East London Liquor Co. Ltd (ELLC) is a vodka and gin distillery.  Based in London’s East End, Bow Wharf to be exact.

They also import spirits – such as this Demerara rum from Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL).  The vodka and gin distillery is complemented by a bar and they also have an online store.  Here you can buy both their own range and other spirits.

A 70cl bottle of ELLC’s Demerara rum retails at around the £25 mark.  It is bottled at 40% ABV.  It is available at a number of online retailers including the Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt.

This Demerara rum is produced on the famous Enmore Wooden Column Still at DDL.  The still itself is unique – the only wooden column still in the world.  It is capable of producing 9 different marques of rum from to light to heavy and all in between.  It is one of the most used stills at DDL and one which has produced several very tasty independent bottlings over the years.

Independent bottlings such as this can be pretty expensive.  ELLC ensure me that the rum is not a blend and that it has been aged for 3 years in ex-bourbon casks, prior to be being bottled here in the UK.

The rum is presented in a slightly unusual shaped bottle which reminds me a little of a thinner Prosecco bottle.  It has a synthetic stopper of good quality and the presentation is modern and quite sleek.  The presentation of the rum also carries over to their other spirits which I quite like. I think a strong and clear brand identity is a good thing.  You get some good solid information about the rum on the back label.

Demerara rums are pretty common in the UK with brands such as OVD, Skipper and Woods 100 all popular.  We than have popular Navy rums such as Lamb’s and Pusser’s using Demerara rums in their blends.

What most of those rums have is a sweet profile – this seems to appeal to the consumer.  So it will be interesting to see if ELLC’s offering treads a similar path.

First up is the nose of the rum.  Which is encouraging.  The familiar DDL nose is there – juicy raisins, molasses and hints of caramel. Some lighter notes of vanilla and very nice spicy bourbon(ish) oak notes. It is a fragrant nose and I am not getting any alcohol fumes.  The rum has a nice colour to it which may be down to ageing but DDL do like adding caramel.  Sometimes even prior to ageing!

So far there is nothing to suggest that rum has had anything less than 3 years ageing.

Sipping this rum the bourbon oak really takes over.  It is very spicy and particularly on finish it is pretty fiery. The fruit is present initially but quickly fades into the spicy middle and finish.  Once you get used to the slight alcohol burn you have an okay sipper but it lacks the complexity which was promised by the nose.  It is slightly short and sharp.

At this price point ELLC’s rum is really more of a “premium” mixer. The bottle is bar friendly and certainly very much on trend.

I drink as much rum and cola as I do sipping rum.  This is a style of Demerara rum which works with the cola (or ginger beer) rather than dominate.  When mixed with cola you get a very nice oak aged and molasses profile with a little sweeter raisin and even some slightly bitter dark chocolate or cocoa.

It is certainly a lot better than El Dorado’s 3 year old white rum or even their 5 year old.  In addition to this I would choose a bottle of this over Skipper or OVD.

This is a lighter style of unsweetened Demerara. It could perhaps show those who enjoy sipping Velier Demerara rums that they could opt for a change of pace.  Maybe try an ELLC Demerara rum and cola?  I doubt they will but I’m certainly pleased I picked up a bottle of this as it is rather good and perhaps better than you might think.

It has a very rummy authenticity and if they can perhaps age it a little longer they might well be on to something very good.  Price wise it is certainly worth a punt for anyone seeking something different in a Demerara at this price point.