Colombina Cachaca de Minas Serie Especial 10 Anos

Bythefatrumpirate

Colombina Cachaca de Minas Serie Especial 10 Anos Rum Review by the fat rum pirateColombina Cachaca de Minas Serie Especial 10 Anos. Cachaça under the Colombina moniker was first produced way back in 1920. The brand hails from Alvinopolis, Santa Barbara, MInas Gerais in Brasil – as always with Cachaca.

The Canjica farm where Colombina was first produced has been producing Cachaca since the late 19th century. The Canjica sugar mill is of recognised historical value as one of the “principal mills remaining from the colonial period in Minas Gerais”.

In the 1980’s Raul Megre resumed the production and bottling of Columbina Cachaca. Since then it has been produced exclusively at Canjica Sugar Mill.

This cachaça is produced in small batches on Pot Stills. What makes Colombina Cachaca different to most are the century-old vats made from native Jatoba wood used to age the Colombina Cachaca’s. Colombina Cachaca de Minas Serie Espeical 10 Anos has been bottled at 45% ABV.

I dare say if this Cachaca came to Europe it would need an updated presentation. This is pretty old fashioned. Though the square shaped bottle is quite nice. The colour scheme and metal screw cap are less than salubrious. The whole affair is a liitle Cartoon-ish – it reminds me a little of black and white Betty Boop style cartoons for some reason.

In Brasil this retails at around R$290 which would work out at around £58 for a 70cl bottle. I would expect this to retail for a bit more should it ever make it over here.

In the glass Colombina Cachaca Serie Especial 10 Anos is a white wine colour – just slightly off white. So the Jatoba casks haven’t added much colour in the 10 years.

Nosing Colombina Cachaca Serie Especial it’s nice sweet smelling creamy style of cachaça. Double cream, cream fraiche and a nice hit of sweet sugar cane aromas. Despite the lack of colour in the cachaça there some nice spicy woody notes. There is a slight smokiness to the cachaça maybe a tiny hint of tobacco.

Sipped Colombina Cachaca Serie Especial is a very unusual tasting cachaça. The Jatoba wood certainly brings a very different tasting spirit. Whilst it exhibits familiar notes similar to other cachaca’s – the creaminess remains alongside the sweet sugar cane notes. The woody notes on the mid palate are very different. Sweet, slightly smoky and with a very unusual spicy note which I can’t quite place.Colombina Cachaca de Minas Serie Especial 10 Anos Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

This is a very nicely balanced Cachaca. Easy going even at 45%. The finish has an almost sooty note to it which is bit of surprise compared to the overall sweeter nature of this spirit.

It’s nice to taste a very different style of cachaça. This is nicely balanced maybe a bit too easy going at times, even at the slightly higher ABV of 45%.

The finish could have do with a bit more oomph. It fades a little to quickly. The initial sip and mid palate are very tasty and interesting but the finish isn’t as complex as I might have liked.

That aside this again is a very nice example of an aged Cachaca and it is interesting to find so many styles within just one (admittedly very large) country.

I didn’t bother mixing this one as I felt its subtle flavours and balance would just vanish in the drink. It is very much a Cachaca to slowly sip and savour.

The 3 year old I also tried at the Cachaca Festival in Manchester was also very tasty.

You never know maybe one day these will reach out beyond Brasil.

 

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  • DropWorks Distillers Drop #001

    Bythefatrumpirate

    DropWorks Distillers Drop #001 rum review by the fat rum pirateDropWorks Distillers Drop #001. DropWorks are one of those new‑wave British rum distilleries determined to prove the UK can do more than just drink rum badly.

    Distillers Drop #001 is their first proper “let’s have a play and see what happens” release. Instead of oak, they’ve gone with English Sweet Chestnut which, if you’ve never had rum from Chestnut before should give things a softer, sweeter and nuttier edge. It’s not common in rum.

    The rum sits at 52.3% ABV and has spent 17 months in Chestnut casks. The outturn which I am told sold out within 48 hours was 450 bottles. It was priced and available from the DropWorks website at £64.95. It is a molasses based rum, distilled on Copper Pot Stills fermented initially using a house yeast.

    The bottle is clean and modern, no palm trees, no pirates, no “crafted with passion” paragraphs. Just the facts. Which is nice. There is a good amount of information on the bottle which an enthusiast will appreciate.

    I’ve reviewed a couple of DropWorks releases in the past, Their Clear DropWorks Distillers Drop #001 rum review by the fat rum pirateand Barrel Drop. Which I quite enjoyed so lets see how this one “Drops”…….

    In the glass it’s a medium gold to dark brown.

    The nose hits you straight away not violently, but with enough enthusiasm to let you know it’s awake. Toasted chestnut from the cask, some praline, butter, a touch of honeycomb. The molasses note common in UK rums is there but its not quite as prominent and aggressive as you normally find. Its less pronounced.

    There’s even a tiny herbal flicker, like someone waved a sprig of thyme over the barrel and then wandered off.

    On the sip you get an initial hit of spicy ginger and some herbal oak notes. This dissipate to show more of the butter and toffee notes which were on the nose.

    Further sipping reveals some vanilla ice cream and some pecan nut. Peanut Brittle maybe. The mid palate allows the chestnut oak to come back with some hints of spice and cinnamon.

    The finish is long, warm, and gently drying. Nutty sweetness hangs around, a bit of spice, a bit of dried berrie, and that “I’ll just have another sip” moment you pretend you’re resisting but absolutely aren’t. It fades out slowly and nicely.

    DropWorks Distillers Drop #001 rum review by the fat rum pirateI didn’t really mix this much if I am being honest. I still had some of the Barrel Drop left for that. So I just sipped it and I did have a Rum and Cola with it but I felt it a bit of a waste.

    This perhaps isn’t a mainstream rum. Its more of an enthusiasts tipple. DropWorks despite the media frendly branding appearance aren’t looking to be the next DMF’s.

    It’s for people who enjoy seeing what happens when a distillery colours outside the lines. DropWorks have let the distillate speak, let the chestnut cask do its thing, and avoided turning it into a novelty bottle you try once and forget.

    It’s distinctive, well‑made, and genuinely interesting  is more than you can say for half the bottles on the shelf these days. Especially in the UK

  • Watson’s Trawler Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Watson's Trawler Rum review by the fat rum pirateWatson’s Trawler Rum is another dark navy style rum from “up north”.  Scotland has a real tradition when it comes to rum.  Many famous Independent bottlers such as obvious ones like Cadenhead’s and Duncan Taylor age their rums in Scotland.  Surprisingly for some, Italian bottlers such as Samaroli and Silver Seal also age their rums up there.

    Scotland also has quite a fondness for dark rum.  Brands such as Woods, Skipper and Lambs are all popular and mostly drank with coke or blackcurrant cordial or even peppermint cordial.  Rum n’ Black and Rum n’ Pep.

    Watson’s Trawler Rum is produced by Ian MacLeod Distillers who can count Glengoyne and Sheep Dip (whiskies) in their portfolio.  Trawler rum is a blend of Demerara and Bajan rum.  For a £20 bottle it is refreshing to see it bottled at a respectable 40% ABV.

    The information on the rear label states that both the Demerara and Bajan rums in the blend are matured in the tropics and then brought to the UK to be blended together.  Watson’s is quite an old brand and has been in production for over 100 years.

    Presentation wise its unlikely Trawler Rum will win any awards but I kind of like its cheap retro feel.  Particularly the blue screw cap – no idea why really.  It’s a little dated but there is a certain fondness I feel when I see bottles like this.

    I reviewed a bottle of Watson’s Demerara Rum a couple of years ago.  I think at the time I was also samplIng a bottle of El Dorado Eight Year old.  in comparison Watson’s Demerara being “so-so” – with a bit too much bitterness

    As a result it has took me a while to buy a bottle of Trawler Rum.  Again a “bargain” price – £16 on Amazon made me make the plunge.

    As already touched upon there is a great variety of Dark Navy Style rums available in the UK.  Personally (and its a review I really need to update) Woods 100 is my usual go to Navy rum nowadays.  It is more expensive but the ABV of 57% me

    Watson's Trawler Rum review by the fat rum pirate

    ans you can get more out of the bottle – if you are careful with your pours.

    As regular readers will know I am not adverse to drinking rum and cola.  I’m really not expecting a complex sipping experience when I’m spending less than £20.

    In the glass Watson’s Trawler Rum is a very dark (undoubtedly coloured at some point) brown with reddish streaks in it.  Its close to actually being black.

    The nose is very fruity.  It is full of familiar Demerara raisin and currant notes.  There is a treacly hit to it but not a dark almost aniseed-y molasses more of a sugary syrup.

    It’s rich, familiar and “warming” – a cold weather drink if you like.  Which is good because I’m used to that!

    Extensive nosing with this one doesn’t really deliver much else.  It’s a rich, sweet straight forward Demerara rum.  The Bajan rum I would not even guess was in this blend.  I do note though that this rum does not have any of the bitterness of Watson’s Demerara rum.  So maybe the Bajan rum is making some subtle adjustments to the rums profile.

    Taking a sip of this rum is a warm, fruity experience.  I would hazard a guess that the rums in this blend are a little more than 2 years old.  Which does make it a little rough and ready.  It isn’t a terrible sipper but it is a little too sweet.  It’s also too young so you get a contrast of sweetness and a strong hit of alcohol.  Particularly when swallowing this rum.

    But I don’t believe this rum is really intended as a sipper.  So we’ll set about trying it in a couple of “traditional” Scottish/Northern drinks.

    First up is a simple mix of Trawler rum and Blackcurrant cordial.  It doesn’t have to be anything special just something cheap you would find in a local bar.  How much you add is your preference I usually add around 25ml to 50ml of rum – roughly half.

    Watson's Trawler Rum review by the fat rum pirateDue to the sweet nature of Trawler rum this makes for quite a sickly drink.  I’ve found rum and black works with less sweet rums – say Pussers Gunpowder for instance.  You couldn’t drink too many of these.

    Next up I tried it with my old favourite – cola and a generous amount of ice and a twist of lime in a long pint sized drink.  With a generous pour of Trawler rum thrown in.

    Watson’s Trawler Rum is one of those rums (I’ve only experienced with Demerara rums) which “froths” up when mixed with cola – so be careful when pouring.

    As far as a simple rum and cola goes Watson’s Trawler Rum does a really good job.  I have to say I was really surprised how much I enjoyed the rum in this way.  I honestly didn’t really have very high hopes for Trawler Rum when I bought it.  Mostly just sheer curiosity!

    As the website has progressed I have always kept up the ethos that I don’t want to just review so called “sipping rums” or top end stuff.  I’ve had a few disagreements with people over “mixing rums” – many think there are good rums (sippers) and bad rums – ones which can only be used as mixers.  I personally believe that some rums don’t work as sippers but can really brighten up drinks as mixers. But hey thats just my opinion.

    For those into the Cocktail scene I would imagine Trawler rum could be a handy asset to have on the back bar.  It could also be used as a lower ABV rum to stop things getting out of hand.  I’m sure I’m not the first person to over do it on rums such as Woods or Pussers Gunpowder.

    Watson’s Trawler rum adds a really nice traditional Demerara fruitiness to drinks – its very strongly flavoured and doesn’t really have any “downsides” to its profile.  It may on occassion be a little too sweet but its certainly not a rum I would class as cloying.

    This was a really pleasant surprise and a bit of trip down memory lane for me.  A bit like going back to where it all started.

     

  • That Boutique-y Rum Company C.A.C.D Venezuela

    Bythefatrumpirate

    That Boutique-y Rum Company C.A.C.D Venezuela rum review by the fat rum pirateThat Boutique-y Rum Company C.A.C.D Venezuela. This South American country is perhaps not the first location you might conjure up when thinking about rum producing countries but there is little doubt that it shifts a fair amount of the noble spirit.

    Brands such as Pampero, Cacique and Santa Teresa have long been staples in many bars the world over. As I was beginning my Rum Journey early in the last decade it was frequently noted that Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva, was the “best” or one of the best rums in the world. Whilst that opinion may have shifted in more serious rum circles it is still a very high selling brand.

    That Boutique-y Rum Company C.A.C.D Venezuela is produced at Corporation Alcoholes del Caraibe S.A. Rums from this distillery are often noted as being from C.A.C.D. or C.A.D.C by independent bottlers. There are quite a few different bottlings around at the moment. The distillery is based in San Felipe, Yaracuy state. Apparently, the first mixing of Angostura’s formula for bitters was mixed here. The distillery produces the Cacique brand, amongst others.

    C.A.C.D is essentially an alcohol plant rather than a more traditional distillery you might fine on some sunny Caribbean island. As a result the rum in my glass today is produced on a multi column still, which is capable of producing a range of rum and other alcoholic spirits

    This rum is noted as being a MVCDF marque – I cannot find an explanation of what this means. Unlike many rums from this part of the world it has not been coloured or adulterated in anyway with sweeteners etc. Unlike many of the more famous Venezuelan rum brands. C.A

    That Boutique-y Rum Company C.A.C.D Venezeula has been aged for 15 years. I assume partly continentally aged but I don’t know for certain. This is the first batch of Venezuelan C.A.C.D rum to be bottled by The Boutique-y Rum Company and there are 259 50cl bottles of this liquid available at Master of Malt (and other Independent retailers) for £54.95. When you consider the price you pay for distillery owned bottles from Venezuela aged for considerably less than 15 years – this is a pretty good price. You also know you are trying something without any nasties added.

    Presentation we are seeing a view from an aeroplane featuring Mount Roraima which serves as the tripoint of Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana. The artwork is taken of by the very talented Jim’ll Paint It.

    So there we have it. Thats as much information as I have at present. So why don’t I get my nose into a glass and give my tonsils a tickle?

    Indeed, in the glass That Boutique-y Rum Company C.A.C.D Venezuela presents itself as a dark brown with a reddish/orange hue.

    The extra ABV over most distillery bottlings from Venezuela certainly gives the nose a lot more body. It’s full of leather arm chairs, peppery spice and tobacco. It has a rich smoky aroma as well. Milk chocolate, cocoa and some “buttery” aromas mingle alongside the tobacco and leather notes to complete a very pleasant and nicely balanced nose.

    It’s inviting and quite approachable without being too straightforward. It’s as complex as it gets really when it comes to multi column unsweetened rum.

    It reminds me a little of the hard to find 1938 Anejo Seleccion from Pampero. I quite like Pampero so that is no bad thing. More time in the glass reveals more of the “buttery” nature of this rum and the sweeter notes come out more. Some fruity notes with a lot of red berries coming out now.

    Sipped again the ABV adds a lot more body and gives this a much more rummy experience than many 40% (and below) rums from this part of the world. It’s quite “meaty” and substantial.

    The initial sip is smoky with a fair hit of tobacco and cocoa. There is a good weight of spiciness to this rum. It reminds me a little of Flor de Cana in how barrel driven this spirit is. The time in the cask has really made its mark on this light column distillate.

    The mid palate has a slight licorice note to it alongside the spicy oak and dark chocolate notes. Coffee adds to the mix as does a burst of dark juicy fruit – raisin and some plums.

    There is a good deal of balance and complexity with this rum. It’s dry but has a light sweetness to it as well. I like the barrel influence and this is certainly one of the better rums from this part of the world. Which just shows what a difference additives are making to rum. Not for the good either.

    The finish is long and fades out nicely with notes of dark chocolate, oak spice and a slightly buttery/nutty note. The tobacco notes remain throughout this rum making it a bit of a “cigar rum”. That said unlike some Cuban rums for example the Tobacco is not overbearing.That Boutique-y Rum Company C.A.C.D Venezuela rum review by the fat rum pirate

    This is a rum which I think will grown on you. That’s not to say it isn’t very pleasant to begin with but its the type of rum you will come back to every now and again and really savour. It’s the type of rum to start the night with and maybe have one or two glasses. Best taken slowly in a comfy armchair.

    Looking back I have always had a bit of soft spot/guilty pleasure relationship with Venezuelan rum. I still enjoy Pampero and Cacique – I will often be found drinking Cacique when on holiday in Spain. I’ve never been quite so stuck on Diplomatico though. Santa Teresa 1796 is still a solid sipper as well, even with a touch of additives.

    I really enjoyed this. I think someone who likes Pampero Aniversario Exclusiva and wants to try something at a higher ABV (and more flavour) would really get a lot out of this bottling. As I think would any Flor de Cana fans.

    If all you can appreciate is Cask Strength Caroni and Double Strength DOK then avoid……..

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Chairman’s Reserve 2005 Vintage

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Chairman's Reserve 2005 Vintage Rum review by the fat rum pirateChairman’s Reserve 2005 Vintage. Chairman’s Reserve Finest Saint Lucia Rum has been available since 1999, long before I got into rum.

    It has even worked it’s way into UK supermarket shelves and has been stocked by Sainsbury’s for at least 7 or 8 years. It has certainly helped raise the profile of “Supermarket” rum.

    We’ve recently seen quite a lot of Chairman’s Reserve branded Single Cask rums being released by various different stores, Rum Clubs and even investment businesses. Saint Lucia Distillers in general have increased their overall portfolio considerably, especially here in Europe.

    They have added rums to all their “brands” such as Bounty, Admiral Rodney, 1931 and of course Chairman’s Reserve. So lets take a look at what they are offering us this time.

    Chairman’s Reserve 2005 Vintage is a 14 year old blend of rums from their John Dore 1 still and their traditional Column Coffey still. The rums were originally aged seperately for 4 years in ex-bourbon barrels. After this time they were “vatted” together and aged a further 10 years until 2019 when the contents were bottled.

    It has been bottled at 46% ABV, which may disappoint some, sorry correction this HAS disappointed some wanting Cask Strength rum. I am tasting from bottle number 132 of only 390. It is noted as being from Cask 7/10. Which I presume means their are 9 other similar casks to this rum floating about somewhere? Perhaps this was the only one that was bottled at 14 years. To be honest I’ve not asked anyone about it. So if anyone wants to shed more light please feel free.

    Despite the low out turn of bottles it is still available. You can pick a bottle up for £59.95 over at Master of Malt. It’s a shame no one told this guy who paid nearly double that at auction. This is something which seems to be happening rather a lot lately. People paying over the odds at auction for bottles they could have easily ordered online. Still a fool and his money are easily parted.

    Presentation wise the Chairman’s Reserve 2005 Vintage is similar to the Single Cask offerings that have been popping up everywhere in terms of colour scheme. However this has a gold band around the bottom noting 2005 Vintage rather than the Store or Club the rum was bought by. The cardboard box is also a full box rather than the cut out style used on the Single Cask bottlings. I guess this is Single Cask as well but I’m still not totally sure whether there are more 2005 VIntage’s around (from the remaining Chairman's Reserve 2005 Vintage Rum review by the fat rum piratecasks of the original 10).

    Other than that bottle is the traditional stubby Chairman’s bottle and you get a nice synthetic cork stopper. All very nice.

    In the glass we have a vibrant reddish/dark brown liquid.

    Nosing I am immediately taken back to my first experiences with Chairman’s Reserve. I remember my first nosing of Chairman’s and thinking “this is rum”. This has a similar balance to the standard Chairman’s in terms of the nose.

    There is a really nice vanilla sweetness, which is overlapped by some spicy and very nicely balanced oak notes. It’s woody but sweet with it and it’s very harmonious. Chairman’s Reserve 2005 Vintage is not as herbal as some of the Saint Lucia Distillers rums – such as the 1931 line up. It’s more a “straight forward” kind of delivery.

    That is not to say though that it doesn’t have a fair bit going on. It certainly does. As well as being reminded of Chairman’s Reserve “standard” edition I am also getting quite a lot of the Admiral Rodney style. Now Column Distilled rum can get a fair bit of flack and a lot of people (incorrectly) label and consider it to be “neutral” and of little merit. That is not the case when it is done well – and not done on a mass industrial multi column.

    Notes of leather, cocoa, some dark chocolate, pipe smoke and chewy toffee. A slight spicyness with a tiny hint of ginger and some fennel. Bit of stewed breakfast tea – bit of an almost Worthy Park vibe going on. Baked banana bread, stewed apple.

    It’s a lovely nose with most of the things I like – if not all.

    Sipped, it has a touch more bite than I was expecting. That isn’t a problem though it’s still quite soft and pretty easy to drink. The initial entry is a touch bitter with some spicy oak and ginger – a touch of lime zest and some chilli heat that never quite comes to the boil.

    Swirled in the mouth the mid palate develops into chocolate, toffee and some sweet vanilla. The balance and ease at which this can be drank is more than a little dangerous. It’s also very moreish.

    The finish is a good length and moves nicely into more spicy and oaky territory becoming woodier and more nuanced with some bitter cocoa notes – like chewing on cocoa nibs. There is a touch of red apple towards the finish as well which adds a little Chairman's Reserve 2005 Vintage Rum review by the fat rum piratesweetness and makes you reach for another glass.

    The key to this rum is that it hasn’t tried to hard. Some of Saint Lucia Distillers blends (particularly in the 1931 series) could get a little busy. This is a simple balancing act of quality Pot Still and Column Distilled rum. For me the very backbone of good rum making. No matter what any Cask Strength 100% Pot Still nutjob might think on that matter.

    I’m all for challenging rums but I also think we should appreciate when a Master Blender does exactly what his job title suggests. He certainly has here.

    Well played Mr Harris.

     

     

  • That Boutique-y Rum Company Haiti 17 Year Old

    Bythefatrumpirate

    That Boutique-y Rum Company Haiti 17 Year OldThat Boutique-y Rum Company Haiti 17 Year Old. This is the third release of Haitian rum from That Boutique-y Rum Company. Over the past few years the Haitian spirit scene has seen a bit growth and it has headed in a direction which few would have perhaps envisaged 10 years ago.

    Please note, I have stated the Haitian spirit scene rather than the “R(h)um” scene. This is because unlike some other commentators I won’t try and pigeon hole the (mostly) unaged cane spirit produced by so many small/micro distilleries as “rum”. For the very simple reason that those producing the spirit do not refer to it as rum. They call it “Clairin” (with variations on the spelling) so like “Cachaca” I will stick to calling it as it is. Rather than what might suit me or the western world.

    That said for todays review we are straying from “Clairin” and remaining very much in the r(h)um scene. Although this bottling isn’t noted as “Secret Distillery” the distillery is not disclosed. It hails from the largest r(h)um producing distillery on the island – Barbancourt.

    R(h)um Barbancourt is often noted as being a Rhum Agricole producer. However, they produce r(h)um from both cane juice and molasses. Barbancourt now produce rum on Column Stills only and no longer operate a Pot Still. There is some debate over how much cane juice and molasses based r(h)um they produce. I’m honestly not sure what the base of this r(h)um is.

    I do know however it was produced on a Column Still and aged for 6 years in Haiti before being moved to Europe (Liverpool), for a further 11 years ageing. It has been aged solely in French Oak Barrels. At release there are 385 50cl bottles available priced at £79.95 and bottled at 59.2% ABV.  This is That Boutique-y Rum Company’s third batch of Haitian rum. That is pretty much all I know about this bottling.

    Unfortunately Barbancourt’s output has been tricky to obtain over the past few years here in the UK. So I have only reviewed, the pretty excellent 8 Year and tried a (rather expensive) sample of their 15 Year Old in a Hotel Bar in London.

    For comparison when the 8 Year Old is available it was retailing at around the £30-35 mark and the 15 Year Old was around £50. If the UK does see a regular flow of these rums again I would expect prices to be near £40 and £60 respectively.

    So lets get on with the fun part.

    When I first tried Barbancourt I was intrigued by it. I was expecting something much more like a standard Rhum Agricole. I’ve always found it to be a sort of mix of rhum agricole and more regular molasses based rum.

    So the nose is quite sweet with some sugar cane notes but they aren’t hugely vegetal or grassy – they are sweet with notes of apricot and green apple. I find the nose quite cognac like. I do recall finding Barbancourt 8 Year to be very reminiscent of cognac.

    Comparisons have been made in the past by various commentators.

    Further nosing reveals pineapple, mango and some lovely fresh vanilla notes. Some light delicate spices and a kind of eucalyptus like note herbal note. Not dis-similar to Saint Lucian rum.

    It’s a really nice vibrant, fruity nose. It’s quite light overall but this type of rum is not here to blow your socks off. At 59.2% ABV its quite punchy but don’t feel you shouldn’t add a drop or two of water if it suits your palate.

    On the sip it’s initially quite spicy and the ABV does deliver a certain amount of heat (which I like). There is a touch of varnish/furniture polish which adds a bit of extra omph to preceedings.

    Further sips see this subside and we start to get more of the lovely complex fruitiness and baking spices coming through. More vanilla, pineapple and some apricot come through alongside a herbal/grassy note which adds another layer of interest.

    This is a very interesting r(h)um. Regardless of the base material we have a really interesting and very tasty spirit.

    With the lack of availability of official Barbancourt, this really release really does offer a good insight into the type of r(h)um they produce. There are only a few producers out That Boutique-y Rum Company Haiti 17 Year Old rum review by the fat rum piratethere, that have their own style that no-one else seems to have copied – Saint Lucia Distillers are one that comes immediately to mind. They have a very unique style of r(h)um which straddles the divide between Cane Juice and Molasses based distillate.

    The finish is a good length as well and it has a nice frutiness to it. Which works nicely alongside the spicy notes and the rich warming oak. It fades out gently with a herbal note which is very pleasant and a nice ending to an enjoyable tot.

    All in all this is a very solid offering – I don’t think I’ve enjoyed it quite as much as Barbancourt 5 Star but that sets the bar very high in my opinion.

     

     

  • Black Tears Spiced Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Black Tears Spiced Rum review by the fat rum pirateBlack Tears Spiced Rum. This is quite a unique spirit. It notes that this is the first Dry Cuban Spiced rum on the market. Now currently in Cuba the legislation around rum production allows for 20g/L of sugar. Any rum which exceeds that amount is noted as an Elixir – such as Legendario Elixir de Cuba.

    As a result “Spiced Rum” in name at least, is not really a thing in Cuba. However this Spiced Rum adds a further twist in that it contains less than 20g/L of sugar. So it is being labelled as a Dry Spiced Rum.

    Black Tears Spiced Rum starts with a base of column distilled rum aged for a minimum of 2 years as per Cuban Law. Any younger and it is Aguardente de Cana.

    This base rum is noted on the bottom of the label as being Ron Vigia, which is produced at the same distillery as Ron Mulata. Namely Heriberto Duquesne, which is located in the central region of Cuba at Villa Clara. It is owned by the Cuban Ministry of Sugar. Black Tears Spiced Rum has been over 10 years in development. The Cubans have very tight controls over export of their rums and persuading them to allow a Dry Spiced Rum to be produced took time. The rum has also been re-formulated numerous times to get it just right.

    Black Tears Spiced Rum takes its name from a traditional Cuban song “Lagrimas Negras” (Black Tears) which was written by Miguel Matamoras way back in 1929. It is still very popular in Cuba.

    The spices in this rum are provided via an infusion of Cocoa, Coffee and Aji Dulce (a Sweet Chilli Pepper used in Cuban Cuisine). There is no additional sugar or other additives. The entire contents of this bottling is produced in Cuba. The rear label indicates some Caramel Colouring.

    Black Tears Spiced Rum is exported from Cuba via the Island Rum Company. If you look at the companies website then you will see this has quite extensive distribution around the world. In the UK distribution is handled by Skylark Spirits. They have deployed Peter Thornton formerly of Cellar Trends and Pusser’s Rum as their UK Brand Ambassador. I  asked Peter for some more information on The Island Rum Co. and he kindly provided the following

    “The Island Rum Co. (TIRC) is made up of 2 parties. 1 half is a Cuban called Enrique who comes fromBlack Tears Spiced Rum review by the fat rum pirate a strong lineage of rum producers. His family lost everything post revolution and he has worked to rebuild what they had. He is partnered by two Norwegian Entrepreneurs. The 2nd half is the Cuban Government. The official partnership is the

    first of its kind since that of Havana Club. This is a proper 50/50 partnership NOT just a distribution deal. TIRC own a sugar mill, a distillery and two ageing houses plus over 7,300 barrels of aged/ ageing rum! The parent brand is Vigia one of Cuba’s most respected rum brands.”

    In the UK Black Tears Spiced Rum retails at around £35 which is pretty much the going rate now for “Premium” Spiced Rum. Currently you can find it for £30 at Drinks Supermarket and on Amazon direct from Skylark Spirits. It is also stocked by most other drinks retailers but these are the best in terms of price at the moment.

    The Island Rum Co. (TIRC) is made up of 2 parties. 1 half is a Cuban called Enrique who comes from a strong lineage of rum producers. His family lost everything post revolution and he has worked to rebuild what they had. He is partnered by two Norwegian Entrepreneurs. The 2nd half is the Cuban Government. The official partnership is the first of its kind since that of Havana Club. This is a proper 50/50 partnership NOT just a distribution deal. TIRC own a sugar mill, a distillery and two ageing houses plus over 7,300 barrels of aged/ ageing rum! The parent brand is Vigia one of Cuba’s most respected rum brands.

    Presentation wise Black Tears Spiced Rum come in a tall bar style bottle. It is squared off though rather than rounded. Towards the top of the neck the Black Tears logo has been embossed into the bottle. It also has Island Rum Co. and Lagrimas Negras down alternate sides of the bottle.

    It’s sleek and modern and very eye catching. It is sure to catch the eye of any Kraken “enthusiast”. It is bottled also at 40% ABV. Many Spiced Rums are now labelled as Spirit Drink as they fail to even reach the 37.5% ABV required by EU law to be labelled as a rum.

    I don’t think there is much else to add so we may as well take a look at this rum. Firstly I’m going to see how “Dry” this rum is via a Hydrometer Test. Sugar and additives etc are not usually something I worry about in Spiced Rum. It’s kind of likeBlack Tears Spiced Rum review by the fat rum pirate worrying about calories in a Donner Kebab. You know they are there! You’re not eating it to be healthy.

    The Hydrometer bobbed between 37-38% ABV so I’ve taken a reading of 10g/L. This is pretty low for a Spiced Rum.

    In the glass Black Tears Spiced Rum is slightly lighter than in the bottle. It is a dark brown colour with a slightly reddish hue running through it. Chestnut some might describe it as.

    Nosed you intially get a slightly unusual sweet peppery aroma. This is backed up by wafts of dark chocolate and some slightly bitter cocoa. It certainly delivers the promised spices immediately on the nose.

    Further nosing reveals some of the base rums character. You do actually get a good weight of booze and some mineral like aromas. Aromas, which remind me a little of young Cuban white rums. In particular Ron Varadero white rum. Sweet slightly young alcohol.

    Sipped, this is a lot better than most Spiced Rums. It does however still hold quite a lot of the heat from the rum though. I quite like this. If you are going to drink this neat then I would suggest taking it with some ice. This will temper the alcohol a little and allow you to appreciate the spices.

    Like this it works really nicely. It’s a great dessert rum (and has a lot less additives than the likes of Diplomatico Reserva and Zacapa XO) a nice glass of this after a meal or after a few Cask Strength sips is a very pleasant way to experience Black Tears Spiced Rum. If you’ve been on the Cask Strength stuff you probably won’t need the ice.

    If you can get used to this as a sipper on it’s own then you will be pleasantly surprised by the finish which is long and the spicy sweet pepper really stands out with the coffee and cocoa taking a back seat. For a Spiced Rum it has a fair amount of complexity.

    On the rear label of Black Tears Spiced Rum it notes that the rum can be enjoyed in a Dark ‘N Stormy (Gosling’s might come a calling for that one) or a Cuba Libre. As a simple Cuba Libre Black Tears offers something very different. If you like spicy food, dark chocolate and coffee – then this is the spiced rum for you.

    Black Tears Spiced Rum review by the fat rum pirateAll the spices cut through the cola giving a really nice flavour profile. No one spice dominates with all of them playing their part in the drink. Likewise with a Dark and Stormy Black Tears stands up to the Ginger Beer to give a really flavourful twist to the drink. I really like the taste of cocoa nibs and the lovely coffee flavour and aroma. The kick of sweet chilli is really nice and warming as well.

    This spiced rum is a million miles from your Captain Morgan’s Spiced and Old J Spiced Rum

    It is much more of a flavoured or infused rum than the artificial vanilla and ginger nonsense that proliferates the market. Even if you are a raging Cask Strength enthusiast this makes for a nice light change of pace from that.