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| Hello, that is one in every of our (nearly) each day tastings. Santé! |
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August 3, 2025
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Rums from Brazil to Trinidad
The truth is, we’ll Brazil, Madeira, Mauritius, Cuba, Trinidad, Panama and Jamaica. Does that be just right for you?
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Casa Engenho 8 yo (43%, OB, Brazil, +/-2024) 
From a ‘Conventional Brazilian Farm Distillery’ close to São Paulo, established approach again in 1889. This isn’t cachaça, thoughts you, however fairly correct rum, distilled from the property’s personal cane juice. Now nothing by any means to do with the Madeiran ones from Engenho Do Norte or Engenho Novo, which we’re fairly keen on. ‘Engenho’ means ‘mill’ in Portuguese. There, now we roughly know all the pieces… Color: gold. Nostril: it’s mild but exhibits a stunning salinity, faintly fermentary touches, and even hints of ashes and iodine that wouldn’t hassle anybody keen on coastal malt. Then there’s some freshly sawn fir wooden sneaking in. All in all, a recent and charming nostril. Mouth: similar normal sensations, a nice salinity once more, a discreet however fairly charming vinegary edge, then more and more camphory notes that veer into the medicinal. One solely needs it had packed somewhat extra punch. End: the recent cane makes itself recognized, although the end doesn’t grasp about for too lengthy. Feedback: that is most pleasing, I have to say I fairly prefer it. I’ll see if I can get my arms on extra.
SGP:352 – 82 factors. |
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William Hinton ‘Smoked Rum’ (40%, OB, WH Membership, Madeira, +/-2025) 
Rum from Madeira, presumably of the agricole persuasion, completed in ex-peated whisky casks. What might presumably go fallacious? Color: gold. Nostril: effectively, let’s be trustworthy, it appears to work, because the fermentary, barely mustardy ashes from the rum meld fairly agreeably with the peaty smokiness of the whisky, even bringing out a fairly amusing tar-and-anise combo. However the satan all the time lurks in your palate… Mouth: mad stuff, nevertheless it nonetheless works. Capers and olives, baggage of ashes, lime juice, and once more that contact of mustard, even a wee little bit of horseradish and ginger à la sushi-bar. End: medium in size, nonetheless very nice, with a lingering impression of smoked olives. Feedback: now right here’s a shock! Simply goes to indicate… Although it’s a pity it wasn’t bottled with somewhat extra oomph. What number of occasions can we write that every week?
SGP:363 – 84 factors. |
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Properly then, let’s proceed the journey with one other rum that is been in a whisky cask…
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Penny Blue 15 yo 2009/2024 ‘Ex-Whisky’ (60%, OB, Mauritius, LMDW Foundations, cask #206, 94 bottles)
Consideration, this isn’t a ending, it’s a full maturation in an ex-whisky cask. Maybe ex-Glenrothes, as Berry Bros. are on the helm? Color: amber. Nostril: gentle and rounded, all on cake and the form of pastries served in correct British inns for afternoon tea at 5 o’clock sharp. We shan’t checklist all of them however suffice to say the whisky affect stays fairly discreet. With water: it’s the sugarcane that takes centre stage, and maybe there’s a contact of malt within the background. Mouth (neat): very highly effective, lemony, loads of sugarcane nevertheless it clearly requires water. With water: creamy and gentler, with candied citrus peels and the faintest whisper of salt. It stays a light-textured rum, as do most Mauritian choices, at the very least in my restricted expertise. End: of medium size, gentle and easy-going. Feedback: effectively, it wasn’t an ex-Laphroaig cask!
SGP:551 – 84 factors. |
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Let’s stick with it with whisky…
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The Outlaw Rum Co. 2019 ‘Flagship’ (40%, OB, Trinidad, cask #001) 
So, Caribbean rum aged in Huntly (rings a bell) in ex-Scottish whisky casks. Color: gold. Nostril: full-on petrol and we’re all for it, likewise that gloriously overripe mango that fills the room like some tropical potpourri. At no level do the low ABV ranges make themselves recognized, at the very least for now. This have to be TDL. Mouth: superb! Similar markers—petrol, mango, bananas, liquorice, hints of jasmine, a drop of seawater and half a black olive—although the wattage does really feel a tad restrained. End: pretty, however the lack of punch turns into extra obvious right here. A pity. Feedback: actually glorious, however let’s have a barely extra ‘bodybuilt’ model subsequent time, please.
SGP:642 – 85 factors. |
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Cuban Rum 50 yo 1973/2024 (51.9%, Whiskydudes, 1st fill bourbon barrel, cask #88191, 128 bottles) 
Supposedly a type of previous HC casks (not too certain, some are) lots of which become fairly splendid. We strategy this one with the identical grasping anticipation as a big cat locked in a cabinet for 3 days (true story—although not us, the cat) … Color: darkish crimson amber. Nostril: maestro-level stuff certainly, albeit somewhat reticent for now, all on previous wooden varnishes, cocoa, naturally cigars (however in fact), and blood orange liqueur… I reckon a number of drops of water will assist it come alive. With water: magnificent, the tiny herbs emerge, alongside soil, undergrowth, mosses, and a whisper of umami. Mouth (neat): it’s candy, however in the easiest approach, with a wide selection of syrups and liqueurs—orange, prickly pear, grenadine, violet, and sure certainly, sugarcane. With water: the herbs come again, so do the gentle spices, although the syrupy texture persists. End: lengthy and really light. Feedback: it does really feel like it could have been ‘dosed’ both at delivery or someplace alongside the way in which, nevertheless it fits it fairly effectively, no worries there, even when the semi-sweet profile is kind of pronounced.
SGP:740 – 88 factors. |
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El Ron del Artesano 2007 (57.4%, OB, Panama, oloroso sherry cask, +/-2024)
Panama will not be our favorite rum supply, however that is doubtless our most popular Panamanian-fuelled model. Color: gold. Nostril: what’s fairly charming right here is the mix of hay and dried flowers with toasted hazelnuts, all wrapped in a fairly elegant molasses observe. With water: curious whiffs of bagasse and damp fields after the rain. Mouth (neat): creamy, easy-going, within the fashion of the big-name grocery store rums, solely a lot better, even when there’s extra caramel and praline than strictly obligatory. A great deal of orange liqueur as effectively, and a grapefruit that helps to carry all the pieces in rigidity. With water: nothing to complain about actually, I believe that is the very best you’ll be able to hope for on this candy fashion. The oloroso appears to assist somewhat, although it’s not a dominant characteristic. End: not very lengthy, however clear. A barely sugary aftertaste, nonetheless. Feedback: a stunning Panamanian, little doubt, and it stays effectively inside its fashion.
SGP:640 – 85 factors. |
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Boulet de Canon ‘1’ (46%, Compagnie des Indes, mix, +/-2015)
We’re fairly keen on this small French outfit, even when I imagine they’ve been retaining a low profile of late. All’s effectively? This one’s a mix of rums from Trinidad, Barbados and Guyana, completed in Talisker casks. Certainly. They’ve launched many Boulet de Canons since, however that is the primary, so it carries a little bit of historic weight (of types). Color: white wine. Nostril: it’s recent, all on yellow and white fruits, it feels youthful, with a faint smokiness (Talisker?) that’s really fairly nice. Extra of a pocketknife than a cannonball at this stage, however we’ve nothing towards a trusty penknife. Mouth: earth, ashes and even a touch of peat take the lead at first, although it shortly turns candy. There’s a fairly easy cane syrup character right here. End: medium size, candy and delicate in fashion, although by no means extreme. Feedback: the title conjures one thing alongside the strains of a rampaging tyrannosaurus, however this one’s extra like a cuddly lamb. Right here too it feels a bit like it could have been barely ‘dosé’ as they are saying in Champagne.
SGP:632 – 80 factors. |
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Trinidad Distillers Restricted 16 yo 2008/2025 (63.9%, The Colors of Rum, Up Spirits Membership #3, Trinidad, 231 bottles) 
Similar query as when tasting Caroni, ‘heavy or mild?’ Or a little bit of each? If there’s no petrol-mango in right here, I’ll eat my beret. Color: reddish amber. Nostril: petrol-mango (too straightforward, S.), freshly sawn orchard wooden, peanut butter, and fairly a little bit of ethanol which initially will get in the way in which. Just one answer, with water: recent plywood and new balsa, tar and coal tar, but in addition bitter almonds and two or three mussels in white wine. Yep. Mouth (neat): peach liqueur, mango liqueur, black pepper, basil, varnish, aniseed, liquorice, acetone. With water: barely bitter olive oil, doubtless Spanish, then it unrolls into unique fruits with salted liquorice. End: mango comes again to wave goodbye, which is sweet. A touch of rose jelly. Very fairly salinity. Feedback: let’s say it plainly, the mango and tar combo is irresistible. However how a lot is the Membership membership? Not like at Turnberry, we hope.
SGP:662 – 90 factors. |
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One final pour, let’s make it pop…
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Clarendon 10 yo 2004/2024 ‘MBS’ (60%, LMDW Foundations, Magnum sequence #2, Jamaica)
The MBS marque has nothing to do with any Saudi crown prince, that is really the lightest marque from Clarendon/Monymusk, with doubtless fewer esters than Glenkinchie, except the pipes hadn’t been correctly cleaned after a earlier ‘heavier’ run. Let’s see… Color: gold. Nostril: certainly mild, however elegant, you’d nearly suppose it got here from Belize or Barbados, with dandelion, pure vanilla, popcorn, nougat, sugarcane juice, and quince jelly… With water: a contact of gently singed hay. Mouth (neat): there are a number of esters, even a touch of wooden glue, however the remaining is gentle, recent, vanilla-driven, very a lot on almond croissants and people dainty Caffè Armani pâtisseries (greatest forgotten). With water: all on macarons and amaretti. However in fact. End: curiously quick but nonetheless centered on small almondy pastries. Feedback: nothing particularly distinctive right here, it’s simply extraordinarily good.
SGP:641 – 85 factors. |
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So, we have to discover one other creature, grasp on a second…
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Caroni 25 yo 1998/2024 ‘HTR’ (59.2%, Swell de Spirits, Personal Backyard, Intercaves Limoges)
Caroni is a bit like Port Ellen or Karuizawa ten or fifteen years in the past, simply while you suppose they’re gone, there’s extra. HTR means ‘Heavy Trinidad Rum’, naturally, and Limoges is residence to probably the most stunning practice station on the planet, I guarantee you. Color: reddish amber. Nostril: effectively certainly, this one slams down the cocoa, American V8 engine exhaust, lit cigars, tapenade, and plastic mannequin glue. You already know the fashion… With water: much more exhaust fumes and coal tar. Mouth (neat): dry and woody because it will get, however that’s simply how we prefer it. Doubtless tropical ageing, very politically right, although it typically pushes the oak into heavy-handed territory. Fir wooden, darkish tobacco, thyme important oil… On the flip aspect, the salinity and all the pieces across the varnishy notes add some nice rigidity and power to the entire. Thus far so good. With water: certainly, nonetheless good, the salinity takes over and we half anticipate oysters, mussels, razor clams and even lobsters to come back clattering in. Forgot to say our pricey associates inexperienced olives and garlic cloves. End: very lengthy, traditional. Feedback: in any case these detours, and regardless of the now ever-present oak, we should admit this stays one hell of a spirit. Simply don’t add an excessive amount of water, even at 60% vol., because it solely boosts the already fairly excessive tannicity. Bonkers rum.
SGP:373 – 90 factors. |
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 Test the index of all rums we have tasted up to now
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