Aroma visualization from community tastings
A.F.D. Ron Barceló Imperial Onyx
Opinions land all over the place on this one. Fans call it woody and drier than the standard Imperial, with dried fruit, coffee and burnt-caramel notes. Critics say it's thin, watery and short, with the 38% alcohol not quite tucked away. Expect creme brulee sweetness over a light Dominican body — pleasant on the rocks, but don't expect it to linger.
The community says- Woody and roasted
- Dried fruit, coffee
- But: Thin, watery body
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The look inside the bottle
How does A.F.D. Ron Barceló Imperial Onyx taste?
Aggregated from 190 community reviews.
Light, woody Dominican sipper that fades fast Middling and divisive: some enjoy the woody, roasted, drier-than-Imperial profile, but plenty find it thin, watery and short-finishing, with the low ABV showing.
People wanting an easy step toward drier, woodier rum
Anyone chasing bold body and a long finish
How the community classifies this rum. Each category takes you to similar rums.
Which glass for which rum? The community guide →
49 of 190 left detailed tasting impressions · Click an aroma to explore similar rums
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How is A.F.D. Ron Barceló Imperial Onyx rated?
RumX’s 0–10 scale is strict: 7.0 sits in the “Good” band. 42% 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?
74% rate it between 6 and 8. 19 selected write-ups from 190 community ratings. You can view the complete list in our app.
Review by Dunzi
Most helpful positive review
For me personally, a rum of the better category. No artificial flavors, very woody, coffee, a good, not too spicy finish. A very good value rum for the quality.
Review by Vincent D
Most helpful critical review
Encore un produit qui ne sert pas la cause du rhum. Je n'ai pas vérifié mais je pense que ce rhum est sucré artificiellement et coloré. Aucun intérêt. Du sirop de caramel. De la vanille. Un vague goût de bois. Sans intérêt.
Review by Stefan Persson
Got a sample of this rum from RR Tasting Club. It’s OK, but nothing more. Don’t know if there’s any added sugar, but there’s a certain sweetness. Could maybe be something for those who want to taste something less sweet than DRE or Zacapa 23.
Review by Galli33
I got this sample some time ago from RumRatings. Unspectacular rum to me… The alcohol is well notable and for 38% not integrated well. In my opinion sugar was added too! Pleasant to drink. Blind could be also a Brandy.
Review by Kevin Sorensen 🇩🇰
#6666 20.04.2026 Running some samples after my training while watching a police chase series from Sweden. This one is not something I like that much. The profile is rather roasted with dried fruits and coffee.
Review by TheJackDrop
"I expected nothing, but rather interesting More complex than expected! A finer dictador. To sum up, my degustation notes: Nose: Caramelized In the mouth: Orange, Caramelized, Walnut, Mineral Finish: Coffee, Walnut".
Review by crazyforgoodbooze
Angenehm trocken für einen Dominikaner. Typische Aromen für den spanischen, eher leichten Stil mit Tabak, Kakao, Leder, viel Holz, sowie etwas Kokos, Rosine und Banane. Mit 38% aber leider auch sehr leicht und wässrig und dennoch könnte der Alkohol etwas besser integriert sein was bei einem derart niedrigem Alkoholgehalt schon fast eine Kunst ist. Dennoch insgesamt eine nette Einsteiger-freundliche Abfüllung die angenehmerweise offensichtlich auf Zucker verzichtet und angenehm trocken ist. PLV ist fair.
Review by Alan Bertoli
Vorrei iniziare col dire che non mi piace per niente il packaging della bottiglia. Lo trovo proprio una specie di trappola appariscente per attirare polli. Però non sono un esperto di marketing quindi probabilmente c'è dietro una strategia aziendale che io non riesco a cogliere. Alla vista: il colore è molto scuro, forse un pochino troppo per un rum come questo. Al naso: poco intenso, domina il sentore che ricorda lo zucchero bruciato e la vaniglia della creme brulè, emergono leggeri frutti rossi. L'alcol non si sente. In bocca: gli stessi sentori di prima ma meno tostati e più dolci. Meno complessità rispetto al naso. Finale corto. Rum piacevole, economico.
Review by Werner10
Comparing it to the Barcelo Gran Anejo Dark this one is more woody in taste and maybe a tiny bit sweeter. I like it but it's also more expensive so i would get the Dark if i had to choose.
Review by ZLako98
Very nice rum from Barceló again. I just wish it was 40-43% abv. Otherwise it is very flavourful. Great price / value.
Review by Solidfunk
Sugar and burnt caramel. Creme brulee vibe. Dark copper pour. Smooth enough. Flight at Castas.
Review by Portman
Eine ordentlich ausbalancierte Zusammenstellung von dezenter Frucht, etwas Karamell, Rosinen, Vanille und wenig Holz. Weniger süß, als der Imperial. Insgesamt auch weniger tiefgängig, daher für mich zweite Wahl, trotzdem gut.
Review by Michael Janek
15.1.2026 Praha Zverinova ve vůni jemně oříšky a vanilka, ale velmi intenzivní, možná trošičku třešně chuť jemná, velmi podobná vůni
Review by Jean Louisss
Un bon rhum pour débuter mais devient beaucoup trop plat avec l'expérience
Review by Pavel Spacek
Ot taste pretty similar to NY94. Unfortunately the nrand is Barcelo and we all k ow how they make the taste
Review by JonasTh
Very tasty, but a little too sharp
Review by Mark Wilkinson
From charreded barrels quite sweet like burned sugar nice dark color I enjoyed this one not too expensive as well
Review by Abrahan Reyes
Honestly not a bad rum; to me, it's just a lack of character. It will be good as a mixer. Alcoholes Finos Dominicanos uses sugarcane juice for all the runs they produce with a multicolumn still coming with a high alcohol rate from distillation, hence the flavor mostly comes from the barrels.
Review by Mateusz
Stronger flavours than imperial, much more woody and leathery, with dried fruits. Perhaps not everyone taste and I understand there are separate imperial & onyx. Very well
No reviews match this filter.
Expert reviews
Reviews from RumX's blog partners, independent experts who have tasted, evaluated, and described this rum..
Expert review by The Fat Rum Pirate
Read full review →So I'll give that a miss. I'm not disappointed or surprised by this rum. It's not unpleasant but just doesn't justify its price point in anyway shape or form. Which sadly means I'm going to give this very average rum a slightly below average score. Another one for the Pretty...
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 € – 32 €
from 2 sales, latest 02/2026
Prices incl. buyer's premium — what a buyer pays, not what a sale nets you.
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 A.F.D. Ron Barceló Imperial Onyx
A Column Still Rum from Dominican Republic, distilled by Alcoholes Finos Dominicanos, at 38%.
Community purchases
440 bottles logged by 409 collectors.
A drinker's rum.
35% opened, 56 emptied and repurchased.
What does A.F.D. Ron Barceló Imperial Onyx cost?
Community paid 25–43 €.
Current best price: 28.46 € – 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+ →
+16 purchases in the last 3 months.
Added to collections, last 12 months — dark bars are the last 3.
440 purchased · 203 tasted · 80 wishlist · as of
Read on in the RumX Guide
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