A.H Riise Royal Danish Navy Rum

Bythefatrumpirate

A.H Riise A.H Riise Royal Danish Navy Rum review by the fat rum pirateRoyal Danish Navy Rum is another take on Navy Rum.  This time though the focus is on the Royal Danish Navy.  I would be lying if I said I was particularly acquainted with the exploits of the Danish Navy.

A.H Riise was no doubt a high ranking figure in the Danish Navy or some almightly war hero.  No he as was actually a pharmacist.  His links to rum seem to be that he sold and imported rum from the West Indies to Denmark.

It is noted on the A.H Riise website that “This exclusive rum brand has been created as a celebration to one of the most significant and entrepreneurial Danes; Pharmacist and councilor A.H Riise.  He lived and worked in the Danish West Indies in the period 1838 to 1878”

The company behind this rum are A.H Riise Rum LLC. based in Delaware USA!?Confusingly the site then goes onto give contact details with a danish email address.  It also notes that there is a “Dansk Vestindisk Rom Kompagni” which is based in Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas and Copenhagen, Denmark.

It’s all get very complicated already!

The A.H Riise rums are actually quite difficult to find in the UK.  I do not believe they have a regular importer.  They are common place unsurprisingly in Denmark and parts of mainland Europe.  This rum is actually pretty near the bottom of their range in terms of price they have numerous XO and prestige bottlings higher up the scale.

A bottle of this costs around £50-55 or 55-65 euros (the exchange rate is so close nowadays). The Royal Danish Navy Rum is available in two strengths one over proof 55% ABV and this effort which is bottled at a more sedate 40% ABV.

Looking at the labels attached to the bottle highlighting all the gold medals it has won, I notice it is distributed by Haromex.  For me Haromex have a quite baffling array of rums which don’t really seem to pull in any general direction.A.H Riise Royal Danish Navy Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

So what blend of rums make up a Royal Danish Navy Rum? Once again the rather extensive A.H Riise website provides a few, if not all the answers.

The rum has been re-created to the exact blend as formulated by A.H Riise.  It is a combination of several different rums aged upto 20 years.  The rums are in the “Vedderburn (sic) and Plummer” style.

A molasses based rum produced by slow fermentation, which is then kettle distilled in the traditional “Pot Still” to 85% alcohol.

According to the website this results in an extremely dark, almost black colour with complex shades of coffee, anise, licorice, burnt caramel, molasses, spices and cedar. Combined with an exotic and elegant taste of bitter orange and bergamot fruits.

Now for many websites that would probably be the basis of their “review”.  No doubt all those notes would be noted as they savour their latest free sample.

Unfortunately, I know what a Wedderburn and Plummer style rum is.  I also know that distillation doesn’t make a rum turn black!

I’d heard a few rumours about A.H Riise rum prior to getting a hold of a bottle.  I conducted a Hydrometer test which reveals 92 g/L of added sugar.  This places it very close to the EU’s level for liqueur.  It also puts it in the top most “sugared” rums I have tested to date.

This rum is popular in Denmark though not so much with the “enthusiast” end of the market who are quite critical and almost ashamed of the brand!  I always try and keep an open mind and I always like to try things for myself.  However the hydrometer test is worrying.  As was the cloying nature of the liquid and the very strange smell!

Anyway lets waste no more time on the A.H Riise story and move onto tasting this rum.

A.H Riise Royal Danish Navy Rum is as dark as you might expect of a Navy Rum.  It is almost black with orange and red flashed throughout the rum.  Its a very dark brown colour.

When poppinA.H Riise Royal Danish Navy Rum Review by the fat rum pirateg the synthetic cork on this bottle I notice a really sticky residue around the bottle and the cork.  When poured this rum is extremely viscous.  It reminds me more of a Demerara liqueur such as Lord Nelson’s more than a Navy style rum.

The nose is just plain weird.  It’s oddly synthetic smelling.  It smells a little like very cheap chocolate raisins mixed in with Pear Drops.  There is a kind of toffee like note but again its like very cheap toffee.  The kind you get in horrible white paper which melt in your pocket after just a couple of minutes.  It’s cloying to fudge or Scottish tablet like levels.  There is also a kind of varnish like note mingling in with candied oranges but even that has managed what smells like another coating of sugar.  It is ridiculously perfumed and so un-rum like it is unreal.

To be frank the nose borders on being completely repulsive. In many ways A.H Riise have performed a miracle with this particular rum.  They have completely removed all traces of the funky Jamaican Wedderburn and Plummer distillates and replaced them with the contents of a Drag Queens handbag.  I best move onto the tasting quickly.  I do hope it can improve…………..

Sipped the rum is extremely smooth and totally devoid of any alcohol burn whatsoever. Maybe a very faint tap at the end of the very short unrewarding finish.

Taste wise it is all cloying cheap chocolate and sugar coated tangerines with a tiny hit of marmalade.  But even the marmalade note is sweet!  It’s the kind of thing you would have drank as shots like Baileys or Doorley’s (a toffee liqueuer not the Foursquare offering), when you were a kid because you couldn’t stand the taste of alcohol.

In short you get a strong cloying overpowering sweet mess to begin with which quickly disappears into an almost non existent mid palate and a very tiny almost buzz of alcohol for a finish.A.H Riise Royal Danish Navy Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

All the while you are “sipping” this you are also having to put up with the repulsive reek of this “rum”.

A.H Riise Royal Danish Navy Rum also has the temerity to have a tagline of “World Class Rum”. This is in actual fact rum for people who don’t actually like or understand rum.  It’s rum for people who can’t actually cope with all that “nasty” alcohol burn but still want to spend a few quid on a bottle to try and look sophisticated or even credible.  They want to like rum but unfortunately they just don’t get it.

You’re doing yourself a dis-service.  World Class? If Pussers British Royal Navy Rum is world class Navy rum then this is the England football team.

Overrated? Vastly in certain circles. The worst rum I have ever had?

Probably.

 

Similar Posts

  • Bundaberg Original UP Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Bundaberg Original Bundy Rum ReviewBundaberg or “Bundy” as its more popularly known in its native Australia is that particular nation’s most famous spirit drink.  It is available in a variety of guises and the Bundaberg company even makes its own Cola for its pre-mixed cans and bottles.

    I’d seen this rum a lot when I was in Australia on holiday a few years back.  However, I wasn’t into rum back then so I never gave it a try. Since becoming more interested in rum I’d seen the rum online a few times at around £20-25.  I finally thought I’d give it a try.

    The packaging is reasonably good, it is a medium size bottle which is quite distinctive.  As it is entry level rum the closure is the usual metallic screw cap.  The Bundy Polar Bear is used as it will ward off any chill.  I’m not sure how much the Australians know about chilly but it does give an indication that this rum should be quite rich.

    The rum is gold almost orange in colour.  I would imagine some artificial colourings are used as I doubt this is aged any more than 2 years. It smells very sweet, a little like an agricole rum but there is a very noticeable smell of booze.  Neat it just doesn’t work.  It’s far too rough.  All you can taste is the booze.  I was surprised how boozy it tasted as it is bottled at 37% and in some circles it isn’t actually a rum but a cane spirit.  Personally I couldn’t really give a toss about that nor can I understand why anyone else would….

    Mixed with cola or ginger beer it is supposed to come into its own.  Now you can definitely taste the spirit in the glass, you certainly wouldn’t go back to the bar thinking they’d forgotten to add your spirit with this!

    It’s sweet and as already mentioned it tastes of alcohol.  Even when poured as a single measure you notice much more booze than with other rums.  This probably accounts in some way for its popularity in Oz.  To me it tastes almost like a cheap sweet blended whisky.  The alcohol taste to it overpowers the drink it doesn’t really taste like a rum at all.

    I wasn’t overly surprised with this rum, I had read that it was a little rough and ready and it certainly proved to be.  As said there really wasn’t much to taste other than sweet alcohol.  I can understand why some people would see it as their rum, it is distinctive.  However, I could understand people who like this not actually liking other rums.  Or having much left by way of brain cells.

    The rum also comes in a overproof version I double checked my bottle at first to check they hadn’t sent that one!

    This is terrible and gives rum a bad name.  I don’t think I’ve had a rum worse than this.

    0.5 stars

     

     


     

     

  • |

    Sir Ranulph Fiennes’ Great British Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Sir Ranulph Fiennes' Great British Rum Review by the fat rum pirateSir Ranulph Fiennes’ Great British Rum. Depending on your age and interests you may be more familiar with actor Ralph Fiennes – Ranulph and Ralph are cousins. Ralph is also a distant cousin of Prince Charles.

    Sir Ranulph Fiennes is a World Famous British explorer and holder of several endurance records. For his latest venture he has teamed up with the English Spirit Distillery and Master Distiller Dr John Walters to create a British Rum.

    I have covered English Spirit Distillery in the past when I reviewed their rather Marmite like Old Salt Rum, way back in 2014.

    Sir Ranulph Fiennes’ Great British Rum is distilled from imported molasses in Copper Pot Stills. This rum has been triple distilled with staves of exotic woods. These woods reflect some of Ranulphs most memorable expeditions.

    The woods used are as follows noted next to them is the expedition they reflect

    Canadian Sequoia – British Colombia Rivers

    Norwegian (Wood – sorry) Pine – Jostedalsbreen Glacier

    Omani Date Palm – The Lost City of Ubar

    Sir Ranulph Fiennes’ Great British Rum has been bottled at 40% ABV and retails at £49. English Spirit have set up a website specifically for the rum. It is presented in a cardboard sleeve with imagery of Sir Ranulph. The bottle is a 3/4 stubby kind of affair with a nice tapered in profile. A wax seal and cork stopper complete the presentation. It’s nice and appeals on the shelf. It is priced at £50 and has no age statement – it is effectively unaged.

    The rum caused a bit of a stir on a Facebook page I run as an admin – The UK Rum Club and James Lawrence from the English Spirit Distillery was quick to defend this rum. As the rum is distilled with wood staves to mimic ageing it – people are very skeptical. I spoke to English Spirit about this and they sent me the following information/opinion from Master Distiller Dr John Walters

    “Standard rum can be aged in a barrel. Here rum distillate interacts with the wood barrel’s interior and some of the volume of the wood at ambient temperature. In some cases the inside of the barrel is charred; charring opens up the structure of the wood, increasing access to its interior, increasing surface area for the distillate to permeate and interact with the wood. Charring also turns the scorched part of the wood into little more than charcoal, carbon; it may have a mild filtering function, but as this area is relatively thin its capacity for doing so is probably inconsequential.

    The chemistry of distillate, in particular malt spirit, interacting with wood has been well documented elsewhere so we won’t go into detail here. Suffice to say, the barrel aging process is ambient distillation of the remaining highly volatile molecules and alcohol loss as it evaporates through the micropores of the wood. The subsequent micro-oxygenation by air, which has displaced the exiting volatiles; and the chemistry that goes on between the wood and the distillate at the distillate-wood interface and within the interior of the wood.

    This all takes time and is limited by the amount of distillate at any moment in contact with the wood and the subsequent diffusion of regions within the distillate with the new wood-provoked chemistry dispersing through the rest of the barrel. Kinetic energy can speed the wSir Ranulph Fiennes' Great British Rum Review by the fat rum piratehole thing up markedly, whether in the form of elevated temperature, agitation or both.

    As Einstein once said “The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once.” We examined the aging process and wanted to mimic it by separating in time and temperature some key steps in barrel aging to produce in essence an untimely rum with many of the characteristics facilitated by barrel-aging.

    During the final distillation of our rum in our 200L copper pot alembics, we added charred woods. We took time to select the right woods, their shape, their surface to volume ratio and how much we’d charred them. Also we controlled when they were added and how much of each. We wanted to control the spirit-wood interaction as the temperature in the still ramped up to yield spirit.

    Now we had an interesting colourless spirit and we sought even more finesse: At elevated temperature we had no chance of useful micro-oxygenation; our final step was an ambient pass through woods of specific charring or not, size, shape and direction for a specific period of time. Our sable delight.

    With Ran Rum we wanted to honour the man’s innovation and daring. It’s not for everyone, but what do you care what other people think.”

    So there you go – English Spirit in fairness do not try and suggest they can re-produce 20 years of ageing in 2 weeks unlike some………

    I think that is more than enough detail on the rum so lets get on with the tasting.

    In the glass Sir Ranulph Fiennes’ Great British Rum is a shade darker than straw. It looks relatively young but clearly the interaction with the wood has imparted some colour into the spirit.

    The nose is big on the molasses and toffee. Much like a lot of young British rum. It’s quite sweet smelling but the Hydrometer indicates no additives. So that is probably the youthful smell of alcohol……….yum!

    There’s quite a hit of aniseed on the nose and a slight note of tobacco and smokiness. It’s reminiscent in some ways of young European aged Port Mourant rums from DDL. Which is not a bad thing at all. The nose isn’t huge but it is pleasant and welcoming enough to make me want to take sip.

    It’s quite peppery. I’m getting a fair amount of spice and black pepper on the initial sip. There is a slight smokiness and a little “stony” note. The molasses hasn’t come through as much – it’s not as sweet as the nose suggested. In fact the rum does feel a little less rummy, then I might have expected. That may be the triple distillation.

    The over riding flavour to this rum is the wood influence which is very apparent. Surprisingly and depsite the initial entry Sir Ranulph Fiennes’ Great British Rum is pretty smooth, especially considering its youth. It goes down nicely and the finish is quite long lasting with a lot of pepper and spice.

    Sir Ranulph Fiennes' Great British Rum Review by the fat rum pirateUnfortunately, it doesn’t taste like an aged rum though. It tastes like a relatively young rum. It’s overall smoother profile is at odds with the flavours which are more spicy than actually aged. I’m getting wood influence but its young and brash – a bit like a young bourbon.

    As has been said by the Master Distiller himself – this rum will not be for everyone. Personally I quite like this. It’s quite a difficult rum to try and describe being entirely honest it is a little weird.

    At the price point I would probably like to see a higher ABV – 43 or 46% and I’m not entirely sure the triple distillation is having a positive effect on the flavour of the rum. It’s certainly making the spirit smoother but I think it may be losing some flavour as well.

    That said it’s quite enjoyable but it is priced in a very competitive part of the market.

     

  • Mezan Panama 1999

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Mezan Panama 1999 Rum review by the fat rum pirateAnother try out with a Mezan rum.  At these prices it would simply have been rude not to give Mezan a fair crack of the whip.  With Mezan trying to do things the “right way” (in many peoples eyes – including their own) I simply had to persevere with their range.

    This Panama 1999 is another one of my more unusual purchases.  The original idea was to finally try one of Francisco “Don Pancho” Fernandez’s rums.  I’d focused on the reasonably priced 7 year old celebrity cash in Ron De Jeremy.  Then I saw this Mezan distilled in 1999 and bottled between 2012 and 2014 (I have only seen that around on the net so it may well be wrong I cannot find a definitive age).

    For those who don’t know Francisco “Don Pancho” Fernandez is a former Blender with Havana Club and subsequently a Master Blender at the Don Jose Distillery in Panama for Valera Hermanos.  Valera Hermanos are responsible for the Ron Abuelo line of rums.  In more recent times Don Pancho has lent his skills to produce several premium products such as Zafra, Origienes series and of course the porn star rum Ron de Jeremy.

    I was overall a little non-plussed by the Abuelo 7 Year Old I previously reviewed.  Still I wanted to give Mezan another try out with something a little different.

    As Mezan often bottle single casks their portfolio is often changing.  It may be that it is quite difficult to find this rum now as it isn’t one of their 2015 releases.  I was able to pick up a bottle for £30.  It is usually around £35 in the UK.  The bottle is a 70cl and the rum comes in at a very exact 42.2% ABV. The rum is rather bizarrely only available in the UK and…..Russia!

    The presentation is signature Mezan – clear, uncluttered and distinctive shaped bottle.  The plastic closure on this bottle doesn’t seem as troublesome as on others and so far it has been easy to open and hasn’t got stuck or clogged.

    Mezan Panama 1991 Rum Review by the fat rum pirateI’ve been left a little underwhelmed by previous Mezan offerings but I am encouraged that this rum has been bottled at a slightly odd ABV.  This may present the rum at its best.

    The rum in this is column distilled.  It does not state this rum is single cask but single distillery. I can’t find a great deal of information, this is the best I can find “The rums in this small batch have been aged twice in separate sets of white oak American Bourbon casks, to give added structure to the spirit”.  It states on the rear of the bottle that is rum is unblended.

    So with all the information I can find lets move onto the tasting.

    The first surprise from a column distilled rum is just how fruity and full the nose is.  Most Hispanic/Spanish style “rons” get their flavour mainly from the oak and they tend to be spicy and/or tobacco/tar like. This has a very pleasant nose.   It smells of peaches and apricots, giving way to the more familiar oak aged notes.  Sweet alcohol notes also come through, but they are muted and again very pleasant.  Not at all harsh.

    Previously I have found the Mezan’s to have a muted nose – almost as if they have been diluted too much.  Especially full for a rum with no Pot Still distillate.

    Sipping (and I will only sip this) is a great experience as well.  The beautifully balanced yet complex nose reels you in and the sipping experience that follows is equally pleasant.  This rum has a wonderful honeyed sweetness to it. Muscavado and Demerara Brown sugar combine with light notes of caramel and a little butterscotch.  It is very almost dangerously shippable.  For some palates it may be slightly to sweet but I find that the finish each sip leaves, balances the sweetness out beautifully.  Gentle oak spices, a hint nutmeg and a lovely smooth long lasting finish.  The heat is just right in the mouth.

    Mezan Panama 1991 Rum Review by the fat rum pirateWith each sip you find more little nuances in the mix.  It coats the palate and delivers waves of flavour.  Mezan have well and truly hit the nail on the head with this.  This is one of my biggest surprises since I began the blog.  Often I have been disappointed but rarely have I took a bit of a punt and it pay off quite so well.

    At £35 you could pay double for one of the Super Duper Premium Packaged Ultra Sipping Rums (some of which Don Pancho puts his name to), this has to be regarded as a must have purchase at the price.

    As I write this review I am learning of a new rum from Panama called Duran – named after the “Hands of Stone” Roberto Duran the former 4 weight Boxing Champion.  All I will say at this point, is it is unlikely that you will ever say “No Mas” to this Panamanian rum.

    Ding, Ding Round 1 to Mezan……..

    4.5 stars

  • Havana Club 7 Anos

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Havana Club 7 Anos Rum ReviewHavana Club 7 Anos is the first in the Havana Club series in terms of price which is intended as a sipping rum.  The other Anejo’s and White Rum’s in the range are aimed entirely at mixing.  There is little to say about Havana Club that hasn’t been said before.  I think the rum is still largely unavailable in the US of A and I’m pretty sure Bacardi have even taken advantage of this to issue their own “Havana Club” brand of rum.

    When Bacardi had to re-locate to Puerto Rico, Havana Club remained in Cuba and remained largely under government control.  I’m not sure if that situation still exists.

    The presence of Havana Club particularly in the UK has increased rapidly recently.  Most supermarkets carry the Havana Club range of rum’s and it is readily available in a lot of city centre bar’s, especially the trendy “cocktail” orientated establishments.  Even my local Italian restaurant stocks the younger Anejo and white 3 Anos.

    Havana Club 7 Anos is presented in an unusual tall sleek black bottle.  Usually I would find a screw cap to be a bit of a disappointment but the screw top is good quality and unusually it adds to the overall presentation.  The black bottle is broken up by the red Havana Club motif and the usual Republica De Cuba Garantia green sticker.  This sticker certifies that the rum is from Cuba and is found on ALL Havana club products.  The rum is bottled art 40% and retails at around £23-28 in the UK.  I was fortunate to pick up a bottle for just £20 on sale.

    The rear of the 7 Anos gives Don Jose Navarro’s tasting notes (Master Blender)

    “It has an intense and complex aroma, with a palate of honey, vanilla, chocolate, cocoa, sweet tobacco, dry fruits and spicy notes.  The finish is powerful and full bodied”

    Well it sounds impressive, the front label also states the rum should be enjoyed over ice or in a premium cocktail.  All impressive sounding stuff.

    So how does the rum look in the glass? Well the bottle certainly doesn’t give much away!  In the glass the rum is medium to dark brown/amber colour.  The nose is quite sweet but I detect the same scent that I have experienced with the Havana Club Anejo.  It’s a kind of petrol like smell, maybe a little like engine oil or nail varnish perhaps smokiness maybe tobacco.  It’s a sweet yet chemical like smell.  It’s not a smell I’m overly keen on.  It may be the oakiness of the wood but there is something in the nose that I really don’t like.  Their is a creamy/buttery vanilla like smell as well common in these lighter Cuban style rum’s.  The remaining nose is oak, dry tobacco and smokiness.  I’m detecting little by way of fruit in the nose.

    When sipped the first taste I really get is a little like when you splash a little after shave on your mouth and you can’t help but taste it. It’s very hot, spicy and very bitter.  Luckily the burn isn’t bad and very short.  Subsequent sips are much smoother.  If you slosh the rum around a little in your mouth you get a more satisfying flavour.  The engine oil/oakiness of the rum is present but it isn’t as overpowering as in the Anejo.  The finish is quite short and very bitter.  The note of cocoa by the Master Blender is spot on.  Personally I prefer Drinking Chocolate to Cocoa and my rum tastes are fairly similar.  This is a real Cuban style rum.  One which would be enjoyed with a big cigar.  Its smoky and bitter it reminds you of snooker halls full of smoke or old fashioned gangster movies.

    My own personal preferences are one of the reasons I resisted “scoring” rums for so long.  However, I hope if you read my reviews in full you will be able to make an informed decision on whether the rum is for you.  After all I enjoy a lot of my rum with cola, a lot of people see this as an aberration!

    Speaking of cola I best add some to the Havana Club.  The rum does mix surprisingly well the bitterness and notes of tobacco lose their edge.  The “Havana Cuba smell” which I still can’t quite pinpoint (petrol, varnish, paint, tobacco maybe) is still there.  This can make the rum a little cloying and rich along with the cola.  I actually find it a bit sickly and unpleasant after a few.  Actually I’m beginning to come round to the taste profile in the Havana Club’s I don’t like is actually tobacco like which is why it makes me a little queasy.

    The Havana Club 7 is a good rum, well crafted, it doesn’t seem to have been messed with – it’s authentic Cuban rum.  Unfortunately there is just something in its profile that I just don’t like.  In the style I would go for Matusalem 15 or Bermudez Aniversario first but that is purely my preference.  I must score it as I find it though.  There is no point fudging my results by judging rum’s on how well made or “authentic” they are.   I’m certainly not going to change my opinion to satisfy other people’s viewpoints.

    This is a good example of a 7 year old Cuban rum.  If you especially like Cuban rum add a half or full star to my rating.

    2 stars

     

     

     

    This rum is available from

    THEDRINKSHOP

     

  • Diplomatico Ambassador

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Diplomatico Ambassador rum review by the fat rum pirateDiplomatico Ambassador was launched in London, England in 2011.  It is currently the most expensive of the various rums available under the Diplomatico brand.

    Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva is regularly cited as being one of the best rums in the world.  In all fairness it isn’t really but what it does offer is a soft, easy and very sugary entry into “sipping rums”. Having said that many will stay loyal to rums such as Diplomatico.

    Which as it happens is not a bad thing for reviewers like me.  As one of my rum comrades very kindly secured me a sample of this (and a few more of his pricier rums), as he is fond of the sweeter end of the spectrum.

    At just under £200 for a 70cl bottle/decanter it was unlikely I was ever going to buy a bottle.  It seems the presentation has changed slightly since 2011.  From what I gather the picture at the top of this review shows the most recent presentation.  Needless to say at £200 you get quite a lot of presentation for your money – expensive thick glass bottle, huge stopper, wooden lined box and some hand engraving.  It all looks very impressive. But you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.

    The actual rum comes in at a very respectable 47% ABV.  It is a blend of Copper Pot distilled rums which are then casked in American White Oak (Bourbon) casks for 12 years before being treated to another 2 years in PX Sherry Casks.  Age wise this isn’t much of a step up from the £40 Reserva Exclusiva (12 year old).

    It has been stated that this rum has no sweeteners, caramel or other addtives by the marketing people at Diplomatico.  I think myself and Johnny Drejer would beg to differ. (Check my Hydrometer Test page for a reading)

    In the glass the Ambassador presents itself as dark reddish brown.  It shimmers in the light and is very vibrant.Diplomatico Ambassador Rum Review by the fat rum pirate  Moving onto the nose it is as I was expecting.  Very rich, reminiscent in some ways of Ron Zacapa, rather then DRE.  It has that same sugary syrup note with a hint of something vegetal beneath it.  It is very rich and the Sherry finish is very evident.

    A hint of aniseed and licorice.  There is little by way of aged oak notes or any real rum like character.  There is no trace of any alcohol on the nose – something which -when you consider this is 47% ABV is frankly a little ridiculous.

    It’s clear producers are creating rums which are seen by many to be “rich and smooth” and we know how that is being achieved, despite claims to the contrary.

    From nosing this rum I can understand the appeal of drinks such as these – it does smell very nice.  Just not really very much like rum!  Anyway, lets not labour the point and move onto the tasting.  In fairness the Ambassador is not quite as sweet on the nose as I was expecting.  It’s not as sweet as DRE.

    The tasting notes I’ll use still describe a pretty sweet rum – wine soaked raisins, even chocolate covered raisins, brown sugar, some slightly sharp red wine notes, a little bit of orange peel.

    There is a little tiny hint of spice and warmth in the finish – maybe a little allspice and Cinnamon.  The finish is long though in reality your mouth is covered with this rum rather then the flavours remaining the rum does! Sticking to your mouth.

    DIPLOAMBYou don’t feel like you are drinking something which is almost 50% ABV.  In many ways I don’t really feel I’m drinking rum.  Which is where the Ambassador really runs into trouble with me.  It’s too much like liqueur – a nice warming after dinner treat but NOT rum.

    It’s easy to consider a rum like this to be rich and complex.  It does have a few tricks up its sleeve and it does have more than one note.  For me the notes it does have all add up to sweetness and there really isn’t enough oak and evidence of good ageing and barrel management.  It’s another rum I would love to try without the additives.  I suspect it would be extremely poor.

    This is a very smooth and enjoyable drink.  However, at £200 you could have yourself some cask strength Velier Demerara or any number of other rums.  I’d be just as happy drinking DRE as I would this.

    You could buy just about the entire Foursquare range for the price of this and that is proper rum. This is just an overpriced imposter.

    2.5 stars

     

  • Bacardi Black

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Bacardi Black Rum ReviewBacardi Black.  Along with Bacardi Gold, the two rums have recently been re-released into the UK market at 40% ABV rather than 37.5%.  For whatever reason Bacardi Black is not as readily available as the White Superior or Gold.  In most supermarkets and many off licenses the White Superior and Gold can be picked up at entry-level prices.  However, the Black is largely absent from these outlets.

    As a result it has been fairly difficult to get a bottle other than online.  Fortunately on the continent the rum is more readily available and I was able to obtain a 1 litre bottle whilst on holiday.  The other bonus of this is the price which was considerably lower than if I had ordered this online (£29.95 for a 70cl bottle as opposed to 19 euro’s approx. £16 for a litre bottle).

    There isn’t really much to say about Bacardi that hasn’t been said before.  I’ve reviewed a few Bacardi products and whilst I doubt I will ever review the flavoured efforts (Razz, Limon etc) the “real” rums haven’t been that bad overall so far. The Bacardi Black comes in the standard Bacardi bottle which will be familiar to anyone who has seen the White Superior.  I like the attention to presentation and strong brand identity that Bacardi uses.  I like to see consistency in presentation.  This is their entry-level dark rum like the Gold and the White Superior and is housed in the same bottle.  Immediately I am not confused or unsure as to what to expect from this rum.

    The rear label states that the rum is bottled in Germany for Bacardi International Ltd, Hamilton, Bermuda.  I found this a little confusing.  I understood that Bacardi had a distillery in Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.  However, it was unclear which distillery transported the rum to Germany for bottling.  After looking on the Internet I’ve only ended up even more confused.  It seems that Bacardi Black may have also once been Bacardi Select? Both have been bottled at 37.5% ABV and 40% ABV.  I suspect the rum is from the Puerto Rico plant but I could be wrong!

    The rear label also states “mit Farbstoff” (Zuckerkulor).  So it would seem that caramel is added to give the rum its black appearance.  The rum is aged for only 4 years so this is not a surprise.  To be perfectly honest I would imagine all young Navy and Demerara style rums that are as dark must also use caramel.

    When poured the rum remains very dark brown in colour.  As a very heavy looking dark rum I’m a little surprised when nosing the rum that the sweet nose is more of a cane juice/agricole grassy note than a deep dark molasses like rum.  There is a little hint of plum/prune and a little hint of treacle.

    I don’t really know why I continue to sip these entry-level rums but the Bacardi Black doesn’t burn too badly.  That’s not to say its pleasant, it’s just bitter really.  Another surprise is how dry it is.  Adding cola (the rum is marketed as a mixer and cola is the key) it still tastes quite bitter and too dry.  The appearance of the rum made me expect a dark Demerara rum or Navy style.  It is nowhere near as sweet or flavourful as either style.  I’m a little puzzled as to why they have decided to darken this relatively young rum to look like either of those styles.

    It’s dryness reminds me a little of Bacardi Reserva, however this is much rougher.  It’s like a rum in disguise to me and I just don’t get it.  I’m not sure at whom the rum is aimed?  Your left with a kind of harsh dry Puerto Rican style rum which looks like a British Navy Rum.  It’s a terrible rum and has a nasty dry tobacco note which is also present in their Spiced Oakheart.  It’s awful stuff.

    1 stars

     

     

     

     

     

5 Comments

  1. I guess i was right when i saw this bottle in store and it looked extremely suspicious.
    I dont have a problem with producers selling cheap oversugared rum for generic alcohol consumer but when the same product is overbranded and overpriced to appeal to mass consumers interest for “premium” rum, i find it very scummy and harmful for the rum industry.

  2. A.H. Riise actually excisted and imported rum, but it was intended for use in the hair. So when they say its “re-created to the exact blend” they are actually selling a hair product.

  3. “A.H Riise Royal Danish Navy Rum also has the temerity to have a tagline of “World Class Rum”. This is in actual fact rum for people who don’t actually like or understand rum. It’s rum for people who can’t actually cope with all that “nasty” alcohol burn but still want to spend a few quid on a bottle to try and look sophisticated or even credible. They want to like rum but unfortunately they just don’t get it.”

    Right on spot.

  4. I laughed out loud while reading this review. Seems what I heard about this rum is true.

Comments are closed.