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| Hello, that is one in every of our (virtually) every day tastings. Santé! |
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December 12, 2021
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An increasing number of rum coming my manner. We shan’t complain, naturally, however rum and brandy have been solely meant to make for light diversions from whisky and solely on Sundays! Let’s do that at random for extra enjoyable, and but begin it with just a little apéro…
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O Reizinho ‘Gold’ (45%, Latitudes, Portugal, Madeira, +/-2020) 
We have already tried the model at 57% and thought it was reasonably glorious (WF 84). Bear in mind Madeira has received its personal legit ‘agricole’ appellation, similar to Martinique. I feel this one’s fairly younger and that it had spent a while in Madeira wooden. Which for as soon as, is sensible (ha). Color: white wine. Nostril: it is agricole however it’s completely not within the model of a Martiniquan, because it’s received many extra esters and does, certainly, show a reasonably congeneric profile. As if somebody had blended away some Jamaican, some tequila, some liquorice liqueur, and would have let the tip consequence additional age in pinewood. I appear to recollect some cachaças that have been just a little like this – you are proper, a cachaça session is lengthy overdue on WF. Mouth: I am very keen on this salty and fairly smoky make that, this time, would reasonably remind me some grogues from Cabo-Verde. Similar college, I’d suppose. Additionally gherkins, cucumbers, brine, lemon, the liquorice once more and solely touches of vanilla. A beautiful spirit, to assume that I’ve by no means been to Madeira. End: reasonably lengthy, salty, diesely, with a smoky aftertaste. Pinewood and lemon wooden. Feedback: these agricoles stay little-known however I am positive that is going to develop. Pretty, very idiosyncratic make. I feel I like this one even higher than the one at 100 proof.
SGP:563 – 86 factors. |
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Maybe one other pure cane juice…
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Chamarel 2012/2021 (55%, The Navigator, Mauritius, Highveld Growing old Sequence, Moscatel end, cask #MOS 03, 298 bottles)
Certainly, pure cane juice, and this time a ending in one of many sweetest wines there ever was, Moscatel. A superb half had been distilled in pot nonetheless, the rest in columns, in a Foursquare style. Color: crimson espresso. Nostril: what got here from the rum and what stems from the moscatel? Arduous to inform, however I am reasonably fond of those large whiffs of shoe polish and burnt cake mingled with some varnish and pineapple liqueur. A great deal of raisins afterward, as anticipated, some liquorice, roasted chestnuts, embrocations (camphor) and umeshu. With water: heat sawdust chocolate, the remaining stays nearly unchanged, simply drier. Mouth (neat): good and reminding me of some older French agricoles. Some thick varnish ala outdated bourbon, candy clove and orange jam, thyme and caraway liqueurs or sweets… I am blissful to report that I’m not discovering any apparent muscaty notes, reasonably increasingly chocolate over time. Runny chocolate cake. With water: saltier and curiously reminiscent or the Madeiran. Slightly tar, whereas the entire would turn out to be a lot drier. Black tea. End: lengthy, very dry. Uncooked chocolate with some salt and maybe just a little mustard. Cinnamon within the aftertaste. Feedback: excellent use of some Moscatel cask. No cloying sides by any means. One in all my favorite Mauritians, I feel.
SGP:461 – 87 factors. |
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Since we have talked about Foursquare…
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Foursquare 12 yo 2009/2021 (61.5%, Whisky AGE, Barbados, barrel, 250 bottles)
I will not cease running a blog about booze earlier than I do know of Foursquare’s proportions, between column and pot nonetheless batches. Speaking about their ‘common’ output. Color: gold. Nostril: comparatively mild and even just a little ‘grainy’ (I do know that is rum) however that is at all times labored in FS. Vanilla, coconut and oranges, roasted raisins, blancmange, peanut syrup (ever tried that?) and Weetabix. With water: wee roots… I will not point out beetroots as that might be pure historic provocation, however there. Wee whiffs of cappuccino. Mouth (neat): ha, the 61% do not even really feel, that is contemporary, absolutely on triple-sec and acacia honey, with only a mocha-spoonful of maple syrup. Mild-not-thin. With water: extraordinarily typical. Oranges, acacia honey, maple syrup, just a little sunflower oil, roasted pecans… And no coconut in the way in which. End: medium, fatter. Brioche dough after which coconut macaroons within the aftertaste. Feedback: to paraphrase The Stranglers, by no means a frown with golden Foursquare.
SGP:641 – 87 factors. |
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Guyana 15 yo 2004/2020 (57.2%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, #R2.12, ‘A valuable treasure trove’, 1st fill bourbon barrel, 208 bottles) 
Stuff from El Dorado/Demerara Distillers, clearly, however I do not really feel like I am going to go attempt to discover out in regards to the marque within the remotest corners of the darkest Web. Let’s name it ‘Diamond’. Color: straw. Nostril: Port Mourant? Quite large benzine and olive oil, carbon paper, capers, acetone and ammonia, rotting bananas… Nutshell: all is nicely. With water: what, mashed turnips and Jerusalem artichokes? Previous hessian, basement mud, graphite, coalpit… Mouth (neat): the most effective they’ve, the Ardbeg of Georgetown. Not for lovers of Bacardi or Havana Membership for positive, however there are deep polishes and soots, even some coal, liquorice aniseed and camphor, and extra rotting bananas. Huge varnish too. All stays nicely and good… With water: salt up, with a sense of tarry anchovies and brine. End: similar. Class. Feedback: mates who should not into spirits will imagine we’re mad when studying our ramblings. And that we’re gluttons for liquid punishment. Anyway, nice choice by the very honourable SMWS (I’ve received this from their Introduction Calendar 2021).
SGP:463 – 90 factors. |
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Again to Barbados (seems like a brand new collection on Netflix, does it not)…
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Foursquare 14 yo (57.1%, Watt Rum for The Nectar, Barbados, 2021)
Early landed rum from Barbados chosen and dealt with in Campbeltown/Scotland for Belgium. What’s this world coming to? Color: amber. Nostril: ooh. Honey, milk chocolate, praline, butterscotch, baklavas and simply distant whiffs of orange blossom water. Fairly easy, very good and streamlined. With water: extra honey, hay wine, Bailey’s (I do know) and butterscotch. Mouth (neat): similar feeling of flawless simplicity. Orange cake, contact of varnish, honey, maple syrup, butterscotch, a drop of cellulosic varnish (you have already talked about varnish, S.) plus a small coconut ball. With water: again to butterscotch. Subsequent up on Netflix, ‘Again To Butterscotch in Barbados’. Critically, good FS. End: medium and a tad extra on triple-sec. Pretty and surprising earthy aftertaste. Feedback: very glorious choice, up there with the very, easiest officers. As if the proportion of pot-still FS was a lot increased right here. Oh and as traditional, the Belgians have it good, I feel I am going to write a letter to the European Fee (now, it is both booze or soccer – joking)..
SGP:641 – 90 factors. |
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Again to Guyana (extra Netflix stuff…)
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Diamond 17 yo 2003/2021 (54.3%, Morisco Spirit, Guyana) 
It appears that evidently this one got here from Diamond’s Savalle nonetheless, which might counsel, Watson, that this might be Uitvlugt. Color: amber. Nostril: lighter than the SMWS for positive, even perhaps a tad skinny, however very elegant, with some milk chocolate, macchiato, orange wine (I imply wine made out of oranges), then Golden Grahams and a dollop of pancake sauce. A wee floral aspect too (early dandelions within the Spring). With water: caramel cream. Who would resist caramel cream? Mouth (neat): punchier, with reasonably numerous espresso liqueurs at first, then fudge and pistachio nougat. Candy tender liquorice taking up. With water: beautiful, actually. Devilish fudges and toffees, a drop of amontillado, one in every of Italian hazelnut liqueur, even perhaps just a little, err, Nutella? I am sorry, actually. End: medium, very cappuccino-y. As soon as once more, reasonably macchiato within the aftertaste, with an surprising drop of Williams pear eau-de-vie. Feedback: too good, virtually decadent and truly just a little perverse. Come on, Nutella…
SGP:631 – 88 factors. |
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Let’s change island. Bear in mind, technically, Guyana (ex-British Guyana) is a part of the Caribbean…
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Appleton Property 18 yo 2003/2021 (63%, OB/Velier, Jamaica, Hearts Assortment)
There was a really interesting Zoom tasting with this one the opposite day however I had no different alternative than miss it. I really feel disgrace, I am not any higher at that social half than a crossbreed of a tardigrade and an axolotl. Having stated that, we have got numerous particulars right here (they’re on the bottle), that there are 688 g congeners per hectolitre alcohol, that they’ve disgorged casks #420930 by means of #420950, and that they got here up with 1,280 bottles. Color: amber. Nostril: what I am at all times discovering in these Appletons is hardwood, rosewood, additionally cedarwood, sandalwood… Behind that, thujas, taxus, pine, bitter wines, cherries, brine, olives and capers. With water: bitter brine, amers, samphires, muds, stale seawater (a favorite), olives, tapenade, Maggi, miso… Mouth (neat): mesmerising. I am not exaggerating. Many many vegetal oils, hevea, sesame, pumpkin seed, with one thing very ‘roasted’ which I at all times liked (roasted sesame oil, when its good it is fab), cashews, then simply cane essence, bitter teas, cinchona and turmeric… Nicely this one’s fairly conversational, is it not. With water: olives! Olives would save any booze. Olives and liquorice, with some peppermint liqueur. End: lengthy and saltier but. We have had seawater from the Mediterranean. Feedback: I’ve to watch out as a result of we’ll now have a fair older Appleton, however what the fudge, it will be…
SGP:472 – 92 factors. |
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Yeah I’ve missed the tales, however as they are saying in modern retro-marketing, by no means let a narrative get in the way in which of an important product…
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Appleton Property 37 yo 1984/2021 (63%, OB/Velier, Jamaica, Hearts Assortment) 
2197 g esters per hlpa this time and 650 bottles from some beautiful casks starting from #3391 to 3399… Nicely, supplied they bottled every thing, there wasn’t a lot left in these woods. We all know marketeers are pushing tropical getting old, however between us, what do accountants actually assume? Color: crimson mahogany. Nostril: it will be powerful after the 2003, that is apparent. Extra jams, extra outdated rose liqueur (Cyprus?), extra cloves and cumin, putty, used engine grease (outdated gearbox), whiffs of peonies, even notes of high-brow sangria, however we’re someway lacking the 2003’s impeccable oomph and assertiveness. With water: outdated grocery retailer, outdated rubber hoses, charcoal, burnt pinecones… You simply can’t make any spirit any drier. Mouth (neat): wooden extracts. Spectacular, however actually powerful. The ristretto-est of all ristrettos, like, it evaporated even earlier than it ever received to your lips. With water: just a little simpler – but it surely stays powerful – and intensely piney. Rubber boots macerated then distilled and aged in new thuja wooden. End: very lengthy, which is a part of the issue. Huge resins. Feedback: you would not rating the drawing of a mammoth carried out by a Neanderthal Picasso on a cave’s partitions, would you. Good, conservatory rating. The magnificent 2003 completely slaughtered this 1984, whereas I am reminded of these very outdated Irish that Cadenhead used to have 30 years in the past. All pinewood juice.
SGP:182 – 80 factors. |
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Good, so certainly, the 2003 any time; let’s transfer on.
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Trinidad 20 yo 20 yo 2001/2021 (65.6%, La Maison du Whisky, Conquête, sixty fifth Anniversary)
What a surprising constructivist bottle! Between Malevich and Kandinsky, we’ll discover our manner… Oh and I am blissful to report that the good of us at La Maison appear to have thought that it was necessary so as to add, at 65.6% vol., that this child had been bottled at cask power. They might not conceal it any longer anyway. Color: amber. Nostril: Caroni or Angostura? I received an concept… It is a kind of floral ones, with flabbergasting topical fruits plus jasmine and ylang-ylang, floral earths, compost, mangos, lemongrass, spearmint… and a reasonably petroly background. Nicely, I discover this one chic. With water: outdated Chinese language grocery retailer, plastics, geranium and mutton suet. Mad stuff. Mouth (neat): chic. Please name the Anti-Caroniporn Brigade. Positive the oak’s just a little loud and even dominant, however that might translate into collector-level notes of outdated Chartreuse and Bénédictine. With water: sure. Timut pepper, fennel and spearmint. End: lengthy, contemporary, virtually mentholy. Feedback: nicely, if this was a conquest certainly, we have been defeated. I might let you know about that incredible constructivist exhibition on the Guggenheim someday within the Nineteen Nineties, named Paris-New York, however that might be bragging manner an excessive amount of. When you want {the catalogue}, simply ask. Chic rum.
SGP:572 – 91 factors. |
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We have already tried quite a bit from a whisky drinker’s POV, however when there is a will, there is a manner…
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Clarendon 27 yo 1995/2021 (61.3%, The Whisky Jury, Jamaica, refill barrel, 270 bottles)
When do they name them Clarendon and when do they name them Monymusk? No concepts, we’re solely easy whisky guys… However nice work on the labels, Jury, nice spirits have at all times received one thing transcendental, if not spiritual. Each bottle is an ex-voto, is it not? Color: wealthy amber. Nostril: yah. Varnish, upholstery, seafood, soy sauce, outdated bourbons, beeswax, mint cordial, liquorice, menthol and terpenes, tar liqueur, absinth, acetone… With water: leafier. Autumn leaves, walnut skins, olives, glutamate, Maggi… Mouth (neat): beneath the boundaries of over-oakiness, that is sorted. A variety of menthol and liquorice, although, however bear in mind, we’re flying above the 61% vol. mark. That is virtually the I.S.S. With water: extra petrol and brine. Very salty brew, virtually just a little intimidating in that respect. Do they develop olives and oysters in Jamaica? No-ganja-to-be-found although. End: very lengthy, salty, petroly, completely Jamaican. There is a debate available across the notions of ‘getting old’, and ‘location’ and ‘maturation’, and ‘local weather’ and stuff. Certainly, you could possibly name that ‘warfare’. Feedback: olive-y glory. Have I discussed olives? That is olive oil.
SGP:473 – 90 factors. |
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This isn’t cheap however for the reason that subsequent one comes from Kate and Mark Watt’s racing secure, and since I might belief them blindly and even when Covided-up to the brim… It is simply that we’ll do that fast…
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Clarendon 16 yo 2004/2021 (57.1%, Watt Rum, Jamaica)
Color: full gold. Nostril: soy sauce, glutamate, quince jelly, olive paste, moss, menthol tobacco (Kools). And there. With water: mannequin glue, balsa wooden, nail polish and linoleum. We stated we might maintain this brief, proper? Mouth (neat): yeah excellent, salty oak, lemony olives, liquoricy menthol, acrid aniseed… With water: deep salty mossy lemons, a tad excessive now. Very grassy and salty, the extra water you add, the extra it will get natural and difficult. And really piney. Extraordinarily exhausting to regulate. Would not swim very nicely, to say the least. End: lengthy and difficult. Superb at pure power – however bear in mind, 57.1% – getting troublesome when watered down. Clarendon/Monymusk is hard and a dresser is not a filler. See what I imply… Feedback: I am undecided this tasting observe made any sense, however it isn’t a straightforward spirit for positive. Bitter olives, anybody? Leaves? Ueber-leafiness?
SGP:273 – 86 factors. |
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 Examine the index of all rums we have tasted up to now
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