Aroma visualization from community tastings
Long Pond & Clarendon Plantation XAYMACA Special Dry
The nose promises the world — ripe banana, pineapple, glue and tropical funk — then the palate turns noticeably dry, spicy and woody, catching a lot of people off guard. Pot-still Jamaican from Long Pond and Clarendon at 43%, it's a gentle, rounded take on the island funk. Several tasters call it a "good daily sipper" and a reliable Mai Tai base rather than a deep neat pour.
The community says- Ripe banana nose
- Genuine light funk
- But: Drier than nose suggests
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The look inside the bottle
How does Long Pond & Clarendon Plantation XAYMACA Special Dry taste?
Aggregated from 379 community reviews.
Fruity nose, dry finish, easy Jamaican mixer Most see a well-priced, easy entry into Jamaican funk — fruity nose, dry palate. Some love how clean it drinks; others find it too soft, dry, or "whisky-like" to enjoy neat.
People easing into Jamaican funk and mixing Mai Tais
Anyone wanting a sweet, rich neat sipper
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
Which glass for which rum? The community guide →
113 of 379 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
Recommendation
Your next rum
One difference each to this rum.
Rated better
Long Pond Planteray Jamaica (Kentucky Cask) VRW 2017
7.6/1049 €
More intense
Long Pond Planteray Jamaica Prestige Cellar (Warehouse #1) HJC 1996
8.2/10
Similar rating, cheaper
Plantation 3 Stars White
7.0/1016 €First choice: 22 of 26 tasters who tried both prefer it.
How is Long Pond & Clarendon Plantation XAYMACA Special Dry rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 7.0 sits in the “Good” band. 45% of tasters rate it Good or better; only 7% rate it below average. See the full rating guide →
Community voices
What does the community say?
73% rate it between 6 and 8. 46 selected write-ups from 379 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
One of the community's most-rated rums
Review by LukaŽiga
Most helpful positive review
8,2:On the nose, this rum develops an original funk, a palpable but unusual identity.There's no shortage of it on this very open nose, with peach, apricot, a little prune, mango, melon and concentrated red fruits... These fruits are not past their prime, just sunny, and the profile is not as wild as some other Jamaicans, even if there is a little green olive. Vanilla from the barrel gently spices up the profile, but nothing more. Heady flowers underline the profusion of fruit on this exotic, deeply sympathetic nose. Aeration gives way to more wood, for a little more refinement and seriousness. It's simply accompanied by sweet spices and doesn't prevent the tropical ambience (fruit and flowers) from living at the heart of the rum. We can't speak of complexity, but of a sunny character and a cheerful mood. Time brings a little more maturity, with dried fruit, a golden, spicy film and a more natural woodiness tinged with gray pepper. 8,2:On the palate, it very tasty, round, light. The profile is as fruity as ever, but less explosive. We're on to something more delicate, with fruits in syrup and a rum that's by no means biting. The pastry register kicks in mid-palate, with marzipan, cherry and fluid cream. 8:The finish is pastry-like but elegant, thanks to a little cherry pit. Honey coats the dried fruit and the wood is coated with a layer of encaustic...
Review by paulgi86
Most helpful critical review
For my first impression of Jamaican rum, have to say disappointing but also not because I’m aware whatever character that was in this blend has absolutely been neutered by the cognac casks I get why they’ve done this - round everything off so nothing offends BUT there’s simply no identifiable character…. It just tastes like every other Planteray bar line product but with a slightly higher ABV If you like Planteray and their portfolio, you’ll love this softly softly approach they’ve decided on here but if you really want to taste the character and spirit of a distillery and/or the region it’s from? Look elsewhere
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
This is a dry rum which is out of balance so I'd prefer it in a mixer. For the price tag a nice rum actually.
Review by Adrian Wahl
Was never intended as sipping rum and it serves its purpose as a mixer. In May Tai as part of a blend halfway okay. Funk has the thing but none. Have after tasting again deducted 2 points 68/100.
Review by DomM
Actually not too bad. However, blended to a very round and smooth Jamaican expression, lacking the excitement and funk the marketing suggests (and which we like in Jamaican rum :))
Review by TheJackDrop
New tasting notes following the Rum Club evening. A nice little Jam with character. Nice bananas and small esters, quite a lot of fruit in general behind a veil of smoke... but an alcohol that's not quite under control, I think.
Review by Marcus Ekornes
Makes an awesome Mai Tai
Review by w00tAN
Dieser Rum ist meiner Meinung nach prima, um Leute an den Jamaika Stil heranzuführen. Es ist erkennbar ein Jamaikaner, die typischen Ester Noten sind zu erkennen. Insgesamt aber sehr ausgewogen und dadurch wirklich gut und easy trinkbar. Für den Preis auch als Mixer eine gute Wahl.
Review by Rowald Sweet Empire
Undosed Plantation!!! Typical jamaican flavours. Pretty good and most definitely better than most Plantation standard.u Also: give Barbados their G.I.!! Retry: Yeah Plantation. Not a fan of their marketing and their provenance lies. Besides that. This is still not bad. Probably because they didn't fuck around with it so much as they did with their other rums.
Review by SirMixalot
Tastes like a mix between a poor scotch & a young Jamaican. Another dissapointment from Maison Ferrand
Review by rum_sk
Typical full-bodied Jamaica with esters, kick, specific smell and everything that you would expect. Probably the first rum that tastes almost the same as it smells. You need to grow up to appreciate this one. Benchmark for a Jamaican rums. However, its taste and smell are just a bit too raw (you can feel this is a young rum), I find hampden 8 y.o. much better but then in this price it's not that bad although, I would more likely go with Appleton 12 for the roughly same price. UPDATE:Tastes better with cigar, milder, you can taste the cognac finishing and is better than appleton signature blend.
Review by Tim
Smells intense tropical fruit and also good mouthfeel, but then a musty, furry and sweet finish, which I also know from other Jamaicans and do not particularly like.
Review by MarcT
Did not expect this to be that good, considering the price. While the smell does not much for me, the taste is really nice, fruit, some spices and wood. It is clearly Jamaican in nature, and I had to search for a specific note that lingered on my tongue, that I did not have yet anywhere but still found quite familiar: a bit of mint...
Review by Godspeed
Meh. So weak and smoothed out you barely realize it’s jamaican. It’s a cheapish mixer but not remotely best in class at that either. For the money to spend on a jamaican mixer you’re way better off with an appleton 12 or even a cheaper blackwell’s rather than this one. Feels a little like a cash-in to predate on people who hear good things about jamaicans but dont know what they’re buying.
Review by Rumpalumpa
Gibt einen schöner Duft, der Geschmack fällt dahinter zurück. Dass Plantation hier nicht gezuckerter hat ist eindeutig. Für Cocktails die einen gereiften Jamaikaner verlangen aber super, auch hinsichtlich des Preises. Wird deshalb wohl auch wieder gekauft.
Review by Steffmaus🇩🇰
Part of 1423 "24 days of rum" Christmas rum-calendar. It is indeed "special dry" as written on the description. I found it funky and fruity in the nose, dry and hints of tobacco and cocoa in the notes
Review by Thunderbird
Ein Einstiegsjamaicaner, gefällig und angenehm
Review by Fauco
I don’t know if I’m too much of a noob when it comes to rum or not, but I really didn’t enjoy this. It may be too complex for me but the taste was way too dry, bitter and strong/“alcoholic” to be enjoyable. Tasted more like whisky than rum and in my world that’s not a good thing.
Review by Lutz Lungershausen
Great Jamaica nose with banana and esters. Powerfully rum-like on the palate but clearly alcoholic and somewhat scratchy. Warm finish. I have more exciting things to sip, but a very good choice as an inexpensive mixer.
Review by Werner10
A very soft Jamaican style rum. Just a hint of funk. Fruity and round. Perfect to give Jamaican rum a first try. Quality/ Price is very good.
Review by Gregor
Another beautiful Jamaican for the small purse. It also has everything you need. Lots of tropical fruit through to spicy notes. The alcohol strength could be higher. The only bad thing about it is that it is slightly watered down. But I still give it a clear recommendation to buy
Review by Morgan Garet
Ce n'est pas désagréable, tous les marqueurs jamaicains sont présents mais beaucoup trop atténués. Au final c'est assez plat.
Review by michaël renard
Ter info: Open vat, lange destillatie,pot still 3-4j in ex burbon cast
Review by Jack M
A gentle Jamaican rum. Quite light and fruity, with some cooking spices too. Well rounded. Well priced. Nothing special but a good daily sipper
Review by Ulf Larsson
Not good at all. Plantation can better.
Review by Jakob Deiner
Erster Versuch mit "echtem" Jamaica-"Funk". Nachdem ich auch Benzin relativ gern gerochen habe an der Tanke (pre E-Auto Era ;)), im Geruch nach undefinierbaren Fruchtnoten gemischt mit Lösungsmittel, etwas Nagellackentferner und Kleber gar nicht so uninteressant. Im Geschmack sind besagte Noten dann eher nicht so meins, 'rass', würden wir in Bayern sagen. Durch die 40% aber immerhin relativ mild. Kann man trinken, besonders geil ist aber anders. Wenn das der Einstieg in Funk ist, sehe ich mich in der Richtung erstmal nicht mehr um. ;) Macht sich extrem gut im Mule, aufgewertet um 2.2. - Pur: 3/5 - Rum Cola: 3/5 - Rum Mule: 4.5/5 - Rum Punch: 2/5
Review by Jan Havelka
Blind degustation at bridge bar. Interesting compari between regular low level runs and some better ones...
Review by Andrew Mainprice
Fantastic rum lovely and dry
Review by Decky Hicks Doughty
The nose is packed with fruit and there's an unusual pencil shaving note that I don't find that often. Definitely pot still from the nose alone. Very intense. The taste is just as fruity as the nose but it's dry. Some earthy notes also at play. Not as sweet as other Plantation rums. The finish has a surprising earthy, spicy note that hands around for a while. It's nice. A crowd pleasing, young Jamaican blend. There's better but this is reasonably priced.
Review by epicsune 🇸🇪
Sample no.9 of the 24 days of rum calendar 2023. Classic jamaican funk on the nose with esters and overripe fermented tropical fruits. Palate is funky as the nose and banana, esters and sweet tropical fruits is most dominant. As one who doesn’t enjoy the jamaican funky esters but this one was ok.
Review by Christina L.
#keinprofi Die fruchtige, überreife Note im Geruch bleibt auch im Geschmack erhalten. Hier kommen noch Rösttöne, Kaffee und Schokolade/ Karamell hinzu.
Review by Christoph
Favorable entry if you want to enjoy a typical Jamaican rum without having immediately too blatant ester notes as an overload of the palate.
Review by Motvind
Lots of sweetness and tropical fruit. The strength of the alcohol also makes itself felt. A little smokiness is present. For me, not something I want to sit and sip on.
Review by Claes Nilsson
Inte den bästa Jamaica jag provat med ok värde för pengarna
Review by Carl-Johan Thulin
Good price, good entry level rum for Jamaican rum. A little funk, some esters, some overripe fruit. Is intended primarily to be used in drinks.
Review by Schnapsschuesse
'Herr Ober, there's banana in the schnapps' - Grandma's rum pot meets banana split, at least in the nose. Nice and round, a bit funky, but mainly the previous one. Jamaican whose nose doesn't scare anyone. Not as dry as expected, which manifests itself more towards the back in the woodiness. The sweetness at the front is oily and more reminiscent of maple syrup than sugar. The funk comes out in the middle section, combined with a hint of whiskey. The finish is then very Jamaican, dry and has a lot of stickiness. I'm impressed by how pleasing Jamaica can be without giving up its character. Super stuff!
Review by Mc Pirate
Rhum agréable et gournand, se caractérise par sa légèreté. Certainement bien en cocktail avec tonic
Review by ZLako98
Not great nor terrible. You cab argue that for this price this is excellent value for money.
Review by Oliver
Richtig schöner easy sipping rum
Review by Robert Mallander
I think this require more than the 2cl I had as well as a clearer mind, very complex almost busy rum.
Review by Sebastiaan Linssen
Good rum price quality wise.
Review by Anonymous
Egy jó kis száraz rum enyhe funky beütéssel. Nagyon imádom a plantery márkát de valahogy szerintem ez annyira nem lett top, persze az ára is mutatja hogy nem egy felső polcos slip rum akart lenni, de valahogy számomra nem volt akkora karakter hogy emlékezetes maradjon, de ez lehet csak én vagyok ilyen ízléssel. Száraz, nem édes, nem túl funky, olyan szerintem szurke kis egér a sorban
Review by thomas fraboulet
Distilleries Clarendon + Long Pond. Très fruité, cacao & épices. Bonne finale sans burn. Bonne alternative au Smith & Cross (même niveau d'Esther mais moins d'ABV). Au nez on sent le finish cognac, au palais le côté fruits tropicaux & les épices, le finish est medium et sur le cognac. Step up par rapport au Appleton estate Signature, funky et complexe. Équivalent à 80% du funk d'un Smith&Cross mais avec plus de complexité lié au fût de Cognac. C'est le rum que j'utilise le plus en Mixologie
Review by Mark Leggett
Aroma is very strong and has a lot of over ripe fruit, and hints of smoke. The aroma is not that appealing. The flavor is better after it has time to air. Dried fruit, smoke with hints of spice and barrel. Update - more experience with rum and revisiting this. Most of the flavor profile is the same but I find this more enjoyable now. Upping the score
Review by Rum man
Nice entry Jamaican. It drinks a bit hot which might be due to the age of the blend. Overall I would not drink it as a mixer. It lacks balance and complexity. I can however see this work as a good mixing rum. Some sweet fruit juice could balance this out.
Review by akkisz
schöne jamaica frucht in der Nase, schön angenehm im Gaumen anfangs mit schöner Konsistenz, frucht banane, tropische Früchte..dann aber letztlich extrem trocken. interessant aber anstrengend. kurzer abgang
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Expert reviews
4 critics scored it, averaging 6.5/10. Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum..
Expert review by Alkotip
Read full review →I have read in rum enthusiast reviews that Plantation Xaymaca is a rum suitable for beginners. I rather don't think so. Jamaican rums this dry just aren't for everyone. Xaymaca smells beautifully sweet of bananas, pineapple and tropical fruits, totally enticing to taste. In the mouth, however, it is much drier than the nose would expect. If you savour you will find that the body is beautifully rounded, it doesn't scratch in the throat and is well drinkable. Plus it's at a great price.
Expert review by Rhummer
Read full review →
Expert review by Rum Runner Labs
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Expert review by The Fat Rum Pirate
Read full review →If you want a reasonably priced introduction to Jamaican Rum and Appleton Signature Blend is a bit "rough" for your tastes then I recommend trying Rum Bar Gold. It's a better rum than Xaymaca and has enough sweetness not to scare of people new to Jamaican rum. It's nice but...
Expert review by Rum Diaries Blog
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Current bids for this rum at Europe's leading auction houses.
Market value
Avg. community purchase price 28 €
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 Long Pond & Clarendon Plantation XAYMACA Special Dry
A Pot Still Rum from Jamaica, bottled by Maison Ferrand, at 43%.
Community purchases
682 bottles logged by 623 collectors.
A drinker & collector.
34% opened, 86 emptied and repurchased.
What does Long Pond & Clarendon Plantation XAYMACA Special Dry cost?
Community paid 22–40 €.
Current best price: 24.80 € – 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+ →
+27 purchases in the last 3 months.
Added to collections, last 12 months — dark bars are the last 3.
682 purchased · 406 tasted · 192 wishlist · as of
About the Long Pond & Clarendon distillery
The Long Pond & Clarendon distillery is located in Jamaica. Rums from Long Pond & Clarendon have been reviewed 658 times with an average of 7.2/10.
To Long Pond & Clarendon →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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