The El Dorado Rare Collection will likely need little introduction.  This is a rum from the Enmore EHP (Edward Henry Porter – original owner of what was the Enmore Estate) Wooden Coffey Still.

Which is one the most heralded stills in DDL’s portfolio.  It is capable of producing a number of different marques of rum from light to heavy and is featured regularly in both El Dorado’s and other independently produced blends.

A 70cl bottle of this rum which is bottled at Cask Strength of 56.5% ABV will set you back around £150 (and rising).

As mentioned in previous reviews of the Rare Collection rums, the design of the bottles are a mix of classic stubby El Dorado bottles and Velier’s opaque minimalism.  They come housed in a nice cut out card sleeve.  It’s all very classy and be-fitting the price tag.

There are around 3000 bottles of each of the Rare Collection available.  Which means they are definitely not a Single Cask rum or likely a single distillation.  This rum is likely a blend from the Enmore Coffey Still married together to produce one larger “batch” of rum.  To have yielded 3000 bottles we are talking about a lot of barrels when one considers the Angel’s Share which could have run at over 75% total yield!  This of course is just my own musings and suggestions.  If anyone has more solid information or a difference of opinion please let me know.  I’m offering this insight in the absence of the “correct” information. 

I’ve tried to get more information from DDL but as usual drew a bit of a blank.

The Enmore 1993 is a 21 year old rum – I’m not totally sure when it was bottled but its maturation must have ceased in 2014 to make it a 21 year old rum.

I’ve experienced more Demerara rums in blends than I have individual still rums.  Demerara rums are very popular here in the UK and make a pretty cheap and tasty weekend mixer.  I have tried a Velier Enmore and Port Mourant “blend” and a Silver Seal Enmore from 2002.  So I kind of have an idea what to expect.  Well I think I have anyway.

Velier set the benchmark by which all aged Demerara has perhaps been judged, particularly over the past 5 years at least.  Prior to that (and prior to greater knowledge regarding additives) El Dorado were seen as kings.  For whatever reason a decision has been made that Velier will no longer bottle El Dorado’s aged Demerara and it appears they will be doing it themselves.

It’s a little disappointing that almost a year since they announced this release DDL have not released anything else new.  I do hope they have plenty more up their sleeve!

In the glass the rum is quite a dark reddish brown/mahogany colour. 

The nose is reminiscent of the other aged Velier Demerara’s I have tried.   Compared to European aged Demerara they seem to have an added richness or intensity.  They seem “thicker” if that makes sense.

I’m getting the classic chocolate and raisin Demerara note – curiously it reminds me quite a lot of the El Dorado 12 – it’s very sweet smelling.  It almost becomes a little plummy – blackcurrants and even a touch of date seem to float in and out. 

Even with an ABV of 56.5% I don’t find the Enmore to be particularly aggressive on the nose.  It doesn’t have the more aggressive notes I found with the 2002 Silver Seal Enmore.

Sipped I’m again reminded of the El Dorado 12 – it offers a very rich and fruity mouthful.  Fortunately rather than heading in a sweeter direction after the initial sip the Enmore 1993 brings some more tannic red wine like notes, a nice spiciness mixes with some good well balanced oaked notes. There is also a hit of slightly bitter/sweet coffee beans.

Flavour wise this matches the Velier releases (their is no reason why it shouldn’t) its rich, intense and very full flavoured.

The finish a medium length offering quite a lot of spicy oak and you get a nice tingle on the tongue which takes a long time to die down.  Allowing you to savour some of the less immediate notes – a little leather, a touch of tobacco.  There is also a quite familiar Enmore smokiness to the finish.

Unusually, I found that this rum needed little by way of dilution with water.  A drop or two opened it up slightly but its surprisingly easy going for a rum of this age.  Maybe that is due to it being a column distilled rum rather than Pot still?

I seem to have enjoyed this more than others.  I personally found it to be equally as good as some of the Velier Demerara’s I have tried. 

As long as you understand what you are buying you cannot fail to be impressed with this rum.  However, if you go into it expecting a rum which is “twice as good” as your El Dorado 21 – you might want to do a little more research.