Uploaded May 2022 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
In this video, Charles-Philippe reviews Bacardí's Gold Rum which is sometimes referred to as Carta Oro ("Gold Letter" or "Gold Cart" in Spanish)
Discover The Liquor Formula & Read The Review:
bespokeunit.com/articles/rum/bacardi-carta-oro
Learn about the Bespoke Unit Liquor Formula:
bespokeunit.com/spirits/formula
Learn About The Different Types Of Rum And Its Grades & Ages:
bespokeunit.com/rum/types
00:00 Introduction
To review this Bacardí Rum, the Bespoke Unit rum reviewer was used. This is a quantifiable review matrix that you can use at home for your own reviews.
00:35 Bacardí Gold Rum Overview
Bacardí is a giant and Carta Oro is one of its biggest sellers. As all rums from the brand, it's Puerto Rican and is composed of a blend of around 14 different rums aged from between three to five years old, most typically in American white oak casks.
Technically speaking, it's an amber or gold rum as the name suggests. This definitely matches the Latin style of rum making. In terms of ABV, this Bacardí Carta Oro is 35.7%.
01:14 Robe & Appearance
In the glass, this Bacardí is pale with an amber-colored hue. In terms of residue, it is a bit sticky so there is probably a bit of added sugar. If you're going to add some water to it to see how it reacts, you're probably going to see a little bit of reaction, but the chances are chill filtering has been involved.
01:54 Nose
The nose has a very prickly feel. It also has notes of toffee with pear drops and asphalt. It's not offensive to the nose but has a strong alcohol bloom. The bouquet isn't overly rich but is slightly intense - It definitely clears the nostrils. It's a very mild nose overall.
02:32 Bacardí Gold Rum Tasting Notes
Overall, this Bacardí rum has an umami sort of primary flavor. There are savory characteristics with a little bit of sweetness but not as much as you would expect.
If you think this is something that has been doused in sugar to make it more palatable, it's not the case. It tastes quite natural.
The opening has some nutmeg and caramels with a hint of spice. Once in the heart, it reveals some fudge and a bit of gingerbread. And there's an interesting sort of charcoal flint minerality. Once you get to the finish, it's a classic vanilla finish. It doesn't really linger on the palette.
The texture is light and smooth. The complexity, though, is a simple composition of a few notes. There isn't too much diversity there and it's not extremely mature.
03:50 Presentation, Value & Ocassions
Bacardí's label is classic and truly looks great. There's no packaging and it comes with a screw top.
This isn't something that you'd use at a formal occasion. Although, if cocktails are involved, it's a great alternative to white rum. Largely, this is something that you're probably going to want to use as a mixer rather than drink it neat. Overall, you should not discard it. It does have its uses and it does deserve to be in many a drinks cabinet.
In terms of value, this is $15 for a bottle so it's rather cheap. Definitely offers great value if you want to use it as a mixer rather than going for a premium rum instead.
05:22 Cocktails & Pairings
If you were to have it neat, consider having it with some milk chocolate. This will probably increase the creaminess of the palette. It's going to smooth any of the rough edges out.
Similarly, you could consider dried fruit, more specifically figs or dates. The dried fruit can offset some of the lacking complexity in the rum and create a more intricate experience. After all, dry fruits is a note that you can occasionally detect in some more premium rums.
And finally, if you want to add some butteriness to the flavor profile, you could consider adding a croissant or some pastries. That can really smooth out and play along with the oily characteristics of the mouthfeel.
06:38 Cigar Pairings
When it comes to cigars, you could consider an AVO XO. That has a nice, smooth creaminess. On the other hand, also consider the J.C. Newman Brick House Double Connecticut or the Plasencia Reserva Original. These will offer some spiciness which can extend some of the flavors of the rum as well.
07:39 Overall Experience
Overall, Bacardí Carta Oro doesn't deserve to be as criminalized as it has been by the fervent and passionate rum community. It isn't going to be a complex rum that you're going to sip neat. It's going to be something that you're going to enjoy as part of a mixer or within a cocktail, and maybe sparingly on the rocks on its own.
Already tried Bacardí Gold Rum "Carta Oro" or have any questions? Leave us a comment to let us know your thoughts!
CONNECT:
Web: BespokeUnit.com
Instagram: Instagram.com/BespokeUnit
Facebook: Facebook.com/BespokeUnit
Twitter: Twitter.com/BespokeUnit
Subscribe to Newsletter: BespokeUnit.com/newsletter
In this video, Charles-Philippe reviews Bacardí's Gold Rum which is sometimes referred to as Carta Oro ("Gold Letter" or "Gold Cart" in Spanish)
Discover The Liquor Formula & Read The Review:
bespokeunit.com/articles/rum/bacardi-carta-oro
Learn about the Bespoke Unit Liquor Formula:
bespokeunit.com/spirits/formula
Learn About The Different Types Of Rum And Its Grades & Ages:
bespokeunit.com/rum/types
00:00 Introduction
To review this Bacardí Rum, the Bespoke Unit rum reviewer was used. This is a quantifiable review matrix that you can use at home for your own reviews.
00:35 Bacardí Gold Rum Overview
Bacardí is a giant and Carta Oro is one of its biggest sellers. As all rums from the brand, it's Puerto Rican and is composed of a blend of around 14 different rums aged from between three to five years old, most typically in American white oak casks.
Technically speaking, it's an amber or gold rum as the name suggests. This definitely matches the Latin style of rum making. In terms of ABV, this Bacardí Carta Oro is 35.7%.
01:14 Robe & Appearance
In the glass, this Bacardí is pale with an amber-colored hue. In terms of residue, it is a bit sticky so there is probably a bit of added sugar. If you're going to add some water to it to see how it reacts, you're probably going to see a little bit of reaction, but the chances are chill filtering has been involved.
01:54 Nose
The nose has a very prickly feel. It also has notes of toffee with pear drops and asphalt. It's not offensive to the nose but has a strong alcohol bloom. The bouquet isn't overly rich but is slightly intense - It definitely clears the nostrils. It's a very mild nose overall.
02:32 Bacardí Gold Rum Tasting Notes
Overall, this Bacardí rum has an umami sort of primary flavor. There are savory characteristics with a little bit of sweetness but not as much as you would expect.
If you think this is something that has been doused in sugar to make it more palatable, it's not the case. It tastes quite natural.
The opening has some nutmeg and caramels with a hint of spice. Once in the heart, it reveals some fudge and a bit of gingerbread. And there's an interesting sort of charcoal flint minerality. Once you get to the finish, it's a classic vanilla finish. It doesn't really linger on the palette.
The texture is light and smooth. The complexity, though, is a simple composition of a few notes. There isn't too much diversity there and it's not extremely mature.
03:50 Presentation, Value & Ocassions
Bacardí's label is classic and truly looks great. There's no packaging and it comes with a screw top.
This isn't something that you'd use at a formal occasion. Although, if cocktails are involved, it's a great alternative to white rum. Largely, this is something that you're probably going to want to use as a mixer rather than drink it neat. Overall, you should not discard it. It does have its uses and it does deserve to be in many a drinks cabinet.
In terms of value, this is $15 for a bottle so it's rather cheap. Definitely offers great value if you want to use it as a mixer rather than going for a premium rum instead.
05:22 Cocktails & Pairings
If you were to have it neat, consider having it with some milk chocolate. This will probably increase the creaminess of the palette. It's going to smooth any of the rough edges out.
Similarly, you could consider dried fruit, more specifically figs or dates. The dried fruit can offset some of the lacking complexity in the rum and create a more intricate experience. After all, dry fruits is a note that you can occasionally detect in some more premium rums.
And finally, if you want to add some butteriness to the flavor profile, you could consider adding a croissant or some pastries. That can really smooth out and play along with the oily characteristics of the mouthfeel.
06:38 Cigar Pairings
When it comes to cigars, you could consider an AVO XO. That has a nice, smooth creaminess. On the other hand, also consider the J.C. Newman Brick House Double Connecticut or the Plasencia Reserva Original. These will offer some spiciness which can extend some of the flavors of the rum as well.
07:39 Overall Experience
Overall, Bacardí Carta Oro doesn't deserve to be as criminalized as it has been by the fervent and passionate rum community. It isn't going to be a complex rum that you're going to sip neat. It's going to be something that you're going to enjoy as part of a mixer or within a cocktail, and maybe sparingly on the rocks on its own.
Already tried Bacardí Gold Rum "Carta Oro" or have any questions? Leave us a comment to let us know your thoughts!
CONNECT:
Web: BespokeUnit.com
Instagram: Instagram.com/BespokeUnit
Facebook: Facebook.com/BespokeUnit
Twitter: Twitter.com/BespokeUnit
Subscribe to Newsletter: BespokeUnit.com/newsletter
