Cachaca Havaninha

Bythefatrumpirate

Cachaca Havaninha Rum Review by the fat rum pirateCachaca Havaninha – The Saga of Anisio Santiago continues….Is the strap line for this brand of cachaça which hails from Salinas, Minas Gerais state. For those of you that have been following my cachaça reviews the name Anisio Santiago may ring a few bells as he was mentioned in an earlier review.

That review was for the similarly named Cachaca Havana which was first produced by Anisio Santiago. That legacy continues today as Anisio’s son – Osvaldo Mendes Santiago continues to produce and market the Havana and Anisio Santiago branded cachaca’s until 2013. He is now the co-owner of both brands.

So where does Cachaca Havaninha fit in? Well in 2013 Osvaldo began looking for a new challenge. As a result he decided to develop a new cachaça to the Brasillian market and Cachaca Havaninha was born.

The cachaça is produced at the Piragibe Farm in Salinas. The fresh sugar cane juice is distilled in small batches on copper pot stills. The cachaça is then aged for 6 years in Balsam wood. It is bottled at 48% ABV – the limit for cachaça. Any higher the ABV and it becomes Aguardente de Cana by law.

Cachaca Havaninha is available in a 600ml bottles size and retails for around $R110 this equates to just over €/£20. Were this ever to come to the UK the price would be much higher.

It is presented in two different bottles, the common dark “beer” style bottle complete with cap which requires a bottle opener and a standard clear bar style tall bottle. The labelling and design are old school but overall, it is a little more modern than some brands.

The cachaça has featured quite regularly in Top 50 lists of the best cachaca’s in Brasil. This might not sound like much of a feat but there are thousands of cachaça brands out there. Brasil is an enormous country when compared to somewhere like the UK or indeed most European countries.

Should you require more information on the brand they have their own website, Instagram and Facebook pages.

So lets move on to the fun part. The nosing and tasting.

In the glass I am presented with a white wine/straw coloured spirit. The nose is rich and creamy with lots of vanilla and some mild wood spices – a touch of ginger and some almonds. Further nosing reveals yoghurt and some zesty notes of lemon and lime. This gives the cachaça a little more bite. The ABV on this one is also giving the nose a little more “force” than some lower ABV cachacas.

Sipped, this reminds me of both Havana Anisio Santiago and Pirigibana. This however is more zesty than Havana and much less smoky than Pirigibana.

The entry is quite punchy and very zesty. Lot’s of orange peel and lime zest. A kind of mixed marmalade if you like. There is a nice hit of vanilla on the entry giving it a sweetness and the complex spicy notes from the wood really tingle the tastebuds. It’s a very spicy and complex opening.

On the mid palate things settle down a little. It is still quite spicy – with a slightly soapy note but the vanilla and toffee notes settle the whole spirit down. Even though the ABV is quite high at 48% it is quite easy to drink. It slips down quite smootCachaca Havaninha Rum Review by the fat rum piratehly.

The finish is quite long with notes of macadamia nuts and a lovely smoky aroma which mingles nicely with the spicy ginger and orange peel notes. It’s long and very pleasant.

This is a very “ungrassy” cachaça – much more like an aged Agricole such as Rhum JM XO – it has really taken a lot of influence from the balsam wood just like Rhum JM XO is influenced by the ex-bourbon oak barrels. There is a nice layer of complexity with Cachaca Havininha.

Once again we have a very good aged cachaça from Salinas, Minas Gerais. This state is fast becoming my Barbados of the cachaça world. This is one of the best aged cachaca’s I have tried so far and comes very close to Havana Anisio Santiago and Piragibana for me.

If you do get the chance you must try this. Excellent stuff.

 

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  • Jamaica Cove Black Pineapple Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Jamaica Cove Black Pineapple Rum Review by the fat rum pirateJamaica Cove Black Pineapple Rum. This is the second of the Jamaica Cove rums that I have for review.

    Jamaica Cove takes its name from the caves and coves dotted around the Cornish Coast of Southern England. Used by smugglers to hide their booty of rum from British Colonies such as Jamaica.

    In recent years Plantation Rum have made Pineapple Rum a thing, with their Dicken’s inspired “Stiggins’ Fancy” pineapple flavoured rum.

    Jamaica Cove Black Pineapple Rum uses a base rum of Pot and Column still Jamaican rum aged up to 3 years. The rum hails from distilleries such as Hampden, Clarendon and Worthy Park. It is then infused with authentic Pineapple flavouring. The process doesn’t sound quite as intensive as Plantation’s hand cutting and macerating Queen Victoria Pineapples but this Pineapple rum is considerably less expensive than Stiggins Fancy.

    In the UK you should expect to pay around £26 for a bottle of Jamaica Cove Black Pineapple Rum. It is bottled at 40% ABV which is quite bold for a flavoured rum. Most like Bacardi’s “Spirit Drink” flavoured “rums” are bottled at 32% ABV and below. Which is why they are noted as Spirit Drinks not rum. To be labelled as rum in the EU it must be 37.5% ABV Even though the base is rum.

    Presentation wise Jamaica Cove Black Pineapple Rum comes in a stubby bottle with a plastic topped chunky synthetic cork stopper. Presentation is clear and modern. Although the marketing may be a bit “fairy tale” it is actually based on truth and several films/documentaries etc have been made about the smugglers coves.

    Reviewing Flavoured rums is not something many reviewers bother with. I’ve always approached this blog with the view that I will write about what I think is popular or what people are curious about. I try and cover all bases. I know a lot of people will be looking at this rum and its price point and considering giving it a try over Stiggins’ Fancy. Which is £10 more expensive. At the lower and mid level price points consumers are very price conscious in the UK.

    I am hoping that I get a rum which has a good Pineapple flavour but a decent weight of “rum” as well.

    Jamaica Cove Black Pineapple Rum Review by the fat rum pirateIn the glass Jamaica Cove Black Pineapple Rum is a dark/reddish brown with orange flashes.

    On the nose Jamaica Cove Black Pineapple Rum is well – very Pineapple(y). You would identify straight away that this is a Pineapple flavoured spirit.

    Would you identify it as being a Pineapple flavoured rum? Thankfully yes. Beneath the sweet Pineapple juice notes you can still nose the Jamaican rum base. Particularly the Clarendon element which shines through onto the nose.

    Although Jamaica Cove Black Pineapple Rum is very sweet on the nose – it thankfully hasn’t been packed full of additives. Aside from the Pineapple flavouring which has been used in just the right measure.

    Sipping Jamaica Cove Black Pineapple Rum is a much subtler affair than the nose suggested. You get more authentic slightly bitter Pineapple flavour than the very juice like nose. It’s still quite sweet but no cloyingly so. It’s really easy to sip neat. Thankfully there is enough rummy goodness in the sip to make you feel you are still drinking rum. Nice notes of young Jamaican rum add a spicy and slightly fiery undercurrent to the sweet Pineapple flavour.

    Once you get past the Pineapple flavour Jamaica Cove Black Pineapple Rum reveals some quite complex notes of Breakfast tea and some really noticeable Pot Still Jamaican rum – a really nice punch of funk towards the end of the sip.

    I particularly enjoy the finish which is nice and boozy with a lot of fiery pepper and ginger. Some really nice notes of oak as well.Jamaica Cove Black Pineapple Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    At the price point you may find yourself mixing it. The rear label suggests mixing this with Pineapple Juice – personally I wouldn’t as it just gets all too much. However it works really well in a Pina Colada and I particularly enjoy this with cola. This is a sweet tasting treat but it has sufficient menace and rumminess to keep me happy.

    The obvious comparisons will be how does it compare to Plantation’s Stiggins’ Fancy? I would say pretty favourably to be honest. It’s a Pineapple rum that tastes of Pineappel. Like Stiggins’ Fancy it retains enough rum character to stop it from becoming like a sweet liqueur or flavoured Vodka.

    Nicely done.

     

     

  • Middas Reserva

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Middas Reserva Cachaca rum review by the fat rum pirateMiddas Reserva. Few things in the rum and cachaça world surprise me. I think just about every gimmick has been tried by the numerous rum brands I have come across over the best 8 or so years. Step forward Middas Reserva cachaça.

    Some of you may be familiar with the Swiss cinnamon schnapps Goldschlager – which distinguishes itself by having gold leaf floating in the mixture. To be fair in a clear schnapps the effect is quite good. In an aged cachaça? I’d need convincing.

    But that is what Middas Reserva is – aged cachaça with gold leaf floating in it. You may be familiar with King Midas from Greek Mythology. Everything he touched turned to gold. I’ve never seen the spelling Middas used but I am pretty sure Midas is what the brand is alluding to. The tag line used by them is The Golden Touch.

    Presentation wise – as you can see your cachaça comes in black velvet style bag with a gold drawstring and MIDDAS emblazoned across the front. In all honesty it’s pretty tacky looking.

    I was expecting a similarly horrendous bottle but in actual fact the bottle design isn’t all that bad. A quick shake of the contents reveals the gold leaf floating in the cachaça. In Brasil this retails at around R$ 230 which is £50 in UK sterling or euros pretty much. It’s quite an expensive cachaça.

    Middas have two expressions this Reserva and a white cachaça which is aged in a peanut wood. This Middas Reserva is aged in French and American Oak, Jequitiba Rosa and Amburana barrels. So we have a mix of imported and native woods. I am unsure how old this cachaça is – I think the label states that it is a blend of cachaça aged up to 18 years but my Portuguese isn’t exactly perfect. Middas Reserva Cachaca rum review by the fat rum pirate

    The website notes that only 1,000 units of Middas Reserva are produced each year. The “gold” used in the cachaça is 23 Carat Gold imported from Germany. It has been bottled at 39% ABV.

    Middas Reserva is produced on an Alembic Pot Still at Walnut Creek in the state of Sao Paulo. Middas has been in production since 2006. It has picked up a few awards since then so it will be interesting to see how this tastes – gimmicks aside.

    In the glass we have a slightly dull golden brown spirit. Flecks of gold add a bit of bling but the effect isn’t as vivid as you might hope.

    The nose is nicely balanced. Buttery – double cream and some crème fraiche. Notes of honey and vanilla. For the ABV I am pleased to note just how complex the nose is I was expecting something a bit more straight forward.

    There is a slight spiciness on the nose ginger and a touch of bourbon esque spices. There is a slight white wine like note on the nose as well which adds a little more complexity.

    Sipped Middas Reserva it is initially quite spicy and woody. More so than the creamy nose suggests. The initial entry is spicy with a good hit of ginger and a nice weight of sweet/sour oak spices. Once past the initial woody and spiciness you move into a very sweet nicely balanced mid palate.

    Honey, sweet sugar cane and vanilla come into the fore. I suspected a touch of added sugar but the Hydrometer tells me otherwise. There may be a touch of added sugar though.

    As a sipper this is a really nice well balanced spirit. Like a lot of cachaca’s the finish isn’t particularly long but it is good. There are no bad or off notes about this spirit.

    Middas Reserva Cachaca rum review by the fat rum pirateThe more you sip the more of the creaminess that was on the nose comes back into play. Double cream and a touch of olive come along mingling with the sweeter notes of the sugar cane.

    Despite the gimmicky nature of this product I am pleasantly surprised by it. It pretty much justifies its price point though I think without the gold it could be cheaper. Which would in no way damage the actual spirit.

    Usually in the rum and cachaça world you can read a book by its cover. I was expecting this to be a like The Hollies song King Midas in Reverse.

    It’s definitely not. It’s a very decent cachaça.

     

  • Chairman’s Reserve Finest St Lucia Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Chairmans ReserveThis is without the doubt the most difficult rum review I have done so far. When I first got into rum this was the first rum I bought online.

    Confused by all the information available on the Internet and still with little understanding of dark, golden, demerara, pot still, column still, agricole (god help us) etc I decided to try a bottle of Chairman’s Reserve. I’m still at a loss as to exactly why I decided to try this particular rum. Was it the unusual dumpy bottle? The mostly positive reviews? The price? The awards? Was I drunk? Who knows I really cannot remember……

    I plumped for a bottle from Amazon. I think it cost my including postage and packaging about £23. Which considering this was someone who had bought only supermarket rum was pretty expensive! I’m not sure if I bought it to convince myself that supermarket swill was just as good or whether I was really intending to try every rum I could get my hands on.

    The rum could have been a massive disappointment. It was coming up against Cockspur 5 star Fine Rum. That was setting me back about £13 a bottle a the time so it had to be good because I could get two bottles for the same price!

    It’s difficult not to biased with regard this rum. It was the rum which made me realise just how good rum could be. It convinced me that a more expensive rum could actually be worth the extra money. It’s the bottle that led me to write and set up this blog. Over two years on I find it amazing that I’m sitting sipping this rum (I’ll add cola soon don’t worry) and contemplating just how I’m going to actually review it. Anyway here goes……….

    Chairmans Reserve is produced by St Lucia Distillers it is aged in Jack Daniels, Jim Beam and Buffalo Trace barrels. It is aged for around 5 years and is blended using continuous and pot still rums.

    ACRThe rum is quite a dark not navy or demerara rum dark but definitely darker than say a Mount Gay or Bacardi Gold. The extra ageing is noticeable.

    The bottle itself is one of the dumpy style rum bottles. The rum is around the £20 mark and whilst it would be brilliant if it had a cork stopper it doesn’t it has a metallic stopper. A shame but not a surprise at the price.

    On the nose Chairman’s is quite smoky and reminiscent in many ways of the drier Bajan rums such as R L Seales 10 Year Old.  It is not a sweet smelling rum though it does have a notes of tropical fruit.  It isn’t, like many of the younger rums laced with sugar.  It doesn’t have any caramel or treacle notes like many cheap mixers.

    Clearly, I’m quite sentimental about this rum but that is not without good cause. It’s the first rum I tasted where I thought “wow”. It’s an excellent rum. It’s sweet and fruity but has a bit of smokiness to it as well. For a 5 year old rum its quite complex. It can be sipped and it isn’t rough or harsh. There is a bit of an alcohol burn but even that is quite smoky and pleasant.  To me this is what rum should be.  To complain it isn’t smooth (many peoples definition of smooth is rum that has been heavily sugared).  This is real rum done properly.  It has the ACR (and whilst that doesn’t always mean its unadulterated – this definitely has no additives)

    Chairman’s is now available in Sainsburys for £20 and I will be ensuring that I have a constant supply of this rum.  It’s really a bargain at this price.

    St Lucia distillers seem to be quite overlooked on the Internet and world of rum blogging this may be because their rums don’t seem to be available to readily in the US of A so here is a link to their website.

    http://www.saintluciarums.com

    I would also recommend the Chairmans Reserve White Label and Forgotten Casks also Admiral Rodney. In fact I would recommend anything St Lucia Distillers produce.  It’s all been excellent for me thus far!

    4 stars

     

     

     

     

     

  • Rhum Rhum Liberation 2012 Version Integrale

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Rhum Rhum Liberation 2012 rum review by the fat rum pirateRhum Rhum is a collaboration between Luca Gargano of Velier and Master Distiller Vittorio Capovilla.

    Using small copper pot stills located near to the Bielle distillery on Marie-Galante – a small, very rural island just off the coast of Guadaloupe.

    Rhum Rhum Liberation 2012 has been released at two differing ABV’s this “Version Integrale” is bottled at a hefty 59.8%.  1420 bottles were produced.

    The Rhum Rhum label use what they consider to be the best sugar cane known, Canne Rouge B47.259.  Which was fermented for an almost unheard of 10 days when making this rhum.  The rhum was distilled in a copper alembic pot still, specifically designed by Capovilla and made by a the German artisan Muller.  (You may have seen stills by this producer on some Habitation Velier bottlings recently)

    After being double distilled in the Muller copper pot stills, it was then aged for 5 years in oak barrels which had previously been used for ageing sauternes white wine. The 2012 vintage was aged 5 years in oak before being ‘liberated’.  The vintage on the bottle indicates the year of this ‘Liberation’. Hence the product name.

    A bottle of this rhum when it was available would have set you back around £80 in the UK, which is quite expensive even for an agricole.  The presentation is unusual and striking.  From the very beginning Vittorio Capovilla decided that each vintage of the Liberation would have it’s own label. The label design comes from very old stamps from the University of Coimbra in Portugal.  They represent different aspects of the Caribbean world.

    The 2012 lobster label design represents Caribbean marine life.  It is also connected to the food matches for this particular rhum.  So a rhum pairing with this is going to be an expensive treat!

    I’m not hugely experienced with Agricole Rhum. As this is a bit of an experimental bottling I’m not really quite sure what to expect.  To be honest, that really was this rhums appeal.

    In the glass the rhum is a quite surprising dark brown, with a reddish hue.  I’m surprised as the rum is so young.  If I didn’t know better I would suggest added colouring.

    RhumRhumLib3The nose on this rum is pretty busy and in many ways quite contradictory.  Initially it seems quite light and vegetal.

    However a deeper nosing reveals quite a lot of oak an almost liquorice like tannic red wine.  So it is sort of light and heavy at the same time?

    It’s very rich smelling and nicely balanced.  Yet again it has something else going on beneath all that.  After a further nosing you feel your nostrils twitch a little with the intensity of the ABV.

    I’m not entirely sure what to make of this. One minute its a grassy Saint James like Agricole the next it is treading Velier Demerara territory!  Very confusing but not at all unpleasant.

    I’ve given up on this rhum as a conventional agricole rhum.  I will just have to judge it on its own merits – comparisions to aged agricoles seem pointless.

    Sipping the rum at bottle strength is again a quite confusing experience.  Initially I thought little of the entry.  Slightly grassy/vegetal again quite light

    However, seconds later as the spicy hit of the 59.8% ABV hit. I found I had a very strong fruity, again almost red wine burst of intense flavour.  Sweet and pleasant but perhaps a little too sharp and a touch too intense.  I found it all a little overpowering.

    With a few drops of water added I found the rum mellowed.  It really does show a much better balance when the ABV is dropped.  (This may well be a personal preference – each person may find a different “sweet spot” for this rhum).

    For such a young rum, it is really surprising how much flavour and intensity has been packed into this in such a short period of ageing.  The red wine notes used earlier don’t really do it justice – there is a lot going on with each sip.  Plums, dates, raisins all come in on the rich fruity side.  There is quite a lot of spiciness on the palate as well – a lot of interaction with the oak giving some really astringent notes.  Maybe just a little too woody?

    RHum RHumWhich is my only real criticism of this rhum.  Just a tiny bit bitter, especially in the finish.

    Other than that it is a very fine rhum.  Nice entry, good balance, good length as well.  A very good finish spoilt slightly by bitterness towards the end.

    I really should have reviewed this much sooner – its unlikely you will find a bottle now.  Unfortunately I just didn’t think I could do it justice until I had tried it on a couple more occasions.  I also needed to try a couple of other aged agricoles.  Just in case I was perhaps missing something obvious with this rhum.  I don’t think I have as it is a bit of a curious rhum, even for someone more experienced with Agricole Rhum.

    Certainly a rhum for the more adventurous drinker.  Very, very good but maybe not to everyone’s taste.  It is very intense.

    4.5 stars

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • House of Rum Jamaica Rum 2013

    Bythefatrumpirate

    House of Rum Jamaica Rum 2013 rum review by the fat rum pirateHouse of Rum Jamaica Rum 2013. House of Rum are a UK‑based independent bottler specialising in single cask releases.

    Their approach is straightforward they source characterful barrels, bottle them without additives. Then present the rum at or near cask strength. Each release comes from a single numbered cask. With a relatively small outturn, and the emphasis is firmly on transparency and letting the spirit speak for itself.

    Their Jamaica 2013 bottling follows that formula. It’s a single cask of Worthy Park distillate, produced in 2013 and bottled in 2023 at a hefty 63.4% ABV. No finishing experiments, no sweetening, no filtration theatrics just a pot still Jamaican rum drawn from one barrel #1, yielding 265 bottles.

    Worthy Park itself is one of Jamaica’s longest‑running estates, with cane cultivation dating back to 1720 and rum production beginning in 1741.

    They remain a true single‑estate operation, using their own cane, molasses, and proprietary yeast, and distilling exclusively on traditional pot stills. Their spirit typically balances bright fruit with a measured level of funk, rarely straying into the more chaotic territory associated with some other Jamaican marques. It’s a style that’s recognisable, consistent, and widely respected.

    This cask spent its early years ageing in ex‑bourbon barrels in Jamaica before being moved to the UK for further maturation in ex‑rum casks. The rum is still available here in the UK and a 70cl bottle will set you back £129.99.

    Presentation wise the House of Rum really do present their bottles in a much more modern style than most Indie bottlers.

    Maybe they are too flashy for some enthusiasts who prefer the more DIY ethos of other Indie bottlers? I’m not sure but aside from my reviews I have heard little about House of Rum to date.

    Anyway I digress lets move on to the fun part.House of Rum Jamaica Rum 2013 rum review by the fat rum pirate

    In the glass we have a dark amber coloured liquid with a reddish hue.

    The nose is very much in line with Worthy Park’s profile. There’s an earthy base, a touch of almond and some raisin‑like dried fruit, lifted by brighter notes of citrus. There is the familiar Worthy Park “tea” notes as well. The aromas though feel slightly darker and less punchy. The continental ageing seems to have pulled the fruityness in a little. Its more dark chocolate and cocoa led more stewed dark fruits rather than Tropical.

    On the palate, the 63.4% ABV makes itself known immediately. The opening is rich and warm, with caramel and vanilla showing clearly the ex‑bourbon influence. Once the initial heat settles, the distillate steps forward: citrus, a hint of leather and a drying edge. English Breakfast Tea shows up as the signature style.

    On the mid palate the sweetness softens, more dried fruit appears and the citrus becomes more pronounced. It becomes drier with a smoky note and some cocoa powder.

    The finish is long as expected at this strength. Dry caramel, vanilla, and a dusty leather note linger.

    Taken as a whole, this is a well‑selected Worthy Park cask that shows the distillery’s character without exaggeration. The tropical‑plus‑continental ageing gives it a balanced profile. It doesn’t aim for extreme funk or high‑ester theatrics. Worthy Park rarely does.

    It presents the refined side of Worthy Park while still delivering the power expected from a cask strength Jamaican rum.

    It’s a confident, straightforward single cask that lets the distillate and the maturation do the talking.

    Drinkers looking for something more eccentric or aggressively funky may find it a touch too disciplined but for most rum enthusiasts, it’s a solid and very drinkable example of what Worthy Park can offer.

     

  • The Colours of Rum Trinidad 1998

    Bythefatrumpirate

    The Colours of Rum Trinidad 1998 rum review by the fat rum pirateThe Colours of Rum Trinidad 1998. Whilst the Independent Bottler of this rum may be fairly new, stocks of 1998 Caroni Rum have been circulating for a while. It’s probably one of the most released vintages, particularly over the past few years.

    You’ll find that most of these Caroni 1998 bottlings will have been at least partially aged here in Europe rather than in Trinidad or the Tropics. Which is partly why such bottlings are able to be aged for so long. There are a number of things to consider when ageing spirits. However, whilst ageing and maturing rum is important, evaporation has to be considered. No point ageing barrels of rum for years and years to come back and find you’ve barely anything left……

    The Colours of Rum Trinidad 1998 is the first Trinidad/Caroni release from The Colours of Rum. As this bottler is linked with the Wealth Solutions group, it is perhaps no surprise that even at €351 this bottling sold out virtually straight away. Again it is a bottling you might want to look out for on the secondary market.

    As with previous The Colours of Rum releases the rum comes in an opaque bottle with labelling and a carboard sleeve using colours from Trinidad’s flag. In this case we have only red from the flag alongside a gold typeface.

    The Colours of Rum Trinidad 1998 is a single cask rum. It was distilled at the now defunct Caroni Distillery, Trinidad. Distillation took place in January 1998 and it was bottled in April 2021. So it is 23 years young. It is a single cask #47. It is said to be a “re-cycled rum cask” but I fancy its really just an ex-bourbon barrel.

    The rum was released at 62.2% ABV Cask Strength and only 249 700ml bottles were produced. Maturation is noted as being Continental only.The Colours of Rum Guyana 1999 rum review by the fat rum pirate

    In the glass despite over 23 years in the barrel it is a surprisingly light spirit. I’ve certainly seen much darker Caroni’s of a similar age/vintage.  It is quite a dark brown but it does have yellow/golden hue to it.

    The nose whilst unmistakably Caroni is quite sweet. There’s a fair amount of oak driven vanilla and some sweet cherries.

    Running alongside this, you still get those dark tarry Caroni notes and a nice hit of shoe polish and nail varnish. There’s a slightly medicinal note and a smoky note as well. Whilst I wouldn’t by any stretch call this a “light rum” it is certainly not as heavy as some Caroni’s I have tried.

    This is likely to do with the Continental ageing not accelerating the maturation as much.

    I think for most people trying Caroni rum for the first time it can be a bit of shock to the system. I would say that is a little more forgiving. It’s not a bad introduction to the style – without battering you over the head to much in the process.

    The initial sip is powerful and full of heavy dark fruits, spicy oak, bitter marmalade, boot polish and some intense yet astringent raisins and sultanas.

    The mid palate mellows out a little and more of the lighter notes of vanilla and cherry come through. This is overlaid by some soot and tar and a sharp tobacco note. There’s a lot going on with this rum and its quite hard to identify everything.The Colours of Rum Trinidad 1998 rum review by the fat rum pirate

    As you move into the finish the rum does dry out a bit quicker than I might have expected. So the finish isn’t as long as I would have hoped. Whilst flavours remain long after you’ve sipped, due to the heavy nature of the rum, it doesn’t evolve and fade out slowly as I would have liked.

    Overall this isn’t the heaviest Caroni rum I have tried. It’s definitely not as “full on” as some other bottlings. That said the sweeter and fruitier notes make it much approachable.

    Don’t get me wrong this isn’t the type of rum you want to be giving someone who is just dipping their toe in the world of aged rum but it’s certainly more forgiving that a lot of Cask Strength Caroni.

    More Hard Rock than Heavy Metal.