Cane Island are a new Independent bottler.  We have already covered their 8 Year Old Barbados rum – a rather good one from Foursquare.

Up next is an 8 Year Old from Trinidad.  Which means it is to young to come from the the now defunct and much heralded Caroni distillery.  Leaving us with the only remaining option on Trinidad – Angostura.

The rum is currently only available in the Netherlands (Amsterdam). Most stockists will post to other parts of Europe and the rest of the world.

The rum is column distilled and as already mentioned aged for 8 years.  There are no details of any finish or second maturation. I assume it is aged in ex-Bourbon casks.  A 70cl bottle will set you back around 40 euros.  A little more expensive than Angostura’s own 8 Year old the 1919 and a lot more expensive than their Sainsbury’s supermarket offering.  Which is issued under Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference banner.

The rum comes in a nice stubby style bottle.  Important information relating to the contents of the rum are displayed on the bottle along with a map view of the island(s).  A  nice cork stopper completes the package.

Trinidad rums coming from Angostura tend to be quite light in style.  Their own range often tips the hydrometer to reveal some additives.  The stated ABV on the label states 43% the hydrometer reveals an ABV of 40% suggesting 12g/l of sugar (or other additives).

Its not a huge amount but it is a significant amount.  Likely this was done prior to Cane Island receiving the rum, though I have no firm evidence either way or further information.

For further information on the brand please look at the links provided in my previous review of the Barbados offering.

We may as well move onto the main body of the review and get down to tasting some more aged rum!

In the glass the rum is a very typical gold/brown “rum colour”.  There are few surprises and I would suggest a little e150 has been added.

The nose is familiar – very much an Angostura style of nose.  It has a familiar sweetness which you find in many Trini supermarket brands (Tesco for example).

It is full of toffee and has a distinctive “butteriness” which is almost a little floral.  I’m reminded little of 1919 but more of Angostura’s No1 cask blends.

Thankfully though the sweetness you also get a nice backbone of oak and aged rum.  There is a gentle warming oak note.  It’s not hugely complex maybe a little on the sweet side but it does have plenty rum character.  It also does seem to have benefited from at least some tropical ageing.  I wouldn’t be surprised to learn its entirely aged in Trinidad.

Sipping reveals few surprises.  It carries the sweetness of the nose especially in the initial entry.  Toffee/Caramel and a touch of warming gentle oak are delivered and the finish is surprisingly long and pretty satisfying.  It does a lot of things right but is for me just too sweet.

This is a very easy going, very genteel rum.  It’s as far removed from Pusser’s or a Heavy Caroni rum as it possible to imagine.  It is unmistakably an Angostura product. Clearly column distilled and the additives or sugar used in the blend have rounded and removed any roughness which may have been present.

Which means, perhaps the rum has lost some of its character.  I’m not really sure what market there is for “Independent” Trini rum.  I must confess I know of no notable rum “expert” or connoisseur who is in love with Angostura rums.

It’s very much akin to a Plantation rum so perhaps their lies the market for this particular bottle.

Other than being just a little too sweet and easy going for my personal tastes this overall is not a bad rum.  It’s just pretty ordinary.  It is easy to sip and is perhaps also reminiscent of the Barceló rums from the Dominican – particularly the Imperial Blend.