Chairman’s Reserve Master’s Selection 2011 8 Years Old

Bythefatrumpirate

Chairman's Reserve Master's Selection 2011 8 Years Old rum review by the fat rum pirateChairman’s Reserve Master’s Selection 2011 8 Years Old. Another The Whisky Exchange exclusive following on from the 2006 – 13 Year Old, released earlier in the year.

These bottlings from Saint Lucia Distillers have been popping up all over the place with a number of retailers buying single casks as well as other rum groups commissioning bottles.

Ultimately a lot of them are very different. Though if you look around you will see a few very similar casks or badged with different groups names. I wouldn’t even try to collect them all at this point! My pockets aren’t deep enough by a long stretch.

As we can see from the numbers, this is a younger rum than the previous effort by 5 years. Price wise that is pretty much reflected. The 13 Year Old rum retails at £69.95. This is going at what I consider once again to be very reasonable £49.95. Unlike the 13 Year however, which was bottled at Cask Strength or near enough this has been reduced down to what some might say a quite pedestrian 46% ABV.

In all honesty I still see 46% ABV as a more than acceptable drinking strength for me. It’s not a huge problem though other people demand Cask Strength.

Chairman’s Reserve Master’s Selection 2011 8 Years Old is a blend of Pot and Column distilled rum. The Pot element of the rum comes from the 1500 litre capacity John Dore 1 Pot Still and the Column element from the Traditional Coffey still at Saint Lucia Distillers. It has been aged in ex-bourbon barrels for 8 years in Saint Lucia.

As with all these Master’s Selection it comes in the “traditional” stubby rounded Chairman’s Reserve bottle. The colour scheme of white, gold and black works nicely. The rum comes housed in a cut out style brown card box. A chunky synthetic cork stopper seals the rum. As mentioned it is available exclusively at The Whisky Exchange.

John Dore Pot StillIn the glass we have a light to golden brown spirit. The nose is comfortingly familiar. It reminds me of a couple of Berry Bros independent bottlings that I picked up a few years ago. A bit of fresh continental aged feel to it. It doesn’t smell young per se but it has a kind of more mineral like quality. It’s less intense and fruity than certainly the 13 Year Old.

It has the familiar herbal note and burnt rubber I associate with Saint Lucia Distillers. I’ve always struggled to quite pin point a lot of what I nose with SLD’s rums. They are a kind of fusion of Jamaican funk, Caroni tarriness and Barbadian balance and approachability. It just depends on the actual rum which mix of what you get and in what amount. This certainly seems a lighter more Barbadian like profile (but still with a bit funk and tar!)

Vanilla, Burnt Banana, Pineapple, Payapa a touch of liquorice are all present on the nose. Encompassed by those rich herbal pine cone like notes and a slight astringency adding a bit oomph to proceedings.

Sipped Chairman’s Reserve Master’s Selection 2011 8 Years Old is a strange mix of quite a punchy spirit yet it is very easy to drink. That may be the ABV. Maybe at Cask Strength I may have found this a bit too “boozy”. It may just be and I know some Rum Geeks might find this a horrific statement – sometimes these Master Blenders and bottlers actually know what they are doing reducing the ABV. Maybe but don’t quote me on that.

The initial entry is quite intense with a fair amount of charred oak and some quite spicy woody notes. These fades quite quickly though and is less pronounced the more you sip. The mid palate is where we find the best balance.

Chairman's Reserve Master's Selection 2011 8 Years Old rum review by the fat rum pirateThe vanilla and soft chocolate notes make their appearance once the initial heat of the entry dies down a little. It is a little agricole like at the start – a little grassy but as the mid palate evolves, it definitely mellows out.

There is also an undercurrent of bitter liquorice and some burnt tyres which add a further complexity to this rum.

Finish wise, it fades nicely into some ginger, oak spice and a tiny touch of orange zest.

If you enjoy the standard Chairman’s Reserve range and were looking at something a bit pricier as an upgrade then this is not badly priced at all. I would recommend trying this over the Chairman’s Reserve Forgotten Casks. I don’t think that offers as much of a progression as this.

 

 

 

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    Bythefatrumpirate

    Penny Blue Cask #28 Rum review by the fat rum piratePenny Blue Mauritian Rum hails from the Medine Distillery in Mauritius.  The rum is brought to the UK under the watchful eye of Berry Bros. & Rudd, on of London’s premium importers of wines and spirits.

    In the past there have been 4 editions of the Penny Blue.  This edition is the first Single Cask rum to be released in the UK. (I understand some Single Cask editions have been available in Mauritius)

    Column Distilled in 2006. Doug McIvor (BB&R) and Jean-Francois Koenig (Master Distiller at Medine Distillery) assessed each cask in the distilleries reserves before selecting this cask #28 as the best of the best.

    Rums from more “exotic” or less familiar locations are often viewed with suspicion.  Penny Blue Cask #28 is not chill filtered and is entirely natural in colour.  Despite 9 years of tropical ageing the rum is still a light amber to gold colour.  Bottled at a very exact 44.8% (indeed my Hydrometer bobbed nicely between 44 and 45) – it also has no added sugar.  The producers of the rum maintain this rum has no additives and whilst we all know this can not always be be taken at face value, there is nothing in the make up of the rum to make me think otherwise.

    As this is a Single Cask rum there are only 197 bottles of this rum available.  My picture above shows the bottle used by Coe Vintners (who are stocking the rum along with BB&R) number 41 of 197.  It may be that the sample I received is from that bottle.

    With such exclusivity comes a price tag.  One which to be honest took me by surprise.  Previous blended Penny Blue rums have come in at around £40.  This one adds a 1 infront of the 4.  £140 for a 70cl bottle ABV 44.8%.

    Penny Blue SINGLEWhen I first tried Penny Blue XO (batch 4) I was immediately taken by the nose of the rum.  Yet again I am immediately impressed.  It reminds me of Barbancourt.  Big fruity wine like notes are at the forefront.  A little hint of spice and vanilla, gentle smooth creamy toffee.  Overall its very sweet and fruity.  Like Mezan’s Panama 1995/99 I am surprised at how intense the nose is and how the Master Distiller has managed to get such intensity from a column distilled product.

    Penny Blue Cask #28 suggests from the nose it will be smooth and again very much like one of my favourite rums Barbancourt 5 star.

    It doesn’t disappoint it has a very nice delivery smooth – the sweet tones give way initially to reveal aged and slightly spicy oak notes.  A swirl in the mouth allows the vanilla and hints of red grape/wine like notes to shine through again.

    If you have tried a Penny Blue rum before then this rum will not come as a surprise to you.  If you are a fan of Barbancourt 5 star, Rhum Agricole or even Cognac – this style of rum may certainly appeal.

    PennyBLUEThe finish on the Penny Blue is also a bit of a highlight (just as well as I only have around 50ml of this) – it’s very long lasting with lovely sweet aged oaky notes and gentle spices which really warms the palate and the stomach.  I feel myself in need of a nice cigar (and I’ve never smoked).

    This offers a very luxurious style of rum which considering it is all column distilled is impressive to be able to pull off.  You may wish to test the waters with Batch 4 before splashing out on this but with only 197 bottles available you might want to be quick….

    I find myself wishing I had a smoking jacket……..and a butler.

    4.5 stars

     

     

     

     

  • Gunroom Navy Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Gunroom Navy Rum Review by the fat rum pirateGunroom Navy Rum. The date of this review is quite significant. If you are reading this review “hot off the press” then you will be, depending on your global location, hopefully still enjoying the 31st July 2020. This signifies 50 years since the British Royal Navy ceased the practice of the Daily Rum Ration or Tot, as it was more popularly known on board its ships.

    Indeed, the day itself is now known as Black Tot Day. To most of my generation the idea of a Navy running on anything stronger than Black Coffee might seem quite preposterous. However, way back in the midst of time conditions aboard British Naval Ships were not quite as pleasant as they are now. So a pint (or near enough) of rum a day was what the sailors onboard used to imbibe just to get through the horror of life on the high seas.

    There are numerous stories and legends surrounding the Rum Ration. A lot of which I suspect have been embellished and the truth stretched a little bit here and there. However, one “legend” which exists is the idea that any spirits on board the ship had to be “Overproof” or “Navy Strength”. In other words, the rum (in this instance) had to be boozy enough to ignite when exposed to a naked flame. Back in the day Rum and Gunpowder were stored close together. Due to the rough seas and long journeys the rum would often soak the gunpowder or be spilled on deck. If you were in conflict with an enemy the last thing you wanted was your Gunpowder failing to go “Boooooommmm!”

    Anyway, despite there being numerous events etc being staged today, I have once again found myself looking in on what is going on rather than being involved.  So it gives me a little time to knock up this review of a Navy Rum. I have had this bottling knocking around for some time. I figured a while back today might be a good day to do the review.

    Now first up Gunroom Navy Rum is a “Navy Style” rum rather than an actual “real” Navy Rum. In other words, no Navy (that I am aware of) have ever been issued with this rum in any kind of scenario. It is in fact the brainchild of Gunroom Spirits who hail from Sweden and are part of the Integrity Spirits family.

    As well as a Navy Strength rum they also have a Navy Gin and a London Dry Gin in their portfolio. Gunroom Navy Rum is a blend of rums from ex-British colonies. So we have rum, in the “British Style”. Even though the islands involve produce very different rums in reality! Never mind, like all things people love categories.

    The actual blend is as follows

    A blend of Pot/Column rums aged between 2 and 5 years from Barbados

    Column distillled rum aged between 2 and 5 years from Trinidad

    A “young” rum from Guyana (could be unaged?)

    Gunroom Navy Rum Review by the fat rum pirateThe majority of the rum in the blend is a Pot Still Rum aged for 3 years in Jamaica, with 1% of the blend being an undisclosed rum. At this stage I am guessing this is probably from Caroni.

    The rum is blended together at full strength giving it a final bottling proof of 65% ABV overall. It is not diluted, coloured and no additives are present.

    Gunroom Navy Rum is presented in the opaque stubby, slightly square bottle with a very short neck and a “Olde Worlde” style label. It looks quite antique. The rum is sealed with red wax which hides a plastic topped real cork stopper. It is now available in the UK and you can order it at The Whisky Exchange and you can also find it quite easily online in Europe. At The Whisky Exchange the slightly smaller 500ml/50cl bottle retails at £47.95 currently.

    So let’s see how Naval this one is then.

    In the glass Gunroom Navy Rum is lighter than the bottle might lead you to believe. It is a rich golden/dark brown with an orange/red hue. It looks very natural – unlike most Navy Style Rums.

    The nose is more in keeping with an Independently bottled Demerara Rum than the  cheaper Navy Style Blends such as Lamb’s or Wood’s It has a slightly smoky note to it which reminds me a little of the The Black Tot Rum – Finest Caribbean. It has a sweetness but it is less molasses heavy. Less treacly if you like.

    The nose is nicely balanced but this rum really does benefit from time in the glass. It’s quite aggressive when poured but mellows a little given time. There are notes of Aniseed and Liquorice, a smattering of smokiness and a touch of petrol. Like a mechanic’s rags or overalls. Engine Grease and some strong notes of varnish and creosote.

    You may be wondering where the balance is I spoke of? Well mingling alongside all these “Industrial” aromas are some lighter fruity notes – burnt bananas, pineapple juice and a touch of raisins.

    It’s quite an aggressive, punchy nose and it certainly calls for your attention with such a high ABV.

    Sipped a little water helps. There is a strong hint of natural Demerara rum running through this rum – a heavier style of Guyanese rum hailing from at least one of their Wooden Pot Stills. I’m getting what I familarise with as the Port Mourant still but don’t quote me on that. The Jamaican rum is adding some funk and bit of a bitter/sweetness – Grapefruit and some lemon juice. It is all encapsulated by a slightly murky, slightly savoury note of tobacco and leather.

    The mid palate evolves into some sweeter notes of cocoa and dark chocolate but the finish is very bitter and quite woody. It sticks around for quite some time but most of the finish is fiery and boozy rather than a classic fade and appreciation further of the rum.

    Gunroom Navy Rum is not a classic sipper. It is an interesting attempt at an older style of Navy Rum which is probably a good approximation of something that sailors may have had in days gone by. An all time classic rum? No it isn’t that.Gunroom Navy Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    It works surprisingly well when mixed. Great in a Rum and Coke. It gives a nice smoky edge and the fruitier notes of the rum shine through a little more. I bought this out of pure curiosity. I looked at it for aged before finally deciding to buy it. Likewise I’ve sat down to review it a good few times and found it quite a difficult rum to “judge”. Sometimes I like it other times I struggle with it.

    It’s a bit young and a bit rough around the edges but that is part of it’s charm. It maybe is a bit much at times but when the mood take you it can be very enjoyable. It does taste a little on the young side though in many ways. If you are looking for another review then my mate over at Rum Diaries Blog Steve reviewed this ages ago……

    An interesting take on a Navy Style Rum. I might take a look at some of their other offerings. They also have a White 2 Ports rum I understand.

     

  • Vidya The River Mumma

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Vidya The River Mumma rum review by the fat rum pirateVidya The River Mumma. I’m pleased to present today the first Independent bottling from UK based importer/distributor Skylark Spirits. As you will learn from this review they have started things at the more daring end of the rum spectrum.

    I think it was Rumfest 2018 that I first became aware of any aged rum from the New Yarmouth Distillery on Jamaica. I tried a Compagnie des Indes bottling and reviewed the higher ABV Denmark only release.

    The New Yarmouth distillery is part of the Appleton Estate. It is based in Clarendon Parish and produces the white unaged rum in Wray and Nephew Overproof. Operating both pot and column stills. It is not a small distillery, its just its rums appear more in blends and “branded” rums rather than their own line up of New Yarmouth rums.

    Vidya is a word from ancient Sanskrit, which stands for clarity, knowledge and learning. Vidya rum “aspires to showcase some of the finest of the spirit c.ategory”. No pressure there then lads…….

    Legends of the River Mumma goddess have been whispered throughout Jamaica for centuries. She is said to have guarded rivers such as the Rio Minho, which runs alongside the New Yarmouth distillery, acting as the protector of the fish and wildlife inhabitants.

    The unique artwork designed by London artist Aaron Godwin-Lamptey, depicts The River Mumma sitting on a rock near the river (as many had claimed to have seen her). She is what modern fokelore would term a mermaid and each bottle of Vidya The River Mumma has a slightly different colour scheme on the Mermaid’s tale. Ensuring each bottle is unique.

    Vidya The River Mumma was distilled in 2005. It is 100% Pot Still rum. It spent its first 7 years ageing in ex-bourbon casks in Jamaica. The rum was then re-filled into once used bourbon casks and moved to England in 2012. In 2017 it was moved to Denmark. It was bottled earlier this year there. So it is 7 years Tropical Ageing and 8 Years Continental Ageing.

    There are/were 255 bottles of this available. It has been bottled at 61.5% ABV. The barrelmarque is SFJW – which was used by one of the carriers for their own records the actual marque is NYE/EM 1300 /1400 gr/hl AA.

    Vidya The River Mumma retails at £129.99 and is available at Master of Malt and other retailers. The rum is presented in a stubby bottle with, as mentioned already some really vibrant original artwork. It has a synthetic cork stopper to seal the liquid securely.

    I think I have covered everything there is to know about this particular rum but should you want to read a bit more than Vidya have set up their own very informat

    Vidya The River Mumma rum review by the fat rum pirate

    ive website.

    In the glass Vidya The River Mumma is quite light in colour for a 15 year old rum. A kind of straw/white wine colour. It looks a little darker in the bottle.

    The nose is very reminiscent of my beloved Duncan Taylor 15 Year Old Long Pond. Ahhh memories. So striaght away you are getting a concentrated whack of Pear Drops (English boiled sweets) which really tickles the nostrils. Intense notes of nail varnish and creosote initially overpower the nose a little. Time in the glass is of the essence with this rum.

    Give it a bit time to air and you will appreciate all the other wonderful notes that are present on the nose (some might not sound that inviting but believe me they are wonderful – note you are dealing with someone who loves the smell of petrol and nail varnish). So I’m still getting those varnish notes and now I am getting a little petrol as well. This is balanced – I’m not sure if that is quite the word as this is a pretty full on assault of my schnozz……by notes of tropical fruits. Passion Fruit, Guava, Lychees and some more familiar notes of burnt banana, almost fermented Pineapple Juice and some lighter notes of coconut.

    This is all (just about) wrapped up in some lovely warming bourbon-esque oak and warming spices. Cardamon and a touch of All Spice.

    It’s fantastic. Ridiculously complex and just so, well sniffable?

    The problem with a rum with a nose as good as this is the expectation levels of the sip…..

    On the sip it is initially less fruity and more “oaky” and spicy than I might have expected. I shouldn’t really as this is often the case. There’s a nice light note of vanilla in there as well on the initial entry which is nice.

    As Vidya The River Mumma moves onto the mid palate you get more of the rich intense fruitiness and some of the less desirable sounding notes. So you get pineapple, banana and coconut alongside a less intense hit of varnish. Its balanced though with enough oak and spice to keep things in tandem.

    The nose on this is wonderful and you’ll likely spend a lot of time nosing this rum between sips. It’s certainly not a rum to be chugging back like a pirate. In some ways the nose has more of an unaged feel to it but the rum once you start sipping it is much more refined and well “aged”.

    Vidya The River Mumma rum review by the fat rum pirateFinish wise it has a nice hit of oak and you are left with a very intense hit of Pear Drops and nail varnish again.

    It is long and such is the intensity of this rum you will savour it for a long time before the next sip.

    This is a very funky high ester Jamaican rum but the 15 years of ageing have given it an added layer of “aged spirit”. I can’t think of any other way to put it. I’ve not had a bad rum from New Yarmouth as yet and this one certainly hasn’t disappointed.

    Excellent start to the Independent bottling route by Skylark Spirits.

     

     

  • Ultimatum Rum Selected Blend

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Ultimatum Rum Selected Blend Pot Still Review by the fat rum pirateUltimatum Rum Selected Blend.  Ultimatum Rum as I was recently informed by a very kind commentator and reader of the site is “Ultimatum rum is the rum series of the Dutch importer and independent bottler van Wees who is mainly known for it’s independent whisky releases under The Ultimate label. The Ultimatum is the rum variant of that label and stands for single cask rums from a variety of regions and styles.”

    Ultimatum have produced a number of single cask, but not cask strength rums from varying parts of the Caribbean and beyond over the past year or so. I first came across them at Dutch retailer Zeewijck. I’ve used this retailer on a number of occasions – often receiving my good faster from them than I have from domestic retailers! I recommend them highly (I even have a link on the main page of the site).

    Ultimatum bottle their rums at 46% ABV. This particular offering is a blend of rums. 50% of the rums contained in the blend are Pot Still. It was priced at 28 euros (around £25) so I figured it was worth a punt. Like British Independent bottler Mezan Ultimatum make a point that the rums are Natural Colour, Non Chill Filtered and No Sugar Added. Like Mezan they do not have much control over what happens prior to them buying the rum from a broker/distillery but they are committed to only reducing the ABV down from Cask Strength to 46% ABV. They do not add anything else bar water.

    Ultimatum Rum Selected Blend is a blend of 8 different rums. Unfortunately I do not have any information on what the rums are. It is sadly not disclosed on the label. Ultimatum state that 50% of the rums are Pot Still so I’m assuming that 4 are 100% Pot Still with the remainder either being all column or pot column blends. It states on the label the rum is 8 years old. Again I don’t whether this means all the rum in the blend is at least 8 years old or if it is a weighted average whereby some older rum compensates for younger rum giving an “average” age. As I say I’m just guessing on the make up. For the price I paid for this rum I’m really not to fussed to be honest.

    Ultimatum Rum Selected Blend Pot Still Review by the fat rum piratePresentation wise the Selected Blend comes in the standard modern, stubby bottle used by Ultimatum. A synthetic plastic topped cork seals the rum. I quite like the presentation. The branding is pretty decent and I would be interested in these bottlings if I found them in a “real store”.

    I’ve reviewed a few Ultimatum rums and like most independent bottlers they can be a bit hitty miss. Offhand I don’t recall having anything truly bad from them though. Just maybe sometimes not entirely my style of rum. This is one of those bottlings that just piqued my curiosity. Strange being that I am.

    So lets get on with the fun part and see what this Ultimatum Rum Selected Blend has to offer.

    In the glass Ultimatum Rum Selected Blend is a golden brown colour. The nose is pungent enough to detect some Jamaican Pot Still in the blend. Yet it has a creamy toffee note running through it which reminds me of blends such as The Duppy Share. Which combine Jamaican rum with other rums to create really nice balanced rum blends.

    There is a very nice top note of burnt banana with a slight medicinal Hampden or Long Pond like sharpness to it. It delivers quite fiery kick to the nostrils but its tempered slightly by a lovely, almost soft, buttery quality. I could guess all kinds of rums are in this blend Worthy Park, Hampden, Foursquare etc. However with the amount of rums Ultimatum have released over the past year or so I won’t dwell to long on the likely make up of the blend beyond this.

    This really is a lovely little blend. Enough Pot Still to keep it interesting and deliver a complex enough sip and enough “balancing” column rum to keep it all in check. At 46% ABV it isn’t going to knock anyone socks off but at the price I paid I’d certainly take this as an everyday kind of sipper. It displays a lot more complexity than many so called “Premium” rums on the market today.

    I like the funkiness of this rum from the Jamaican Pot Still rum held within, but its key is its balance. It plays out very nicely. It’s a rich, warming rum. Dried fruits, a touch of milk chocolate a nice array of spices from the oak and just enough vanilla to impart some sweetness. All topped off with that Pot Still funk.

    I did mix this as it wasn’t too pricey and it made a really good rum and cola. I’ve enjoyed this rum tremendously and I hope they continue to create blends such as these.

    A lot of reviewers and rum enthusiasts seem to be shying away from “blends” particularly from multiple distilleries. In this instance they are really missing out.

    Top stuff at a bargain price.

     

     

     

     

  • Watt Rum Jamaican Rum Distilled at Clarendon Estate Aged 16 Years

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Watt Rum Jamaican Rum Clarendon Estate Aged 16 Years Rum Review by the fat rum pirateWatt Rum Jamaican Rum Distilled at Clarendon Estate Aged 16 Years. A new independent bottler of rum is on the scene.

    They seem to hail in the main either from Scotland or Italy (in most instances the rum bottled by Italians is aged in Scotland/England). This time we have a new bottler but not an entirely new face.

    Or rather two faces as Watt Whisky/Rum is husband and wife team Mark and Kate Watt. Both have years of experience in the Whisky and Independent bottling scene.

    Mark Watt has worked at both Duncan Taylor and Cadenheads. Whilst Kate is well known for her marketing work at Speyside distilleries such as Glenfarcas and Springbank.

    Watt Whisky/Rum is the Independent bottling arm of the Campbeltown Whisky Company Ltd of whom Kate and Mark are the directors. Their ethos is as follows ” good, honest whisky, priced for drinking rather than collecting”.

    To be honest they’ve pretty much got me at that. It’s nice to here something like that in the current market of “investments” and “ballots”. As the two are both well known in Whisky circles there has been quite a buzz around the Watt Whisky brand.

    Maybe not so much in the Rum world however. They have released three rums so far. Of the three – Jamaica, Barbados and Belize, only one has sold out. If I said the Barbados offering was from Foursquare I am sure you can guess which one! That said its has been on sale the longest.

    Now I do have some further information on Watt Whisky/Rum from the various Whisky sites, which have covered the brand already. It’s interesting that a number of whisky commentators have sampled the first bottlings of Watt Rum upon release last year. It’s something I might ask about in the Whisky world.

    It seems the Rum world takes a lot more interest in the Whisky world than Whisky does in Rum. I’m sure most of you can name a few notable Whisky bloggers. I’m not so sure many in the Whisky world could do the same for Rum.

    In saying this I accept that it can be dangerous to be relying on reviews written on the basis of free industry samples. Which is something the Whisky world does very regularly. It’s a much bigger scene than the rum scene. There are literally hundreds of Whisky Blogs, websites etc for every one which is focused on rum. Hey I’m not complaining no one would probably read this shit, if there was a decent alternative.

    So lets see what exactly we have up for review this fine Summer’s Day………

    We already know we have a 16 Year Old Jamaican Rum which was distilled at Clarendon Estate. Which is home of the Monymusk Estate. For their sins they are responsible for a lot of the output which is used by Diageo in their Captain Morgan range. They also produce the rum used in Myers’s.

    It’s a big operation with the largest Pot Still (possibly) in the Caribbean and a “new” Column Still, which was introduced in 2010, which accounts for 75% of its total output. Oh yes the Captain doesn’t have much Pot Still in his Spiced Gold………..

    This rum however I am assured is 100% Pot Still Rum aged for 15 years in the Tropics before being aged for a further year in Scotland. It was bottled at over 16 Years Old at 57.1% ABV. It was distilled in 2004 and bottled in 2021. The rum has been aged in an ex-bourbon cask. It is currently available over at The Whisky Exchange for £115. Bottle size your standard 70cl.

    Presentation wise – it’s a massive step up from Cadenhead’s I can tell you that. Gone is the seventies colour scheme replaced by a much clearer more modern style. The bottle design is simple and uncluttered and the black cardboard sleeve, for storage purposes is equally stylish. It is simple but not as “DIY” looking as some Independents. It looks like something a marketing team haveWatt Rum Jamaican Rum Clarendon Estate Aged 16 Years Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    had their mitts on. In this instance I’d say a good Marketing team!

    The bottle is a standard 3/4 style bar bottle with a bulbous neck and a cork stopper keeps the rum nicely sealed. All in all its a good package and befitting the outlay.

    But presentation isn’t what we are here for – its the liquid in the bottle that’s in important. So lets get on to the fun part. I’m 700 words in and I haven’t so much as had a sniff. What a bloody waffler.

    In the glass Watt Rum Jamaican Rum Clarendon Estate Aged 16 Years is a medium/dark brown colour with a yellow/orange hue.

    The nose is instantly Jamaican. Sweet, funky and familiar. It’s bursting with Tropical Fruits, sweet Pineapple, Cola Cubes, Black over-ripe Banana and Passion Fruit. At full strength it gives the nostrils a bit of a tickle as the more solvent like aromas come through as well. Paper Glue, Wallpaper Paste and some Nail Varnish.

    Further nosing reveals some lighter baking spices and some sweet buttery pastry notes. Something slightly herbal and a touch of oak and tobacco.

    Despite everything going on it has a lovely balance and is a very “more-ish” noser! I’ve found a few Monymusk/Clarendon Estate rums to be a little “musty” and just have something taking away the vibrancy from the initial fruity and “gluey” notes.

    Sipped at full strength it is more woody and oaked than the nose suggests. The initial sip is more savoury and less fruity. The time in the barrel shows a lot more than I was expecting. That said it is not a criticism as the rum is warming with a lot of spicy oak and some bitter almost tannic like notes.

    It’s a drier less funky profile than the nose led me to believe. A drop or two of water gives some the fruitier flavours a chance to show themselves however. The sweetness is carried by a note of Strawberries and some slightly bitter orange zest.

    Watt Rum Jamaican Rum Clarendon Estate Aged 16 Years Rum Review by the fat rum pirateYou get more of the fruitiness and some of the funk back on the mid palate. Notes of Banana Bread and some almost savoury pastry and buttery-ness. The pineapple notes are dialled back a bit but they do return as you move into the finish.

    The finish is long and has notes of tobacco and liquorice. The wood ageing runs through to the finish with quite a bit of a dry oak and woodiness but it never feels old or stale.

    If I am being honest, the nose is a little deceiving with this rum. I really thought I was in for a very funky, sweet, solventy rum. Regular readers probably know how much I like those type of Jamaican Rums.

    High hopes were dashed a little for me, but its still a more than respectable bottle of rum. I certainly wouldn’t refuse another glass (or eight)

     

     

  • That Boutique-y Rum Company Diamond Distillery (Savalle Still) Guyana

    Bythefatrumpirate

    That Boutique-y Rum Company Diamond Distillery (Savalle Still) Guyana rum review by the fat rum pirateThat Boutique-y Rum Company Diamond Distillery (Savalle Still) Guyana. This is the latest Guyanese rum offering from That Boutique-y Rum Company. Unlike their last release “Unconfirmed Still” (yes a review is in the pipeline) we have some really solid information on this particular rum.

    The Independent Bottling of rum from Guyana is probably up there with Caroni in terms of popularity and longevity. However, with so many bottlers around and so many different ways of describing these rums. With some using some quite “inventive” names it can sometimes be time consuming getting to the bottom of which still the rum hails from. The movement of the stills from distillery to distillery also doesn’t help.

    So I’m pleased that the labelling on this That Boutique-y Rum Company bottling gives me all the information I require. So I might as well cut to the chase and fill you all in with what I have in front of me for review today.

    Now most of the information is available in the title. So we have a rum which was distilled at Diamond (Demerara Distillers Limited) Distillery on their Savalle Still. Usually that would be quite enough information but we also have the marque ICBU.

    When I saw this I immediately recognised this from an old El Dorado bottling. El Dorado released to the US market (I’m pretty sure Europe only ever obtained imported stock from the US) 3 “Single Barrel” releases. One of which was an ICBU marque. You can read a review of this rum over at https://rumshopboy.com/2016/12/02/el-dorado-icbu-single-barrel/Rum Shop Boy.

    Rums from this particular still – The French Savalle Still are frequently noted as being Uitvlugt by Independent bottlers. The still was originally housed at the Uitvlugt Distillery which has long been closed. ICBU was an identifier used to show the rum came from Uitvlugt. In 2000 the French Savalle Still was moved to Diamond Distillery.

    So as this rum is 12 years old this was as the label correctly notes distilled at Diamond albeit on a Uitvlugt “heritage” still. The only thing I am not totally sure about is how useful the ICBU marque is. It is noted that the French Savalle Still can produce 9 different marques of rum – however this marque seems to cover all rum from what was Uitvlugt? I’m not aware of any other Rum Marques being attributed to Uitvlugt rums other than some of the experimental Velier bottlings. If you have more information then please let me know.

    Other than that I’m pretty happy with the information on this bottling. As with all (except their Signature Blends) That Boutique-y Rum Company offerings this rum comes in a 50cl bottle. It retails at Master of Malt at £48.95. That Boutique-y Rum Company Diamond Distillery (Savalle Still) Guyana has been bottled at Cask Strength 57.8% ABV and there are only 406 bottles available of this single cask rum. It has been aged in ex-bourbon barrels.

    Once again artwork for this bottling has been provided by Jim’ll Paint It. I’d be careful clicking on the link though as some of the stuff is maybe NSFW! The presentation on this bottling is fairly innocent thought just a ship sailing down what I assume is the Demerara River which has either had an oil slick or it is depicting molasses. I suspect its the latter.

    So lets move on to the fun part.

    In the glass we are presented with a very light spirit. A shade darker than straw/white wine perhaps. This suggests a couple things. One is that DDL have not used one of their “molassses coated” barrels or added caramel colouring to the rum. Two is that it has likely had some Continental Ageing here in Europe. I’d be very surprised if this has been aged for 12 Years in the Tropics and come out this light.

    The nose is familiar. I’m reminded a little of El Dorado 15 Year Old and some of the “Navy” style rums that are so popular here in the UK. Sweet notes of sugar cane sweetness, raisins and sultanas. There is a syrupy note of molasses and sweeter Golden Syrup. There is a touch of oak spice and a little smokiness but the sweetness definitely leads the nose.

    On the sip I am getting a slight aniseed like note some astringency that wasn’t apparent from the nose. This is kept in line by a very nice array of spicy bourbon like notes and a sweet caramel flavour.

    It is more complex than the nose suggested and not as sweet. It’s very flavourful though with a fair amount of fruitiness in the form of raisins, sultananas and a hint of banana and pineapple. It is stopped from getting too sweet though by t

    he array of spices from the barrel ageing. Ginger, white pepper and some vanilla really give the rum a great complexity. There is a touch of smokiness in this rum which runs into the mid palate which becomes oakier but never becomes too dry.

    It’s a really nicely balanced rum with good complex flavours and a really pleasant warming finish which lingers for just long enough. It’s quite more-ish as well.

    This is probably a very good rum to introduce to someone who is looking to move from more bog standard Demerara or the El Dorado style. Even at 57% ABV it is still very approachable. There is still the option to add some water as well – which does not destroy this rum in anyway. It can easily be brought down at around 50% ABV without losing much of its character.

    With this being a column distillate it is perhaps a little sweeter and easier going than some of the pot still Demerara. However, don’t be fooled into thinking this might lack complexity. It has a really good definition of flavour and it is complex enough to keep you busy.That Boutique-y Rum Company Diamond Distillery (Savalle Still) Guyana rum review by the fat rum pirate

    In terms of rating this overall as a rum, I will stick with 4 stars. Though I did waiver towards 4.5. More so for this rums potential to introduce more casual Demerara imbibers over to some Cask Strength or “clean” (in terms of colouring and additives) Demerara rum.

    I also think that this rum would work very well in a few premium cocktails. It could definitely add some complexity and some sweetness at the same time.

    A really good bottling for any one curious about this type of Demerara rum. Also well worth a purchase for any Independent Demerara enthusiast.

     

     

     

     

One Comment

  1. This seems to be the same rum as is sold in the Netherlands by Gall & Gall (a large Dutch liquor store chain); cellar master Cyril Mangal/8 years/ bottled at 16-08-2019 and with 50% John Dore 1 still and 50% column still rums at 46% ABV. I haven’t had the chance yet to give it a try but I am curious as I wasn’t too happy with ‘the forgotten casks’; I prefer the standard Chairman’s Reserve over that one.

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