Drinks by the Dram The Rum Advent Calendar

Bythefatrumpirate

Drinks by the Dram The Rum Advent Calendar review by the fat rum pirateDrinks by the Dram The Rum Advent Calendar. Warning! This article contains spoilers. If you have bought this calendar and do not wish to know any of the contents. Stop reading now!

Re-visit your youth, minus the cheap nasty “chocolate”, with an Advent Calendar for grown ups. Not just ordinary Gin, Vodka or Whisk(e)y swilling grown ups though, proper sophisticated grown ups that imbibe only the finest of cane spirits.

RUM!

A Rum Advent Calendar brought to us by the Masters of the Tot – Drinks by the Dram. For those of you who either live in a cave or are perhaps new to rum, Drinks by the Dram offer 3cl “tots” of an array of fine rums in dinky little miniature wax sealed bottles, that have more than a touch of Pirate about them.

Unsure about forking out on a full 70cl bottle? Drinks by the Dram will send you a handy 3cl tot of rum for a fraction of the price of the full bottle. So, yo. 72cl u can make more educated decisions about what you spend your hard earned pennies on. Obviously, an even cheaper way to do this, is just to take my advice and buy what I say is good but as you are reading this you probably know this already? Right?

Drinks by the Dram have been producing a Rum Advent Calendar for as long as I have been around the Rum Scene. They provide Advent Calendar’s that will suit just about every taste. Until recently they have been the only place to find a Rum Advent Drinks by the Dram The Rum Advent Calendar review by the fat rum pirateCalendar. They now have a little competition in the face of 1423.dk’s 24 Days of Rum Advent Calendar, which unlike this effort provides two handy tasting glasses and some cards to write your notes on each rum. That calendar is also half the price of this effort. It’s a tricky choice.

So, I hear you ask what might interest me in this particular calendar? Well for a start you get more rum, Secondly the box which houses the calendar is more sturdy and the overall design is a bit more polished. It’s certainly a bit more premium overall. This box provides you with just over a full regular bottle of rum 72cl where 24 Days of Rum offers 48cl.

I will admit that £150 does seem a lot to be spending on Advent Calendar.

Drinks by the Dram The Rum Advent Calendar review by the fat rum pirateHowever, if you were to try and taste the 24 rums in this box by any other means you would spend a lot more than £150. There are some absolutely cracking rums in this calendar. Personally if I bought someone this, it would be part of their Christmas present and I would expect little argument over that!

Presentation wise Drinks by the Dram have stolen the show with this years fantastic effort. It’s a stunning, attention grabbing effort. Great detail on the map and compass design. It’s a very premium effort. There are actually two version so of this calendar available presentation wise. The rums contained in both remain the same.

But what I hear you ask are the rums like? Well here is a run down (though not the running order) of the juice you are getting for your £150…….

Not a bad line up I’m sure you will agree. Some pretty premium offerings in there that have really caught my eye (Hampden Estate Overproof, Appleton Joy and Doorly’s 14 Year Old are amongst the best rums released over the past few years.

Drinks by the Dram The Rum Advent Calendar is available at Master of Malt.

Drinks by the Dram The Rum Advent Calendar review by the fat rum pirate

#drinksbythedram

#rumvent

#rumadventcalendar

#masterofmalt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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  • Ron de El Salvador Cihuatan Alux Limited Edition Aged 15 Years

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Ron de El Salvador Cihuatan Alux Limited Edition Aged 15 Years rum review by the fat rum pirateRon de El Salvador Cihuatan Alux Limited Edition Aged 15 Years. I first reviewed a rum from Licorera Chihuatan back in 2019. It was a rather underwhelming experience with a 12 year old aged rum.

    In all honesty the brand delivered pretty much what I was expecting. So whilst my experience was underwhelming, it was far from surprising.

    My review of Cihuatan 12 Solera Reserva Especial contains some information regarding the distillery. To avoid regurgitating this information, I will instead concentrate on the story behind this particular Limited Edition Release.

    Ron de El Salvador Cihuatan Alux Limited Edtion Aged 15 Years was distilled back in 2007 on a column still. It is not specified whether this a Coffey Style Single Column or a Multi Column still. I suspect its a Multi Column. There are 12,589 bottles available which seems a little random. However as the rum has been bottled at 43.2% ABV it may because they have bottled at (what seems quite low admittedly) Cask or Barrel Strength. When tested with the hydrometer it bobbed at 38.5% suggesting additives of around 20 g/L. Which is now the limit within the EU for a spirit to be called a rum rather than Spirit Based Drink.

    It is unclear exactly how the rum has been aged. I have conflicting information suggesting it has been both aged fully in -ex Oloroso Sherry and ex-Cognac casks and/or finished in these casks.

    The rum is a nod to the Guardian Gods of the land in Mayan Legend the Aluxes. According to Mayan Legend these gods lived in maize and cacao fields. As at the time these were regarded as the most sacred gifts of the earth. At the start of every harvest the Maya would hold a feast full or chocolate and corn based treats in gratitude to the Aluxes.

    Ron de El Salvador Cihuatan Alux Limited Edition Aged 15 Years rum review by the fat rum pirateAs you can see the rum comes in attractive 3/4 bottle with a “style” which is quite typical of Cihuatans usual presentation. It’s pretty bold and striking and along with the sturdy cardboard sleeve it is quite an attractive site on the shelf.

    Distribution of Cihuatan Rum is handled in the UK by High Fern and is available directly from them priced at £79 for a 70cl bottle. The way prices are heading this is a fairly competitive price.

    In the glass we are presented with a light golden brown liquid with a orange hue throughout.

    The nose is light with notes of muscovado sugar, walnuts, pecans and some toffee/caramel. There are very light notes of some kind of oaky spice and vanilla but not really much to get your teeth into.

    Further nosing or time in the glass doesn’t reveal much more. It is as expected – light, sweet bordering on the slightly floral and very easy going. Again much like the 12 Solera I reviewed previously from Cihuatan there is a saccharin/candied note running right through this rum.

    Sipped Ron de El Salvador Cihuatan Alux Limited Edition Aged 15 Years is a little spicy but nothing out of the ordinary. There is perhaps a little more burn than I was expecting from the nose. That said its still pretty mellow and easy going.

    In initial burst of oak and spices gives way quickly to some bitterness. Unfortunately I’m getting that saccharin like note. Which I really am not a fan of.

    The mid palate gives a little tingle on the tongue and you get notes of toffee, pecans and some tobacco smoke.Ron de El Salvador Cihuatan Alux Limited Edition Aged 15 Years rum review by the fat rum pirate

    There really isn’t a lot to say about this one. It all just feels a bit underpowered. I think some of the slight edginess the distillate might have had, has given way to the undisclosed additives.

    Finish wise it kind of peters out into just a very light tingle of mild spices, vanilla and caramel. All sadly overridden by that bitter saccharin note.

    My experience with this particular rum is sadly very similar to my previous Cihuatan review. It’s just incredibly average and unspectacular. Even within this particular lighter style of rum I don’t think it stands out in anyway.

    Unremarkable.

     

  • Don Q Signature Release Single Barrel 2005

    Bythefatrumpirate

    DONQ Signature Release Single Barrel 2005 Rum Review by the fatr rum pirateDon Q Signature Release for 2016 is a Single Barrel rum from 2005.  Don Q are amongst a number of producers who are making noises about “no addtives” in their rum.  They freely invite you to test their wares as they know they have not added anything.

    Despite this I still notice a lot of scepticism in the rum community concerning Don Q rums.  Much of this based on the fact they produce multi column distilled rums.  All I will say to those sceptical about their rums is try one, especially their Anejo or Gran Anejo.

    This Signature Release was distilled back in 2005 and bottled in 2015 making it a ten year old rum.  There are 6000 bottles of this available and it is denoted as a Limited Edition.  The bottle is different from the “standard” DonQ line up (Cristal, Gold and Anejo) and the Gran Anejo.  They have went for the popular “stubby” style bottle with this release.  The bottle is rounded and has a very nice natural cork stopper.  The top of the stopper is particularly cool.  It has a picture of the Signature Don Q horse and rider.

    There isn’t a great deal of information on the bottle.  It states it is a Single Barrel Rum which was selected by the Master Distiller.  At 6000 bottles it must have been a very large barrel.  I asked Don Q about this and was told the following

    “The release is from a single distillation and the rum produced from that distillation were all put into similar but not the same ex-Bourbon Barrel(s).  So the rum you get in the bottle is from a single barrel – though not all the 6000 bottles are from the same barrel”

    Which clears it up sufficiently for me. In the UK a bottle of this rum will set you back around £40.  It is bottled at 40% ABV for a 70cl bottle.

    Quantities of this rum have been made available in Puerto Rico, the US and Europe.

    The profile of Don Q rum has certainly increased over the past couple of years.  At the London Rumfest in October I was pleasantly surprised to see a quite large and very busy Don Q stand.  Global Brand Ambassador Alexx Mouzouris and his team were doing an excellent job.  I hung around the stand for a while listening into feedback from other attendees.  Many were surprised about the quality of the Don Q line up on offer and wondered why they had not heard of the brand before.

    The 2005 Single Barrel has been aged in American White Oak barrels (ex-Bourbon).  I’m hopeful that Don Q will take inspiration from Foursquare’s recent Port and Zinfandel finish rums for future releases.  However I am aware how difficult and expensive it can be to secure certain casks/barrels. 

    I’m hopeful that this rum will give me something similar to the excellent Gran Anejo but with sufficient difference to merit owning both rums.

    In the glass the rum is a golden/straw colour and looks a lot less orange than when in the bottle.  The nose is nicely balanced.  Vanilla, good oak presence, a little toffee and chocolate.  There are some nutty and creamy notes in their as well.  Despite the ABV of only 40% it has quite a sharpness to it and has quite a strong hit of sweet alcohol.

    It is likely this is caused by the fact the rum has not been blended so there are some Don Q Signature Blend Single Barrel Rum Review by the fat rum pirateelements that would perhaps be ironed out if it were a more regular release.  If this sounds like a criticism – it is not intended as one.  I like the fact I am getting these slight imperfections.  It’s interesting.

    Overall for an unblended rum it is very nicely balanced on the nose.  Again as I have mentioned before Don Q rums are quite similar to classic Bajan rums.  Reliant on good oak ageing and a well distilled core product to begin with.

    When sipped the rum has a fairly sweet opening – fruity pears and apple with just a little hint of darker berries.  These sweeter notes are quickly over taken by some lovely spicy oak and bourbon-esque notes.  It’s quite a spicy and heated rum but one which quickly calms down into a medium length finish which as a wonderful lightness to it.  In the finish you still get the oak but also a kind of crème caramel note.

    It’s not as dry and smoky as I initially suspected from the stronger alcohol notes on the nose.  As a sipper it has a really good balance and a good complexity. 

    There are a few brands which I am expecting to break big in the couple of years – amongst them is Don Q.  They also have a Spiced Rum out soon as well as 151 already on the shelves.

    I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoyed their Gran Anejo or to people who understand appreciate the balance and finesse of Bajan Rums.

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  • Gosling’s Gold Bermuda Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Gosling's Gold Rum Review Black SealFor generation’s Gosling’s name has been synonymous with their signature Black Seal Rum.  Goslings Gold Rum was the Bermudan companies first new product in 108 years.  An answer to the cries for a lighter bodied rum, in keeping with modern times and the trend towards amber/gold mixing rums.

    Gosling’s Gold is a blend of pot and continuous still rum’s aged for up to 5 years in (I presume) Bourbon casks.  Gosling’s Black Seal has long been a staple in many a rum fan’s drinks cabinet.   Their signature drink the Dark and Stormy (sic) – a mix of Goslings Black Seal and Ginger Beer (with a chunk of lime) is world famous and trademarked! So be careful how you go as a few bloggers have come a cropper from Gosling’s legal team (with a gentle push from someone with an axe to grind).  The Goslings website  http://www.goslingsrum.com really is a joyous thing to behold and they have a few fairly simple cocktail recipe’s to enjoy.  Take note, although the Zombie doesn’t mention using the Black Seal 151 version I don’t think the drink is called Zombie without good reason!

    I picked up my bottle from Rehills in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne.  It was discounted slightly but the average price of a bottle of Goslings Gold is around £18-22 in the UK for a 70cl bottle.  The bottle I have is 75cl (more standard US size) but it has the appropriate HMRC stickers so its all good – nice to get an extra couple of shots for your money.  Interestingly the bottle is same size as my Black Seal 70cl.  The difference being the Goslings Gold is full to the brim with liquid (see picture).

    When cracking the Red plastic seal from the Gold I find another slightly American quirk to this bottle.  A plastic screw top.  Thankfully though, there is no diffuser in the bottle.  The bottle itself is a fairly standard bar/wine like bottle.  The presentation is fairly good with ships sailing on the high seas, (far from original) and a little info-story on the front.  The Goslings logo used is as on the Black Seal. I have taken a picture of the two side by side so you can see how the two compliment each other.  They look quite good when stored side by side.Gosling's Rum Black Seal Gold Bermuda Rum Review  The Gold looks quite mellow in the bottle, in contrast to the Black Seal.  I’ve only tried a little Black Seal before, so at this point we’ll forget all about the Black Seal and just concentrate on the rum at hand.

    In the bottle the rum is quite light, an amber/gold colour.  When poured it is slightly lighter almost straw in appearance.  The aroma initially is quite boozy.  After a little time in the glass the rum seems to settle and the aroma is more perfumed, there is a little creaminess to the nose and some vanilla.  There are some fruity notes as well a little peach and some pineapple.

    Taken straight the rum is initially very spicy it’s gives quite a lot of burn as well.  It’s a bit like eating a hot chilli the way the spice hits your taste buds.  The finish is very long and spicy.  In many ways its like waiting for the burn of a medium-hot curry to subside. However, once you have taken a few sips your taste buds seem to adjust and you begin to feel a certain smoothness to the rum, its quite creamy and light in many ways similar to Angostura 1919 – just with a bit of a more spicy edge.  It has an oakiness that combines well with the spice.

    I initially thought an ice cube may be needed but no this is just about passable as a sipper.  It’s not brilliant but it’s okay.

    On my first tasting I tried the rum in what I called a “Light N’ Stormy” (maybe I should trademark that!)  with some Ginger Beer.  I half expected the Gold to get lost in with the Ginger Beer but I found that it worked pretty well.  It fought back against all the Ginger and revealed a fruiter side and its oakiness held up well and gave the drink an extra dimension.

    Mixing once again this time with cola, again I find that the Goslings Gold has a little more to offer.  When mixed 50/50 with cola it reveals its smoothness, it almosts de-carbonates the cola.  This leaves you with a very enjoyable smooth drink.  Mixed with more cola the Goslings is still very good.  The spicy flavour and the young oakiness come through.  The rum really is quite different to the usual “gold mixer”.  It is quite complex for a mixer and has quite a lot going on in its profile.

    I wasn’t sure what to expect from this rum.  I kind of hoped that the Goslings Gold would have a little bit of the Black Seal in it and indeed it does.  It is however different enough to recommend trying in its own right.  I would say the Goslings Gold is best described as Black Seal’s naughty younger brother.

    3 stars

     

     

    This rum is available from

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  • Rhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Hors D’Age Port Cask Finish

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Rhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Hors D'Age Port Cask Finish Review by the fat rum pirateRhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Hors D’Age Port Cask Finish. Rhum Depaz are an Agricole Rhum producer from the French West Indies.

    More specifically they hail from the island of Martinique. Rhum Agricole from Martinque can be produced in line with the AOC. The AOC – Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) is the French equivalent to EU’s Protected Designation of Origin (PDO).

    Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) is one of the geographical indications defined in European Union law to protect the names of regional foods. The law ensures that only products genuinely originating in that region are allowed to be sold as such. The purpose of the law is to protect the reputation of the regional foods, eliminate the unfair competition and misleading of consumers by non-genuine products. Which may be of inferior quality or differ wildly to the original product.

    Rather than re-create more content I would urge you to investigate here for more information on the AOC designation.

    Rhum Depaz is produced using solely Blue Sugar Cane. It is noted that Blue Cane has a higher sugar level and is “heralded” for its intense flavour profile. It is noted as being the most expensive and difficult sugar cane to grow. The sugar cane is harvested once a year at the Depaz Plantation and the production of Rhum Depaz from Cane to bottle is undertaken in-house.

    Depaz Distillery is situated in the North West of Martinique at the foot of a volcanic mountain – Mount Pelee.

    For review today we have Rhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Hors D’Age Port Cask Finish. The rhum comes in a stubby bottle with a cork enclosure. Presentation wise as with most aged agricoles its impressively packaged and you get a card box to store your rhum in when you aren’t quaffing it. Retail wise I have seen this rhum selling anywhere from £75 to £85 online. So you would be wise to shop around for this.

    Rhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Hors D’Age Port Cask Finish has been aged for 8 years in small oak barrels before being transferred to ex Port casks and matured for a further 11 months. It is bottled at 45% ABV.

    The nose is interesting. Soft and fruity. A lot of red grape and a touch of bubblegum. Further nosing reveals a quite oaky as opposed to grassy Agricole style of rhum. It is very well balanced. Notes of figs, blackcurrants and cranberry make an appearance.

    It is quite a mellow, well balance nose. It is not hugely complex but you can certainly feel the added fruitiness afforded by the second maturation in Port casks. There is a zesty orange peel lurking in the nose as well.

    Sipped this is quite an unusual tasting Agricole rhum. The sweeter notes on the nose have faded slightly giving more familiar notes of grassiness but they never overwhelm the more delicate notes of this rhum. The initial sip gives a burst of red currants and peach. There are notes of vanilla and some white chocolate mingling alongside some very nice zesty orange peel – which has carried through from the nose.

    The mid palate has a lovely balance of oak and vanilla. It has a blackcurrant crumble feel to it – stewed winter fruits and some really nice buttery notes of biRhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Hors D'Age Port Cask Finish review by the fat rum piratescuit and cream. Some nuttiness as well puts in an appearance.

    The finish is quite long – yet mellow with the fruitier Port like notes taking over alongside the orange zest and some nice woody notes. It fades out nicely leaving behind a nice oaky Agricole like flavour. Another sip and you are back the with fruity notes.

    This is definitely a rhum which could appeal to more seasoned molasses based rum drinkers. It is not as sweet as Foursquare’s Port Cask (I know someone will ask) the Port Cask finish is a bit more subtle. The balance of the two are similar though. This is a really nice sipper.

    I’m very fond of this.

     

  • Compagnie des Indes Caraibes

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Compagnie Des Indes Caraibes Blend Rum Review by the fat rum pirateCompagnie des Indes Caraibes. The French Independent bottler Compagnie des Indes have been making great strides over the past couple of years. They have expanded from releasing rums at 43-46% ABV and are now moving into Cask Strength bottlings.

    A fair few of these have went to the Danish market and have been pretty difficult to come by in the UK and mainland Europe. Generous samples from enthusiasts in Denmark have helped me try some of these rums. Fortunately Compagnie des Indes Caraibes is/was a little easier to access.

    In the UK a bottle would set you back around £34 for the usual 70cl. Caraibes is bottled at 40% ABV. It comes housed in the usual CDI stubby style bottle with cut out card sleeve. Presentation wise all is well and I like the CDI branding.

    It is a blend rather than a single cask rum. Rums from Guyana, Barbados and Trinidad make up that blend. With 50% of the rum coming from Trini and 25% each from Barbados and Guyana. Aged for between 3-5 years this is very much a “mixing” rum. Having said that you never know it may work as a cheaper sipper as well.

    In the glass Caraibes is a very vivid golden brown with yellow and orange tinges.

    Nosing Compagnie des Indes Caraibes blend reveals a very easy-going, approachable blend of rums. Its light and sweet – banana, apricot and some chocolate raisins. The influence of oak ageing is minimal and there is little by way of spiciness.Compagnie Des Indes Caraibes Blend Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    Its all quite nice and has a good balance to it but it doesn’t carry much weight and isn’t all that interesting.

    Sipped its pretty sweet – for some reason I never conducted a Hydrometer Test on this one but it does taste as if some sugar has been added. It has an almost saccharin note to it. It’s pleasant enough and agreeable but its not really holding my interest to be honest. Milk chocolate, raisins and demerara sugar are the main notes. Again very little oak influence. NB Indeed 15 g/L of organic cane syrup has been added as per their website. Fair play to Florent for the disclosure. Though I do wish he hadn’t done that. While we are at it they also added some Caramel Colouring.

    Guyana and Trinidad are the main players in this blend flavour wise. The Bajan element is likely just providing a bit of balance and maybe some of the vanilla notes. Though they are hard to pick out from the sugary elements of this rum.

    The finish is virtually non-existent – again no oak influence or much spice from the barrel. There is nothing unpleasant about the finish but its pretty short and not all that exciting. It’s all a little muted by the sugar-making it a bit one-dimensional and a bit dull.

    Compagnie Des Indes Caraibes Blend Rum Review by the fat rum pirateDespite saying all this it’s not a bad little mixing rum albeit slightly expensive. It makes a decent enough rum and cola and works well in cocktails. I’d probably use this as a weekend mixer – if it were a little cheaper and available locally. Sipped it’s just not complex or interesting enough to hold my attention.

    It’s all just a bit to simple, to polite, to “entry level” to get excited about. You can get much better rums for 2/3 of the price of this in most supermarkets.

    It’s worth pointing out that this bottling dates from 2015. It is not indicative of the time of rum Compagnie des Indes usually produces. They do have blends of white and aged rums but they focus mostly upon single cask bottlings. Please read my other reviews of CDI bottlings before jumping to any conclusions. Like any Indie bottler they can be a bit hitty miss with their cask selections but they have put out some really top-notch rums. Particularly in the past year or so.

     

  • Dead Reckoning Rum Mutiny South Pacific

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Dead Reckoning Rum Mutiny South Pacific Rum Review by the fat rum pirateDead Reckoning Rum Mutiny South Pacific. Another bottling from new Independent bottlers Dead Reckoning. If you aren’t familiar with the brand it is likely because you aren’t living in Australia. Unlike many Independent bottlers Dead Reckoning aren’t based in Europe (or even the US which has seen more Indie bottlers sprout up lately).

    This is the second release from Dead Reckoning, following last years The Sextant, which was a blend of Caribbean rums. Mutiny South Pacific is as the name suggests not a blend from multiple islands/locations. It is a single barrel release of rum from the South Pacific Rum Distillery in Fiji. Much like Flor de Cana and Worthy Park, South Pacific Distillery prefer not to have the distillery named on Independent bottlings.

    In the case of Flor de Cana and South Pacific Distillery this is a little farcical as they usually get bottled as Nicaragua and Fiji. Now I am not entirely sure (and they likely aren’t) if they are the only distilleries in these locations but they are certainly the only ones who export their rums to Independent bottlers.

    Dead Reckoning rums are brought to the market in Australia in conjunction with The Rum Tribe, who are (and I quote) “Australia’s favourite Rum Club”. I was involved in a live tasting of this rum with The Rum Tribe a week or so back. It was quite a lively chat (I did prattle on a bit at times) about Mutiny and all things rum. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

    Anyway, lets get back concentrating on the rum.

    Dead Reckoning Rum Mutiny South Pacific is named after the (in)famous Mutiny on the Bounty, which occured in the South Pacific ocean way back in April 1789. This incident has previously given name to rum in the shape of Captain Bligh XO Rum, which was named after the ships captain at the time of the mutiny. Those involved in the Mutiny settled on Tahiti and Pitcairn Island.

    The rum is from South Pacific Distillery in Fiji. South Pacific Distillery rum two Pot and three Column Stills. I’m not sure of the composition of this rum but I would fancy it is a blend of Pot and Column rums.

    Dead Reckoning Rum Mutiny South Pacific has been aged for eleven years in Fiji at the distillery in an ex-Bourbon barrel and a further six months in Adelaide, Australia in an ex-Cream Apera barrel. For those of you who don’t know (and I confess I didn’t) Cream Aperac is a Fortified Sherry wine. Australia decided to adopt the term “Apera” in 2011 instead of using Sherry, which they felt was disrespectful to Spanish Sherry producers.

    In Australia and The Rum Tribe is the only place you will find this on sale it will set you back $155 dollars. Which works out at around £80 in Pounds/Euros. Baring in mind the high prices of Australian booze. Similar and often much higher than even the UK! This is not bad value at all. In total 400 bottles are/were available.

    The rum has not been bottled at Cask Strength instead it has been brought down to 52% ABV. The original cask samples were around 80% ABV! A loss of 62% Angels Share is noted. With this in mind although a single barrel was shipped to Australia, it is likely that different barrels will have been married together at some stage.Dead Reckoning Rum Mutiny South Pacific Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    The creator of Dead Reckoning Rum Justin Boseley, is against any kind of sweetening and/or additives in his rums. So this has no additives, colouring etc.

    Dead Reckoning Mutiny South Pacific is dark/golden brown colour with a red tinge around the edges and throughout the rum when swirled in the glass.

    Nosed it has a herbal quality, similar to St Lucian rum. Pine Cones, some Pot Pourri and a touch of eucalyptus.

    Further nosing reveals some molasses, toffee and sweet vanilla. Time in the glass gives more time for the aromas to reveal themselves. Slightly menthol notes appear alongside some light tar and cigarette smoke.

    It’s a complex nose. It’s a rum which is really worth sitting with and nosing. You will get a lot out of it this way and it will also improve your sipping experience. It is both light and soft, yet quite menacing at the same time.

    On the sip it is quite spicy with a fair amount of barrel influence. It’s oaky but the spice from the oak isn’t overly woody. You get a good hit of sweet vanilla and some warming red chilli heat.

    The herbal nature of the rum comes out more with each sip – the pine cones and eucalyptus that was on the nose is very evident. I’m also getting a carbolic/soapy element.

    On the mid palate the rum evolves further. A sooty/tarriness comes through. I think if you experienced a Fijian rum – for the first time you could well think it was a blend. It has elements of St Lucian rum, heavy Caroni and most definitely funky Jamaican notes.

    I haven’t really mentioned the elements which remind me of Jamaican funk. They are definitely there though right from the start. The nose carries elements of Banana Bread, Pineapple and a kind of “mucky” dundery note. The initial sip and mid palate carry a fruitiness as well, which works nicely with the more herbal notes. It keeps the more aggressive elements of this rum at bay. It keeps the balance nicely.

    Dead Reckoning Rum Mutiny South Pacific Rum Review by the fat rum pirateThere’s so much going on with this rum – so it is very much a slow sipper. In terms of overall profile it is one of the longest and most complex rums I have experienced. The finish is long and fades out nicely. However, such is the powerful nature of this rum it leaves behind a fair bit of funk, banana, tar, soot and molasses long after you have sipped it.

    You are probably reading this review wondering if I’m describing about ten different rums and getting my notes mixed up! I’ll be honest with you Fijian rum can be really difficult to try and explain. It certainly can’t be pigeon holed. I’ve not tried this rum prior to it being “double aged” in the Cream Apera barrels but I suspect it has added an extra layer of complexity to the rum and maybe rounded it off a little. Fijian rum can sometimes be a bit too aggressive to be truly enjoyable. This by no means is no shrinking violet but it has a balance of flavour which I’m really enjoying.

    A fascinating rum and easily one of the best Fijian rums I’ve tried. It gets better the more you try it.