Cocktails, 365 Rating: ★★★★☆
Flavored rums aren’t particularly new. Malibu coconut rum has been around for decades, and Bacardi has been in the game for quite a while with their rainbow of fruit-like flavors.
Cruzan plays the flavored rum game as well, expanding their portfolio with the newest addition back in April – Cruzan Blueberry Lemonade Rum. We had the chance to get our hands on a bottle and put it through its paces.
Nose
Bright and sugary. Hints of blueberry with very little citrus anywhere in the nose. No scent of lemonade anywhere to be found.
Neat
Straight up, the Cruzan Blueberry Lemonade Rum tastes the opposite of how it smells. The blueberry is what dominated the nose, but it plays second fiddle to the lemonade when you taste it. It’s lemonade right up front, slowly disappearing to the blueberry. There’s a lingering sugary sweet backend, but it doesn’t stick around too long. It’s surprisingly well-balanced. Not much of an alcohol burn.
On the Rocks
The addition of ice brings out the sweet lemonade flavors and pushes the blueberry even further into the backseat. Very, very pleasant.
Verdict
This is a solid example of how to do a flavored rum. It does swing to the sweeter side, but it’s still a well-balanced rum that mixes well.
Mark Vierthaler is the founder and Editor of Cocktails, 365. His work appeared in The Tasting Panel Magazine, Savvy Host, Liquor.com, and countless other websites and blogs. He is Bar Smarts certified, and works with bars and restaurants in cocktail creation and pairing. To contact him, e-mail cocktails365@markvierthaler.com
Cocktails, 365 
Leave a Reply