OVD – Old Vatted Demerara Rum. Imported from Guyana to Scotland (something about dark rum seems to suit the cold climate and raging alcoholics) since 1838 by George Morton Limited. I understand this is now owned by Wm Grant Ltd who produce a lot of the whisky sold in the UK supermarkets.
The rum comes in your standard bar bottle (the one pictured is a litre bottle) with a clear uncluttered label which has all the essential information required to let you know what you are getting. The rum is widely available in Scotland and is stocked in England by Tesco (amongst others) the litre bottle set me back £23 and the 70cl bottles around £18.
This would put the rum in the same price and style as Skipper Rum which is widely available in Sainsburys. Or so I thought. Whilst Skipper looks similar it is actually more of a Navy Rum in the style of Lambs. OVD does not have any of the spiced notes that Lambs or Skipper has.
The label shows the rum has won a few gold medals but doesn’t expand much upon what they actually are. Which is a little odd and slightly suspicious!
As a Demerara rum I was expecting the usual sweet taste, the dark nature of the drink also made me think it may have caramel to further the sweetness.
The rear of the bottle states that rum can be enjoyed neat. I’m not a big sipper of rum but I couldn’t handle this neat. Although it seems quite smooth it burns quite harshly. With cola it immediately froth’s up (as Navy rums often do) however, it doesn’t taste quite like a navy rum. Initially its very much like sweet coffee. After a few glasses I was very much enjoying it. However, upon revisiting the rum I have found that it has a bitterness to it in the aftertaste that lingers rather too long. This makes the experience of drinking the rum a little unpleasant after a while.
It’s a good value rum and quite readily available. To me its a winter rum for when its cold outside.
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George Morton’s Old Vatted Demerara (O.V.D.) Rum (1970s) – The Lone Caner
October 20, 2019 at 4:47 am
[…] to be made (it’s popular in Scotland and Northern England, wrote Wes Burgin, who reviewed a more recent edition back in 2014) — but my own feeling is that this bottle hails from the early […]
Kenneth Burnett
August 24, 2018 at 6:34 pm
This is the first alcohol I ever drank. It was Hogmanay in Scotland and I was way too young and got horrendously drunk and ill, so it put me off Rum for decades………………. I am scared to try it in case it reminds me of that night again hahahaha……………… It is everywhere in Scotland, I will have to try a nip in a Bar to see what it tastes like at this point in my life.
Kenneth
November 22, 2018 at 1:56 pm
I bought a bottle of this about a month, and do not think I will ever again. Weak on flavour, and for me a very bitter, burnt aftertaste, nae wonder I was sick all those years ago lol ……………… I could have got Woods ( which I love) for the same price too, oh well, lesson learned.