Dead Reckoning Barbados PX. We continue our recent reviews of Independent bottlers with a review from the other side of the world. Today we have a rum from Aussie bottlers Dead Reckoning. I’ve covered quite a few of their releases over the past few years.

The bottling I have in my hands today is a Barbados rum. A mix of Pot and Column distilled rum from……..you guessed it Foursquare Rum Distillery. Without doubt the “hottest” rum distillery around at the moment.

Dead Reckoning Barbados PX has been aged for 8 years in ex-bourbon casks on site at Foursquare. It has then been aged for a further year in Adelaide in a Pedro Rodriguez PX Sherry cask which is around 40 years old. A further maturation has then taken place in a level 3 char ex-Maker’s Mark cask for 1 year again in Sunny Adelaide.sp

The rum is a Single Barrel comprising of 370 bottles coming in at a 50% ABV. The bottle size is 700ml.In Australia where it has initially been released via The Rum Tribe it comes in at $155. Should the UK/Europe get an allocation expect a similar price point in £/Euros.

Presentation wise we are treated to the usual black and white Dead Reckoning colour scheme and the same tried and trusted rounded stubby bottle. I like it when Indie bottlers keep a tried and tested identity. I’m a bit like with bands it irritated me immensely when Oasis and Inspiral Carpets deviated from their classic logos……

Anyway I digress. I don’t have any back story regarding this rum as it is a bit like Ronseal and it does exactly what it says on the tin. This isn’t paying homage to any of Dead Reckoning owner Justin Boseley’s family or any notable naval event in history.

So lets crack on see how Dead Reckoning Barbados PX goes down…..

First up we have the colour which is a deep rich reddish/brown with a slightly orange hue around the outside.It looks a little like Rose wine in the glass.

Thankfully it doesn’t smell like it……

On the nose Dead Reckoning Barbados PX is quite acidic initially with lots of strong slightly sour fruit flavours. Stewed plums and some tart gooseberries. There is a lighter, softer note of strawberry and a touch of peach.

Beneath this we get some nice mellow oak notes and a touch of vanilla. Some hints at coconut and a good dose of spicy zesty citrus peelings. The nose is familiar but has a lot of complexity and is very inviting.

Sipped you initially get a lot of sweetness on the entry. Rich dark fruits – plums, blackcurrants and some sweeter notes of strawberry and some slightly tart orange/marmalade notes.

After a couple of sips and time on the palate the rum begins to reveal more of the ex-bourbon influence. It’s not heavy on the vanilla or coconut but it does have a lot of oak influence. It has some very spicy and very enjoyable oak notes alongside something which adds a spicier profile. Some all spice and some heavier less sweet fruity notes of prune, sultana and dates come into play. I also get a nice toffee and caramel note which is warming and luxurious.

There’s quite a lot of black pepper as we move into the mid palate and the spiciness seems to build a little along with the heat. That said it never becomes disjointed or unpleasant. It’s just adding another nice layer of flavour to the rum.

The extra 1 year in ex-bourbon seems to have tempered the sweetness of this rum slightly. Adding a different dimension to it. In terms of a comparison this drinks more like Foursquare’s 2004-2011 series than anything which they have matured in ex-Sherry, Madeira etc.

As a result the finish is drier and less sweet than you might have expected from the initial sip. The difference between the initial sip and the finish is quite noticeable and its almost as if you are getting two rums for the price of one! The finish is almost like a bourbon.

Which if you like bourbon as i do is far from being a problem. Dead Reckoning PX Barbados has a really long and really nice mellow finish which I really appreciate. The spiciness of the mid palate/early finish really fade out and mellow leading to a very nice ending. Touches of leather, toffee and cigar smoke.

I will say (and this is without trying every Indie bottling)_ that I do think Justin at Dead Reckoning rum is perhaps producing rums that are the closest in terms of profile as Foursquare’s own Exceptional Cask Series. Most bottlers tend to stick with tried and trusted ex-bourbon casks only.

Another absolute belter of a rum!