Aroma visualization from community tastings
West Indies Plantation Barbados 5 Years
Toasted coconut, vanilla and caramel over a soft, light body — that's the whole story here, and for a lot of people it's a happy one. Members lean on words like round, mild and "easy sipping," and several call it one of the best-value entry bottles around. The flip side: it's clearly sweetened, short on the finish, and not very complex. A dessert-leaning Barbados starter.
The community says- Great value
- Coconut and vanilla
- But: Added sugar
View price history
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The look inside the bottle
How does West Indies Plantation Barbados 5 Years taste?
Aggregated from 276 community reviews.
Sweet, coconut-vanilla easy Barbados starter Most people like it as a sweet, easy Barbados starter — vanilla, coconut, caramel. The honest catch: it tastes dosed, runs short and thin, and a few find it too sweet or a touch hot.
Newer rum drinkers who like sweet, soft, easy sippers
Anyone avoiding added sugar or wanting dry, complex Barbados rum
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
Which glass for which rum? The community guide →
71 of 276 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
Recommendation
Your next rum
One difference each to this rum.
Rated better
West Indies Planteray Extra Old XO 20th Anniversary
7.9/1040 €
More intense
West Indies Plantation Barbados Single Cask VSOR 2022 2016
7.5/1041 €First choice: 117 of 163 tasters who tried both prefer it.
How is West Indies Plantation Barbados 5 Years rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 7.1 sits in the “Good” band. 51% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 3% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
Community voices
What does the community say?
75% rate it between 6 and 8. 46 selected write-ups from 276 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
One of the community's most-rated rums
Review by Decky Hicks Doughty
Most helpful positive review
Quite peppery on the nose but with big hits of oak and subtle hints of toffee, orange & coconut. The palate is sweet but not clogging. Caramel hits first followed shortly after by waves of lovely coconut before moving into honey and candied fruits. The finish is of a decent length and silky smooth with soft wood and honey notes leading into cocoa. This is a lovely rum and reasonably priced too.
Review by Xianut Trezz
Most helpful critical review
Arf…. Zut alors… je ne m’attendais pas à ca… content de partir sur une petite degustation j’ouvre m on echantillon de planteray barbados 5 ans… je lui laisse 30 min pour s’aerer… Bon… le nez… bof. Rien d’excitant… c est assez plat… J’avoue qu’assez vite face à cette absence d’émotion je pars sur la degustation… et bien… la bouche me semble très cohérente. C’est une belle déception… le sucre m’attaque les papilles… j’ai l’impression de siffler un sirop mal dilué… c est paticier… c’est pas fin… limite… je sens qu’il va falloir que je me force pour finir mon verre… je trouve cela limite écoeurant de sucre… on dirait un mauvais brevage liquoreux. Attention… relativisons… ca plaira sans doute à certains… mais alors vraiment je ne suis pas le bon candidat… vraiment pas. J’ai envie de me rincer la bouche à l eau pour décrocher tout ce sucre ! Et flute la finale est moyenne… pour le coup j’espérais qu’on m’achève…
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
Not as sweet as many of the other Plantation rums but still sweet enough that you get it on the nose. It's a light easy to drink rum that you can sip or use in a cocktail. It does lack complexity but you can't expect that from 5 years of aging. Price to quality is good.
Review by BjörnNi 🥃
Not as sweet as many other Plantation. That's why it gets a few extra points.
Review by Rumpalumpa
Another surprising value for money Plantation. The Barbados notes (toffee, wood and a little fruity) are very clear here. A little sweeter due to added sugar, but for little money you really get a decent rum here.
Review by Johannes
Quite sweet with cinnamon, orange and Christmas spices.
Review by LukaŽiga
6,5:The nose opens with the sweetness of coconut milk and vanilla, and a syrup of sweet spices such as tonka bean, cinnamon and nutmeg. A round, pastry-like ambience emerges with dried fruits. Aeration reveals more roasting notes and the profile becomes increasingly spicy. There's also a touch of acidity and sweetness, with a layer of milky strawberries. 6,2:On the palate, the vanilla-coconut flavors of the nose continue with some chocolate notes. The roundness of American oak is at its peak, and the rather round, sweet texture adds a little more to palate. 6:The finish is quite short, coconutty with sweet spices.
Review by abaker-rum
A pretty simple rum with expected flavors from a molasses rum, lacking in complexity. It has typical, caramel, vanilla, and oak notes through the flavor profile. It is quite a sweet rum, not a bad dram, but it is more dessert.
Review by Vincent D
On the batch tasted, the toasted coconut sensation was very present. The whole is very round and sweet. Not unpleasant despite the significant reduction. Not an uninteresting introduction to Barbados rums.
Review by Marcus Ekornes
Quite vanilla forward and sweet. Perfect for cocktails
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
Young Barbados rum in its purest form without any off-notes. Orange peel, coconut, young wood and milk chocolate, some vanilla and cinnamon. Spicy and fruity, slightly woody. Very round and mild and cuts a fine figure in cocktails. Absolutely fine for around 22€. A few % more and a few years older would of course be nice, but then the price would not be finalizable.
Review by Old Pirate 🏴☠️🇨🇿
Young, fresh with some fruits and even it's young it not taste as young. Plantation rums are specific, fruity, floral, light and most of them for a cheap price. This one is cheap and it's bargain. I would recommend it for everyone as fruity reference rum, enjoyable in both worlds - sipping or as a mixer.
Review by Martin Spooner
A very fruity smell. I immediately smelled coconut. Mild in taste. The fruity notes are nicely preserved. Pleasant to drink. Very short finish. The price-performance ratio is amazing!
Review by Lutz Lungershausen
Fruity easy sipper
Review by epicsune 🇸🇪
Sample no.12 of the 24 days of rum calendar 2022. Pineapple, coconut and vanilla comes through after it sita for a while along with some dried fruits. Palate is fruity and sweet, not as sharp as the younger Grand Reserva and the 5 years makes it a bit rounder and mild. Very pleasant sipper.
Review by Tom Buteneers
Got it as a present from a couple of students at the end of their internship. Neat it’s too sweet for my taste, but it’s a nice starter for when there’s company. Also usable as a mixer.
Review by Schnapsschuesse
Very pleasing nose without major outliers in any direction. Fruity, some toffee, young wood.Very sweet on the palate and partly already honeyed. Actually too much, but it works here. Slightly alcoholic finish, but above all quite fresh fruit basket.Fullest recommendation for a cozy introduction to's topic rum in general. This Pulle shaves 80% of the supermarket shelf.Addendum - comparison to the Grande Réserve: very different, even if both are often confused (even by dealers). The 5 is much rounder, riper in fruit notes and woodier. The strong sweetness is much better integrated and rounder here.
Review by wrighty03
Really unimpressed to be honest, having tried plantation other rums. Nondescript taste, very samey to many rums I’d had for 2/3 the cost. Perfectly drinkable, just bland.
Review by ZLako98
At 22€ this is one of the best value entry level rums. I will keep this around🙌🏼🥃
Review by Werner10
Great value. Not too sweet, vanilla, fruity. Finish is a bit too short imo.
Review by benoit burger
Rhum léger assez sucrée. Note agréable de noix de coco grillé. Longueur moyenne
Review by X-Savior
Gentle entry into classic Barbados rum. On the Rocks: On the nose slight spice, wood and floral/fruit. Taste has a nice hit of spice and hints of gentle oak. Short finish that transitions into slight bitterness. Easy going sipper. Lacks depth and complexity but makes a beautiful entry level rum. Mixed Pepsi Zero: On the nose mild spice. Taste has a mild spice and oak with very short finish. Quite smooth and enjoyable as a mixer.
Review by Christian B.
Ich finde er schmeckt für einen guten Rum zu deutlich nach Alkohol. Fast schon so weit, dass man ihn mit Cola mischen kann, ohne ein schlechtes Gewissen zu haben.
Review by Jakob Deiner
Sehr leicht im Geruch, eher minimale Aromen nach Vanille, Kokos. Im Geschmack dann etwas mehr Kokos, Vanille im Hintergrund, sehr mild und leicht süß, aber auch insgesamt leicht. Vom Aromenprofil ist es schon irgendwo ähnlich, aber im Vergleich zu meinem Favoriten Plantation XO alles um Faktor 2-3x zurückgefahren.. Besser die 10€ mehr investieren... Drinks: - Pur: 3/5 - Rum Cola: 3.5/5 - Rum Mule: 3.5/5
Review by Jan Králík
A really pleasant surprise. Taste-wise I find it similar to the XO version, but the XO version is even a bit better. But for half the price, it's a blast. When I compare it to the Grande Reserve and Isle of Fiji versions in the same price range, this is a cut above. It's not over-sweetened and tastes of coconut, vanilla with some chocolate and fruit.
Review by Mark Leggett
Woody smell with hints of fruit. Flavors of vanilla, caramel and coconut. Pretty smooth
Review by Henry Davies
Revisiting. It’s clearly sweet and dosed, can see how it’s popular but a little one dimensional. Dosage helps with smoothness and it’s not bad although almost too sweet with Coke. Struggle to think of its place as to me it’s not really a sipping or mixing rum
Review by Motvind
Dofter från kokos, vanilj, söta frukter och honung. Smaken är mindre fruktig men sötare, kokos och karamell. Överlag en rom som säker funkar bra i drinkar men som även går att smutta på.
Review by Ian Gilman
Not nearly as good as the rum from Foursquare, but perfectly fine for mixing and neat. Could be more aromatic with a bump in ABV to bring out a little more heat.
Review by Sebastiaan Linssen
Good rum price quality wise. Would bother buying it.
Review by Sebastian Bahr
Ein rund um guter Rum mit tollem Aroma.
Review by Joe Rosloniec
Fairly mild flavor, it was good in a Piña Colada
Review by Hordamer Mendelbaum
Honey and cloves
Review by Abrahan Reyes
On the nose ripe bananas and vanilla. on the taste is sweet but not overly sweet. This rum has added sugar which I normally don't like but I can say is well balanced here. Can be considered a borderline sipper that can stand against other expensive options.
Review by MJ72
Geruch mild, etwas Holz, Taback, ganz wenig Frucht. Mild und rund, Holz mit etwas Frucht. Tabacknoten gehen in den Abgang über.
Review by Goodoboy30
This is really good. SWEET. Great in coke and neat.
Review by Steve the Barman
All my Tastings and Scores are purely based on “Rums under £50”. I rarely look at Rums over £50 for my YouTube.
Review by Arjan91
Prima rum voor de warme dagen, licht, fruitig, zoet maar niet erg veel diepte
Review by havy09
Good for mixing. Okay sipper
Review by Louis Britten
Hardvto judge, bar tender gave ot with loads of coke. But not too bad.
Review by Kieron Wood
Another average rum from the gang at maison ferrend . I don't hate this rum but don't love it really . The higher score attributes to the finish which I find pleasant. Nosing Tobacco, oak Tasting Oak , oranges
Review by Botond Turányi
Coconut flavour in the nose. Very little sweetness, coconut and a bit dry in the mouth. Nice to sip. Very complex rum for that money.
Review by Rado Vito
It has only 5 years and it is sweet, well balanced for a great price. I have to consider it in the rating.
Review by Jari van Ham
Decent nosing, nice taste, bit of a rough finish
Review by Kamil Křenek
24 Days of Rum Spirit Drink Calendar 2022
Review by Pascal Gwada
Bon pour de la mélasse. Nez original et agréable Bouche miel, sans complexité ni longueur, mais gourmand sans être trop-trop sucré pour de la mélasse.
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Expert reviews
4 critics scored it, averaging 6.3/10. Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum..
Expert review by Alkotip
Read full review →I love Plantation rums, I really do. For little money, they can conjure up a small miracle in your mouth. 5-year-old Barbados is a clear proof of this, in terms of price/taste, it is one of the best rums I've ever drunk. If you can accept 16 g/l of sugar, then a combination of a delicate fruity perfume with the unmistakable taste of true Barbados awaits you. Sure, I drank better rums, but they cost 2-3 times as much. Yes Yes Yes! (I rate 4/5)
Expert review by RumRock
Read full review →
Expert review by The Fat Rum Pirate
Read full review →Something that I prefer in rum. I don't mind a rough edge. There are just so many more better Barbados rums available at the moment. I think it might be a very long time before I buy a third bottle of this. Despite its enduring popularity. Radio Friendly Unit Shifter.
Expert review by The Dunder Hut
Again, really rough. The alcohol and the weird coconut aroma. What the hell is going on here? I am sure this has fans. I am certainly not among them. This feels flavoured. I really don't be a big fan. Somebody send help....
Live auctions
Current bids for this rum at Europe's leading auction houses.
Market value
What this bottle last achieved at auction. A research indicator, not a forecast.
Auction results 26 € – 59 €
from 2 sales, latest 04/2026
Prices incl. buyer's premium — what a buyer pays, not what a sale nets you.
Avg. community purchase price 25 €
What members paid for this bottle, self-reported. Not a market value — the purchases are over three years old at the median and unverified.
Details about West Indies Plantation Barbados 5 Years
A Pot & Column Still Rum from Barbados, bottled by Maison Ferrand, at 40%.
Community purchases
612 bottles logged by 544 collectors.
A drinker's rum.
37% opened, 100 emptied and repurchased.
What does West Indies Plantation Barbados 5 Years cost?
Community paid 18–36 €.
Current best price: 22.66 € – within the typical community range.
What members actually paid for their bottles. A typical range, not the current shop price. Full price & collection history in RX+ →
+14 purchases in the last 3 months.
Added to collections, last 12 months — dark bars are the last 3.
612 purchased · 301 tasted · 129 wishlist · as of
Read on in the RumX Guide
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I'm Oliver, and RumX began in 2018 as a small passion project in Stuttgart, back then under the name Rum Tasting Notes.
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