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| Hello, that is one in every of our (nearly) each day tastings. Santé! |
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September 8, 2024
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Summer season is not over but,
listed here are some extra rums
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| Naval battle, oil on canvas (WF Assortment) |
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Botran 15 yo ‘Reserva Especial’ (40%, OB, Guatemala, +/-2023) 
A point out of the ‘sistema solera’ is never a superb signal, notably when contemplating the precise age of this dram, particularly at €29-35. Color: darkish gold. Nostril: closely stewed fruits, corresponding to pear and pineapple, with caramel, coconut, sweet sugar, and a contact of espresso liqueur… To be truthful, it’s not half dangerous and doesn’t reek of syrup like so many others. Mouth: candy, however not overly so, barely tender with a powerful be aware of powdered espresso and pineapple liqueur. The syrupy texture makes it laborious to understand with out ice, although, actually, we’ve had worse. End: of medium size, leaning in the direction of molasses and ‘low-cost’ maple syrup, with tinned pineapple and corn syrup. Feedback: actually, it’s drinkable; simply wants some ice. It’s not completely essential to drown it in Coke or different cheerful mixers, in my humble opinion.
SGP:530 – 72 factors. |
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Chairman’s Reserve ‘Unique’ (40%, OB, St. Lucia, +/-2023) 
We’re extra accustomed to their excellent single casks that often pop up, so let’s have a look at how this entry-level providing fares… Color: full gold. Nostril: somewhat good! Very a lot on fermented sugarcane, with whiffs of petrol, engine oil, contemporary tar, and liquorice. The flavours do compensate for the low ABV, we’d say. Mouth: very good certainly! Fairly a little bit of saline and tarry depth, even touches of olives, anchovies, salted liquorice, a touch of contemporary rubber (bracelets), and vesou… That is definitely higher than one other entry-level Chairman’s Reserve that wasn’t ‘Unique’ a couple of years again. End: surprisingly lengthy, with brine and liquorice lingering. Feedback: that is top-notch for a really well-considered worth. Pretty type, and for as soon as, we received’t even complain concerning the low alcohol content material.
SGP:552 – 85 factors. |
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Positively, some nice surprises at this time…
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Pusser’s Rum ‘Gunpowder Proof’ (54.5%, OB, Guyana, +/-2023) 
Marketed as being at ‘Gunpowder Proof,’ however I believed that was purported to be round 56.9 to 57.1%, or 100° proof UK, wasn’t it? Additionally they point out ‘admiralty energy,’ however ‘admirability energy’ would maybe be extra becoming (although that’s one other weak pun, S.). That is certainly a Demerara, though it’s bottled within the British Virgin Islands—no, nothing to do with tax shenanigans. Color: orange gold. Nostril: parsley, coriander, molasses, tar, raisins, and a delicate ‘saucy’ be aware, which appears fairly intentional and stylistic. Plum juice, umeshu… With water: it turns into extra earthy, which we somewhat like. Mouth (neat): it’s good! Liquorice, caramel, a touch of salt, a contact of tar, molasses, and a few meaty juice—maybe soy sauce. With water: the salty liquorice and meaty juice proceed, with a couple of drops of seawater added to the combination. End: lengthy, wealthy, and getting sweeter at this stage, with that well-known prune juice making an look. Feedback: it definitely does the job, and much more so at €35. Very El Dorado-like, although it doesn’t fairly have the class of Chairman’s Vat—no, wait, Reserve.
SGP: 641 – 80 factors. |
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Hooded Skunk Rum (58%, OB, Denmark, +/-2023)
I’m not solely positive what that is, and albeit, I’d somewhat not know, even when Danish sugarcane plantations are well-known the world over. Proper, they don’t have any colonies within the tropics, do they? Color: gold. Nostril: it’s amusing, with notes of bubblegum and, certainly, contemporary cane juice. There’s additionally hay, strawberries, and roasted tea, one thing like Japanese hojicha. Puffed rice too. With water: a contact of earthy strawberry and mezcal comes by. Mouth (neat): effectively, it’s not dangerous in any respect, very totally different, very ‘meta-spirits’, with gentian, mezcal, celery eau-de-vie, and sure, even the anticipated aquavit… It’s actually enjoyable, and for now, I’m having fun with it. With water: sure, it’s quirky and attractive. Not the sugary horror you generally encounter ‘elsewhere on this course’. End: lengthy, and even smoky. Beechwood smoke, anchovies, liquorice, and overripe strawberries. Feedback: what on earth are we tasting right here, S.? It’s enjoyable!
SGP: 563 – 80 factors. |
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Secret Cuban 12 yo 2009/2022 (59%, Dràm Mor, bourbon barrel, cask #139, 227 bottles)
One all the time goals of Sancti Spiritus or Santiago, but everybody stays tight-lipped about these secret Cubans. Color: gold. Nostril: it’s very pretty, extremely refined, with not a touch of vulgarity, that includes contemporary cane juice and essentially the most elegant vanilla. There’s a tiny contact of petrol, maybe indicating a couple of drops of ex-pot nonetheless aguardiente within the combine. With water: it turns more energizing, with notes of agricultural oils (rapeseed, sunflower) and crushed almonds. And that cane juice. Mouth (neat): effectively, right here we go, I’m sorry to say that is the perfect younger Cuban rum I’ve tasted in a really, very very long time. Stunning oranges, cane, hints of anise, biscuit dough, with one other contact of varnish and petrol, and a splash of orange blossom water… With water: even higher, turning into splendidly delicate. Some overripe fruits and a touch of mastic. End: not so long as a Fidel speech (ha) however this barely salty be aware is, effectively, fairly horny. Feedback: there are some a lot older indie Cubans round in the meanwhile, they usually’re superb certainly, however so far as younger island rums go, this one is great. I can’t wait to return to Cuba. Proper, let’s bump it up by two factors.
SGP: 562 – 87 factors. |
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Foursquare 19 yo 2002/2022 (56%, Silver Seal) 
I like the outdated ships that Silver Seal provides to its labels. It’s true they performed a fully huge position in commerce between Europe and the broader Caribbean, contributing to the event of sugarcane. Color: white wine. Nostril: wait, is that this pot nonetheless? Overripe bananas, Riesling, kerosene, olives… With water: by Jove! A myriad of small herbs, smoked or in any other case. Dill, wild carrots, wild garlic, and so forth. Mouth (neat): sure, pure pot nonetheless, little question about it (or I’ll eat my hat). It’s magnificent, with earthy lemon and olive oil smoked over cypress wooden. Nicely, roughly that. With water: smoked lemon, if such a factor existed. End: lengthy, lemony, salty, and really complicated, with a barely liquoricy and mentholated aftertaste. Feedback: it’s clearly not my enterprise, however I do hope they’re filling a great deal of Foursquare pure pot nonetheless casks in the meanwhile. Single blends had been an enthralling thought, however like at Ben Nevis, the true deal is the pot nonetheless. That’s my humble private opinion, anyway.
SGP: 562 – 91 factors. |
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Come on, one thing loopy…
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TDL 2002/2024 (55.7%, The Whisky Jury for The Antelope, Macau, Trinidad, The Many Faces of Rum, cask #10, 238 bottles)
We put together ourselves, stretch a bit, have some espresso adopted by Perrier… proper, we’re prepared. Color: pure gold. Nostril: one can’t take care of these people and their spirits anymore. The nostril is somewhat magical, very pure, with a powerful concentrate on small pink banana, winery peach, and guava that is aware of the right way to behave. It’s insanely exact and pure. With water: as the kids say, it’s too stunning. Polishes, ripe tropical fruits… It fairly merely flooring you. Mouth (neat): it’s detestable, it’s so good. It should be banned. Pink grapefruit, white Irouléguy from Arretxea, and there you may have it. With water: it’s so good, we cease, we quit. End: as I stated, we quit. Fir wooden and pine nuts within the aftertaste. Feedback: none. Web site on strike. We’re French, in spite of everything.
SGP:651 – 93 factors. |
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T.D.L. 13 yo 2009/2023 (62.8%, The Colors of Rum, Trinidad, barrel, cask #107, 256 bottles)
Color: deep gold. Nostril: incense, sandalwood, orange cake, the jury’s nonetheless out. Thoughts you, practically 63% vol. With water: shoe polish, ski wax (I’m conscious it’s not the season), almond oil. Mouth (neat): name me Suzy. Varnish and preserved apricot juice. With water: proper, this can be a easier model of TDL, definitely top-notch, although a contact extra rustic. But it surely’s obtained ardour fruit! End: certainly. Feedback: one other good drop, however the 2002 was one thing out of this world. A contact of a demise seat impact, maybe.
SGP:641 – 87 factors. |
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 Test the index of all rums we have tasted to date
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