Another holiday bottle that I thought I would review.  I found this in a Supermarket in Ayia Napa amongst a selection of cheap looking Greek and Cypriot rum.  I passed on the various Greek/Cypriot efforts and settled for this Black Head Rum.  It is distributed by Slaur International, Le Havre, France.  Those who have read my introduction will be aware that amongst my first rum tastings was Bardinet Negrita rum.  That rum was also French.  Negrita also had a rather questionable stereotype on the label. I’m really pretty shocked by this one to be honest.

Like Cabo Bay rum it has some ” faux medals” on the label, once again these don’t attest to the rum actually winning any awards.  I was only able to find (it found me really) a 1 litre sized bottle at 37.5% ABV.  To be honest I wasn’t really going to search around looking for a smaller bottle as it was only 8 Euro’s anyway.

Black Head Rum comes in a

standard bar bottle with a gold screw top, which was pretty cheap to be honest.  The presentation is simple and uncluttered.  The front label states it is “light and mild savour”.  In all honesty I thought this rum was pretty old and had just been hanging around in his shop for years and years.  I bought it out of curiosity really.  Upon looking on the internet the rum, still with this presentation is available  should you wish to purchase it.  An old bottle was also available on the Whisky Exchange for £199 http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-16175.aspx and another bottle from the 20’s can be viewed here http://www.finestandrarest.com/rum.html

Although the rum has been around a while it just seems to be a cheap mixing rum.  It does state on some of the older bottles that it is a product of the West Indies but it seems something that is mostly available in France.  Obviously with the dated presentation and cheap price I’m not expecting a great deal from this rum.  It’s a curiosity novelty purchase rather than a serious considered selection.

When nosed the rum initially smells mostly of alcohol fumes.  After settling for a little while the rum smells very sweet as well – it reminds me in some ways of 1 Barrel Rum. I suspect this rum has not been aged for long at all and the “Rhum Braun” as it is described on the rear is due to added caramel.  This may also be contributing to the smell.  Foolishly I tried sipping this rum.  The sipping experience was similar to trying neat alcohol for the first ever time – when you were sober.  Not nice.  The taste was mostly alcohol and the burn was harsh but thankfully quite short.  Leaving a nasty bitter chemical taste in the mouth.  I add an ice cube and whilst the rum still smells quite inviting in a sickly kind of way, other than reduce the alcohol burn it doesn’t offer anything different.  No flavour.

I’m adding a little cola in the hope that the rum will offer something when mixed.  So far the experience has been like trying cheap vodka or whisky neat – not pleasant.  However, this does state its a mixing rum so I’ll give it a go.  The sweetness of the smell comes through a little more with cola and you get a kind of maple syrupy/caramel kind of flavour, however it only hints at this taste and very quickly disappears leaving only that astringent alcohol taste again. After a few gulps it’s just really bitterness and chemicals that you are tasting.  It’s a drink which leaves you feeling that the headache in the morning really won’t be worth it.  It’s difficult to drink this to be honest its so bad.

I suppose reviewing rum’s like these gives perspective if nothing else.  If this has indeed been imported from the West Indies then it’s a shame the ship didn’t sink on the way over.  To be honest I wish I’d left the rest of the bottle in Cyprus!