a flavored rum, but even a modestly experienced reviewer should have no problem in recognizing that Zaya is quite altered.
And we should say so. I have.
I could point out many more, but this indeed is the elephant in the room. If distillers cannot be honest, reviewers must be, for only by doing so will rum become the pure and noble spirit to which it aspires, but fails to achieve.
This was never made more clear than Richard Seales demonstration of how a cheap, young continuously distilled rum could be altered to appear to be an aged, pot stilled rum.
Sadly, most rums are altered and not presented honestly as such, not to mention misleading age statements.
One parting example of just how far this deception goes is the fact that “1 Barrel” – which even the distiller admits is flavored – is not so labeled, and has even been entered into competitions as a pure aged rum. And won awards!
That we accept such blatant deception is a sad commentary on rum, rum promoters and reviewers. And this is exactly why single malts command prices far higher than the concoction called “rum”.
Arctic Wolf said
I guess we will agree to disagree on the pressed on metal screw cap. My experience with them is vastly different from yours. I would not be surprised if the somewhat more volatile climate I live in is partially responsible for our differences we observe, but who knows, your personal experiences are as valid as mine.
With respect to your comments regarding alterants, while I agree that reviewers must try to be as honest as possible with their readership, however, I am unwilling to make statements I cannot verify, especially statements which if I am wrong, may be libelous. I will stick to the facts that I can verify! I believe the path of saying what we believe is obvious to be true but cannot verify is reckless and not consistent with proper journalism. (Yes I realize we are not really journalists, but we should try to adhere to some sort of standard.) What we can do, is to honestly speak about the flavours and the characteristics of the spirit which we encounter and discuss to our enjoyment and perceptions of the quality thereof. This discussion of enjoyment is what my reviews are about. I believe that quality will, for the most part be recognized, and deception will in the end bite the deceiver.
As for whisky being an unaltered spirit, we both know this is untrue. Caramel is regularly added to whisky for flavouring and colour, (even in Single Malt Scotches). What is different, is that for the most part, the major whisky producing countries have enforceable rules regarding the amount of alterants that may be added and when in the production process they can be added. Companies appear to be as unwilling to discuss these alterants as rum companies are.
With rum, these rules exist as well (in some jurisdictions), but the sheer number of different legal jurisdictions ensures that the rules are different in every country and completely confusing to the public. For the most part the rules are unenforceable as well given the nature of governance in the Caribbean and Latin America.
Capn Jimbo said
You may be onto something. Our climate here is definitely warmer and without the extremes of the far north. And make no mistake, we love corks for their romance.
As far as the purity issue goes, I believe that single malts, rums by Richard Seale, Barbancourt and cane juice rums from Martinique are pure, or so close to being so that we can’t tell.
Appleton and Mount Gay seem to be pure, as does Pusser’s, Smith and Cross and a number of others. However, I must say that the majority of rums are not so pure.
As reviewers we are perfectly justified in stating that a rum tastes flavored, and what those flavors might be. After tasting many, many rums one becomes aware of what flavors and extent are common to pure rums and which are not.
A serious taster and reviewer ought to have developed a pretty good tongue, certainly enough to recognize those rums which are over the top insofar as being altered. Richard Seale is quite open and clear about the practice of unadmitted additives in most rums and makes much of the real purity of his own products.
I, for one, am not convinced that purity will prevail and be recognized. Taste engineers are very clever people, and I remind of Seales own demonstration at a tasting we attended, where he fooled a room of tasters with a phonied up cheap rum made to taste rich and aged.
To be fair I raised two very obvious examples: Zaya and 1 Barrel. There are many more. I’d love to know your honest opinion about Zaya: flavored or not? And how do you feel about admittedly flavored 1 Barrel being entered, and winning, in the pure aged rum category?
And then let’s both move on… Up spirits!
Arctic Wolf said
I think we disagree on how obvious the addition of adulterants in to the taster/reviewer. You admit that the taste engineers are very clever at fooling us.
As for 1 barrel, I have never seen a bottle of 1 barrel in my life so I have no comment on it. As for Zaya, I have only tasted it twice. Each time was part of a tasting session where I tasted multiple offerings in the span of only one hour. I cannot really make any comparisons or draw any conclusion from tasting events where the palate is sure to carry too many other flavours. Although I review and have tasted many rums, I certainly have only scratched the surface as far as experiencing the full range of rums which are out there. And I agree we have beat this to death. Cheers!
lukasz said
I agree 100% with your review rum chum. Doorly’s is a extremely fine rum. May we sip again… cheers
the bryno! said
Do you know where in Edmonton this rum might be available and, if so, what the general price is?
Arctic Wolf said
My Sample came through Sherbrooke Liquor Store. (I think this is in the $35.00 range)