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 House Hundreds of tastings, all of the music, all of the rambligs and all of the enjoyable (hopefully!)


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Hello, that is considered one of our (nearly) each day tastings. Santé! |
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October 20, 2024
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A phrase of warning Let me please remind you that my humble assessments of any spirits are accomplished from the standpoint of a malt whisky fanatic who, what’s extra, is aboslutely not an skilled in rum, brandy, tequila, vodka, gin or every other spirits. Thanks – and peace! |
A little bit of every part, as typical, however with a transparent concentrate on blue chips, indies or official ones. To begin, our conventional aperitif, which at all times helps us get again on monitor…
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English Harbour 5 yo (40%, OB, Antigua, +/-2023)
We tasted this round ten years in the past, and it was respectable (WF 73), however a bit too delicate for our liking. It appears they import molasses from Guyana and the Dominican Republic, maturing their rums in outdated bourbon barrels. Antigua, by the best way, is simply north of Guadeloupe, simply previous Montserrat. Color: gold. Nostril: it opens on cane honey and sugar syrup, adopted by pineapple liqueur and triple sec, with only a trace of natural tea. A contact of cinnamon as properly. Mouth: actually delicate, candy, with cane syrup and, as soon as once more, orange liqueur. There’s a little bit of mellow vanilla, nevertheless it leans a little bit in direction of spiced or flavoured rum territory. Lacks depth, very gentle. End: very brief, with a slight woodiness alongside the cane syrup. Feedback: it’s a reasonably good rum, however there’s actually not a lot occurring. I appreciated it higher ten years in the past.
SGP:730 – 65 factors. |

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Privateer 4.75 yo ‘Yankee’ (55.7%, OB for Kirsch Import, USA, Letter of Marque, 1st use American oak, 216 bottles, 2024) 
Constructed from Guatemalan molasses, distilled and aged in Massachusetts for 4 years and 9 months. Right here’s hoping our pals within the US will at some point be allowed to distill Cuban molasses – why not? Color: gold. Nostril: equally gentle however leaning extra in direction of oranges and sugar sweet. There is a pleasantly earthy facet too, together with that acquainted coconut/vanilla combo typical of younger bourbons. With water: muscovado sugar involves the fore, with very gentle hints of petrol and coal tar. Mouth (neat): this can be a good rum, considerably harking back to the lighter kinds from Belize or Barbados. Oranges, honey, vanilla, ripe bananas… It’s pretty woody however stays balanced (pepper). With water: once more, these very gentle tarry notes reappear, however largely it’s all about honey and cane sugar. End: medium size, turning into barely extra herbaceous (bagasse), although the aftertaste stays on the sweeter facet. Feedback: actually good, pretty gentle – you might simply suppose this got here from an island slightly than Massachusetts.
SGP:641 – 82 factors. |

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Savanna 10 yo 2013/2024 ‘Unshared Cask’ (49.8%, OB for Germany, La Réunion, ex-cognac cask, cask #778, 640 bottles) 
It is a ‘conventional’ rum, which means it’s constructed from molasses and distilled in a column nonetheless, it isn’t agricole. Color: gold. Nostril: Savanna nearly at all times delivers depth, and it’s no totally different right here, with notes of camphor, ylang-ylang, very ripe oranges, contemporary ink (like in the present day’s magazines), and lightweight acetone, in a ‘petit grand arôme’ model. Completely spot-on for me, at the very least on the nostril. Mouth: very good, slightly medicinal, with touches of varnish, resins, eucalyptus, super-ripe fruits, and the anticipated salted liquorice (reasonably salted, thoughts you). End: lengthy, with salted liquorice, ripe banana, and extra of these faint varnish touches. Feedback: we do make good rums in France, don’t we? Forgive my transient second of delight, thanks. That stated, I didn’t actually decide up on the cognac, although I’m certain it was there, lurking behind the bananas.
SGP:552 – 87 factors. |

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Bielle 7 yo 2016/2023 ‘Brut de Fût’ (54.2%, OB, Marie-Galante, agricole) 
As you might know, Marie-Galante is a part of Guadeloupe, and Bielle really stands out as a shining star. Color: gold. Nostril: a marvel of peanut butter, cocoa, liquorice, cloves, cane juice, and shoe polish. Good precision. With water: not a lot change, aside from a pleasant be aware of rhubarb stewed in cane syrup. Mouth (neat): the agricole character could be very pronounced, with a beautiful rusticity and even a wild ‘aguardiente’ edge. Regardless of being from a creole column nonetheless, it looks like pot nonetheless rum. With water: the cask appears to have been pretty energetic, however by no means overwhelms the distillate. Maybe only a gentle butterscotch be aware… Except for that, there’s chestnut honey and nonetheless loads of liquorice. End: lengthy, extra on the earthy facet, but additionally floral and resinous. Some discreetly spicy wooden begins to emerge. Feedback: a country model, but with extraordinary class. In truth, it’s very ‘terroir’. I like it.
SGP:552 – 89 factors. |

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Vietnam 6 yo 2008/2024 (56.9%, LMDW Flag Sequence, 414 bottles) 
Hey, that is our very first Vietnamese rum, so it requires a toast! This model is ‘secret,’ however we’ve heard of a ‘Distillerie d’Indochine’ the place the rum ‘Sampan’ is made, although sadly we’ve but to attempt it. Color: gold. Nostril: these people at La Maison du Whisky (LMDW) are actual pioneers. There’s a faint shochu-like be aware right here, together with pleasant esters (light however noticeable), and a fermenty, saline character with hints of recent tyres. Over all of it floats a be aware of ripe white peach. With water: the tyre and tar come to the fore, joined by burnt walnuts and some black olives preserved in… acetone. In brief, we like it. Mouth (neat): excellent, with a surprisingly ‘malt whisky’ really feel, however after all additionally peppery, salty cane sugar. And a good quantity of ethanol, so… With water: glorious. Lemon, rubber, liquorice… End: similar profile lingering for fairly a while, with some menthol on the finish. Feedback: it’s no shock that the standard is excessive—if it weren’t, it wouldn’t be on this vary (free publicity isn’t any publicity, is it). A minimum of, I believe that’s the case, although everybody could be flawed. In any case, bravo Vietnam, a brand new participant on this planet of top-notch rum!
SGP:563 – 88 factors. |

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Jamaican Rum 23 yo (57%, Wu Dram Clan, Jamaican mix, 2024) 
What a stunning label. Color: full gold. Nostril: very Jamaican, very ‘high-esters,’ however with a pleasant fruity roundness (apricot, banana) wrapping across the rubber, tar, salmiak, olives, brine, tiny ammonia notes, seaweed, petrol, and new plastic (suppose new iPhone). With water: similar, no change in any respect, besides maybe some added rust-proof paint and linoleum. Mouth (neat): neglect it, that is simply glorious, with extra tropical fruits than typical this time, particularly ultra-ripe mangoes. The remaining sticks to the standard Jamaican hallmarks: motor oil, tar, salted liquorice, and so forth. With water: distinctive, salty, tarry, drier once more, however much less ‘chemical’ (if you realize what I imply). End: very sturdy black tea, salt, tar, liquorice, and all of it staying with you till at the very least tomorrow morning. Feedback: we liked that transient, if fleeting, look of mango. Maybe the perfect rum mix of the yr… even when it’s not significantly balanced – however I suppose that wasn’t the purpose. Good.
SGP:463 – 91 factors. |
Simply to test one thing…
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Hampden 13 yo 2010/2024 ‘LROK’ (60%, OB, Jamaica, Magnum Sequence #2, Alex Webb Version, 1,080 bottles)
LROK, as you might know, denotes a medium ester depend, usually round 200-400 grams of esters per HLPA. Color: darkish gold. Nostril: razor-sharp precision right here, with varnish, a contact of rubber, and fruit that’s so ripe it’s virtually teetering over the sting into fermentation, particularly plums. Superb, naturally. With water: it softens, turns into extra civilised, however nonetheless these fermented plums are entrance and centre. Frankly, there aren’t many aromas on this planet as heavenly as that, I guarantee you. Maybe a faint trace of Moutai too? Mouth (neat): a kind-hearted monster, each ultra-powerful and balanced, between varnish and mandarins. Water is totally important. With water: the plum wine comes again with nice fanfare. Then there’s seawater, olives, tar, very dry liquorice, smoke (lapsang souchong), brine, pickles… Nicely, we knew it could be beautiful, and so they’ve even accomplished magnums. A stroke of genius, if you happen to ask me. End: lengthy, after all. Softer, much less aggressive, nearly agreeable. Virtually. Feedback: what’s taking place with Hampden nowadays jogs my memory of the early 2000s with Ardbeg—there have been simply so many distinctive ones!
SGP:562 – 91 factors. |
We may perhaps simply have one other little Caroni 1998…
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Caroni 1998/2019-2024 (70.2%, Velier, Paradise #10, Trinidad, cask #3927, dame-jeanne #1, ‘Emerald and Solar Dancers’, 115 bottles)
This 1998 Caroni ‘heavy’ rum, bottled at a jaw-dropping 70.2% by Velier as a part of their Paradise collection, spent its early years ageing in Trinidad earlier than being moved to glass dame-jeannes in France for that particular ‘paradise’ remedy, a way borrowed from Cognac. Color: gold. Nostril: completely wild, with that eyebrow-raising ABV making fairly an impression—did you discover? Buckets of oil paint, contemporary putty, turpentine, burnt pinewood, and paraffin… Truthfully, it’s fully mad. With water: right here comes a tidal wave of soy sauce, glutamate, walnut stain, and sufficient Barbour grease to outfit a whole Glasgow division retailer. It’s futile to withstand. Mouth (neat): a correct explosion—deal with with care, or it would simply catapult you into the good past. Suppose liquorice diluted in petrol, if you happen to dare. With water: surprisingly civilized now, providing ripe bananas with a varnish glaze, contemporary paint, plasticine, and pine bud liqueur. Though, earlier than you realize it, you’re chewing on one thing harking back to a pencil eraser. End: very lengthy, taking a flip in direction of resinous wooden and even a contact of ash. You would possibly really feel such as you’re gnawing on a pair of rubber wellies, however bizarrely, it really works completely right here. The aftertaste? Much more petrolic. Feedback: what extra can one say?
SGP:373 – 91 factors. |
Examine the index of all rum we have tasted to this point
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