Cadenhead’s MPM Diamond Distillery Aged 14 Years

Bythefatrumpirate

Cadenheads MPM DIamond Distillery 14 Years Old Rum Review by the fat rum pirateCadenhead’s MPM Diamond Distillery Aged 14 Years. Another bottling from Cadenheads to celebrate their 175th Anniversary. This time from the Diamond Distillery or DDL (Demerara Distillers Limited). Today we are looking at a rum which was produced on the famous Port Mourant Still. We know this from the MPM legend on the label – Main Port Mourant (or something like that).

This rum was distilled back in 2003 and aged for 14 years, until 2017 when it was bottled by Cadenhead’s. It will be mostly Continentally aged In Europe. As mentioned already it was distilled on the Port Mourant Still. This still features heavily in DDL’s own El Dorado range, as well as in the iconic Pusser’s Rum . The 15 Year Old Pusser’s is entirely Port Mourant distillate. Well almost entirely give or take a spoonful or three of sugar…..

Bottled at Cask Strength of 59.1% ABV the rum comes in the usual stubby bottle with the slightly dated (in my humble opinion) labelling. The cut out card sleeve does give it a bit more class, as does the shiny 175th Anniversary medallion thingy-bobber.

Rather surprisingly and unlike many of the other 175th Anniversary bottlings, particularly the Whisky, this is still available direct from Cadenhead’s. You may think that this may be because it is expensive or over priced.? £50.95. Which I would class as more than reasonable for a rum of this age and provenance.

This may be why it is still available. Perhaps people are suspicious that, as it is pretty cheap it may also be pretty crap? Well that’s kind of what I’m here for. So if you are considering buying this bottle and you trust the palate of a Kebab munching Northerner you might wish to keep reading……

Cadenheads MPM DIamond Distillery 14 Years Old Rum Review by the fat rum pirateIn the glass the MPM is a light golden brown colour. Just a touch darker than straw or white wine. Whilst Cadenhead’s do often dilute their rums and whiskies to 46% ABV. See their Green Label series they never, ever add Caramel Colouring to their spirits. This is something they are very clear on. Nor do Cadenhead’s chill filter their spirits. So from time to time you may notice the rum is slightly murky or sediment appears in the bottom of the barrel. Don’t be scared it won’t harm you in any way.

The nose on this MPM rum is quite fruity. White grapes, fleshy, not quite ripe peaches, unsweetened notes of orange peel – marmalade and lime zest. The notes of aniseed and licorice I was expecting from the Port Mourant Still, are not as prominent on the nose as I was expecting. They are there but they are not as “big” as I have experienced before.

Further nosing reveals a slight mustiness – some mushrooms and some sharp oak tones. Despite all this it’s quite a light rum with a lot of fruitiness going on. Quite approachable for a Cask Strength rum.

Sipped at full ABV it has a really nice balance to it. The initial entry is bursting with light notes of aniseed and mild soft red licorice. It has a very nice mix of spiciness and fruity zests. Mixed peel and an almost Christmas pudding like note. There is a fair bit going on with this rum and it all balances out nicely. Albeit slighty unconventionally.

There is a saltiness running through this rum. Which works nicely surprisingly nicely alongside the sweeter notes, giving a much more complex sip. Whilst it is unmistakably a Port Mourant rum it is markedly different to the older Bristol Classic Rum expressions I have had, or even the Velier tropically aged efforts.Cadenheads MPM DIamond Distillery 14 Years Old Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

The finish is good and of a more than reasonable length – nicely spiced – cardamom and a lot of spicy lemon and lime zest – marmalade giving it a slightly bitter note to the very end.

It all works nicely and gives a very interesting sip. It’s fairly light overall but it is full of flavours that are all well defined and add depth to the rum.

Despite its potency, I never felt the need to add more than a drop or two of water to this rum.

It’s well worth looking at especially for the price which is a real bargain. Bottles of this are already appearing on auction sites so get one quick if you are fancying a bottle. Don’t pay secondary retail for some flipper to profit from. Fuck the Flippers is what I say.

 

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  • Rhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Hors D’Age Port Cask Finish

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Rhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Hors D'Age Port Cask Finish Review by the fat rum pirateRhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Hors D’Age Port Cask Finish. Rhum Depaz are an Agricole Rhum producer from the French West Indies.

    More specifically they hail from the island of Martinique. Rhum Agricole from Martinque can be produced in line with the AOC. The AOC – Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) is the French equivalent to EU’s Protected Designation of Origin (PDO).

    Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) is one of the geographical indications defined in European Union law to protect the names of regional foods. The law ensures that only products genuinely originating in that region are allowed to be sold as such. The purpose of the law is to protect the reputation of the regional foods, eliminate the unfair competition and misleading of consumers by non-genuine products. Which may be of inferior quality or differ wildly to the original product.

    Rather than re-create more content I would urge you to investigate here for more information on the AOC designation.

    Rhum Depaz is produced using solely Blue Sugar Cane. It is noted that Blue Cane has a higher sugar level and is “heralded” for its intense flavour profile. It is noted as being the most expensive and difficult sugar cane to grow. The sugar cane is harvested once a year at the Depaz Plantation and the production of Rhum Depaz from Cane to bottle is undertaken in-house.

    Depaz Distillery is situated in the North West of Martinique at the foot of a volcanic mountain – Mount Pelee.

    For review today we have Rhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Hors D’Age Port Cask Finish. The rhum comes in a stubby bottle with a cork enclosure. Presentation wise as with most aged agricoles its impressively packaged and you get a card box to store your rhum in when you aren’t quaffing it. Retail wise I have seen this rhum selling anywhere from £75 to £85 online. So you would be wise to shop around for this.

    Rhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Hors D’Age Port Cask Finish has been aged for 8 years in small oak barrels before being transferred to ex Port casks and matured for a further 11 months. It is bottled at 45% ABV.

    The nose is interesting. Soft and fruity. A lot of red grape and a touch of bubblegum. Further nosing reveals a quite oaky as opposed to grassy Agricole style of rhum. It is very well balanced. Notes of figs, blackcurrants and cranberry make an appearance.

    It is quite a mellow, well balance nose. It is not hugely complex but you can certainly feel the added fruitiness afforded by the second maturation in Port casks. There is a zesty orange peel lurking in the nose as well.

    Sipped this is quite an unusual tasting Agricole rhum. The sweeter notes on the nose have faded slightly giving more familiar notes of grassiness but they never overwhelm the more delicate notes of this rhum. The initial sip gives a burst of red currants and peach. There are notes of vanilla and some white chocolate mingling alongside some very nice zesty orange peel – which has carried through from the nose.

    The mid palate has a lovely balance of oak and vanilla. It has a blackcurrant crumble feel to it – stewed winter fruits and some really nice buttery notes of biRhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Hors D'Age Port Cask Finish review by the fat rum piratescuit and cream. Some nuttiness as well puts in an appearance.

    The finish is quite long – yet mellow with the fruitier Port like notes taking over alongside the orange zest and some nice woody notes. It fades out nicely leaving behind a nice oaky Agricole like flavour. Another sip and you are back the with fruity notes.

    This is definitely a rhum which could appeal to more seasoned molasses based rum drinkers. It is not as sweet as Foursquare’s Port Cask (I know someone will ask) the Port Cask finish is a bit more subtle. The balance of the two are similar though. This is a really nice sipper.

    I’m very fond of this.

     

  • Rum of the Year 2021 – Shortlist

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Rum of the Year 2021 - Shortlist rum review by the fat rum pirateRum of the Year 2021 – Shortlist. It’s that time of year again when I go over all my reviews of the previous year. The aim to select the shortlist to make up the Rum of the Year contenders.

    Over the years I have built a few “rules” into the selection. Only one entry per producer, being one of them. I’ve tried to stick with a shortlist of 5 rums – so 5 rums from 5 different producers/brands. I also try and ensure that any Rum of the Year is still obtainable.

    Due to the explosion of bottle flipping or the secondary market (to give it its more “respectable” moniker) in the rum world – this is unlikely to be possible going forward. The good stuff especially, if I have reviewed it early in the year will likely be long gone from shelves come year end.

    Unless, of course the rum is a continuous release. However, we are increasingly seeing producers releasing more limited “one off” releases of selected barrels/vintages/finishes as opposed to new releases to their core line ups.

    I will also concede that for this years award I have not been quite as prolific in terms of the number of rums reviewed in 2021. Especially, the latter part of the year. There is no one reason for this. Work, kids, the pandemic, lack of motivation/interest maybe oddly enough drinking too much have all contributed, I guess.

    I never felt the need to go on an announced “hiatus” though, as so many bloggers seem to do. I have to say such public demonstrations of “pausing” the blogging are usually not a good sign. Very rarely do we ever see such bloggers return full time, in any meaningful way. I often feel it is a bit of a cry for attention. Maybe they hope for some kind of affirmation, that they are really important and needed by the rum world? I don’t think many (if any) of us really have that kind of pull or influence.

    So for this years award I will be compiling a shortlist of all the rums I have given 5 star reviews to this year. There are only 7 in total with 3 from one producer and 2 from another. We have 4 different producers/brands competing in total.

    As of 2022 I will be back reviewing around 3-4 rums per week. I’ve got quite a stash of samples and bottles to review. I have quite a few examples of multiple rums from single producers/brands. Whilst I won’t go down the route of reviewing multiple rums in single posts or doing any capsule size reviews (a la WhiskyFun) I may do a week devoted to a particular producer, where I post reviews on a daily basis of individual rums.

    Anyway enough of my rambling on here (in no particular order) are the contenders for Rum of the Year 2021

    Foursquare Rum Distillery Sassafras Rum review by the fat rum pirateFoursquare Rum Distillery Sassafras

    Being asked to choose my favourite Foursquare rum of recent years has increasingly become like being asked to choose your favourite child. It’s a hopeless task and I’m grateful that I didn’t use the 1-100 or 50-100 scoring system as adopted by so many reviewers. I would really have struggled with such minute detail.

    This is effectively a longer aged version of the legendary 2006 and another collaboration with Velier. So it will always likely to be a contender…..

    Next up we have a rum from a bottler that is perhaps most well known for its “budget” priced independent bottlings.

    Mezan Diamond Distillery Guyana 2007 P.X. Cask Finish Rum review by the fat rum pirateMezan Diamond Distillery Guyana 2007 PX Cask Finish

    A more Premium offering from Mezan this time with this wonderfully PX finished Demerara rum. It is worth noting that Marussia Beverages who are behind the Mezan brand also act as the importer of Foursquare rums in the UK. So they know their stuff. This rum in particular reinforces that.

    It was actually my wife that pushed the button on this one as a surprise birthday gift.

    Next up we have a rum from possibly one of the most famous and biggest brands in the world. Released in collaboration with one of the most famous Independent bottlers/distributors.

    Appleton Estate 2003 Hearts Collection rum review by the fat rum pirateAppleton Estate 2003 Hearts Collection

    This rum was released alongside a 1984 edition as well. Released in collaboration with Velier – though as Luca Gargano made very clear is 100% an “official” Appleton Estate release. This was perhaps the gentler, more familiar of the two Hearts Collection releases of 2021. Still 100% Pot Still Jamaican Rum but with that distinctive Appleton finesse.

    A truly wonderful rum. Likewise for me anyway was its older sister

    Appleton Estate 1984 Hearts Collection Rum Review by the fat rum pirateAppleton Estate 1984 Hearts Collection

    Which hasn’t been quite as well received in certain quarters. I didn’t hear many objections in the tasting held by Luca Garano and Joy Spence and the rum hasn’t received bad reviews but it seems to have left some people a little underwhelmed.

    Not me though. I thought it was excellent and quite enjoyed its more challenging, intense profile.

    It wouldn’t really be a Rum of the Year contest without an entry from Foursquare’s Exceptional Cask Series. This year we have two entries in the running.

    First up is the 16th release in the series and a follow up to Nobiliary.

    Foursquare Shibboleth

    A rum released to show a people it could be done. Something which Richard Seale is now beginning to explore more. As a recent interview question answer attests to

    “Make more rum – age it longer”

    This was a wonderful balance of tropical ageing and cask management to give a rum far more interesting than its “make up” might have suggested. All indications suggested an older version of the 2004.2005 etc line up. This offered something very different.

    Great stuff.

    Not to be left out of the running we also have another 5 star offering from Foursquare in the shape of the wonderful

    Foursquare 2009 Rum Review by the fat rum pirateFoursquare 2009

    Another Exceptional Cask Series rum released (in the UK) in summer 2021. Excellent stuff once again.

    So that gives us 3 releases from Foursquare in the running.

    Our final rum in contention for the 2021 Rum of the Year is from Elixir Distillers who took the crown last year. Once again they have not disappointed with the follow up to last years Rum of the Year Winner Black Tot 50th Anniversary

    This time they released a Limited Edition rum to commemorate 100 years since the last Rum Ration was given to Austrailian sailors aboard British Royal Navy ships.

    Step forward our final contender for Rum of the Year

    Black Tot Master Blender's Reserve Rum 2021 rum review by the fat rum pirateBlack Tot Master Blender’s Reserve Rum 2021

    Once again a really top example from Master Blender Oliver Chilton of a blended Navy Style rum. Blending together really old stocks of Navy rum with fresher younger distillates from the usual suspects and Australia.

    Certainly a rum not be missed.

    I will be revealing the winner on the 31st December 2021. I am actually away between Christmas and New Year this year. So I am back in the house on the 30th so plenty time to get it sorted

    As usual if a rum isn’t in the running I either

    a) Didn’t score it highly enough (i.e. a 5 star rating)

    b) Or I simply did not review it in 2021

    Cheers

     

  • Worthy Park Single Estate 2006 Aged 12 Years

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Worthy Park Single Estate 2006 Aged 12 Years rum review by the fat rum pirateWorthy Park Single Estate 2006 Aged 12 Years. Today we have an official release from the rising stars of Jamaican rum, Worthy Park. This is their longest aged official release to date. It is taken from the second year of the revived production at the distillery.

    The rum is WPL (Worthy Park Light) with an ester count between 60-119 gr/hl AA. So it’s not a huge high ester rum. To be fair that’s not what Worthy Park are about. They can leave that to the others. Their rums are very distinctive.

    30 hour fermentation, dry, activated yeast, closed and temperature controlled. The rum was aged in once used ex-bourbon barrels the barrels were filled at an ABV of around 65%. After 12 years ageing at Worthy Park it was bottled at Cask Strength of 56% ABV in 2018. It is non chill filtered and no caramel colouring or additives.

    Worthy Park Single Estate 2006 Aged 12 Years is 100% Pot Still rum. There are 4,000 bottles for the US/Caribbean market and 4,000 for Europe. It is the oldest official release of 100% Pot Still rum at Cask Strength from a Jamaican distillery. Rather than an independent bottler.

    In the UK you should expect to pay around £110 it is available at The Whisky Exchange.  Presentation wise the bottle is the same contoured bottle used for the Single Estate Reserve and the 1423,dk collaborations. It is modern with good clear branding. The black card box has a lot of information on it – as does the bottle. It is for me a very good example of what enthusiasts are looking for. The big chunky wooden topped cork stopper completes a great look.

    We’ve seen some great releases from independent bottlers from Worthy Park over the past few years. Much of the Jamaican rum industry has focused on selling bulk rum. This culture is now beginning to change. Worthy Park are determined to have in place a line up of Vintage rums. For which they will get full credit. Both critically but more importantly financially. They produce such great rum so they really should benefit the most.Worthy Park Single Estate 2006 Aged 12 Years rum review by the fat rum pirate

    I think we have covered everything so we may as well move onto the best bit. I’m going to be really surprised if I don’t enjoy this one.

    Worthy Park Single Estate 2006 Aged 12 Years is wonderful dark/golden brown with a bright orange hue. It is inviting and Cask Strength the nose is immediately drawing me in.

    The familiar notes of banana and breakfast tea but in a welcome appearance. The rum also has quite a blast of mint and pine cones. It reminds me very much of St Lucia Distillers rums. Which is no bad thing.

    Milky chocolate and some baking spices mingle alongside a slightly bourbon like char. Chocolate raisins and banana bread. This is a very rich,warming and highly complex nose. Wonderful.

    Sipped, even at Cask Strength it exhibits a nice amount of heat on the palate but it doesn’t get too much. Spicy ginger, cinnamon and vanilla hit the palate before fading slightly to allow an oaky char to move you along into the mid palate.

    Which just has so much going on. Bruised banana, toffee, touch of menthol and some pineapple. Big milky cups of tea and dried fruits a touch of Christmas Cake. So much going on and it all builds with each sip.

    Finish wise it’s long and slow. It stays long in the mouth and is wonderful amalgamation of all the rich warming flavours that have went before. It’s so comforting and so well balanced throughout.Worthy Park Single Estate 2006 Aged 12 Years rum review by the fat rum pirate

    This rum is pretty much a linear improvement from Rum Bar Gold to the Single Estate Reserve. Which is an achievement because they are both excellent rums as well!

    I have joked with Zan Kong in the past about an “official” Worthy Park release finally getting a 5 star rating on the site. They’ve been working and improving and they’ve pretty much nailed it for me with this one. It has an almost perfect balance and a high level of complexity in the flavours. Which is what I look for in a “sipping” rum. There is no chance of me adding any coke to this one.

    Exceptional.

     

     

     

     

  • 1931 St Lucia Distillers – 6th Edition

    Bythefatrumpirate

    1931 6th Edition St Lucia Distillers Rum Review by the fat rum pirate1931 St Lucia Distillers 6th Edition. Hard to believe we are upto the 6th edition of this annual release, already. We had to wait a while for the 5th edition to arrive in the UK. This arrived about the same time, towards the end of 2017.

    We’ve reviewed all of the previous St Lucia 1931 bottlings and I snapped a bottle (or two) of these up as soon as I could. As with all the 1931 bottlings, I have taken my time with the review as they are very complex at times challenging rums.

    Going forward this will be the last of the “old style” annual 1931’s. St Lucia Distillers are having an overhaul of just about all their ranges and whilst they are keeping the 1931 in the portfolio it will no longer be a scheduled annual release.

    In the UK a bottle of 1931 St Lucia Distillers – 6th Edition will set you back around £60. The ABV is now set at 46%. Presentation wise this is the same as previous efforts though this time the colour scheme is a slightly off white/cream colour. Everything else remains the same. I really like the bottles they are really classy and the cork stopper is huge and gives a very premium feel to the package. This rum celebrates the 85th Anniversay of the Distillery. I have bottle number 2951.

    The 1931 blends are very complicated. This effort is no exception. Once again Michael Speakman from St Lucia Distillers has been very kind with us time and gave us the following information on the blend

    6%: Column Still, Blend No. 101, Aged 11 years, matured in Bourbon Oak.
    16%: Column Still, Blend No. 101, Aged 7 years, matured in Bourbon Oak.
    35%: Column Still, Blend No. 104, Aged 10 years, matured in Bourbon Oak.
    10%: John Dore 2 Pot Still, Aged 11 years, matured in Bourbon Oak.
    10%: John Dore 1 Pot Still, Aged 9 years, matured in Bourbon Oak.
    10%: John Dore/Column Still blend, Aged 7 years, matured in Bourbon Oak.
    3%: Caroni (Trinidad), Aged 9 years, matured in Bourbon Oak.
    10%: Sugar Cane Rum/John Dore Pot Still, Aged 8 years, matured in Bourbon Oak (Agricole)
    Totals:
    60%: Column Still
    30%: Pot Still
    10%: Pot/Column Blend

    1931 6th Edition St Lucia Distillers rum Review by the fat rum pirateSo as you can see their is a lot going on with this rum.

    So lets move on and see how well this years (well last years) effort has done.

    In the glass the 1931 6th Edition is a familiar colour. The 1931 rums are all roughly the same golden brown colour with red and orange flashes. Caramel Colouring for consistency? I think so though I could be wrong.

    The nose is familiar – brine and sea salt and those notes of pine cone and conifers. It’s very “woody” but in terms of green trees in woods rather than oak. Further nosing reveals some lighter vanilla notes, a slightly perfumed almost pot pourri note. Hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and some lemon juice.

    Further nosing reveals a hint of tobacco leaf, some dried fruits – hints of raisins and just a little bit of cocoa. It has a nicely balanced and very refreshing note the more you nose. As you progress with the nosing the initial salty and pine like notes become less obvious. Time in the glass reveals a lot with this rum. I recommend highly that you leave it to stand for 10-15 minutes.

    It’s a really complex and very rewarding nose. You can spend a lot of time nosing this rum.

    Sipped the 1931 6th Edition is equally complex. Most of the notes of the nose transfer beautifully across to the taste buds. It is sweeter than the nose would suggest with a good integration of the spices from the various oak barrels. The cane juice rum is very apparent giving it a feel very similar to Rhum JM XO. There is a lot of zesty and vibrant spicy notes coming through.

    The Caroni element doesn’t really show itself all that much but there is much going on in this blend it is difficult to pin point what is coming from where.

    I’m a big fan of well blended Pot and Column distilled rums – I often feel they produce the “best” rums. The Pot adds rich flavours and the column balances and calms things down. This rum is no exception and it has a really nice balance to it.

    1931 6th Edition St Lucia Distillers rum Review by the fat rum piratThe initial sweetness and bursts of zest and spice go alongside some really nice tropical fruit notes -pineapple juice and a touch of red apple. The mid palate is refreshing with a good weight of oak and spice – ginger and some really nice bourbon like sourness.

    The finish is really enjoyable as well and long-lasting. Again its rich and very vibrant – really nicely defined and very “clear”. It is a well-defined and very complex sipping rum. Hints of tobacco and more of the pine cones and a little bit of Christmas tree?

    All the 1931 releases have been excellent (the 3rd edition was perhaps an exception). I think this one may well be my favourite so far. But its all very close. I wouldn’t turn down a glass of any of these excellent rums.

  • Doorly’s Aged 3 Years Fine Old Barbados Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Doorly's Aged 3 Years Fine Old Barbados Rum review by the fat rum pirateDoorly’s Aged 3 Years Fine Old Barbados Rum. The Doorly’s line up should need no introduction to most of you. I’ve reviewed all of their line up that I have been able to get my hands on. I’ve failed thus far to get the Sweden(?) only 6-year-old.

    In all honesty I thought I had reviewed this long ago. A quick look revealed that I had completed the tasting notes but had never got around to writing and publishing the rest.

    I usually do most of a review all in one go. Don’t go thinking I spend hours and numerous tasting sessions, before writing a review. I do spend time with any rum I review but I’m maybe not quite as “intense” or thorough as some reviewers seem to be. However, weekends spent without an internet connection meant I was able to take samples away and taste them. Alas I could only update my thoughts on paper or using LibreOffice Writer (I’m not paying for MS Word when I hardly use it)

    Doorly’s Aged 3 Years is a blend of Pot and Column distilled rums from the Foursquare Distillery,  Barbados. All the rum in the blend is aged for a minimum of 3 years in the tropical Caribbean climate of the island.

    Presentation wise it comes in the stubby Doorly’s bottle which has a bulboDoorly's Aged 3 Years Fine Old Barbados Rum review by the fat rum pirateus neck. This 40% variant, has a screw cap. Foursquare have recently released a 47% ABV Doorly’s Aged 3 Years which, I understand has a plastic cork. I’m not totally sure if both rums will remain in production. You should be able to find the 40% version for a while as there still seems to be plenty stock kicking around. In the UK a 70cl bottle of this white rum should set you back between £20-25. I would advise shopping around as the price can vary quite a lot..

    In the glass Doorly’s Aged 3 Years is almost clear with just a very faint hint of haziness. It is a touch “yellow” ie not entirely clear like Bacardi or more generic white rums you come across.

    The nose is pretty heavy on the vanilla and has a “young” sweet alcohol forward feature which I quite enjoy in younger white rums.  Banana, grape and a some coconut add a nice fruitiness to the mix.  It’s not a remarkable or overly distinctive white rum but it is nicely balanced. It certainly doesn’t seem like a white rum which will “disappear” when mixed.

    Sipped Doorly’s Aged 3 Years is initially quite sweet, with an aftertaste of oak, tobacco and charcoal.  The vanilla is still present but the fruitiness seems to get a little lost to the alcohol.  Which doesn’t displease me.  This is authentic aged white rum.  I dare say in order to get the almost clear white, we may have had to sacrifice a little of the flavour in the original distillate.

    The finish is fairly short and overall the alcohol burn on this rum is pretty minimal.  It’s very smooth and for such a young rum surprisingly easy to sip.  It’s not hugely complex but its pleasant and better than a lot of so called “premium” sippers.

    Mixing Doorly’s 3 with some cola gives a very tasty drink.  The coconut, vanilla and banana notes reappear and balance beautifully.  It’s really very good this way. Ginger Beer overpowers it (as it does most whites) but it works very well in simple cocktails such as a Daiquiri or a Mojito.

    This is a really good white rum at a very competitive price.  Easy to drink, yet complex enough to lift it above most of the competition. Will be interesting to compare this to the newly released 47% ABV version. And of course Veritas which I also have to review soon…..

     

     

  • Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend rum review by the fat rum pirateMount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend. For once in the rum world new packaging does 100% mean a change in the blend. It is not just the work of conspiracy theorists, who can remember exactly, what a rum tasted like 20 years ago and immediately notice tiny little differences to the blend – but only I hasten to add once the bottle shape and/or label have changed……..

    Perhaps one of the most iconic rums in the world MGXO for short, has been a constant and readily available companion for the Barbados rum lover since it’s launch in 1992.

    Sales of Mount Gay rum have always been strong, particularly their Eclipse expressions. However, it has been felt in some rum enthusiast circles, that Mount Gay have been left behind a little recently, by Foursquare in terms of innovation and overall product portfolio. They had until fairly recently stuck stubbornly with their tried and tested rums with no Limited Edition or particularly show stopping releases.

    That has definitely changed over the past 3-4 years as Mount Gay have upped their game and put out some very interesting limited edition releases. Such as a Cask Strength XO (I wonder if we see this as Cask Strength in the future?) and a Selected Blend bottling for The Whisky Exchange, amongst others.

    The original blend of Mount Gay Extra Old, as it was commonly known back then, was devised by then Master Blender Jeremy Edwards. He was assisted with this blend by Allen Smith, who became Master Blender in 2010.

    Towards the end of 2019 and after over 25 years with Mount Gay, Allen Smith stepped down. His replacement as Master Blender Trudiann Branker, has wasted no time in making her mark. In 2019 Mount Gay released a Pot Sill only blend. I haven’t actually bought a bottle as yet, so alas no review.

    Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend rum review by the fat rum pirateTrudiann has now turned her attention to this new blend for Mount Gay XO. She has also revised the blend for Mount Gay Black Barrel. The Eclipse blend currently remains unchanged.

    The first thing that will be noticed by a lot of consumers, is the increase in price. Mount Gay XO was available typically in the UK for around £35-38. You would occasionally find it discounted at between £30-33 and if you didn’t shop around you could pay over £40 for a bottle.

    This Triple Cask is currently available at Master of Malt for £53.75 or House of Malt (where I acquired my bottle) for £46.99. It came pretty swiftly as well. So they come recommended.

    Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend comes in the “flat” almost flask style 3/4 stubby bottle. The little details that were there with the previous XO are all present. The Barbados flag on the seal, a good quality wooden topped artificial cork stopper and the Master Blender’s signature. Which confirms Trudiann is responsible for this blend.

    Presentation wise, Mount Gay have adopted a cleaner colour scheme. More in keeping with their more recent Limited Edition bottlings. This is a good move as the previous XO’s colour scheme, did look a little washed out. Almost like camouflage!

    Particularly the card sleeve. It’s worth noting that whilst the new brown and gold card sleeve looks better, its isn’t as sturdy as before. Nit picking I know but I guess you all want to know all the differences!

    As before Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend is presented at 43% ABV. It is a blend of Pot and Traditional Column (not huge industrial multi columns) rums. The age of the rums in the blend has been altered from between 8 and 15 years to between 5 and 17 years. So we have a mixture of older and younger distillates. I am unsure of the exact ration of each. As Mount Gay XO is a continuously avMount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend rum review by the fat rum pirateailable product made to a particular flavour profile, it is highly likely the rums used in the blend will change over time.

    Now the other big difference between Mount Gay XO and this new Triple Cask Blend is, errrmmm….the use of three different types of cask in ageing.

    So we have some of the rums aged in ex-bourbon barrels, some in ex-whisky and finally (and perhaps unsurprisingly as Remy Cointreau own Mount Gay) ex-Cognac casks.

    I think I’ve exhausted all the information I have. Most of which is provided on the very informative bottle – hats off to Mount Gay for that as well.

    Now for the review and this will be in two parts. First up I am going to review Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend on it’s own. With no comparisons to it’s predecessor. Then I am going to try it alongside a glass of my freshly opened Mount Gay XO non Triple Cask Blend.

    Here is a tip you can pick up both these XO’s at the minute for less than £80 for the pair. Amazon have the “old” XO for £33. I’d be keen to hear how others find these side by side.

    Right okay so lets deal with Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend on it’s own to start with.

    In the glass the spirit presents itself as rich dark brown with an orange hue. It’s a “traditional” dark spirits colour. Maybe a dash of E150 for consistency. Mount Gay do not do any other additives.

    Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend rum review by the fat rum pirate

    Nosing Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend, I am immediately reminded of just how nice the nose on MGXO always was. The signature coconut aromas burst out at you. There is nice fruity note on the nose as well as the coconut – a kind of rum and raisin like aroma going down.

    It’s quite spicy with a fair amount of oak and some sweet bourbon like vanilla aromas. Notes of dark chocolate float in and out giving the nose a slightly richer overall profile. Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend has like all good well aged Barbados rums – a really nice well balanced, easy going nature to us. For many this is not “extreme” enough for me not appreciating rums such as these is almost laughable.

    Sipped, the rum is much drier than the nose suggested. I have always found Mount Gay XO to be quite a dry, oak driven spirit. This has not changed. Then entry has nice sweet hit of coconut, dark chocolate and vanilla. A little toffee as well.

    The mid palate moves into a more “charred” note – slightly smoky with lots of ginger and oak spices. Underneath all this is a slightly honeyed sweetness which carries the rum along into its long and punchy finish.

    Finish wise Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend certainly has a lengthy very oaky finish with lots of barrel char and slight hints of smoke and smidge of tobacco.

    This “new” Mount Gay XO is pretty impressive I must say. However, maybe the question on everyone’s lips is “Is it better than the Old Mount Gay XO?”

    Well why don’t I do a little comparison before I hand out the scores?

    Mount Gay XO Reserve Cask Rum v Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend

    In the glass theMount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend rum review by the fat rum piratere is no discernible difference between the rums. They could be switched around quite easily and I wouldn’t have noticed. They are your standard aged spirit colour.

    On the nose “old” Mount Gay is a touch more aggressive. Just a tiny bit more “boozy” and maybe more malty..The Triple Cask Blend seems slightly more rounded – a tiny bit sweeter. Maybe a touch better balanced. I prefer the newer incarnation though being completely honest – after a few I might not necessarily notice the difference.

    In many ways the rums are very similar and very typically Mount Gay. The “old” Mount Gay is perhaps more “clean and crisp” where the “new” bottling is just a tiny bit richer and every so slightly sweeter.

    If you are a hardcore regular Mount Gay XO drinker then the differences may seem more dramatic. For me the rums are still pretty similar. Overall in terms of profile length and delivery, they are pretty similar both start sweet and have a fairly spicy and dry mid palate which leads to a long dry woody finish.

    The “new” Mount Gay has a slightly oilier, richer mouthfeel as well and seems to balance out a little better on the finish.

    I like this. I’ve always liked Mount Gay XO and I’ve had a couple of bottles pretty much every year since. That will certainly continue.

    I would say that this is a tiny bit “better” (or more to my tastes) thanMount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend rum review by the fat rum piratethe previous Mount Gay XO. That said and as I’m sitting here really enjoying it – I’m not sure if it’s worth an extra point.

    Maybe 4 1/4 stars?

    We’ll stick with 4 stars. Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend is a completel

    y solid rum, one which does sometimes fly under people’s radars. It is easily as good as R L Seale’s 10 Year and Doorly’s XO and to be fair thats not bad company to be in now is it?

    Crikey this has been a bit of a monster review hasn’t it?

    Pass me the Mount Gay XO………..either is fine by me.