Another offering from Florent Beuchart’s Compagnie de Indes.  This time we are in familiar territory for site as we look at another bottling from St Lucia.

CDI have been gaining a good reputation over the past couple of years.  Stand out packaging – complete with a lot of information, that their target audience will want. Some clever marketing ploys with a few amusingly named/presented blended rums such as Boulet de Canon and the Oktoberfest rum released in Germany.

There are very few (if any) Independent bottlers that can put out stellar top of the range rum every single time.  With Independent bottlings being more pricey it can seem like a bit of a leap of faith sometimes when you decide to buy these more “niche” products.  I’ve covered this in article on Independent bottlings in the past.

A few bottles of this made their way to the UK in early 2016.  At around £70 this is not a cheap bottling.  It is bottled at 43% ABV and 296 bottles were produced.  This information is all from the front label.

Further research (Rum Diaries Blog cheers Steve) reveals that this rum was aged for around 5 years in the tropics with the remainder in Europe..  It is also noted that as this was distilled back in 2002 it will come from the original John Dore Pot Still at St Lucia Distillers.  This is a 100% Pot Still rum.

In the glass the rum is a nice gold/straw colour consistent with the age and I would suggest that it has not had any colouring added to it.

The nose is unmistakable St Lucian.  Anyone familiar with Chairman’s Reserve or any of the 1931 releases will immediately note this.  For those more familiar with Admiral Rodney from SLD maybe less so.  Admiral Rodney is a column distilled product and is much “easier” and lighter on the nose.

It is very medicinal, herby with an almost salty brine like note.  It is however quite fresh – pine cones and freshly cut grass.  For someone like me who really appreciates this style of rum it is intriguing and welcoming.  Those more familiar with sugar bombs may find it a little to challenging.  There is a slight sweetness lurking in the nose which you may miss on the first couple of “noses”.

Sipping the rum it is very fresh tasting.  It’s clean and medicinal but it’s very bright and to be honest a little lighter than I was expecting.

It is full flavoured – it won’t be for everyone.  As well as the St Lucian rums I have tried it also reminds me of the 8 Year Old Fiji bottling by BBR.  I appreciated that rum more than I actually enjoyed it.  

Even at 43% ABV this is a full on rum.  I certainly get no sense of it being watered down (unike CDI’s Port Mourant).  This is a big bold rum that you really do have to sip to enjoy it.  To big a mouthful and it all becomes a little overwhelming for the senses.

This rum is salty, sappy, medicinal but I find it to be very “minty” fresh.  Which is something I have noted before with St Lucia rums.  The freshness is actually just turned up a little too much with this one.  It’s not greatly balanced. 

I dare say if you were looking at releasing commercially then the master blender would probably introduce some column distilled rum as well to give it a little more balance. Like the Berrys’ Fiji 8 Year Old or the Habitation Velier White Port Mourant this has been more an interesting experience into a wholly Pot Stilled John Dore St Lucia rum – rather than a truly memorable sipping experience.

This is well made “real” unadulterated rum.  I probably enjoy it more than most will as I really like this style and even I don’t think its brilliant.

Something I’ll probably just have an odd drop of every now and again.  Maybe when I’m feeling a bit macho.

Good but not quite great sadly