Fair Travellers Extra Old XO

Fair Travellers Extra Old XO is a Belize molasses rum from the ethically minded French label Fair, sourced from the Travellers distillery, aged five years and bottled at a soft 40%. It belongs in the gentle, everyday category, an unchallenging rum that aims to please rather than provoke, well suited to drinkers easing into the spirit or wanting something undemanding for casual pours.

Matured in ex-bourbon oak, it shows soft vanilla, light wood and a touch of toffee, with nutty and dried fruit notes and a faint floral edge on the finish. The reduction to 40% keeps it round and easy, though it also keeps things tame, so anyone chasing depth or power will find it light. The sweetness reads as gentle and well judged rather than cloying. Balanced, inoffensive and fairly priced, it is a reliable middle-of-the-road bottle that works equally as a relaxed neat sipper or a base for simple mixed drinks.