Most people picture Bacardi as a tropical drink, perhaps sipping a Mojito on the beach or savoring the cool, crisp taste of Bacardi Superior in a classic Cuba Libre. However, Bacardi's reputation is not just for white rums or spiced rums, as the brand has also developed a line of barrel-aged rums worthy of fine whiskies or high-quality cognacs. 

The two foremost examples in Bacardi's premium rum range are Bacardi Reserva Ocho (8 Years) and Bacardi Gran Reserva Diez (10 Years). Both rum expressions have been aged in oak barrels, are complex in flavor, and are described as great for sipping neat or as a mixer in upscale cocktails. The two Bacardi rums diverge in flavor, texture, maturity, and price—the two rums are therefore better suited to different rum enthusiasts. 

Which Bacardi aged rum belongs in your liquor cabinet? To help you decide, we will run through everything from flavor and aroma to performance in cocktails and value. Let's go!

Aged Rum 101: Bacardi’s Journey Beyond White Rum

Bacardi has been a staple of light, mixable rum since the brand's inception in Santiago de Cuba in 1862. In its later years, the brand has sought to evolve beyond its tropical cocktail identities, investing in barrel-aged rums that showcase time, craft, and character.

The Reserva Ocho (8 years) and Gran Reserva Diez (10 years) represent Bacardi's desire to enter the sipping rum arena, a category dominated by brands such as Appleton Estate, Diplomatico, and Mount Gay. Both rums are produced from molasses, distilled in Puerto Rico, and barrel aged in American white oak barrels (that lend the rum some caramelized vanilla and spiciness) during the course of maturation.

The difference of 8 years or 10 years might seem marginal, but as you will see - those two years make a world of difference in depth, smoothness, and finish.

Bacardi Reserva Ocho (8 Years): The Gateway to Mature Rum

A Heritage Classic

Bacardi Reserva Ocho, known as “Ocho,” is not merely another aged rum; it embodies family tradition. Ocho was first created in 1862 and was a rum only for enjoyment by the Bacardi family until more than a century later when it was presented to the public as a representation of the Bacardi heritage and craftsmanship.

Flavor and Aroma

When you pour yourself a glass of Reserva Ocho, you'll be welcomed right away by soft aromas of caramel, vanilla, and oak, with hints of dried apricot, clove, and cinnamon on the nose.  

On the palate, it’s smooth with a medium body and flavors of toffee, honey, baking spices, and a bit of a fruit sweetness (though the fruit is more of a nuance than a stand-out flavor). There’s just enough spice and oak on the palate to remind you it is aged, but it never becomes overbearing or feels heavy at all.  

The finish is clean, warming, and a touch sweet, so it fits nicely between a mixable white rum and more complex sippers.

Mouthfeel & Complexity

Reserva Ocho has a lush mouthfeel with a slight dryness and oak influence. It's balanced—rich enough to sip on its own, yet structured sufficiently to be enjoyable as a stirred cocktail.

Cocktails that Shine with Bacardi Ocho

Because of its balance and medium body, Reserva Ocho is incredibly versatile:

• Ocho Old Fashioned -  Simply change out the bourbon for Ocho, and delight in a spiced amber twist on a classic.
• Rum Negroni - This classic, warm and aromatic drink is full of bitters, vermouth, and Ocho.
• Old Cuban - A lovely cocktail made with aged rum, lime juice, mint, sugar and Champagne.

It also performs beautifully on the rocks, where the slight dilution releases even more caramel and spice notes.

Price & Value

Bacardi Reserva Ocho, priced at about ₹3000 in India (or $25-30 worldwide), is simply too good of a deal to overlook when it comes to aged spirits. You won’t find many rums, aged 8 years, of such good quality, that’s this flat-out smooth and well-rounded outside of Bacardi’s lineup at this price.

Best For

• Drinkers transitioning from white rum or whisky
  
  
• Cocktail enthusiasts seeking depth
  
  
• Anyone looking for an affordable, sippable aged rum
  

Bacardi Gran Reserva Diez (10 Years): The Premium Sipping Rum

An Elevated Expression

If Reserva Ocho serves as Bacardi's gateway into the world of aged rum appreciation, Gran Reserva Diez (10 Years) is the destination. Offered as part of Bacardi's premium "Facundo Collection," Gran Reserva Diez takes everything that Ocho does and elevates it to another level of richness and refinement.

Each drop of Gran Reserva Diez is aged in a mixture of oak casks, all carefully sourced, for a minimum of 10 years. In the tropical climate where rum matures faster than whisky, 10 years is a long time, and Gran Reserva Diez reflects the considerable depth and smoothness that is derived from a decade in barrels.

Flavor and Aroma

Gran Reserva Diez offers opulent aromas of dark caramel, vanilla, and toasted oak at first sniff, giving way to notes of toffee, banana bread, dried figs, and spices.  

In the mouth, it is silky and full-bodied, plush with flavors of butterscotch, roasted almonds, and orange zest. The sweetness is more brown sugar than molasses, and the warmth in the finish is lingering and pleasurable, poised and luxurious.

Mouthfeel & Complexity

While Ocho is lively and balanced, Diez is rich, velvety, and contemplative. The mouthfeel is creamy, the texture smooth, and the oak influence stronger yet mellow. This is a sipping rum through and through, ideal for enjoying slowly after a meal.

Cocktails for Gran Reserva Diez

While purists prefer to drink Diez neat, it can transform a cocktail into something luxurious:

• Rum Old Fashioned – brings out deep caramel and spice tones
  
  
• Premium Daiquiri – crisp lime contrasts beautifully with Diez’s richness
  
  
• Manhattan-style Rum Twist – aged rum with sweet vermouth and bitters for a velvety finish
  

If you must mix it, keep it simple, this is a rum that deserves to shine.

Also Read: Exploring Every Type of Bacardi Rum: White, Gold, Dark, Spiced, and Flavored Explained

Price & Prestige

Gran Reserva Diez is positioned to be a premium sipping spirit at prices of approximately ₹4,800 in India ($40-45 international). Compare it to 12-year-old rums offered by Appleton or El Dorado, and in many blind tastings, it performs well against these new competitors.

Best For

• Experienced rum or whisky drinkers
  
  
• Sipping neat or on the rocks
  
  
• Luxury cocktail enthusiasts
  
  

Bacardi Ocho vs Diez: Head-to-Head Comparison

Production Notes: The Art of Aged Rum

Ocho and Diez are both produced from fermented sugarcane molasses—the dark, syrupy by-product of sugar refining. First, they are distilled and then aged in charred American oak barrels where bourbon was previously aged. 

This aging process leads to the golden-amber color of the rums and develops some caramel, vanilla, and spices. Unlike some spiced rums, these expressions contain no added flavor or artificial ingredients, only

Because of the tropical aging climate in Puerto Rico, rum will often mature faster than whisky would in Scotland. This means that an 8- or 10-year-old rum may show the complexity and maturity of a much older whisky.

The Cocktail Factor: Mixing vs Sipping

One of the key distinctions between these two rums lies in how they behave in cocktails.

• Bacardi Reserva Ocho is a mixologist's dream. It is complex enough to take a classic cocktail to another level but still restrained enough to not take the cocktail over. It is great with Old Fashioneds, Dark 'n' Stormys, and Mai Tais when you want more depth and spiciness.
  
  
• Gran Reserva Diez is more of a showpiece rum instead—best enjoyed neat or on the rocks with one large cube. You can still mix it into cocktails, but it is somewhat akin to mixing champagne into soda; you can do that, and it will be great, but some of the special qualities get muddled along the way.

If you’re a cocktail enthusiast, Ocho offers more flexibility. But if you’re a sipper who enjoys your spirits neat, Diez delivers that elevated, slow-savor experience.

Value and Availability

Bacardi has done something impressive here, offering genuine aged rums with clear age statements and approachable pricing.

• Reserva Ocho (₹3,000) punches far above its weight, offering the complexity of rums that often cost twice as much.
  
  
• Gran Reserva Diez (₹4,800) provides a taste of true premium sipping rum without crossing into luxury pricing territory.
  
  

Both are widely available internationally, a rare thing for high-quality aged rums. Whether you’re shopping in the U.S., Europe, or India, you’ll likely find them in most premium liquor stores or online.

Expert Verdict: Which One Belongs on Your Shelf?

The answer depends entirely on what kind of rum drinker you are.

• Consider Bacardi Reserva Ocho if you like bartending, enjoy experimenting with flavor, and want a reasonable rum that has good value.
  
  
•  It’s an ideal all-around rum: convenient, fragrant, and mixing forever.
  
  
• Consider Bacardi Gran Reserva Diez if you enjoy spirits on the rocks, love changes between ages, and want a rum that feels luxurious and sophisticated.
  
  
•  It’s a statement bottle: an occasion to pour it out when you want to enjoy the craftsmanship.

If budget allows, the best answer might just be both: Ocho for your bar’s mixing lineup and Diez for your personal sipping ritual.

Final Pour: Why Bacardi’s Aged Rums Deserve More Attention

For many years, Bacardi has been considered merely a party rum—a placeholder for Mojitos or rum punches. However, the distillery recently demonstrated that it can stand shoulder to shoulder with small-batch artisan distillers and heritage brands with its introductions of the Reserva Ocho and Gran Reserva Diez.

You will recognize the rums' ode to the art of aging, blending, and barrel selection, and the resulting flavor profiles will deliver much more than one might expect from Bacardi.

The next time you are browsing your local liquor shelf, don't just look to the spiced bottle shelf for Bacardi; try the aged versions. Bacardi's Ocho and Diez are proof that with time and a touch of oak, rum can transcend the spirit category of art. You might even find the legends of Old Fashioned drinks fine for mixing or simply neat on a candlelit evening.

Also Read: What Makes Bacardi Spiced Rum Unique? Flavors, Spices, and Cocktails Explained