Dead Reckoning Rum The Black Pit

Bythefatrumpirate

Dead Reckoning Rum The Black Pit Rum Review by the fat rum pirateDead Reckoning Rum The Black Pit. Had I not included “rum” in the title you might have thought I was about to review some kind of low budget/straight to Netflix horror/slasher movie. You can rest easy in that respect. I’m definitely not heading down that route. That said The “Real” Black Pit was indeed a bit of a horror story for anyone who became familiar with it.

Let me explain (via Justin from Dead Reckoning Rum)

“The Black Pit was the nickname given to a perilous area in the mid-Atlantic gap during the Battle of the Atlantic in WWII. It was here that German U-Boats would take the upper hand with the absence of protective air cover, making Allied convoys an easy target.”

So there you go I will say at this point that the liquid in this particular bottling is indeed “The Black Pit” in terms of colour, so that coupled with Justin’s maritime past and interest is how the name evolved. As with all Dead Reckoning releases I have quite a bit of information about this release so here we go…..

Dead Reckoning Rum The Black Pit is a Single Blended Rum (Rums blended from the same distillery) from the Diamond Distillery or Demerara Distillers Limited in Guyana. It is a blend from the distillery’s 3 “Wooden” Heritage Stills. So we have a distillate from the

EHP – Edward Henry Porter – A marque of rum taken from the Wooden Continuous Coffey Still. This still was originally housed at the Enmore Distillery.

<VSG>  Versailles-Schoonord-Goed Fortuin – A marque of rum taken from the Single Wooden Pot Still. This still was originally housed at the Versailles Distillery.

PM Port Mourant – A marque of rum taken from the Double Wooden Pot Still. This still was originally housed at the Port Mourant Distillery. Rum from this still is often referred to as “Uitvlugt” on Independent bottlings.

This rums components have enjoyed 5 years ageing in Guyana in ex-bourbon casks. Before being further aged in the Adelaide in both a South Australian Muscat cask (from Woodstock Winery) and ex-Makers Mark bourbon cask for a further 2 and a half years.Dead Reckoning Rum The Black Pit Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

Dead Reckoning The Black Pit was bottled at 50% ABV and originally released in Australia in a limited run of just 180 bottles. This run sold out almost immediately.
Fortunately, there is going to be an even more limited release of this bottling in the UK very soon…….

In the glass Dead Reckoning The Black Pit is a dark brown with a slight red/orange hue around the edges. I’ve found that most Independently bottled Demerara that come from the the Enmore and particularly the Versailles still, tend to be quite dark. In comparison the Port Mourant bottlings I have had, more often than not labelled as Uitvlugt, tend to be much lighter.

The nose is initially quite sweet with notes of raisins and plums. Reminiscent of Wood’s Old Navy Rum or the El Dorado range. Classically Demerara some might say. Further nosing reveals some orange/marmalade notes and something which reminds me of Christmas Cake.

This is all overlayed by a smokiness and a almost malt whisky like note. These are notes which I would associate with the Port Mourant still. The familiar aniseed/liquorice note is also quite prominent in the mix. The nose is complex and very inviting. It’s very good and I am being reminded heavily of this classic old style Velier Demerara bottlings. This bodes extremely well for the tasting……….

On the initial sip you get those traditional Demerara flavours – raisin, sticky toffee pudding, liquorice and some stoned fruits – plums and dates. Then the Port Mourant and Enmore influence comes in. Giving some smoky almost “old” musty notes and a wonderful hit of aniseed. These remind me of Aniseed Balls (English Boiled Sweets) rather than the sweeter hit liquorice.

The Muscat cask seems to have brought some sweetness to the fore and as we move into the mid palate I am getting some sweet Dark Chocolate notes, a little caramel alongside a nice hit of marmalade. This all marries alongside some slightly tarry notes and a nice hit of vanilla and oak spice. There is a slight bitterness but it is not at all unpleasant or out of place.

This is a very complex, rich (almost treacly at times) and very enjoyable rum. The only thing that could let it down now would be the finish…………

Which really doesn’t disappoint. It is long and wraps up everything we have experienced so far into a very long and complex finish.Dead Reckoning Rum The Black Pit Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

This is definitely up there with some of the best Demerara rums I have reviewed. Take my old reviews of the El Dorado range with a pinch of salt – I probably wouldn’t rate those rums so highly now. Instead for comparison focus on my reviews of past Velier bottlings and other Independently bottled Demerara.

A comparison with those old Velier Demerara bottlings may seem a little like hyperbole. So I won’t say that.

I’ll just give it 5 stars instead. It really is that good!

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  • Plantation Jamaica 2009 Long Pond CRV – The Whisky Exchange Exclusive

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Plantation Jamaica 2009 Long Pond CRV - The Whisky Exchange Exclusive Rum Review by the fat rum piratePlantation Jamaica 2009 Long Pond CRV – The Whisky Exchange Exclusive. It strikes me as quite fitting to be reviewing this rum, at this particular time. The Rum World is currently going to war. Well in parts of the Caribbean and Europe they are anyway.

    Issues surrounding the Jamaica and Barbados GI’s have pretty came to a head. Even W.I.R.S.P.A. feeling the need to involve themselves. Tensions between Maison Ferrand (Plantation Rum) and other producers on the island have spilled out onto Social Media. Sides and battlelines have been drawn amongst distillers, bottlers, blenders, journalists, bloggers, enthusiasts and pretty much anyone else you can think of with an opinion on rums future. Some bridges have been burned irreparably I fear.

    I haven’t said all that much about the proposed GI’s. I don’t think I will need to spell out my position on the Maison Ferrand proposal, that a limit of 20g/L of “burnt sugar” can be added. Once the GI’s have been “agreed”, which may take sometime as they are far from that, I while write something about what it all means.

    For the purposes of today I am going to say nothing more on the GI. I will stick to reviewing this Single Cask Rum from the Long Pond Distillery in Jamaica.

    First up, I have a bit of conflicting information on the actual rum in the bottle. From the Plantation Rum website and the details supplied to me by The Whisky Exchange. With further information on their website as well.

    Fortunately, the one thing Plantation, The Whisky Exchange and myself all agree on is that this rum has no “dosage”. It’s bottled at 42.6% ABV. It bobs nicely between 42 and 43 on my Hydrometer. Which is in keeping with what Plantation and The Whisky Exchange have noted. Good start.

    Now straight up, if you have looked at the two websites you will likely be telling that the difference is that they are different casks. Yes I am aware of that. However, whilst I accept the cask noted on the Plantation website differs to The Whisky Exchange’s, I am not convinced the rums are quite as different as suggested.

    First up the distillation method is noted as being a Blair Column on the Plantation yet its noted as Pot Still rum at the Whisky Exchange. In terms of esters the Plantation site notes 116g/hlaa. Information provided by The Whisky Exchange states ester in the range of 0-20g/hlaa (please note this isn’t on The Whisky Exchange website I was sent this via email).

    Ageing, is noted on the Plantation website as being 7.5 years in ex-bourbon casks in the Tropics with 1 year in a Ferrand Cask, followed by 1.5 years in the Tokaji Wine Cask. That is on the both labels so I am happy enough to use that! The Whisky Exchange omitted the 1 year Ferrand Cask.

    So the ester count may be 0-20 or 116g/hlaa and it may have been produced on a Pot Still or a Blair Column Still.

    Personally, I am going to go with Plantation on this one. Even though their information shows a different cask, I know they issue different Single Cask rums of what is essentially the “same” rum, to different bars/retailers etc.

    Plantation Jamaica 2009 Long Pond CRV retails at £66.95. As the title suggests, available exclusively at The Whisky Exchange. The only thing left to touch upon is the finish on this rum – Tokaji Wine Cask Finish.

    Tokaji, Tokaj or Tokay wine is not as I first thought wine from Japan. It is actually from the Hungarian/Slovak region, formerly known as Tokaj-Hegyalja, within the Kingdom of Hungary. Part of which was handed to what was then Czechoslovakia and is now Slovakia. Tokaji Wine is made from one of six variety of grapes. Whilst dry Tokaji wine has been introduced very recently, it is known more for being a sweet wine. (with upto 100 to 120 g/l of residual sugar contained within the finished product).

    So lets get around to see how this latest Jamaican offering from Plantation fares. I have to say so far on my Rum Journey with Plantation, I was not impressed with the Plantation Jamaica 2000 at all. Whilst Xaymaca fared slightly better I found that a bit disappointing after some of the cheer leading surrounding it.

    An approachable light golden brown with a slight orange hue, when poured Plantation Jamaica 2009 Long Pond CRV, looks the part in the glass. Nosewise, even taking into account the relatively low ABV of 42.6% ABV ,it is not what I expecting at all.

    When I see Long Pond I expect big punchy flavours. Maybe this is due to the low ester count of this rum? It is the “lightest” rum in the Long Pond series of marques. Maybe this is how this marque works? It’s certainly making me think that it is a column distilled product though!

    In many ways it’s actually very pleasant. It has a nice weight of oak spice and a nice hit of vanilla. If I was sampling this blind, I would perhaps think this was a blended Caribbean rum. Made up perhaps of rum from Barbados, Trinidad and a touch of Jamaican rum thrown in for good measure.

    But only a touch of Jamaican rum, because this is very light. Delicate – too delicate for what I was hoping for. Further deeper nosing reveals a slight hint of some fermenting pineapple juice. A little beeswax and a tiny touch of something approaching funk. Maybe a hint of medicinal notes but only fits and starts.

    Despite the Tokaji finish, it is not overwhelmed with sweetness. It is light and fairly sweet but it’s not an artificial forced sweetness. It’s not a cloying sickly mess. Far from it.

    Very much like Xaymaca this isn’t bad rum per se but it’s just not what a lot of customers familiar with Long Pond will expect (or I fear want!).

    Sipped there is more familiar Jamaican character there but much like Xaymaca it all feels a little clipped, a little muted, homogenised. Shaped into a kind of generic Plantation kind of taste and general mouthfeel. Yes definitely a familiar mouthfeel which makes it easy to sip but not very challenging.

    The funkier notes of Pineapple, Banana a touch of Lychee arrive on the initial sip but they are very quickly taken away by sweeter notes. Sweet white wine and light caramel. There’s a slightly sweet/sour tang to this rum, which is unusual and not overly unpleasant. It’s quite interesting.

    The finish is quite short but again not unpleasant with a fair amount of oak spices and some icing sugar. A touch of Cinnamon maybe.Plantation Jamaica 2009 Long Pond CRV - The Whisky Exchange Exclusive Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    I don’t know what a CRV marque Long Pond rum tastes like. I would be very interested to have tasted this rum after just the Tropical Ageing. Unfortunately, I fear the Tokaji finish on this one has masked and changed a lot of the rums profile.

    It’s not as I say a bad rum – it’s not a rough young rum being masqueraded as an older spirit. It isn’t full of additives – yet it still feels a little forced. Like the Jamaican side of it has been sacrificed a little. It’s not what I would be looking for in a Long Pond rum or any Jamaican rum come to think of that.

    Plantation Jamaica 2009 Long Pond CRV strikes me as being a little confused or something trying to play to the “normal” Plantation customer. Personally, I think it gives an entirely false impression of what Long Pond/Jamaican rum is all about.

    Again like Xaymaca I’m felt underwhelmed by another lost opportunity.

  • Santa Teresa 1796 Solera Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Santa Teresa 1796 Solera Rum. This is a re-review. I originally reviewed this back in 2015. At the time it was my 100th review. To be honest I’ve since stopped counting but we must be approaching 500 by now.

    Anyway Santa Teresa are a rum producer from Venezuela. This 1796 rum was originally released back in 1996 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Hacienda Santa Teresa distillery.

    Since that review, like so many of the rums I reviewed a few years the presentation has been updated. I say in this case updated as they have kept a lot of the old presentation (blue and red cylinder, wax sealed bottle and general colour scheme). The main changes are to the font used on the front labels.

    I like the presentation and at around £40-45 it is certainly more than in keeping with other rums at that price point. Santa Teresa 1796 Solera Rum is bottled at 40% ABV. Many commentators do not like the use of the term Solera in rum production. In many instances an actual Solera (as is popular in sherry making) is not in place. It is merely a blend of rums and the age statement used is the oldest rum in the blend. Regardless of how much of this is actually present.

    Santa Teresa do not employ age statements on any of their rums. So they do not use big numbers to deceive their customers – unless you think the rum in this bottle was distilled in 1796. If that were the case it might be a little more than £45 a bottle!

    Santa Teresa 1796 has recently been picked up by Bacardi International for global distribution outside of its homeland. Initially Bacardi are looking to the travel retail market (Airports) and have introduced a new 1 litre bottle to that particular segment of the market. Quite why Bacardi have opted not to carry the rest of the Santa Teresa range may have something to do with the strength of their own brand in the entry-level section.

    Interestingly Bacardi have also decided to publish nutritional information on their website which shows that Santa Teresa has some added sugar. The original test of Santa Teresa I carried out in 2015 showed a reading of 0-5 g/L as per the Hydrometer. A re-test sees the hydrometer bobbing at 38% ABV. This would give a reading of 8g/L which is slightly “lower” than Bacardi’s stated 0.5 g/L per 1.5 oz serving. Which would work at around 12g/L. Bacardi have listed information on a lot of their other rums and the lowest I can for an actual reading is 0.5 g/L. It seems to be either 0.5 or 0. Though I have not checked all their results.

    Santa Teresa 1796 Solera Rum Review by the fat rum pirateSanta Teresa 1796 is a molasses based rum. Most (though not all) the sugar cane is harvested on the Santa Teresa Estate. The rum is produced on a multi column still – Santa Teresa do have a Pot Still and it has been said that there is some Pot Stil rum, in this blend and the Bi-Centenario rum they released a few years back. However, I have never seen anything concrete beyond this claim. The rum is aged in both Ex-Bourbon and French Limousin Oak which will likely have been used to age wine or cognac. You can find some more information – particularly on the Solera method used here. It has also been noted that some of the rum in this blend is 35 years old.

    So lets see how I find this rum or “ron” a few years further down the old rum journey.

    In the glass Santa Teresa 1796 Solera Rum is a dark brown with very vivid orange flashes and edges.

    Nosing reveals a sweet, light and very fruity style of rum. I am immediately but in mind of sherry and madeira. Plump juicy raisins, plums, redcurrants an a touch of raspberry. A slightly tart note at the end. Red wine and a hint of cinnamon.

    Further nosing reveals.some dark chocolate and some smoky cigar like tobacco notes. All in all the nose is sweet yet complex with a very nice overall balance.

    Sipping Santa Teresa 1796 Solera Rum is a very pleasant little drop. It’s not as sweet as the nose. Some slightly tannic red wine like notes are present alongside the sherry and madeira like notes. It is fruity initially but this fruitiness develops into a drier almost smoky mid palate.

    Red and white grapes, raspberries and some juicy plum move into a beautifully balanced array of dry red wine, tobacco and some smoke. Present throughout is some dark chocolate and just enough woody oak to add an extra layer of complexity.

    Santa Teresa 1796 Solera Rum Review by the fat rum pirateFinish wise Santa Teresa 1796 Solera Rum is perhaps a little on the short side. It’s lighter wine influenced character leaves the finish a touch on the short side. Such is the lighter profile of this rum the finish never quite gets going.

    That said this is a much more authentic sipping experience than many of today’s “ron’s”. I would rank it alongside Botran and Flor de Cana 18 in terms of a lighter column Spanish style rum.

    Whilst it may not be to everyone’s current tastes I wouldn’t knock this rum without having first tried it.

    As Bacardi have recently taken over distribution of this except to see a lot more of it. If all “ron” was more like this, it perhaps wouldn’t be looked down upon so much by rum enthusiasts.

     

     

  • Santa Teresa Linaje – Gran Reserva

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Santa Teresa Linaje Rum Review by the fat rum pirateSanta Teresa Linaje was released back in 2012.  Whether it was a worldwide release or not I’m not entirely sure.

    Santa Teresa are the oldest producers of rum in Venezuela.  An independent family group employing over 400 people. Santa Teresa is renowned for its community investment, including the Alcatraz project, the Revenga municipal projects of Aragua State, location of the Agroindustrial tourist and sports complex at Hacienda Santa Teresa.

    The Linaje (proncounced Lin-AH-hay) only came to my attention a few months ago – it might have even been a photograph on Instagram which alerted my attention.  For some reason the black bottle with gold/yellow lettering was remarkably appealing to me.

    Santa Teresa rums hail from Venezuela – home of Pampero.  Like most Central American producers they produce rums with no age statements using the solera system.  To Santa Teresa’s credit they do not produce rums with solera age statements on the bottles.

    I found their 1796 highly enjoyable so I figured I would give this rum a shot.  At around £25 for a 70cl bottle with an ABV of 40%. I was interested to see how the younger Santa Teresa rums would perform.

    I don’t know why I like the rums presentation so much – but I do I even like the plastic screw cap which is functional but allows the rum to keep its sleek appearance.  The presentation really does suggest a rum more expensive than the £25 I paid.

    Santa Teresa Linaje Rum Review by the fat rum pirateTo be honest this rum doesn’t seem to have caught the imagination.  There is very little comment on the rum online and my research into the age of the rum etc has led me to the Santa Teresa site.  Which like the presentation of this rum is also rather slick.

    Unfortunately I can’t find any information on how old the blend of this rum is.  The Santa Teresa Gran Reserva is a blend of rums upto 5 years old and this rum is said to be a bridge between that and the 1796.  So I guess this rum is slightly older.  I say slightly older as it is according to the website still best paired with soft drinks.  The bottles label is no help to me either as I assume it is in Spanish.

    In the glass Linaje is a lovely reddish/golden brown and the nose is nicely balanced.  Sweet almost red wine like notes, rich plums alongside nice buttery light oak and vanilla. It does have a hit of alcohol as well suggesting it isn’t the oldest rum blend you’ll ever encounter.

    ST Linaje 3As a sipper it is perhaps just a shade too young and a little one dimensional.  It lacks any real complexity and depth of flavour.  It’s not rough as such – there is some alcohol burn, nothing to harsh but it does display young sweet alcohol notes especially on the entry.  I like the oaky-ness of this rum – which suggests it will stand up and still deliver a kick when mixed.

    Mixed with cola you get a very pleasant rum and cola. No surprise for a rum in the £25 price bracket, it certainly should be mixable.  I’d imagine this rum could be quite a versatile young rum in cocktails etc.  In a rum and cola it gives a nice smooth oaky drink which is very enjoyable.  It is slightly expensive for what it is though.  I could spend £25 and get a lot more for my money.

    It perhaps lacks a little extra oomph but all in all this a decent rum.  It won’t replace 1796 as a sipper but it is better than Pampero Anejo Especial.

    Slightly above average and quite nicely done but all in all pretty forgettable.

    2.5 stars

     

     

     

     

     

  • Mezan Jamaica XO

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Mezan Jamaica XO Rum Review by the Fat Rum PirateMezan are an independent bottler from the UK.  They have featured quite regularly on this site and this is the second Jamaica Rum from Mezan we have reviewed.

    Mezan Jamaica XO is, unlike all the other Mezan rums a blend rather than a Single Barrel/Cask offering.  Not only is it a blend of rums it is also a blend of rums from different distilleries.

    The Jamaican rums in this blend come from at least two very well respected distilleries.  Monymusk and Hampden Estate.  Both companies do well in the domestic market but their reach outside of Jamaica is mainly through bulk rum sales to be used in blends.  Both currently have rums available in the UK.  Hampden Gold and Rum Fire from Hampden Estate and Monymusk have a Gold Rum on offer.  Neither can match the reach or popularity of Appleton Estate. Jamaican rum is produced in such a traditional and well-regulated manner, not too mention the wonderful tropical climate that these producers would have to be doing something truly awful to be producing a bad rum.

    Mezan have been producing this rum blend for some years now and this is Lot No 23030 – this Lot or Batch consists of 5000 bottles.  It states on the rear bottle that the rum is double matured so once it is blended it is re-casked until it is selected to be bottled.

    The rum comes in the classic medium to dumpy sized Mezan bottle with the minimalstic White label. There is a little emblem on each bottle and this rum’s is black with gold lettering.  A 70cl bottle will set you back around £30 and it is bottled at 40% ABV.

    First up as you can see from the photo above this Mezan is a lot clearer in the glass than the bottle.  It is almost straw like in colour and once again Mezan assure us on the label that it has not been coloured or sweetened in anyway.

    The nose on this rum is full of Dunder and Jamaican Pot Still “funk”.  For those un accustomed to such rums this may not immediately appeal.  For those, like myself who know how well such rums work in mixed drinks and as occasional sippers it will be a Mezan Jamaica XO rum review by the fat rum piratewelcome and familiar aroma.

    It has some quite strong alcohol notes yet a quite surprising note of vanilla.  I can detect some oak and woody notes, quite a lot of spice.  All in all its really quite complex.  Some nice tropical fruit notes and a even a hint of toffee/caramel.

    Sipped it is pretty smooth initially with some considerable heat coming through on the palate which gives way quickly to a pretty short finish.

    At least that is what the first sip gives you.  It’s worth persisting beyond one glass with this rum.  It’s almost as if your palate needs to open up to it.  The second glass is so much better.  You get more of the notes that were in the nose.  Despite being quite high in esters and some “funk” it has a beautiful balance which younger Jamaican rums do not have.  It’s similar in many ways to Hampden Gold for example yet it also shares some of the qualities of more aged Appleton Estate rums.  The finish is still pretty short but as a Jamaican sipper its not bad at the price.

    Those familiar with my reviews know that very few rums aren’t drowned by some cola at some point (I could probably reduce some people to tears with what I have mixed with cola in my time).  For me like those rich fruity Demerara’s, Jamaican rum is often absolutely fantastic when used as a mixer.

    The Mezan Jamaica XO certainly doesn’t disappoint as a mixer.  Nor should it at £30.  It definitely gives you a premium rum and cola.  The rich deep fruity flavours and funk come shining through giving you a very enjoyable and full flavoured drink.  Couple of ice cubes and a squeeze of lime and you have a long drink which would take some matching.  It’s surprisingly smooth and luxurious yet quite fiery all at the same time!

    A very fine example of a Jamaican rum blend.

    4 stars

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Tanduay Gold Asian Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Tanduay Gold Asian Rum review by the fat rum pirateTanduay Gold Asian Rum. Thanks to the Bleeding Heart Rum Company and more specifically their Don Papa “rums”, the Philippines has become more well known globally as a rum producing nation.

    However, Tanduay is (and has been for a number of years) one of the worlds best selling rums. Like so many of the best selling rums – the sales are largely limited to certain more localised markets. Much like Old Monk and McDowells in India, Tanduay can account for a lot of sales in their domestic market and in other Asian markets such as Hong Kong and China.

    As of 2020 Tanduay were shifting 23.9 million cases of rum and had expanded into the US market and are currently setting their sights on gaining a foothold in Europe. Hence this review. They have now released their Gold, Silver and “Double” expressions in the UK. These rums are being imported by Emporia Brands who until recently looked after the St Lucia Distillers line up.

    To give some insight into just how much rum Tanduay sell – Bacardi shifted 17.7 million cases in 2020 and Appleton Estate (including J Wray and Nephew) sold 1 million cases.

    Tanduay Gold Asian Rum is not particularly expensive – especially in its domestic market. Which goes some way to explaining the amount they sell. Whilst Tanduay do have more expensive aged rums, again much like Old Monk and McDowells in India the majority of their sales centre around their cheapest rums.

    In the UK various retailers have Tanduay Gold Asian Rum for sale now. You can pick up a bottle from Master of Malt or The Whisky Exchange at around £25 for a 70cl. The rum has been bottled at a respectable 40% ABV.

    According to the Tanduay website the rums in the blend have been aged upto 7 years in charred ex-bourbon barrels. The rum is produced from their own “heritage” estate sugar cane and from what I can gather it is a molasses based rum.Tanduay Gold Asian Rum review by the fat rum pirate

    I do have more background information on Tanduay, who have been producing rum since the 1850’s but as I also have their Silver expression to review I will save that information for that review. Otherwise I’ll end up with nothing to say or have to repeat myself. Which is kind of boring.

    So we may as well get on with the important bit and see what this rum is all about.

    In the glass I am presented with a golden almost orange coloured spirit. It’s not quite as vibrant as the bottle shots might suggest though. A little “washed out” looking really.

    The nose of the rum is best described as suspicious. A hydrometer test doesn’t pick up any additives. However, the almost sickly sweet coconut note, which is the dominant and most noticeable aroma on the nose definitely smells more than a little confected.

    The nose is sweet and sugary. It’s inoffensive and I’m not getting much sense of barrel ageing or any oak or wood like notes. It’s pretty straight forward stuff. Light, unfussy and not very complex.

    Mingling with the coconut are similar aromas such as almonds and other light nuts. Some peanut brittle and some sugary cashew nuts.

    Sipping Tanduay Gold Asian Rum reveals more complexity – with some spice and oak on the entry. It has a spicy/sweet note that I can’t quite place which is actually quite enjoyable.

    The mid palate gives a mix of light spice, a touch of oak and the return of the coconut and almond notes.Tanduay Gold Asian Rum review by the fat rum pirate

    Overall this is a very light, sweet and easy going rum. The finish is next to non-existent and fades out very quickly. It doesn’t offer a great deal just a very slight spicy burn before disappearing completely. All that is left behind is the coconut/almond notes.

    As a sipper it doesn’t really pull up and trees and it’s just too easy going to be of any real interest. Mixed it works in much the same way most “lighter” rums tend to – it rubs along okay with cola, lemonade etc but it doesn’t really put its stamp on the drink. It adds a slight coconut/almond (again) note.

    Tanduay Gold Asian Rum isn’t particularly expensive. So it may be worth a punt if you like a slightly “nutty” light rum. I do think there is something more going on here than just the original distillate and barrel ageing.

    Not bad per se just not terribly exciting

     

     

     

     

  • Rum of the Year 2018 – Winner

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Rum of the Year Review by the fat rum pirateRum of the Year 2018 – Winner

    It was quite a surprise when compiling the contenders for Rum of the Year, to see which rums didn’t make the grade.

    As I only pick one rum from the 100 or so I review in a year, it comes down to the very best of the best. So a lot of excellent (and highly recommended) rums fall by the wayside.

    One of the reasons why I use a ten point scoring system is that it keeps things simple. A five-star rum doesn’t mean I’m giving it 100/100. It’s more like 95 and above. I could have adopted a 0-100 or 50-100 scoring system. I’ve nothing against these systems but I find most reviewers don’t use the bottom end of the scale. I use, with regularity the full ten points in my scale. So I think it makes things very clear and straight forward for the reader. Whether a rum scores 81 or 82 points make little difference in my way of thinking.

    I was a little surprised to find I had only given ten rums a five-star rating in 2018. Though I feel that further validates my reviews. It’s not all mega high scores. I am at times a little stingy.

    What didn’t surprise me was to be left with a clutch of Foursquare and Jamaican rums in my final thinking. The likes of Hampden and Appleton have produced some exceptional rums over the past couple of years. Hampden rum has been enjoyed mostly via Independent bottlings, like the Whisky Barrel/Kill Devil bottling in my original ten. Hampden did finally get around to releasing their own “brand” aged rum in 2018. I was very fortunate to be invited to the launch evening in London. A night that will live long in the memory. Thank you very much to all those that made such a wonderful evening.

    Foursquare have continued their recent Exceptional Cask Series, to great acclaim. In the end deciding which Foursquare rum was my favourite this year was virtually impossible. Depending on mood, it could be any of the four I gave the five stars. I could easily have given Foursquare the gong again this year.

    As my rum journey continues I have found myself enjoying more Cane Juice r(h)um in the shape of Rhum Agricole, Clairin and Cachaca. Two exceptional examples of this came in the form of Havana (Cachaca) and Rhum J.M XO (Agricole). I ruled these out of the running, as they have been around a long time. I just took too long getting to them!

    In the end the Rum of the Year did come from Jamaica. Alas, the Compagnie des Indes New Yarmouth had to be discounted – Florent made it available only to the Danes. Shame on you! It also was very limited, even in its lower proof European guise.

    This left us with a distillery which has been growing in stature over the past few years. I’ve been championing the rums from this very worthy winner for some time. Well before many cottoned on. For many the Rum Bar rums weren’t good enough for their snobby ideals.

    Taking all things into consideration, I felt it would be unfair for me not to fully acknowledge the great strides this relatively new estate has made in such a short space of time. Despite a long heritage the current distillery has only been active since 2005.

    Their Single Estate Reserve and Special Cask Releases are all excellent rums. The 2005 WP Forsyths came close to getting five stars. A whole host of Independent bottlings also showed just how good this producer could be.

    Finally I cracked. Upon trying the latest release in conjunction with Velier I was blown away.

    Habitation Velier Worthy Park 2007 WPL Rum Review by the fat rum pirateRum of the Year 2018 goes to Habitation Velier Worthy Park 2007 WPL

    As close to perfect as you are likely to find in a rum. I have been told by others, that the 2006 WPM is actually better. For some reason I didn’t pick that one up. I do have a sample though so we will see in a future review.

    This award is very much deserved and a great credit to Zan Kong and the team behind Worthy Park. Zan has worked very hard and connected with all the right people over the past few years to help grow the Worthy Park brand. I often get thanks for writing positive reviews. I always return the thanks – I don’t produced the wonderful rum, I just drink and enjoy it.

    They are now very much one of the real big players in the “pure rum” movement.

    Keep fighting the good fight. There are surely more prestigious awards coming your way.