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| Hello, that is certainly one of our (nearly) each day tastings. Santé! |
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October 16, 2022
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Once more, rum at random
As they arrive, with only one comparatively foolish apéritif… However first…
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A phrase of warning
Let me please remind you that my humble assessments of any spirits are finished from the standpoint of a malt whisky fanatic who, what’s extra, is aboslutely not an professional in rum, brandy, tequila, vodka, gin or another spirits. Thanks – and peace! |
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Abuelo XII anos ‘Two Oaks’ (40%, Panama, +/-2021) 
Is that this actually XII – 12 – twelve? So long as it isn’t 2 years and 12 oaks… Color: orange gold. Nostril: molasses all over the place, plus corn syrup, stuff from Kellogg’s, and a grassy growth that I am definitely not discovering un-nice. In the direction of sugarcane, which is clearly nice. Nutshell, a nice nostril. I do know, minimal service. Mouth: approach too candy, as anticipated, however with a ton of crushed ice and the juice of 1 giant lemon, I might think about I might drink a small glass of this. End: lengthy however extraordinarily candy and cloying. Maybe at 5 or 6°C? Feedback: ridden with spirit caramel and doubtless for cocktails solely. Very disagreeable sugariness remaining in your tongue for a very long time.
SGP:830 – 60 factors. |
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Proper, the whole lot will fetch 90+ now… (grin)
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Mount Homosexual 6 yo ‘The Madeira Cask Expression’ (55%, OB, Barbados, Grasp Blender Assortment, 2706 bottles, 2022) 
Not a model we’re making an attempt fairly often, and that is most likely a disgrace. Color: gold. Nostril: it is true that as whisky drinkers, we might reasonably have our rums with none apparent wine affect, al pure. However, as it’s in Scotland, it’s conventional to reuse empty wine barrels that was once shipped to the Caribbean. On this case, the result’s reasonably dry and shy, grassy, definitely nice, however with a sense that it will reasonably occur on the palate. With water: leafy. Some cigars, some fruit skins (banana), a contact of camphor. Mouth (neat): far more expressive than on the nostril, with bananas stewed in curry sauce, some tobacco, and a few pretty citrusy notes that might certainly carry it. With water: will get a bit sweetish, which isn’t fairly for us, however there is a good stability and as soon as once more, some bananas in curry sauce, with a contact of mustard and honey. End: medium, a bit candy certainly. Feedback: questioning if it has been ‘adjusted’ in some unspecified time in the future, but when they’ve used candy malmsey casks, nicely, we do know the attacker.
SGP:641 – 82 factors. |
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Foursquare 2021 ‘LFT White’ (62%, Habitation Velier, Barbados, 2022) 
Proper, 100% pot nonetheless, 100% Barbados cane and half a kilo esters per hlpa, I believe we have been anticipating this since round 1920, even when it is solely white… Color: white. Nostril: full on acetone, ammonia, crushed olives, model new wardrobe from Ikea’s, Russian-made wooden varnish, capers, elderflowers, gherkin brine after which the blackest black salted liquorice. I am unable to see what we should not like right here. With water: little change. Mouth (neat): very good. Salted strawberries, tarry peaches, smoked bananas, and certainly olives, gherkins, tiny pickled lemons and onions, plus capers all over the place. Have we talked about varnish? With water: even higher, with pure sugarcane juice chiming in (but it was molasses, proper?) in addition to small earthy pears as they’ve in Domfrontais calvados. Rather less on gasoline when skilfully decreased (yeah yeah yeah). End: lengthy, with some salted lemon now, and people pears however which may be the youth. Salty finishes work higher than a Jimmy Web page solo. Acetone is again within the aftertaste; this child would not go away you alone. Feedback: hell and pestilence, that is excellent white rum!
SGP:563 – 90 factors. |
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Foursquare 17 yo ‘Isonomy’ (58%, OB, Barbados, 2022) 
Seventeen years, that is a correct age! It is a ‘single mix’, so batch + column, so I suppose we should not count on the identical form of knack this time. As for the identify right here, I might suppose the following bottling will likely be named ‘Democracy’. We can not wait… Color: amber. Nostril: the tropical growing old begins to really feel, with some thicker tar, extra concentrated flower essences, whiffs of sandalwood, even incense, garam masala… It is as if at this age, the pot-still half can be successful over, though this stays delicate and ‘form of lighter’. Nicely, after the White, they’re all going to be lighter. With water: flowers and polish, honeysuckle, acacia… Mouth (neat): caramel, curry, allspice. With water: certainly, fudge, Frappuccino (apologies), hazelnut liqueur, even Bayley’s (renewed apologies), and triple-sec. The column is having the higher hand this time. End: medium, simpler, sweeter… And moreish. Feedback: I do not suppose you could possibly actually beat the white LFT, however we’re shut. I hope they’re preserving some mature ‘pure’ pot-still FS for later.
SGP:641 – 89 factors. |
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Foursquare 16 yo (61%, La Maison & Velier, Barbados, Magnum sequence #1, Elliot Erwitt Version, 2022) 
A narrative in regards to the Magnum company and magnum bottles. We have been on the launch occasion in Paris, it was pretty. However we’re Philistines… Color: gold; Nostril: whiffs of burnt tyres (Avons, not the very best) and desserts, pinecones, Golden Grahams, then hibiscus and jasmine (a bit)… With water: some notes of piney cognac or one thing. Younger Borderies ex-new Limousin. Mouth (neat): very Foursquare this time, near the Isonomy, with one thing a bit earthier. Maybe. With water: a sweeter Foursquare, extra on triple-sec (triple sec is just not sec in any respect, go determine) and cane syrup. End: reasonably lengthy, with touches of liquorice and menthol on high of cane syrup. Feedback: a tad extra candy and syrupy, however nonetheless super-good. Oh and 1.5 litres!
SGP:651 – 86 factors. |
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One other one from that spectacular Magnum sequence by Velier…
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Hampden 5 yo 2016 (60%, La Maison & Velier, Jamaica, Magnum sequence #1, Elliot Erwitt Version, 2022)
This ought to be a HLCF, which suggests 500-700gr esters/HLPA, so fairly excessive. This word will likely be very quick, I have never a lot of it even when it is a initially a magnum. Ha! Color: gentle gold. Nostril: the same old olives stored in mango vinegar and brine, plus a softer facet, with quinces, mirabelle tarte, some mint and a few camphor… It’s fairly delicate, not an Hampden that may tear you aside. With water: some chocolate liquorice. Or chocolate-flavoured liquorice allsorts. Mouth (neat): heavy but elegant, beginning with williams pears, happening with a variety of salted liquorice and even a wee cup of mezcal. With water: identical plus pineapples and extra olives. End: lengthy and fairly coastal. Seawater, olives, liquorice, chocolate, grapefruits. Feedback: very stylish, feels reasonably older than simply 5.
SGP:562 – 87 factors. |
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Saint James 15 yo 2004+2006 (45%, La Maison & Velier, Martinique, Magnum sequence #1, Elliot Erwitt Version, 2022)
In my modest expertise, some comparatively lighter energy goes nicely to Saint James’ agricoles. Color: orange amber. Nostril: epitomically agricole certainly, with some heat praline and marmalade, some chiselled cane juice honey, then an especially lengthy savoury and mentholated growth. Extraordinarily sensible and even fairly fascinating. Luxurious notes of caraway, clove, jasmine, outdated unlit Virginia cigarettes and beeswax. Lots of beeswax, all the time for the higher. Mouth: a bit extractive, with touches of bitter outdated wooden, however that is not an issue in any respect and would reasonably remind us of some very outdated cognacs. Many dried fruits, pears, apricots, raisins, pineapples, then a contact of leather-based and the aforementioned tobaccos, with some liquorice progressively shifting to the entrance. End: lengthy and certainly just about on liquorice, tobacco and marmalade. Some recent citron eau-de-vie within the aftertaste, plus that outdated cognac. Feedback: most likely my favorite throughout the magnums. There’s additionally a Mount Homosexual however we’ll attempt that one subsequent time.
SGP:661 – 88 factors. |
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One other French rum please…
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Bellevue 23 yo 1998/2021 (61%, HNWS Taiwan, Guadeloupe, bourbon barrel, cask #17, 109 bottles)
This child was bottled in Scotland. We have already tried some stupendous Bellevues, it’s the largest distillery in Guadeloupe (which certainly consists of Marie-Galante), with nearly 1mio litres of rum of agricole kind per yr. … Color: gold. Nostril: maybe a bit blocked, shy, however I am certain that is the excessive ABV. Mild and vanilla-ed. Let’s transfer on… With water: and bingo, dandelions, beeswax, honeysuckle, wisteria… Mouth (neat): a bit scorching. Pineapple liqueur, caramel, a bit varnish, even notes of gin? Nah… With water: and voilà, salted liquorice, olives, pinewood, pepper… Having stated that, I imagine it remained a bit softer than different Bellevues 1998, even when some chili-like touches would come out too in a while.. End: lengthy and actually very caney this time. Oranges and chillies within the aftertaste. Stings a bit. Feedback: for this reason God invented water after having invented rum/rhum (gee-ee-ee, S.!)…
SGP:651 – 86 factors. |
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Let’s make the final one a Caroni, as we regularly do…
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Caroni 24 yo 1998/2022 (61.9%, Whisky Concerto, refill American oak, cask #12)
Aged for 11 years within the Tropics, then in Europe I might suppose. Bottled for our associates in Hong Kong. Color: full gold. Nostril: it’s a reasonably deviant and mental Caroni, actually all on outdated books, furnishings polish, outdated library, miso soup and umami sauce, outdated pinewood, parsley, turpentine, outdated black tea… A monk’s examine (from any faith, actually). With water: extra of all that, with an attractive dryness. An outdated humidor filled with outdated Cuban puros… Mouth (neat): you’ll be forgiven for believing it is a very outdated agricole. Thick and heavy pine resin, propolis, pipe juice, miso certainly, wax, half-evaporated triple-sec and chartreuse, even Underberg…… With water: reasonably enormous camphor, liquorice, cough syrup, then apricot liqueur and jam to spherical this off. Or what our Swiss associates name Apricotine. End: reasonably lengthy, appropriately softer, with a citrusy signature, plus black tea. Feedback: did it come via that I preferred this very natural one actually so much?
SGP:572 – 91 factors. |
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As a result of life is brief. And this time once more, this may begin with a humble apéritif…
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Outdated Man ‘Venture Three Darkish Expression’ (40%, OB, mix, +/-2021) 
Some blended rum by a reasonably current German firm named ‘Spirits Of Outdated Man’. Color: gold. Nostril: rounded and molassy, with hints of chicory espresso and pancake syrup, plus reasonably a variety of caramel and chocolate. Nothing unhealthy to say, nicely not a lot to say altogether. The satan often lies on the palate… Mouth: gentle and sugared, just about all on espresso and caramel, as if Starbucks can be behind this model. It’s not completely disagreeable, nevertheless it’s clearly too sugary to the malt drinker. Kahlúa! End: medium, too caramelly and liqueury, nevertheless it’s reasonably clear. Feedback: I might suppose nobody’s utilizing this child as a sipper anyway however I might say it is a good rum – inside this fashion of rum.
SGP:720 – 72 factors. |
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Good, the gloves are off…
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Outlaw Rum ‘Double Cask 2021 Version’ (43%, Outlaw Rum Co., 1400 bottles)
Some Caribbean rum aged in Speyside and Highland single malt casks and bottled in Scotland. We tried their Islay Cask earlier this yr and thought it was fairly good (WF 82). This ought to be gentler and extra logical, in a approach. Color: gentle gold. Nostril: more energizing, extra on pears and apples, with touches of putty and paraffin. Very nice sugar cane, vanilla, camphor, menthol… All this actually works, with a nice freshness. Mouth: reasonably grassier, with some liquorice this time, marmalade, gentle liquorice, a tiny little bit of black olive too, then rounder flavours, toffee apple, fudge, butterscotch… End: medium, recent, a bit extra on oranges, liquorice once more, contact of salt (olives)… Feedback: very effective. I might suppose a model at 46% vol. would work a bit higher but.
SGP:551 – 82 factors. |
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Vieux Sajous 5 yo 2017/2022 (52.14%, La Maison & Velier, clairin, Haiti, Caroni cask)
A Caroni cask ? I might suppose with this new mania of reusing ‘branded’ casks, we’ll hold seeing the identify ‘Caroni’ on bottles even after the yr 2100. I imply, what is the lifespan of a ‘refill ex-Caroni cask’, from a advertising POV? And does a clairin want Caroni anyway? However not less than that is absolutely aged in that cask, so sufficient chitchat… Color: white wine. Nostril: sufficient twaddle certainly, that is immense, shock-full of acetone and olives, with mangos, inexperienced tobacco and vanilla ready in ambush. With water: some extra delicate notes of greens, artichokes and eggplants, plantain, then turpentine and plenty of sorts of varnishes, plus fermenting fruits. Fermenting plums, maybe? Mouth (neat): oh! Whether or not you must reasonably name this a Haitian-Trinidadian mix or not, I simply love this olive + liquorice + varnish combo. No prisoners taken. With water: particular woods, pine maybe, some form of mango liqueur with a bit tar, olives… End: identical for a really very long time. The varnishes have by no means completely left, however they’d simply work. Feedback: massively good. Now go attempt to inform what was Caroni and what’s clairin on this implausible combo…
SGP:562 – 89 factors. |
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Caroni 20 yo 1999/2019 (47%, Alambic Classique, Trinidad, cask #19099, 123 bottles)
Color: deep gold. Nostril: it’s a extra extractive one than ordinary, with extra pine and fir woods, extra tar, turpentine and linseed oil (a painter’s workshop), putty, carbolineum, fir bud liqueur, Fernet Branca… A bit intriguing, however so far as I am involved, this old-school herbal-liqueur-type nostril simply does it. Let’s examine the palate… Mouth: some reasonably heavy wooden, extra fir, cones, needles, additionally rotting oranges and bananas (no huge deal), and before everything, a variety of tar. I am undecided your entire world would really like this as a lot as I do, however in spite of everything, there are/had been solely 123 bottles. End: lengthy, tarry, extractive, piney. In brief, not modifications. Fairly drying aftertaste. Feedback: excessive in its personal, tarry approach.
SGP:473 – 87 factors. |
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Ghana 2020/2022 (66.5%, The Nectar of The Each day Drams for LMDW, Antipodes, Ghana)
The nice individuals at The Nectar and many others. had been notably pleased with this younger African rum at Whisky Stay Paris this yr, and should you ask me, rightly so. It is constructed from recent cane juice, with some lengthy fermentation and a distillation in pot-stills. Color: gold. Nostril: huge however noseable, with a bit acetone as soon as extra, ylang-ylang (and bigly!), inexperienced oranges and actually a variety of kirschwasser. That may very well be the younger age and the excessive energy, let’s examine… With water: recent sawn plywood, paraffin, pumpernickel, younger malt whisky, even rye… One other one which’s a bit ‘meta’. Mouth (neat): oh… Lapsang souchong, overripe bananas, menthol cigarettes, guavas, mirabelles, apricots… And polish. Let’s tame it. With water: again to pure rum, again to varnish, liquorice, overripe bananas, olives, putty, paraffin… Tends to lose a bit little bit of focus now, however it’s only 2 and might be already higher than 99.9% of the world’s manufacturing. End: lengthy, on putty and paraffin, with some saltiness within the aftertaste., in addition to a floral facet. Geranium and banana. Feedback: reasonably a revelation.
SGP:562 – 87 factors. |
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Barbados 21 yo 2000/2022 (49%, Rum Sponge, 241 bottles)
Our pal The Sponge is at it once more, this one too was successful at WL Paris. Color: deep gold. Nostril: a thicker, heavier Bajan, with extra tar, violets, liquorice, rye, linoleum, turpentine, skinny mints, amaretti… It’s actually intriguing since you would count on one thing lighter and fewer ‘fats’ from Barbados. Let’s dig deeper… Mouth: completely, unexpectedly, beautifully fats and heavy, petroly, salty, nearly thick, oily… And these notes of tarry butterscotch (I am certain I’ve had one thing like this after I was a child, within the Sixties…) are very pretty too. Huge shock. End: lengthy, salty, tarry. Marmalade and tar liqueur within the background, to maintain it civilised. Excellent piney oak integration. Feedback: I am completely undecided in regards to the distillery right here, and certain it’s really a tad oaky/piney, however I simply love this sort of tarry heaviness. And 49% vol. is an ideal energy too.
SGP:472 – 90 factors. |
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Since we had been in Ghana simply two minutes in the past…
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Mhoba 2017/2022 ‘Uncommon Cask’ (60.8%, LMDW, South Africa, Antipodes Assortment, cask #9, 286 bottles)
Pardon me? South Africa? We have solely tried a Mhoba as soon as, two years in the past, and it was a white one at 43%. There was a bit an excessive amount of strawberry yoghurt, in accordance with my word, however (troubled) waters have handed below the bridge since again then, have they not… Color: deep gold. Nostril: carbon mud, recent concrete, olives and capers, spent engine oil, leatherette… Nicely it is a little ‘Jamaican’, is it not? With water: between hardwood sawdust and damp plaster, with these tarry and piney notes flying round within the background. Mouth (neat): between us, I discover it nice that many younger niche-y distilleries across the globe would now attempt to form of replicate the Jamaican (and Caroni’s) fashion, Carbon, diesel oil, tar, olives, varnish, high-concentration raspberry spirit… With water: nicely finished, even when you shouldn’t add an excessive amount of water. Brine, wee bits of Swiss cheese (or reasonably Comté), a bit caraway, violets and lavender sweets… Would are likely to turn into gentler over time. End: sameish. Butterscotch within the aftertaste. Feedback: as soon as once more, I’m impressed. The entire world is making glorious spirits lately, if world warming and wars do go on, this may all finish like a big monk orgy. Amen.
SGP:363 – 85 factors. |
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Certainly, spirits are like Champagne, in victory you deserve them, in defeat you want them (W. Churchill). Anyway, a final one… Let’s make it a Jamaican.
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Jamaican Rum 14 yo 2007/2021 ‘JMWP’ (58.1%, The Whisky Blues, for The Alcohol Bar & The Whisky Seeker, cask #025, 274 bottles)
With a marque akin to JMWP, this can not not be Jamaica’s Worthy Park, let’s examine… Color: deep gold. Nostril: somebody’s smoked butterscotch and charred beechwood whereas we weren’t watching. There’s reasonably a variety of custard too. With water: metallic polish, putty, engine oil, wee olives (these small pink ones). Mouth (neat): completely splendid. Varnish but once more, deep-steeped inexperienced tea, some bitter pine needles… Truly the jury’s nonetheless out, that is getting a bit robust – however yeah, 58.1%. With water: we received it precisely proper (no, no disgrace in any respect) with some bananas coated with liquorice and tar syrup. End: lengthy, dry, glorious, salty. Feedback: WP’s received a narrower and straighter fashion, no? Except JMWP would reasonably imply one thing else, it isn’t an official Worthy Park marque/mark anyway, these would reasonably appear like WPL, WPM, WPH, WPE and many others.
SGP:462 – 88 factors. |
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Hampden 12 yo ‘HGML’ (63.6%, OB for LMDW, bourbon barrel, cask #23, 2022, 275 bottles)
The marque HGML suggests 1000 to 1300 grams esters per hectolitre pure alcohol (HLPA), which is fairly enormous, however not the hugest. Color: gold. Nostril: these heights result in carbon notes, ammonia, brake pad mud, a number of leaves, or fig stems and leaves (with that ‘milk’)… With water: glue and polish, bitter almonds, olives, rosehip… Mouth (neat): acrid, reasonably excessive, with notes of herring, rollmops, pipe tobacco, rotting fruits, black olives… With water: rotting fruits and extra pipe tobacco, in addition to very heavy and heady molasses. Muck! End: lengthy, a tad sweeter, filled with liquorice and much more pipe tobacco. Olives are again within the aftertaste. Feedback: olives working the present. Do they develop olives inside Hampden Property? This one’s simply very good.
SGP:373 – 90 factors.
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 Verify the index of all rums we have tasted thus far
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