Companheira Extra Premium Carvalho

Bythefatrumpirate

Companheira Extra Premium Carvalho cachaca review by the fat rum pirateCompanheira Extra Premium Carvalho. This is the third cachaca from Companheira that I have reviewed. Confusingly, one of those cachaca’s was also called Companheira Extra Premium minus the Carvalho part. However, it is also aged in Carvalho (oak).

The difference between the two products seems to be a simple case of age. So although both are noted as “Extra Premium” (a nonsense in itself) this one has been aged in oak barrels for 4 years as opposed to 8 years for the Extra Premium. How this makes them both “Extra Premium” is beyond me.

Companheira (Companion in English) Extra Premium Carvalho is produced in Jandaia do Sul, Parana state. Which is not overly famous for its cachaca production.

Companheira was founded by Natanael Carli Bonicontro, who became interested in cachaca production whilst studying at University. He was given the opportunity of producing a cachaca as part of a Biochemical Engineering class! Sounds a lot more fun than the science lessons I remember from school……..

In 1994 Natanael began designing and building his own sugar mill, which he planned to use exclusively to produce Companheira Cachaca. He chose to name the cachaca Companheira, in reference to the Joao-de-Barro bird which spends its entire life with a single companion.

Companheira Extra Premium Carvalho is produced from hand harvested sugar cane from the estate where the distillery and sugar mill are situated in the Ivai River Valley. The sugar cane is harvested during the winter and they use a strain of sugar cane with a high sugar content.

The cachaca is distilled in Copper Alembic Pot Stills and then aged for 4 years in Carvalho (oak) casks. More accurately American oak barrels, so most likely ex-bourbon or whiskey barrels. It is noted it is then “finished” in “first use” French oak barrels.

Companheira Extra Premium Carvalho cachaca review by the fat rum pirateCompanheira Extra Premium Carvalho comes in a variety of bottle sizes and I’ve also noted two different designs which appear to still be for sale in Brasil. The bottle design has been changed this year. It is the one at the top of this review. The “full size” bottle of Companheira Extra Premium Carvalho is 670ml and retails at around R$110 (which works out at about £14). It is bottled at 40% ABV.

Much like it’s older brother it comes in a tapered bottle which becomes thinner towards the top. It appears a little taller than the Companheira Extra Premium. There is no presentation box with this cachaca and it is topped with a cork stopper, not a screw cap. Presentation wise it is quite modern and would certainly not unusual or out of place in amongst premium rums. A 500ml version (pictured at the bottom of this review) is also available.

For further information they have their own website.

Now I really enjoyed the Companheira Extra Premium Carvalho, so I’m hoping this younger version is enjoyable as well.

So let’s crack on then and see how this little taste of Brasil goes down….

On the nose Companheira Extra Premium Carvalho is surprisingly fruity, with some strong notes of white grapes and exotic fruits – lychees, passion fruit and a touch of guava.  Further nosing reveals some buttery notes, a nice waft of vanilla and some very gentle oak spices.

It’s a very pleasant nose with a slightly perfumed note to it as well. Very nicely balanced.

Sipped, it is woodier than the nose suggests. It is also a little more substantial. It’s quite a wood driven spirit but its not over the top in terms of the oak influence. In many ways it’s quite rum like. Quite molasses rum like as well, surprisingly.

So the initial sip is quite spicy with notes of vanilla, bourbon-esque notes, cocoa nibs and a kick of ginger. Further sips reveal a cognac like fruity note – white grapes and a touch of pear.

In terms of the mid palate Companheira Extra Premium Carvalho, develops into a very nicely balanced mix of dark chocolate, vanilla, oak spices and a touch of barrel char.

It’s really nicely balanced throughout the sip and I do not feel the need to mix this. It’s the kind of cachaca I do not feel will really benefit from doing so with. Yes I’m sure it would work well but I think you’d certainly lose some of the subtler spices and complex notes in this spirit.

Companheira Extra Premium Carvalho cachaca review by the fat rum pirateFinish wise, is perhaps where Companheira Extra Premium Carvalho shows its age. It may also be a combination of the pedestrian 40% ABV. It seems to fade out a little quicker than I had anticipated. The initial entry is great. The mid palate builds nicely and the finish is pleasant enough. However despite a reasonable amount of oak and spice, it just seems to disappear a little too quickly.

That said though, this is a more than decent cachaca. Certainly a good reference point to the Companheira Extra Premium.

 

 

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  • Hampden Estate Overproof Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Hampden Estate Overproof Rum Review by the fat rum pirateHampden Estate Overproof Rum. Rum enthusiasts should need little introduction to the Jamaican Rum Funk that is delivered by Hampden Estate, Trelawny, Jamaica. For many years now those “in the know” have been seeking out Independently bottled Hampden rum.

    So why have enthusiasts been seeking out Independent bottlings you may ask? Why don’t they support the distillery and buy their own bottlings? Well let’s first take a look at exactly what this Hampden Estate Overproof Rum actually is.

    Hampden Estate Overproof Rum is the first aged rum to be released directly by Hampden Estate. Until the release of this and the “standard” strength bottling in 2018 Hampden Estate had not released an aged Hampden rum. Their only widely available current bottlings are Hampden Rum Fire. Which is an unaged white overproof and Rum Fire Gold. Which is the same unaged rum diluted down to 40% ABV and a drop of caramel colouring to make it “Gold”.

    As you may not from some of the photos, I was fortunate enough to be invited to the Launch Dinner of these Hampden releases, at the Four Seasons Hotel in London. The dinner was hosted by Luca Gargano and La Maison du Whisky. They are working together on distributing the rums in Europe and beyond. Andrew Hussey and Christelle Harris of Hampden Estate were also in attendance. Both were very passionate and humble at the same time, about their rums. A joy to meet and chat with.

    At the event I was in familiar company in the shape of some of my fellow rum writers and bloggers. It was a real honour to be in attendance and I had to pinch myself a couple of times. At the event, we learnt that these Hampden bottlings are the first aged rums to be released by Hampden Estate. We were also taken through the “Rum Tasting of the Century” which was a real event in itself. But that is perhaps for another day….

    Hampden Estate Overproof Rum as I understand it (please anyone with more information correct me if I am wrong) is going to be an ongoing release. Think like R L Seale’s 10 Year Old or Havana Club 7. This and the standard bottling will always be available.

    As a result this Hampden Estate Overproof Rum Review by the fat rum pirateis not a single cask rum or a rum which Hampden Estate will struggle to replicate. The current vintages are a blend of rums from 2010. Obviously as time goes on this will move but the flavour profile identified by Vivian Wisdom Master Distiller at Hampden Estate will remain the same/similar. All the rum in the blend is Pot Still distillate. The rums were aged for almost 8 years entirely in Trelawny, Jamaica. They estimate on the rear of the bottle that this is equivalent of 25 years European ageing. Please note this is not scientific. The Overproof rum is presented at 60% ABV.

    In the UK Hampden Estate Overproof will set you back £80. Enthusiasts have been waiting for the Caribbean distilleries to really start pushing their own products. The past few years have since the likes of Saint Lucia Distillers, Worthy Park and Foursquare really push their own brand products. With a lot of success as well I must add!

    Presentation wise the Velier influence is noticeable. They are using the same bottlings you will find Velier Caroni and Demerara housed in. The labels are a little more colourful and they are much less “clinical” than the Habitation Velier releases. More colourful but equally informative. The front and rear label tell you all about Hampden Estate’s/Trelawny’s rich history and give you some details about the contents in the botte.

    In the glass Hampden Estate Overproof is a golden to dark brown colour.

    The first thing I notice about the nose on this, is that it is much less funky than some of the European Aged Hampden’s. I’m getting a lot more oak and woody notes. I’m thinking of Worthy Park rather than Long Pond level funk. Milk chocolate, cocoa, a touch of caramel and some sweet milky tea.

    Further nosing reveals some over brewed tea, bananas and towards the end a slightly sharp almost petrol like note. A note like escaped gas – no not a fart more when the hob doesn’t light and the gas is released. Hampden Estate Overproof Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    As the rum is not over the top funky it is actually very pleasant and very easy-going on the nose. Which has led me to spend more time than usual nosing this particular rum. Another further nosing reveals some pineapple juice and a touch of red berries.

    Moving onto the sip at the full 60% ABV. This is much more funky than the nose had suggested. It’s not massively funky but it’s very certainly a Jamaican rum and it’s still quite a bit more “dunder” heavy than the likes of Appleton Signature.

    The tropical ageing is again very evident – quite a lot of oak but it is complimented by a really nice weight of flavourful spicy notes – ginger, cinnamon and a little bit of tree bark.

    The mid palate is dominated by some slightly bitter banana and some slightly waxy pineapple notes. Once again I’m getting that over stewed breakfast tea note which is taking me into Worthy Park like territory.

    Certainly the Tropical Ageing and the blend of rums used (again correct me if I am wrong on this) seem to give this rum quite a different character to the European aged Hampden’s.

    The finish is really nice and warming. Again with some really nice oak aged notes and a really nice balance. Even at the full 60% ABV. This is quite a savoury tasting rum. There are some fruity notes, which balance it out and stop it becoming overly bitter or whisky like. They never take over the way they often do with other Hampden rums though. The finish has a really nice length – as you might expect from an overproof.

    If you can handle this rum at the full 60% ABV but I found a drop or two of water opened it up a bit more. It’s very drinkable even at 60% ABV but it is not diminished by a few drops of water in any way.

    I don’t think this is a huge ester heavy rum. It is certainly not in the league of some of the Hampden bottlings I have tried lately from Indie bottlers. You can’t smell this in the next room. But it is still a funky Jamaican rum. We haven’t lost the funk down to Plantation’s Xaymaca levels.

    If you like Worthy PaHampden Estate Overproof Rum Review by the fat rum piraterk rums and the older Appleton Rums. The 12 but the 21 in particular. Then I think you will get a lot of enjoyment out of this. If you are after some insane ester heavy bruiser then give this a swerve. But please re-consider at a later date.

    Hampden Estate Overproof is a really well-balanced, beautifully put together rum. At 60% ABV it should satisfy anyone’s desire for “Cask Strength” rum. Also at £80 it is priced competitively alongside the Indie bottlings. I would certainly recommend picking up a bottle of this, instead of perhaps chucking £150 at a 20 year plus independent bottling.

    It makes a belting rum and coke as well……….

     

     

     

     

     

  • Dead Reckoning T.C.B.

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Dead Reckoning T.C.B. Rum review by the fat rum pirateDead Reckoning T.C.B. Another release from Australian Indie bottlers Dead Reckoning. This time we have a Three Continent Blend (T.C.B.) rather than a rum from a single distillery or even rums from the same Continent.

    In this particularly bottling we have rums from South America, Asia and Africa. So three different continents. The rums are sourced from Guyana (South America), Vietnam (Asia) and finally South Africa (Africa).

    The Guyanese rum is a blend of rums from Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) and makes up 8% of the total blend. The rums are from the Port Mourant Double Wooden Pot Still, the Versailles Single Wooden Pot Still and the Enmore Wooden Coffey Still.

    The Vietnamese rum comes from Distillerie d’Indochine home of Sampan rum and makes up 36% of the overall blend. This is (or was when Justin acquired it) unaged column distilled Cane Juice rum.

    South Africa is represented by Mhoba Rum. This is also a Cane Juice rum but this is Pot Distilled.

    It is noted on the bottle that Dead Reckoning T.C.B. has been aged (on average) for 2-5 years in the tropics with a further 18 months maturation in Australia. Due to the 0% humidity where Justin ages his rum losses to evaporation stood at a staggering 27% in just 18 months!

    Dead Reckoning T.C.B. comes in the now familiar 3/4 rounded stubby bottle with a nice chunky stopper and maximum information on the bottle. With no marketing waffle. It is bottled at a beefy 50.3% ABV and has no additives or colourings. This release was only available in Australia via The Rum Tribe and is now sold out. It was a release of just 185 bottles retailing at $139.

    I’m reviewing this as its a really interesting rum and one I wanted to share my thoughts on. If you can find a bottle at auction or the secondary market. Then this review might help you decide whether you want to bid on it.Dead Reckoning T.C.B. Rum review by the fat rum pirate

     

    You can read more of Justin’s thoughts on this blend and its make up over at The Rum Tribe. It’s really worth a read. I was going to include some excerpts here but felt its best read in full.

    So lets see how this one goes down.

    In the glass we are presented with a medium golden brown rum. It’s a little “dull” I guess and a touch cloudy but nothing for us to be worrying about. I’m not even sure why I still mention colour – its pretty meaningless after all. Anyway I digress….

    On the nose it is very vibrant and fruity. Sweet but not sweetened. I’m getting notes of Peach, Strawberry and hints of Fruit Salad sweets (UK chewy confectionary for those who don’t know – nice but superseded by their stable mate the Black Jack). Notes of tangerine and mandarin, some Pear Drops.

    Beneath this and with further nosing you get more of the Guyana influence. It’s quite an oily almost Caroni like note – petrol and a touch of something slightly rubbery/plastic. Bit of burnt tyres.

    This is rounded of by some more familiar oaky bourbon notes. Overall the nose is very enjoyable and pretty complex.

    I was expecting a more grassy and vegetal experience to be honest. I’m wondering if the Guyana element albeit in small, is playing those elements down a little.

    On the first sip I immediately get a little more of the cane juice elements. With the Mhoba influence being felt quite strongly. There’s a nice clean grassiness mingling alongside some light tar and some salty notes. Theres a bit of “dirtiness” or menace about this rum – which I like. It’s a big blend of rums and its not afraid to show its teeth.

    Further sips reveal some sweetness with green apples and peaches putting in another appearance.

    Theres a lot going on and I’m getting some liquorice and a touch of menthol as we move down into the mid palate. Some nice oak notes and some black tea also put in an appearance.Dead Reckoning T.C.B. Rum review by the fat rum pirate

    Finish wise it is long and as complex as the rest of the rum. It has a nice burn to it and a good length which keeps on giving up more tarry and briny notes alongside the oak. The lighter fruitier notes fade out on the finish leading a smoky, tarry ending. Bit of shoe leather and some burnt tyres again.

    All in all this is a good blend and very interesting. I’m pleased I got a chance to try ut out! Have plenty more coming from Dead Reckoning as well!

     

     

     

     

  • Dose Classica Serie Ouro

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Dose Classica Serie Ouro Cachaca Rum review by the fat rum pirateDose Classica Serie Ouro. This is a relatively new cachaça brand which was formed in 2002 by Ralphe Ferreira Jr, who was inspired by his grandfather’s love of Cachaca.

    Dose Classica simply translates as “The Classic Dose”. In this instance I do not think the producers are referring to the type of “dose” or “dosage” that some corners of the rum world like to refer to.

    Classica Distillery is situated in Aracruz, Espirito Santo State. Espirito Santo borders the much bigger Minas Gerais state, which is famed for its cachaça. Hopefully the near neighbour state has picked up a few hints. The land where the sugar cane is grown is fertilised, with the remains of sugar cane in the form of bagasse and vinhoto.

    Once harvested the sugar cane is fermented with Dose Classica’s three unique yeast strains – which they are very proud of. They believe this helps set their cachaça apart.

    Dose Classica is then distilled in small batches, in Copper Pot Stills. As well as this Serie Ouro,  Dose Classica have a series of other cachaca’s. A Cristal (White), an Ebano (Scotch Whisky Barrel) as well as Mint, Coconut and Vanilla flavoured cachaças.

    Dose Classica Serie Ouro is matured in Castanheira (Chestnut Tree) casks for two years. It is bottled at 40% ABV and a 700ml bottle will set you back around R$75 – around £16. Were this to come to Europe I would expect a price tag of around €/£30-35.

    Dose Classica Serie Ouro comes in a tall bar style bottle albeit it for the short neck. It has a fairly simple front label with minimal information on the Cachaca – really just the name, bottle size and ABV. The logo and typeface are fairly modern but if this were to occupy shelf space in Europe it might need a bit of an upgrade bearing in mind I couldn’t see it selling in the £15-25 price bracket, which this presentation kind of suggests.Dose Classica Serie Ouro Cachaca Rum review by the fat rum pirate

    Still we know better to judge a cachaça (or rum) by presentation alone. Likewise, when I pour Dose Classica Serie Ouro in my glass, I am not discouraged by its straw to white wine colour.

    I’ve been unable to find out how long the Serie Ouro is aged in Chestnut wood for but I’m guessing not all that long!

    The nose is initially quite heavy on the alcohol. Not a problem for me to be honest I quite like a bit of a kick, especially with something of a lower ABV. Further nosing reveals some spicy oak like notes – quite woody with notes of ginger and a touch of cinnamon.

    There is a slightly soapy note – but not as pronounced as some cachacas. Roasted hazelnuts and peanuts give this cachaça a sweeter profile on the nose. A nice balance is afforded by some vanilla notes and a light dusting of icing sugar.

    Sipped – this is quite a new experience for me. The wood gives a quite spicy note on the palate – lots of ginger and some slight bitterness. Almost like gnawing on a little bit tree bark. Not something I have done since childhood – and I didn’t do too often then.

    The slight bitterness gives way to some vanilla and some gingerbread. Some dark chocolate and indeed a touch of Brasil Nut believe it or not.

    There is a slight acidity to this – just to let you know it is a cane juice distillate. Some notes of sugar cane do shine through but overall its pretty nicely balanced and easy to sip.Dose Classica Serie Ouro Cachaca Rum review by the fat rum pirate

    The finish whilst not exceptionally long sticks around long enough and gives a nice balance of spicy oak and some mild sweetness – vanilla and some light toffee.

    As a mixer it makes some pretty good mixed drinks such as a Caiprinha. It even stands up nicely with a little cola as the woody profile smooths out nicely but gives a nice bite to the drink at the same time.

    This is a tasty, nicely balanced cachaça. Only two years old – so it commendable how palatable it is as a sipper. It’s not the greatest or the most complex cachaça I have tried so far. Nor is it the most expensive.

    A decent all round “gold” cachaça.

     

  • Dead Reckoning Rum HMS Antelope

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Dead Reckoning Rum HMS Antelope Rum Review by the fat rum pirateDead Reckoning Rum HMS Antelope. This is the third release of Dead Reckoning Rum” from Australian Rum Enthusiast and Importer Justin Boseley who heads up La Rumbla Imports over in his native Australia.

    Not content with bringing the likes of Mezan, Mhoba, Privateer and Sampan to Australian shores, Justin has also set up his own rum brand in the shape of Dead Reckoning Rum.

    At present their rums are really only available in Australia. In fact I’m not entirely sure even if you are in Australia, if you will find much of the first two Dead Reckoning Rum releases. Both were limited editions. The releases up to now at least are “single batch” rather than continuous ongoing expressions.

    With this release their is arguably scope to produce a more continuous product but as it stands this HMS Antelope is also a Limited Edition. As you can see from the photo there are 705 bottles in this release. My bottle is number 403

    Which tells you its not a Single Cask Rum – it’s actually a blend of rums. More specifically its aimed at being a Navy Blend of Rums. It’s very much paying homage to Justin’s Grandpa Sidney Bosley, who was born in Kent, England and took part in World War 2. He was onboard the HMS Antelope as a sailor. For more information on the HMS Antelope take a look on Wikipedia.

    So that’s the reason for the name but what about the juice in the bottle? Well it’s a blend of rums from ex-British colonies. So the usual suspects are to be found.

    So we have rum from Jamaica, Guyana, Trinidad and Barbados. There is a slight curveball, though not an entirely unexpected one – in that we have some rum from Queensland, Australia in the blend. It has been documented that Australian rum was historically used in some rum supplied to the Royal British Navy but it is not the first Port of Call many people would think of.

    I don’t know the exact ratios of the blend, Dead Reckoning have not went all Black Tot on us and given us every tiny detail of the blend. So we have in the blend as follows

    4 Year Old Pot Still rum from Australia. The distillery isn’t disclosed by Dead Reckoning but I will take and educated guess and say its Beenleigh Distillery.

    3-5 Year Old Column Still rum from Angostura, Trinidad.

    3 Year Old Pot Still Rum from Worthy Park, Jamaica.

    2 to 5 Year Old Pot/Column Still Rum from Diamond Distillery, Guyana.

    and finally

    2-5 Year Old Pot/Column Still Rum from Foursquare, Barbados.

    So taking all things into consideration we are looking at a rum with an average age of around 3-4 years depending on the ratios etc. We aren’t talking a really long aged rum blend.

    Price wise and Australia is possibly even more expensive for spirits than the UK this retails at around the $150 Australian Dollars mark. Which is a shade under £/€80 for those in the UK and Europe. It has been bottled at 55% ABV, which also plays a part in the price. Like the UK tax varies dependant on certain ABV thresholds. I’m not going to claim to be an expert on alcohol prices/taxation in Australia. If you wish to make some kind of comparison to get a feel for the price Pusser’s Gunpowder Proof rum is $99 from La Rumbla Imports. If we say Pusser’s is £35 in the UK then Dead Reckoning Rum HMS Antelope is around £52.50. (Not that we would EVER get it over here at that price!)

    I do know from personal experience it was pretty expensive to drink when I was over there over 10 years ago. Not so much in the bars but certainly in terms of picking up something to drink in the hotel room – you weren’t saving much at all. That said I didn’t have a car when I was over there so never really ventured into a Supermarket. My options were mostly limited to the “onsite” bottle shops attached to most bars in Sydney and Cairns. So this might also have played a part in the prices I encountered. Anyway I digress…..

    Back to the review. Dead Reckoning Rum HMS Antelope comes in a rounded stubby Dead Reckoning Rum HMS Antelope Rum Review by the fat rum piratestyle bottle. The seal on the lid has some wax over it. Whenever I get wax on my lid (ooooooh Matron!) I expect a cork stopper. Apart from when I buy miniatures from Master of Malt. So I was a little surprised to find (after looking for a “string pull”) that their was no cork just a black plastic screw cap. The bottle has a nice heavy base and the package is nicely put together.

    That said its good quality its not a metal screw cap and the “threading” is on the glass bottle. So its very secure and should keep your rum nice and fresh. I rarely have a problem with this myself as it never usually lasts long enough to get tainted etc.

    As far as the label goes the front label gives us all the relevant information on the make up of the rum and the label goes right around the bottle giving more background about HMS Antelope and Sidney Bosely.

    I’ve written nearly 900 words already! So I best get on with the tasting and nosing before this turns into War and Peace.

    In the glass Dead Reckoning Rum HMS Antelope is a golden brown. The rear label also points out that it is has not been sweetened or coloured and it is (I always hear Ralfy’s voice when I read this) non-chill filtered.

    I think the sweetening of rum continues to be a big talking point in the rum world. I know Justin like myself is pretty much against it. Now whilst some people get their knickers in a twist over colouring – I tend not to get as upset about that. Chill Filtration – the process does sound like it would take way some of the flavour of the rum so it’s re-assuring to see that has not been carried out as well.

    The nose delivers a lovely fruity sweetness – Apricots/Peaches, nice fruity raisins and some coconut milk. I’m also getting a milky chocolate Worthy Park like note coming through. There’s some Pineapple juice and a nice hit of Jamaican “funk”.

    There is also a good weight of spice with some ginger and a touch of nutmeg. I’m getting some nice oak notes but they are quite light and almost fruity rather than very woody.

    At 55% ABV the nose is surprisingly approachable, even as the first drink of the day. It has a oily/mucky kind of vibe to it as well. I’m not quite sure which of the rums give it this but I often find this with younger Demerara. There’s a kind of young Versailles Still “menace” going on in this blend. There is something a little “sharp” about the rum which I rather like. I don’t like my rum like sugary water…….

    More time in the glass seems to make the nose sweeter. I’m now getting an almost candied Strawberry note and a big dollop of Cornish Vanilla Ice Cream.

    As you can see from the notes – there is a lot going on with this nose and I have to say I’m more than enjoying just nosing this for now.

    Needs must though and I must get this review completed. So I guess I best take one for the team and give this Navy Blend a sip or two.

    A sip of Dead Reckoning Rum HMS Antelope is certainly not a disappointment. It delivers a lot of complexity. It’s quite dry – the Demerara rum is not the dominant player in this Navy Rum.

    There is an initial sweetness on the sip – touch of icing sugar. However, this quickly moves into a richer, slightly savoury in some ways delivery. I’m getting more of the spices and definitely more oak. It’s quite “peppery” and the ABV does show itself more than on the nose. It’s hairs on the chest kind of rum. You could imagine sailors drinking something quite similar to this.

    The mid palate evolves and some of the sweetness returns – dark chocolate, milky slighty bitter tea, some stewed fruits, maybe a touch of marmalade and orange zest?

    I think the Pot Still Rum from Beenleigh delivers quite a lot of the “oomph” in this blend. It has an almost whisky like kick which gives it a touch of something a bit more malty which seems to meld nicely with the funkier Jamaican Pineapple and Mango notes (?). It reminds me a little of The Duchess Beenleigh release I reviewed last year.

    The Angostura and Foursquare elements of this rum are probably supplying the more subtle notes and some of the fruitier elements. Adding a little sweetness to the blend.

    Finish wise it has a surprisingly good length to it. The ABV obviously helps with this but you aren’t just left with a boozy blast. It has an almost medicinal and slightly tannic finish with lots of cocoa and some cough medicine like notes. The Jamaican and possibly the Beenleigh rum return in the shape of some funky notes of Pineapple, mango and some guava.

    It’s a really interesting rum in that time taken between sips – really seems to make a difference to the profile. If you take a couple of quick sips the overaDead Reckoning Rum HMS Antelope Rum Review by the fat rum piratell profile remains quite fruity. More time in between and your palate seems to pick up more of the complexities.

    I think from the notes (and the size of this review) that it is pretty obvious that I have enjoyed this rum – a lot. In a blind tasting I would have put this as being at least twice its average age. It drinks very much like something aged for at least 8 years.

    Hats of to Justin on the blend as this is a pretty awesome assembly of what is essentially not really “old” or well aged rum. It works well though. Rum from quality producers – even at a relatively young age will beat those 25 Year Solera Additive ridden concoctions all day long for me.

    Excellent. Highly recommended – if you do come across a bottle buy one!

     

     

  • Novo Fogo Silver Cachaca

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Novo Fogo Silver Cachaca rum review by the fat rum pirateNovo Fogo Silver Cachaca. As I continue my journey into the world of cachaca I am encountering a few cachaca brands which are more geared for the export market, rather than the huge domestic market in Brasil.

    One such brand is Novo Fogo. I have previously reviewed a couple of their expressions a Barrel Aged cachaca and  their Tanager blend. Both were pretty good. So having taken some time out to sort out my samples boxes into some kind of order I dug into my cachaca box and came out with Novo Fogo Silver. So we’ll give it a spin today.

    Unlike most cachaca brands in the US and Europe Novo Fogo do actually own their own distillery in Morretes, Parana state and they work closely with two other distilleries in Parana, who provide cachaca for their blends.

    Novo Fogo Silver Cachaca is the base spirit for all of Novo Fogo’s range. It is produced from organic hand harvested estate sugar cane, which is harvested and pressed within 24 hours. The sugar cane juice is then fermented for 24 hours which produces a sugar cane wine of around 7%-8% ABV, which is then used for the distillation.

    Novo Fogo Silver Cachaca is 100% Pot Distilled in small batches the still used has a capacity of 1200 litres. Only the heart of the distillation is used for the cachaca (as is normal) but the head and tails are used to produce sanitiser, which is used to help clean the facility and fuel which is used to power employees cars and the vehicles used at the distillery such as tractors.

    The heart of the distillation, around 120 litres comes off the still at around 48% ABV on average. This is then stored in stainless steel tanks. It is then slowly blended with local spring water to bring the ABV down to 40% ABV.

    Novo Fogo can be found quite easily in the US and also has pretty decent availability here in the UK and Europe. Novo Fogo Silver Cachaca is currently available at The Whisky Exchange. It retails at £29.95 for a 70cl bottle. The ABV as mentioned earlier is 40%.

    Novo Fogo have a very strong and very modern branding. The “shapely” rNovo Fogo Silver Cachaca rum review by the fat rum pirateounded bottles are really nice and the overall design is clean and very much on trend. As you would expect from such a strong modern brand they have their own website. Which is very informative and well worth a visit.

    So I think we have pretty much covered everything I can think of. So why don’t we give this a whirl?

    Oh just a quick note if you are in the US you can also pick up a handy 50ml miniature complete with a kit so you can make your own Caiprinha. Which I think is a nifty idea.

    So in the glass we have a crystal clear spirit.

    Nosing Novo Fogo Silver Cachaca I am immediately in very familiar white unaged cachaca territory. Which is reassuring.

    The nose is pretty punchy you can certainly nose this from a distance. For those unfamiliar with white cachaca they often nose a little like a slightly less boozy Wray and Nephew OP and a rhum agricole combined. Often cachaca is bottled at 38% ABV so this is just above the often more conventional ABV.

    It’s quite zesty and pretty pungent. Grassy and milky aromas jump out at you but they are carried by a very clean citrus punch which adds a nice balance and extra layer to the nose. You can tell from the nose this is a punchy and well defined cachaca. It will not go missing in mixed drinks.

    As a sipper, it is surprisingly floral and has quite “mineral” like note. It  actually has a really nice layer of complexity. Spicy notes of ginger and cardamon. A nice kick as you swallow. It is clean and quite dry on the palate.

    It is very refreshing and works well as a palate cleanser. Novo Fogo Silver Cachaca leaves behind a nice fresh almost lemon note in the mouth. Finish wise it isn’t particular long but it is a drink worth holding in your mouth for a few seconds as it has a nice honeyed sweetness which works wonderfully with the citrus and spice notes.Novo Fogo Silver Cachaca rum review by the fat rum pirate

    As a mixer Novo Fogo Silver Cachaca works wonderfully in “lighter” cocktails such as the Caiprinha and in a Mojito. It doesn’t fair all that well when mixed with coke – to be fair it’s not really the best way to approach cachaca.

    This is a very good cachaca and it is available at a very fair price. I can’t immediately think of any white cachaca that I would rate above this in terms of quality, price and availability. It’s certainly better then Abelha and Ben Bom, for sure.

    Reviews of this have been very positive online. I found this review from Lance at The Lone Caner as the one review from a dedicated rum/cachaca reviewer. He also enjoyed this.

    Excellent stuff a really well put together and well balanced spirit.

     

  • Cadenhead’s FSPD Fiji South Pacific Distillery Aged 13 Years

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Cadenhead's FSPD Fiji South Pacific Distillery Aged 13 Years Rum Review by the fat rum pirateCadenhead’s FSPD is another Cask Strength bottling from in their Dated Distillation range.  This time hailing from the South Pacific Distillery, Fiji.

    To date I haven’t tried a lot of rum from Fiji.  The only Fijian rum reviewed thus far have been Independently bottled from Berrys’ and Ultimatum.  The Berrys’ rum was considerably younger than this one at only 8 years old.  The Ultimatum more similar in terms of age, at 12 years old.

    At London Rumfest in October 2016 I tried Berrys’s 11 Year Old Fiji rum – which I though showed a lot more maturity and complexity than the 8 year old.  A couple of months later I was tipped off about a Worthy Park release by Cadenhead’s and I noticed this Cask Strength 13 Year Old which I wanted to try.

    Also present at London Rumfest last October were Fiji Rum Co.  With so much going on at Rumfest I never did get around to visiting them.  I understand if memory serves me correctly that they are something to do with Coca-Cola.

    The South Pacific Distillery is actually the only distillery on Fiji.  So any rum you see will hail from this distillery.

    I’ve seen over the past couple of years rums from St Lucia Distillers and Worthy Park grow in popularity and stature. It is my opinion that Fiji could well be the next island to see a real surge in the popularity of its rum internationally.  South Pacific Distillery are producing full flavoured Pot Still distillates. Which, if handled correctly could become very much sough after.  In particular amongst Rum Geeks and Enthusiasts. The rums might not prove as popular in the more casual end of the market but certainly I think one day bottlings, such as this one will be very desirable.

    Presentation wise the rum comes housed in Cadenheads standard brown, yellow and orange bottle cardboard sleeve (slightly flimsy I must add). The bottle is a dumpy affair with a nice plastic topped real cork stopper.  This rum retails at around £50-55 a bottle.

    Information on the contents is as follows.Cadenhead's FSPD Fiji South Pacific Distillery Aged 13 Years Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    Matured in wood, Produce of Fiji, FSPD from the South Pacific Distillery, Pot Still, Bonded 2003 and bottled December 2016,  13 Years Old, ABV 59.6%.

    “The rum has been bottled from a Specially Selected individual cask, it has not been reduced with water and is bottled at natural strength.  It has no added colour and is not chill filtered.”

    “It remains the authentic product of its distillery”

    Sound good?  Well here we go and let see what the juice is actually like.

    In the glass the rum is light golden brown – almost straw like.  It is a touch darker as it is a little hazy (no chill filtration).

    The nose is strong and almost Agricole like.  Very vegetal – lots of pine and tree sap. Wet grassy fields.  It also has an almost menthol kick to the nose – which reminds me of Fisherman’s Friends.  The nose actually grows on you.  It has an almost savoury whisky like note.  I’m reminded in equal parts of St Lucia Distillers 1931 series (especially the 1st one) and a Cadenhead’s rum from Worthy Park.

    The nose doesn’t seem all that different to the Berrys’ 8 Year Old  It is markedly different to the Ultimatum 12 Year Old though – perhaps surprisingly. I would have expected the two with the similar age to well, be most similar!  This effort is the first Cask Strength Fiji I have tried to so maybe that has a big influence.

    Sipped the rum is initially very spicy, unsurprisingly at Cask Strength. It more than makes your tongue tingle. Especially one the first couple of sips.  It is clearly European aged for probably the vast majority of its 13 years. It’s a very clean and an almost clinical kind of spirit.  There isn’t any warm fruity richness that Tropical ageing often brings to the table.  I’m thinking in terms of the marked difference in European aged Demeraras and Velier Tropical aged rums as a reference point.

    It is from the first sip clearly a Pot Still rum.  Its big and challenging and at first quite difficult to get a handle on.  There is a lot of flavour coming from the rums interaction with oak.  It’s spicy – ginger, some very clean tasting oak. It’s got an almost minty flavour to it.  The FSPD is a deceptively complex rum.  The extra years ageing seem to have made the spirit cleaner more defined but no less “funky” than the eight year old Berrys’.

    Cadenhead's FSPD Fiji South Pacific Distillery Aged 13 Years Rum Review by the fat rum pirateWe are in Hampden territory funk particularly on the finish.  You get a really huge funky spicy kick on the exit.  Big Jamaican pot still collides with vegetal St Lucian notes to give a very potent and long lasting finish.

    It’s quite a dry rum with little by way of fruity flavours.  It’s very much defined by the casks it was aged in, quite a savoury tasting rum.

    The Fijian rums whilst “similar” to a lot of other Pot Still rums are distinctive enough to enjoy their own identity.  On re-visiting this bottle I was quite surprised to see how much I had drank of it over the past few months.  It’s a bit like Smith & Cross – once you get a taste for it one glass just doesn’t cut it.

    I feel that maybe a blend of pot and column or even a totally tropically aged Fijian rum might work better than this single cask offering.  However I still feel this was more than worth the £50-55 I paid for this bottle.

    At the moment there are a lot of Fijian rums available amongst independent bottlers.  If you are serious about your rum I would pick up a couple.  This is a pretty good example to start with.  Thanks to the relatively low profile of Fijian rums this is still available despite being released early this year.