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| Hello, that is one among our (virtually) day by day tastings. Santé! |
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October 13, 2024
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Extra rums de la muerte and Nick Lowe
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The massive festivals of the season, just like the Whisky Present in London or Whisky Dwell Paris, are all the time a fantastic alternative to meet up with many pals and obtain suggestions on WF (not simply concerning the yellow background, which appears to be increasingly widespread as a result of, as they are saying, ‘colors are life’, ha). There’s plenty of speak about ‘rating inflation’, a subject that all the time issues me as a result of I attempt to preserve a constant scoring method over time. It is true that there are extra scores of 90+, however that is fully because of the ever-increasing proportion of fantastic “malternatives” that cross the edge of Château WF, and never the whiskies themselves. You see, although we solely style these malternatives in the future every week, I observed that in August alone, 55% of the spirits that reached that rating have been whiskies, whereas 45% have been malternatives. You would possibly say that we additionally keep away from the garbage on this latter class, and God is aware of there’s loads of that. Right here, let me provide you with a little bit instance for instance my level…
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Bacardi ‘Carta Blanca’ (37.5%, OB, white rum, Puerto Rico, +/-2024) 
Nicely, would you consider it, that is the primary time we’re tasting this little quantity on goal. I think about it is largely destined for cocktails. Color: white. Nostril: sugar syrup, a touch of cologne, and a contact of hay. It’s as gentle as a chick’s feather. Mouth: totally inoffensive, with a style that is largely impartial alcohol and the faintest trace of lemon. A smidgen of brown sugar, should you actually search for it. End: just about non-existent. Feedback: the perfect factor about it’s that since there’s virtually nothing there, there can’t actually be any flaws both. Let’s not overlook that this tipple and its cousins helped its house owners construct a spirits empire that now consists of gems like Aberfeldy, Craigellachie, Aultmore, Macduff, Brackla, Teeling, and naturally Dewar’s. Oh, and the marvellous Worthy Park. Couldn’t they sneak 10% of Worthy Park into Bacardi? Or maybe do a Bacardi ‘Jamaican Tribute’? I’d add that these humble spirits additionally assist us hold our scoring scale properly tuned, wandering down its decrease reaches now and again. We ‘would possibly’ have extra Bacardi right this moment… Or not.
SGP:210 – 30 factors. |
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Sodade ‘Canne Rouge’ (42.7%, OB, Cabo Verde, white grogue, +/-2023) 
Crafted from pure natural ‘pink cane’ juice and distilled in pot stills following an prolonged 12-day fermentation utilizing indigenous yeasts. In different phrases, it’s a correct box-ticker. We have totally loved earlier Sodades, and this one carries on the custom. Color: white. Nostril: superbly honeyed, virtually like mead, with a fermentary edge. There are notes of leaven, Parma ham, a contact of oranges, and potting soil, rounded off with a touch of small olives. Mouth: barely candy however with a pleasant ‘soiled’ character, fairly wild and yeasty, staying true to the cane itself. Assume croissant dough combined with previous figs, adopted by a contact of tapenade and a touch of moist plaster. End: medium in size, leaning in direction of the earthy aspect. There’s a whisper of rotting oranges and a contact of salt within the aftertaste, balanced by some lingering sweetness. Feedback: I need to admit, I most well-liked their ‘Cana Rocca Ouro Blanco’ and ‘Botanic Joao’ (each scoring WF 88), however that is nonetheless an excellent drop, albeit extra of a curiosity that strays a bit from conventional rum. A tad on the candy aspect.
SGP:541 – 81 factors. |
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9 Leaves 2023/2024 ‘Final Drops’ (62%, OB, Japan, LMDW, black sugar, 950 bottles, 2024) 
The story of 9 Leaves started in 2013 and, sadly, got here to an in depth in 2023. It seems that La Maison has managed to get their arms on a good portion of the remaining shares, together with these reasonably evocative ‘final drops’. I’ve typically discovered 9 Leaves to be a bit peculiar, however then once more, I’m removed from being a rum professional. Very engaging label, by the best way. Color: white. Nostril: like a glass of Riesling spiked with a little bit of espresso and holly eau-de-vie. Actually. With water: an added layer of cherry and raspberry juice, light honey, and dried flowers. Mouth (neat): it does reasonably slice you in two at this energy. ‘Correctly brutal,’ with a style profile that leans in direction of coffee-schnapps, or maybe extra precisely, schnapps-coffee. With water: way more civilised, revealing mushy lemon with honey and a touch of delicate horseradish, whereas the background stays pleasantly fermentary. End: reasonably lengthy, with notes of sugarcane, a form of grapefruit and flower liqueur, and a touch of candy bread within the aftertaste. Feedback: fairly a cerebral profile, missing the explosive immediacy of the perfect rums, but much better than I remembered. I do know some pals will adore it.
SGP:451 – 78 factors. |
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Come on, three whites, that is sufficient.
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TDL/FS 2006/2024 (58.8%, Zero 9 Spirits, Cyberpunk Rh12, mix Trinidad+Barbados, 200 bottles) 
It is reasonably daring to mix TDL and Foursquare 50/50, isn’t it? I imply, how may one count on to outshine the person parts in a case like this? Or maybe it is all only for a little bit of enjoyable? If that is so, then we applaud the initiative. Color: gold. Nostril: this appears like a wedding of purpose, but we did not count on any discord right here. Mango and honey, peony and pink pepper, with ripe pineapple and strawberry, all seamlessly sure collectively by beeswax. With water: a contact of barely salted brioche, kougelhopf, and sugarcane emerges. Mouth (neat): splendidly full of life, with each rums distinctly recognizable, but taking turns to elevate one another up. A seaside citrus notice however be careful for the energy! With water: it does appear as if the Foursquare has taken the lead, with TDL graciously stepping apart. We’re now nearer to spices, sugarcane, and molasses reasonably than the everyday baskets of tropical fruits typically present in TDL. End: lengthy, fairly vibrant, citrusy, and honeyed. A touch of basil and recent coriander, with a contact of liquorice wooden lingering within the aftertaste. Feedback: nicely, they’ve definitely landed on their toes with this one.
SGP:651 – 88 factors. |
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Cuban Rum 45 yo 1978/2024 (49.7%, Chapter 7, Spirit Library, Quantity 1, Cuba, 339 bottles) 
We’re not fully positive what that is, however previous experiences with these previous secret Cubans have all the time been fairly profitable in my ebook. Color: amber. Nostril: totally charming roasted hazelnuts, pecan pie, candied sugar, caramel, espresso toffee, and maple syrup of the ‘particular’ grade. A tiny trace of miso sneaks in, and naturally, a contact of Cuban tobacco. I completely love this nostril, even when it is not overwhelmingly complicated (and does that actually matter, S.?). Mouth: that is the epitome of the model, with a saline edge, even barely medicinal, that includes bitter orange, numerous honeys (together with some native melipona honey!), and people roasted pecans and maple syrup as soon as once more. I discover it improbably scrumptious, particularly with that refined salinity that performs together with your lips so unexpectedly. End: medium in size however magnificent, with a contact of cedarwood and white pepper, adopted by that impossible to resist combo of maple syrup and caramel. A extra peppery aftertaste returns on the finish. Feedback: what’s outstanding right here is that you just by no means fairly sense the relative lack of texture that may be present in Cuban rums. I can not assist however consider Santiago de Cuba. Santiago, te quiero mucho. BTW Santiago was the place the unique Bacardi was situated, however the model had already constructed different distilleries in Puerto Rico and Mexico as early because the Nineteen Thirties.
SGP:641 – 92 factors. |
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Hoy Como Ayer 1956/2024 (53.7%, La Maison & Velier, Cuba, cask #2315302, 285 bottles)
Again in 1956, Cuba was nonetheless below Batista’s rule, who wouldn’t be overthrown till 1959. This might imply, as an illustration, that it’s real Cuban Bacardi because the distilleries weren’t nationalized till october of 1960, although that’s pure hypothesis. Curiously, December 1956 was additionally when Fidel and Che Guevara landed on the island. It is astonishing to return throughout a rum like this—the place has it been hiding all these years? Color: glowing espresso. Nostril: there’s a powerful stylistic resemblance to the 1978, particularly with all these roasted nutty notes, however right here we additionally discover high quality woods and, fairly frankly, impeccably preserved previous Cuban cigars, together with darkish chocolate, juniper, hints of turpentine, and a curious contact of untamed strawberry and raspberry liqueurs (only a drop or two). Lastly, a touch of top-quality soy sauce form of rounds issues off. Very spectacular, that is removed from only a dusty previous rum stored ‘for present’. With water: it tightens up barely, exhibiting notes of previous furnishings, burnt wooden, and really darkish tea, but it stays splendid. Mouth (neat): I used to be nervous, however I used to be improper. The woods do take centre stage (spruce, thuja, oak, cherry), however prunes, blackberries, and crème de menthe steadiness issues out reasonably masterfully. A contact of chocolate with a touch of mint (and possibly tobacco?) completes the image. With water: a tiny trace of gunpowder (naturally) and black pepper, adopted by roasted cacao beans and an amusingly aged oloroso-like notice. End: medium in size, dry, with menthol, espresso, darkish chocolate, and tea. A contact of bitter orange and skinny mints lingers. Feedback: más especial!
SGP:562 – 91 factors
(real factors, organoleptically talking!). |
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We’ll get better from this Cuban whirlwind with what is probably going a little bit gem from Guyana from three or 4 years in the past, after which we’ll name it a day.
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Enmore 26 yo 1994/2020 ‘RSV’ (52.5%, Valinch & Mallet, Guyana, cask #71, 215 bottles)
This one’s already gathered a little bit of a status, hasn’t it? REV refers back to the Versailles nonetheless, a venerable single wood pot nonetheless that was relocated to Enmore in 1977. I used to be below the impression it had ended up at Uitvlugt in 1994, however let’s not get slowed down in historic nit-picking. Color: reddish amber. Nostril: outstanding notes of violet-flavoured liquorice, recent mastic, and caramel. There’s a touch of high quality Armagnac alongside roasted salsify. Merely magical. With water: now we’ve acquired prunes steeped in Armagnac, a contact of tar, engine oil, and the scent of brand-new leatherette. Mouth (neat): a elegant vinosity, virtually paying homage to a high quality white Burgundy. Then it’s an explosion of liquorice in all its types, with darkish chocolate stuffed with blackberry and damson plum jam. Flawless. With water: it was already excellent, however one way or the other even higher now. Consider a tisane-cocktail brewed from black tea, Iberian ham, liquorice, cinnamon, prunes, and tobacco (however don’t strive that with actual tobacco—it’s poisonous!). End: very lengthy, with chocolate, liquorice, prunes, mint, and now a touch of olive and a few recent, ultra-ripe mango. Feedback: a concentrated burst of aromas at an distinctive degree. Liquorice lovers, like me, will likely be in heaven (although I believe this one’s already scarce).
SGP:562 – 92 factors. |
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Passing from 30 to 92, does that be just right for you as a correct use of the 100-scale? Hasta luego.
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Hey, wait! I simply remembered that now we have some actually previous Bacardi from the Cuban period in inventory, seemingly bottled for the US even earlier than Prohibition (17 January 1920 – 5 December 1933). Now’s the proper time to style it, with out attempting to check it to the reasonably modest modern Carta Blanca.
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Bacardi ‘Superior Carta Blanca’ (46%, OB, Cuba, +/-1915)
Fascinating to see the point out ‘Santiago de Cuba – Havana – New York,’ with New York serving as the placement for a Bacardi bottling unit established in 1915 however shut down on account of Prohibition in 1920. Additionally intriguing is the point out of the alcohol content material in % ABV and the excessive energy of 46% (92° US proof). Nicely, other than that, one actually does not know fairly what to anticipate right here, to be trustworthy… Color: white wine. I reckon there was some transient ageing in wooden, maybe one thing akin to ‘reposado.’ Nostril: attention-grabbing similarities to the trendy Carta Blanca, particularly within the notes of cane syrup and the lightness general, however there’s additionally an oiliness to this one (peanut), together with hints of lemon and a contact of mint, some shredded coconut, white nougat, after which little apples, jujubes, and serviceberries… It’s laborious to find out whether or not this added complexity comes from the unique distillate or from greater than a century spent within the bottle, provided that the liquid stays as vivid as a brand new penny. After about ten minutes, extra citrus notes begin to come via (clementines, oranges…). Mouth: there is a contact of OBE (slight soapiness, a touch of mud, glass/gentle style), however the remaining is strong, lemony, barely rough-edged, and even a bit full-bodied, virtually exhibiting a personality paying homage to Lowland Scotch, bringing Bladnoch to thoughts. All of it goes down like a attraction, regardless of the sunshine OBE. End: reasonably lengthy, nonetheless lemony, however with that ever-so-slight soapy contact. Feedback: this should have made excellent mojitos and daiquiris again in 1915. One may even think about Hemingway tasting these bottles throughout his first go to to Cuba in 1928. Ah, Hemingway once more, between Paris and Cuba, it’s laborious to flee him.
SGP:551 – 82 factors.
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(Thanks Christian and Whisky.Public sale!)
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PS: There’s a main danger whenever you’re tasting plenty of very high quality spirits like these: the temptation to complete your glass reasonably than being content material with simply a few drops to understand the end. And actually, who’s going to throw away Cuban rum from 1956, proper? It is essential, subsequently, to have methods in place, like creating ‘dwelling bottles’ to your summer time cocktails (and to share with the neighbours), or sometimes re-distilling your already-tasted shares to take away all undesirable parts like fruit flies, wasps, mud, pollens, and particularly any water you might need added. After all, what you do with every thing you’ve re-distilled over time stays a… significant issue as not many individuals will likely be interested by your own home gin or vodka. Above all, that you must watch out to keep away from setting the home on fireplace; if that have been to occur at Château WF, as I typically say, all that will be left is a 50-metre crater with plenty of shattered glass at its centre. Nicely, truly, we’re fortunate to have a form of ‘bunker’ for that. Anyway, let’s transfer on…
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 Examine the index of all rum we have tasted thus far
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