Kill Devil Jamaica Hampden Estate Aged 16 Years – The Whisky Barrel Exclusive

Bythefatrumpirate

Kill Devil Jamaica Hampden Estate Aged 16 Years - The Whisky Barrel Exclusive Rum Review by the fat rum pirateKill Devil Jamaica Hampden Estate Aged 16 Years – The Whisky Barrel Exclusive. Here once again we have three of my current favourite things.

First up we have another Cask Strength bottling from Hunter Laing’s wonderful Kill Devil range of Single Cask Rums, secondly we have a rum from Jamaica and more specifically from Hampden. Thirdly this is an exclusive release from The Whisky Barrel from whom I have ordered a good few rums over the past couple of years.

When it comes to their rum selection they focus entirely on Independent bottlings. They also obtain their own casks, which. Anh they release as their “Rabbie’s Rum” range. They usually have the best selection of Kill Devil rums and a fair few efforts from Bristol Classic Rum. Two of my favourite Independent bottlers.

I have covered Hampden Estate rums quite a lot. There have been numerous Independent bottlings. This is a rum from the 2001 vintage. Now over at Single Cask Rum, Marius Elder has put together a list of marques, years of release and ester count. Which is very useful. Good work Marius. This is bottling is from the marque Diamond H. This marque was recently released as a 2010 vintage by Velier, in conjunction with Hampden Estate as part of their 70 Year Anniversay celebrations.

I recently reviewed the 2010 Diamond H you can read that review here. It wasn’t my favourite Hampden of all time but still very good nonetheless. One of the reasons for that may have been the high ester count. I felt it might it slightly too sharp and dry for my personal tastes. The ester count is 900-1000. Which is pretty high in the grand scheme of things – HLCF for example is 500-700. LROK lower still at 200-400. I wouldn’t say either the HLCF or LROK aren’t funky.

Anyway we digress slightly so lets take a look at todays bottling. Kill Devil Jamaica Hampden Estate Aged 16 Years is drawn from a single cask yielding 265 bottles. It has been bottled at cask strength of 60.7% ABV and a bottle will set you back a very exacting £78.08. As far as I am aware Hampden have only recently begun ageing rum on site and the oldest tropically aged Hampden, I am aware of is around 8 years old. The rest was sold in bulk as unaged rum. It is very likely that the rum from this cask was aged entirely in a Continental European climate. Pot still distillation from November 2001.

Kill Devil Jamaica Hampden Estate Aged 16 Years - The Whisky Barrel Exclusive Rum Review by the fat rum piratePresentation wise we get the usual Kill Devil black bottle and tube, with the purple colour scheme denoting it is cask strength. The only change with this bottling is the cork seal which is gold. A nice little touch.

So far so good. The Whisky Barrel have already released two Hampdens in conjunction with Hunter Laing/Kill Devil. Both of which I enjoyed immensely. They also got their hands on an exclusive with BB&R which was also top-notch.

To be honest in order to “mess up” a Hampden you would have to do something pretty awful with it. Like dosage or just putting it in a rotten cask.

Anyway we’ve reached that time again so lets crack on.

When poured the rum is a light gold/straw colour. Which bears out my belief it is entirely continentally aged – the tropics would likely have yielded a darker spirit after 16 years (and a lot less than 265 full bottles as well I suspect).

In the glass the rum is a light gold – slightly more than a straw colour. Nosing the rum is a really nice reminder of a few older Hampden expressions I have enjoyed. Which is nice!

It’s quite heavy on the Nail Varnish – which I’m a big fan. There is also quite a lot of wood shavings in their – some sawdust. You can tell this has been aged longer than the 9 and 10-year-old rums I have had over the past year. It’s got an extra layer of oak and spiciness from the barrel, which marries nicely alongside the fruiter and funkier notes in this rum.

For the fruity and funky we are getting liberal doses of almost rotting banana, pineapple, coconut and a touch of bitter plum. Ginger, some white pepper and a touch of chilli oil.

Kill Devil Jamaica Hampden Estate Aged 16 Years - The Whisky Barrel Exclusive Rum Review by the fat rum pirateIt’s all very complex and quite challenging. But very pleasant and rewarding at the same time.

Moving onto the sip and it’s pretty manageable even at the full ABV of 60.7%. However, I still like a drop or two of water just to give it a bit more clarity for the tasting notes.

The initial sip is reasonably spicy with a good weight of oak and bourbon like cask influence. The fruity notes are there, especially the pineapple and a slight bitter tartness – some lemon zest. Big notes of ginger and a touch of cinnamon.

The mid palate is very pleasant and warming. Its vibrant and zesty but its all nicely balanced by the oak and barrel influence. There is a hint of stewed teabags and a tiny note of black coffee.

The finish is really nice and surprisingly fruity with a lot of black banana, pineapple and it develops into an almost tart citrus ending.

This rum has a surprising amount of balance to it and its been really well looked after. It’s probably about mid tier in terms of esters but it carries enough of the funk and hogo to make this unmistakably Pot Still Jamaican Rum.

It has a really good balance to it and it really does hit the spot. The price point is also very competitive.

 

 

 

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  • Mezan Diamond Distillery Guyana 2007 PX Cask Finish

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Mezan Diamond Distillery Guyana 2007 P.X. Cask Finish Rum review by the fat rum pirateMezan Diamond Distillery Guyana 2007 PX Cask Finish. I’ve not been reviewing a great deal of Independent Bottlings of late. I’m not going to pretend I’m wearing some kind of halo and advocating Distillery Bottlings. Thing is though, with the likes of Foursquare, Worthy Park and Hampden Estate producing so many of their own bottlings over the past few years, I’ve found my buying habits pointing more in that direction.

    The sheer quality and the reassurance of 100% Tropically Aged rum is a big selling point for me. Increasingly, I’m just not picking up Independent Bottlings the way I used to.

    So I was quite surprised to find that my wife had decided to buy me a bottle of this Mezan Diamond Distillery Guyana 2007 PX Cask Finish. To be honest she’s really been pulling out some great stuff over the past couple of years. The type of rums I consider buying but opt for something slightly different. Then wish I had bought them a few weeks later, when they sell out!

    I cannot remember the last Mezan rum I reviewed. I’ve reviewed 6 so far. 2 actually from Guyana. In terms of my experience with Mezan Rum, it has been mixed. I really enjoyed their Panama expressions and the continuous release the Mezan Jamaica XO. Others bottlings not so keen.

    Now, Mezan have never become known as being a fantastic Independent Bottler in the way Velier, or before them Samaroli became famous. Until recently, they tended to bottle at between the 40-46% ABV mark. For many enthusiasts, looking at Independent Bottlings – this is no longer an option. Many want to see the Cask Strength Expression straight from the barrel.

    However, by bottling the rums at a more conservative strength it allows for more bottles to be produced. The price of a “standard” strength Mezan bottling (£35-50) has remained  very competitive. They were one of the first IB I tried when I first dipped my toes in the waters of IB’s. Mostly due to the cost to be honest.

    If you are after further information on Mezan Rum I interviewed their CEO Neil Mathieson a few years back. Feels like a life time ago now!

    Anyway, lets take a look at what we are getting in this bottle. Mezan Diamond Distillery Guyana 2007 PX Cask Finish comes in Mezan’s rounded stubby bottle. This is a Cask Strength offering and is unsweetened, uncoloured and un-chill filtered. So the standards are set and presented prominently on the front label. No fannying about here. This is rum from a Single Cask (though I understand it is a blend of rums – we’ll come to that later). My bottle is from Cask number 1 of 3 and is bottle number 72 of 423.

    Now, the exact still is not stated on the bottle. It’s about the only information that isn’t available. However, it is noted on the rear label that this “rum is blended from spirit produced by several of the column stills” at the Diamond Distillery. DDL have a number of column stills (I am not 100% sure how many were operational as of 2007) including the EHP Coffey Still originally housed at the Enmore Sugar Plantation and the French Savalle still which was moved from Uitivlugt.  Both stills can produced a variety of different rum marques which are used in some of the El Dorado rum brand line up.

    This rum has been matured in ex-bourbon barrels, aside from the last year where theMezan Diamond Distillery Guyana 2007 P.X. Cask Finish Rum review by the fat rum pirate rum was moved into an PX Sherry cask for the “finish” or secondary maturation. It was distilled in 2007 and bottled in 2019 and is noted as being aged 12 years. It was aged in Europe for 9 of these years. All this information is provided on the bottles rear label. As you can see.

    This rum retails at around the £105-110 mark and is bottled at Cask Strength 56% ABV. As well as the stubby Mezan bottle, you also get a wooden cut out display case and a cloth “marble” style bag. Which you can also store the rum in. All in all its a very nicely presented package. You can currently buy this for £104.95 over at Master of Malt.

    Well, I think I’ve given all the information I have on this particular bottling and I’m getting a bit thirsty. So lets see how this went down………

    In the glass Mezan Diamond Distillery Guyana 2007 PX Cask Finish is a very dark brown almost mahogany in colour.

    Nosing – Mezan Diamond Distillery Guyana 2007 P.X. Cask Finish is very rich and fruity. Lots and lots of raisins, sultanas, figs and some dark berries – blackberries and blueberries. Amongst all this fruitiness, is a wonderful overlay of toffee, caramel and a touch of molasses.

    Beneath this, is a warming note of oak and some light vanilla ice cream. A touch of single cream and a slight peanut brittle type note. I’m getting shortbread and baking spices as well. It’s remarkably complex. It’s really lovely on the nose.

    When sipped it is as expected from the nosing but the ABV gives this an extra ooomph. This really adds even further depth to the rum.

    The initial sip is quite sweet with notes of sweet sherry, toffee, raisin and plum. This isn’t the full story though. Further sips reveal notes of tobacco, oak and some heat – a touch of green chilli/wasabi. The mid palate moves into a mix of tobacco, vanilla and sweet Rum and Raisin ice cream. With some toffee sauce maybe…….

    As the rum moves onto the finish, you notice a shift and the sweeter notes are replaced by some tannic red wine and liquorice notes. The finish is very long and warming with a lovely array of oak spices, vanilla, dark chocolate and a smoky tobacco note.

    Mezan Diamond Distillery Guyana 2007 P.X. Cask Finish Rum review by the fat rum pirateThere is so much going on with this rum, it’s difficult to describe everything that you will encounter. This drinks more like a Tropically Aged Demerara than a lot of other IB’s, I have had recently. This is a rich, fruity rum which shows just how rum really doesn’t need to be artificially sweetened. A secondary maturation or finish in a quality cask will give you all the sweetness you need.

    It may be, that some of the notes I have written might give people and impression of overbearing sweetness. This is a similar profile to the likes of Foursquares Exceptional Cask Series. Sweet but not sweetened.

    I’m pleased I’ve used the Exceptional word because this rum is certainly be-fitting that tag.

    Stunning stuff. Highly recommended.

     

     

  • Berry’s St Lucia Rum Aged 11 Years

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Berrys St Lucia Rum Review by the fat rum pirateBerry’s Bros & Rudd (BBR for short) is London’s oldest and one of its most respected wine and spirits merchants.  They have traded from the same shop in St James Street since 1698.

    They hold two warrants to supply wines and spirits to the Prince of Wales and the Queen!  So if I don’t give this bottle of rum a good review I might end up in the tower….

    I was fortunate enough to come across a selection of Berry’s rums in own local Wine and Spirit Merchant (Rehills in Jesmond – no royal warrants but they do supply me on a regular basis).  Amongst the selection was this 11 Year Old St Lucia Rum.

    As many of you will know I’m very fond of St Lucian rum, in particular Chairman’s Reserve.  Having been very slightly disappointed in the 1931 offerings and the Forgotten Casks edition of Chairman’s Reserve I jumped at the chance to try a pot still aged St Lucia rum.  Which is what this bottle has afforded me.

    I picked this bottle up for just over £42 which compares favourably with online prices.  The rum comes in the very elegant and very tall traditional BBR spirit bottle. It has a clear glass bottom which adds a touch of class and it has a good weight to it.  The labelling is clear and uncluttered and gives some information on the rum in the bottle though not enough for the likes of me!  It’s all very elegant.  The rum is bottled at 46% ABV. I like the tasting notes on the bottle its nice to know this rum has been tried and tested!

    The rum is a nice golden to red colour suggesting maybe a little of added caramel for colour only.  I suspect it has only been lightly chill filtered.  The nose is immediately reminiscent of the 1931 series of rums.  St Lucia Distillers pot still rums have a very distinctive nose.  A kind of halfway house between Jamaican rum and Scotch Whisky initially.  Given time in the glass the rum begins to show its sweeter side despite its slightly medicinal almost herbal notes.  It is very clean and almost refreshing – perhaps a touch of pine? The sweeter notes are  Banana and Toffee perhaps a little green apple.Berrys St Lucia Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    What I found with the 1931 series was that all the rums were just a little bit too busy for their own good.  The numerous rums in the blend and the different types of casks used to age before the final maturation, made the 1931’s at times a little unwieldy.  Don’t get me wrong I enjoy a complex sipper but it needs balance.  Which is what you get with this rum.

    If this is a rum blended from many casks I will be surprised. It is very well balanced.  Very crisp and clean.  It tastes exactly how it appears. Elegant and not too showy.

    When sipped it has a very herbal and slightly medicinal note to it.  The label notes it as invigorating.  I would liken the taste to trying to eat immediately after brushing your teeth or eating chewing gum.  You can taste the flavours but they are masked by an almost minty, refreshing note.

    There are also notes of almost Jamaican pot still rum and dare I say it Scotch Whisky.  Despite its ABV the rum exhibits very little burn even on the finish.  It is spicy but not at all rough.  It’s a dry rum which you could compare to R L Seale’s 10 Year Old.

    The finish is very long lasting and spicy with nice oak notes finally coming into the mix.

    It is a rum which benefits from a second glass. I find that the sweeter notes shine a little more.  They don’t dominate the profile but light honey and a little vanilla do start to show themselves.

    Berrys St Lucia Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    This is very much a sipping rum.  Those who enjoy a drier less fruity experience will particularly enjoy this rum.

    I did however decide to mix this rum with some cola.  Really it was just to see how it faired next one of my favourite mixer’s Chairman’s Reserve.  I found that the extra sophistication this rum has meant that really it was a little wasted as a mixer.  Whilst it made a smoother and equally flavourful rum and cola I felt that it lacked the extra little oak and oomph that Chairman’s gives a rum and cola.  Plus I was paying twice as much for the drink!

    This rum doesn’t quite hit the highest mark on the score front but I have enjoyed it slightly more than the 1931’s overall.  I would say it is pretty much on a par with the 2nd 1931.

    It delivers a very different experience to Admiral Rodney, which is another rum from St Lucia Distillers but is entirely column distilled.  I found the Admiral Rodney to be sweeter, much less dry and very easy to drink.  This is more challenging but well worth the effort.  A real grower.

    4 stars

     

     

  • Cadenhead’s Classic Rum Aged 17 Years

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Cadenhead's Classic Rum Aged 17 Years Rum review by the fat rum pirateCadenhead’s Classic Rum Aged 17 Years. I reviewed Cadenhead’s Classic Rum way back in 2015, when I was just cutting my teeth in the review world. I liked it quite a lot and along with their 1842 cask became quite a fan of these blended rums from the Scottish Indie Bottler.

    Now Cadenhead’s are not one of the new kids on the block when it comes to bottling fine spirits. Indeed they recently celebrated 175 Years in the business. They are proudly Scotland’s oldest Independent bottler. So they know a thing or two.

    Cadenhead’s Classic Rum has become a bit of a cult classic since 2001 when it was first introduced. It is the ideal match of value and quality. It’s a bit of a bargain to be honest.

    This bottling is an aged version of the blend. In fact the rum in this bottling is all likely to be considerably older than 17 Years Old. This rum hails from 2001 and was bottled in 2018. It was aged in the UK for this period but the rums in the blend will have had some Tropical/Continental ageing prior to arriving at Cadenhead’s. It comprises of various rums from the Caribbean.

    The bottlings of the Classic Rum I have had in the past were quite heavy on the Guyana and Jamaica elements (or at least that’s what I tasted). However Cadenhead’s do note on their website that although this is a continuous release – the blend can vary from each batch. In all fairness this is true of all rum over time! It’s just something expert blenders keep well hidden from us.

    The rum was aged in a single ex-bourbon cask for 17 years and is (as the rear label tells me) a blend of Pot and Column distilled rum from throughout the Caribbean. That is as much detail as I have on this one in terms of the actual rum anyway.

    The rum was bottled in March 2019 and was treated to the updated Cadenhead presentation, which replaced the rather tired and “70’s living room” chic of the other aged bottlings. The Original Classic rum actually had a much better presentation than the “Dated Distillation” bottlings but it has also been changed to a bottle the same as this.

    The only hint you get that this is different to the Classic Rum from the front, is the Aged 17 Years printing on the sticky strip over the top of the cork and down the sides of the bottle neck. The rear label however reveals the information I have noted already.

    Like the Original Classic rum it has been bottled at 50% ABV. The single cask put down in 2001 yielded just 174 bottles. It didn’t sell out immediately on the Cadenhead’s website but I’ve struggled to find a bottle available outside of the Auction Houses as I sit here in early September 2020. That said the bottle sold at auction for £50 which was slightly less than I paid for mine. I think I paid around £60-65(?). Maybe less.

    Now I bought this on the basis of being a fan of the original Classic Rum. So expectations were quite high.

    In the glass Cadenhead’s Classic Rum Aged 17 Years, isn’t quite as dark as I was expecting. The mCadenhead's Classic Rum Aged 17 Years Rum review by the fat rum pirateore recent Classic Rum I have grown accustomed to was/is considerably darker (probably due to the amount of Demerara rum in the blend). It’s more of a darkened golden brown once poured into the glass. It has an orange glow to it as well.

    The nose is well it’s a bit musty – it smells a bit old, a bit foisty almost. Beneath this I am getting some orange marmalade and some apple blossom. This slightly sweet perfumed note is undercut by note of raisin but it’s raisin mixed with some sour yoghurt. A bit like those yoghurt covered health bars you can get. It smells a little like sour milk. Just a bit off.

    There is a fieryness about the nose as well – a dry heat eminating from it that adds an extra punch to the nostrils without adding any real discernible scents.

    It does smell a little like the Classic Rum I have encountered before but it smells old rather than aged. It’s musty and it all just smells a little “off”.

    It has a sour pineapple Jamaican note which is very apparent but it’s not quite ticking the boxes for me and its not really working with the rest of the blend. It’s odd, a bit like an Infinity bottle spoiled by something completely out of kilter with the rest of the blend.

    That said it’s not a terrible nose, there is plenty going on. It’s fairly complex but it just doesn’t smell all that inviting. There is smoke and musty tobacco notes which I don’t enjoy.

    Sipped Cadenhead’s Classic Rum Aged 17 Years is very Jamaican on the initial entry it’s a kind of muted Monymusk/Hampden type of “funk” going on. It tastes Jamaican but not full on Jamaican. a bit clipped I feel by the other components in the blend. There’s a softness and a sweet note in there as well some raisin and some red grapes.

    Unfortunately there is a tobacco and smoke note which seems to overwhelm the spirit. It was less prominent on the nose but it shows itself more as you sip. There is also a very large sense of wood but more in a damp wood kind of way. Rather than spice and rich oak notes from the cask. It’s not very vibrant. Again it tastes “old” and a bit mouldy.Cadenhead's Classic Rum Aged 17 Years Rum review by the fat rum pirate

    The mid palate has a decent amount of oak spice and it’s fairly vibrant (compared to the entry) but the tobacco and smokiness take over all to quickly. The finish is a reasonable length but in all honesty its not all that pleasant. It’s woody and smoky and not much else is going on.

    In terms of what I was hoping to get. I would have to conclude that, either the early 2001 blends of the Classic Rum weren’t that great and/or this has simply been aged for too long in a damp dark warehouse. Indeed it almost tastes like one.

    A bit of a disappointment for me in all honesty. It’s reasonably complex but there are notes and flavours in this rum that really don’t grab me. I just didn’t get what I wanted with this one. I put this review off because I thought I would eventually grow to like this rum. Sadly I never did very much. I even mixed this with cola and still wished I’d bought two bottles of the Original Classic Rum instead.

    Not their best by a long stretch. Not for me anyway. You can’t win them all I guess.

     

  • S.M.W.S Cask No R11.11 Pushing the Frontiers of Funk

    Bythefatrumpirate

    S.M.W.S Cask No R11.11 Pushing the Frontiers of Funk rum review by the fat rum pirateS.M.W.S Cask No R11.11 Pushing the Frontiers of Funk. You can always rely on the S.M.W.S (Scotch Malt Whisky Society) to give their rums an interesting name. It’s quite common within the Scotch Whisky world in general, to find more detailed or more “floral” descriptions, than you might find in the Rum scene.

    I’ve often found myself rolling my eyes or even holding my head in my hands, when whisky bloggers are invited to online rum tastings. Some of the notes they make claim to be able to taste are often baffling to say the least. I don’t know if is something to do with the sheer volume of whisky writers, making some feel the need to stand out but a lot of it seems a bit OTT to me.

    So what has this got to do with the S.M.W.S? Well as you can see from the title of the review they have a rather unique way of “naming” their rums.

    For those wondering, this is is actually a rum from Worthy Park. Now whilst Worthy Park would prefer Independent bottlers not to use the “Worthy Park” moniker many bottlers have found ways around this. Ways which are useful to the consumer. The S.M.W.S for me just aren’t doing this. The naming conventions combined with the “numbering” system aren’t helpful or useful. Yes its “quirky” but for me it’s not particularly inclusive. I suppose as a Members Only Club it doesn’t need to be?

    Now as I’m not a member of the S.M.W.S, I tend not to get much chance to try their Independent bottlings. It’s no great loss as being in the UK I have pretty much unlimited access to other bottlers such as Duncan Taylor, Kill Devil, Samaroli and Cadenhead’s. They bottle pretty much everything the S.M.W.S have access to. The Main Run Company in Liverpool being the main source of barrels for these companies. Yes the S.M.W.S will have access to a different barrel of say the 2000 Foursquare “vintage” than Duncan Taylor bottled but are they really noticeably different?

    Those that might say “Yes” are not the type of people I have any interest in…..nor are they the type of person this blog is aimed at. I’m certainly not looking to fill this blog full of multiple reviews of the same distillate which just happened to be in a different barrel. How boring would that be?

    In all seriousness how different will these really be? I’ll leave that to the “Experts” out there…………..

    Whilst the numbering system can be deciphered (people have taken the time to work out which distillery they all refer to) the S.M.W.S seem to think the consumers/members may purchase a bottle based on the description. This is where, even before tasting this rum I was left thinking WTF?

    “Pushing the Frontiers of Funk“. Worthy Park? Really? I’m not disputing they can turn out a quite “funky” White Overproof and their standard Silver/White rum is no Bacardi but “Pushing the Frontiers of Funk”?

    Come on lads and lasses have a word with yourselves.

    I’m afraid that when it comes to Worthy Park and their aged offerings they are much more in keeping with Appleton Estate. They offer a more refined version of Jamaican rum. It is not without an element of funk, I won’t dispute that. However, when compared to some of the single cask offering Independent bottlers have been putting out from Long Pond/Clarendon, Hampden and New Yarmouth we are in a completely different ball park on the funk scale.

    Which I must be clear – is no bad thing. I’m a big fan of Worthy Park. I just feel this rum has been given (not for the first time) a frankly ridiculous title by the S.M.W.S.

    Saying that Worthy Park are “Pushing the Fronitiers of Funk” is like S.M.W.S Cask No R11.11 Pushing the Frontiers of Funk rum review by the fat rum piratesuggesting Jamiroquai are as funky as a mosquito’s tweeter. Give your heads a wobble.

    Anyway rant over lets see what we have in the bottle.

    This is a rum from Worthy Park distilled on the 1st June 2013 and aged for 7 years. The split between continental and tropical ageing is not noted. It has been aged in 2nd fill ex-bourbon barrels and has been aged for a total of 7 years. It has been bottled at 66.9% ABV and is one of just 259 bottles from a single cask.

    Retail wise the secondary market will be your best bet. Even if you are a S.M.W.S member it may be sold out there by now. When it was for sale it retailed at £61. Not a bad price at all I must concede.

    So lets see how S.M.W.S Cask No R11.11 Pushing the Frontiers of Funk is. Lets us see, if it does indeed “Push the Frontiers of Funk”.

    The nose would suggest not.

    It’s “standard” (and its a very high standard) Worthy Park. So breakfast tea, milk chocolate, hints of coffee come through straight away. Followed by some coffee grounds, stewed apple and blackcurrants and a nice bit of pineapple and banana. A touch of sourness – some lychee is in the background.

    S.M.W.S Cask No R11.11 Pushing the Frontiers of Funka has a very nice nose, well balanced and approachable even at this 66.9% ABV. Surprisingly so to be honest.

    On the sip, it’s quite spicy with some ginger, fennel and some light spicy sweet chilli. This is followed closely by malty biscuits dipped in milky tea – with maybe a chocolate coating on the biscuits. It’s rich and warming and very pleasant.

    The mid palate is spicier and fruitier with some tropical fruits, pears, banana and some pineapple juice. The heat is provided by some white pepper.

    The mid palate and finish reveal a more herbal and vegetal note. Some pine cones similar to St Lucian rum and some grassy elements reminiscent slightly of aged agricole.

    The finish lingers nicely and is the spiciest and perhaps the “funkiest” part of the rum. It has the most kick and spice and has the most grassy/herbal notes. However for me the pineapple and banana notes that make up most Jamaican “funk” are in the background a little. They aren’t driving this into Long Pond or New Yarmouth territory.S.M.W.S Cask No R11.11 Pushing the Frontiers of Funk rum review by the fat rum pirate

    S.M.W.S Cask No R11.11 Pushing the Frontiers of Funks  isa great example of a “mid aged” Worthy Park rum and when released was not a bad price at all. However, I can’t agree with the description given on this rum.

    That aside this is a very tasty drop and if you can find it for something similar to the original retail – well worth a punt.

     

     

     

  • Ron Santiago de Cuba Ron Extra Anejo 11 Anos

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Ron Santiago de Cuba Ron Extra Anejo 11 Anos rum review by the fat rum pirateRon Santiago de Cuba Ron Extra Anejo 11 Anos. I use the exact naming convention adopted on the bottles I review, so apologies for the extra brevity of this reviews title. I guess much like me, these Cuban rum producers have a tendency to waffle…..

    For those of you who are unaware and I guess this is where my review is designed to assist, Ron Santiago de Cuba (formerly just Santiago de Cuba) has begun working with global booze conglomerate Diageo. This has led to a re-brand and increased availability here in the UK and Europe.

    Ron Santiago de Cuba was first brought to my attention by JBE Imports. It’s a bit of a shame to see that they are no longer involved. They did a great job getting Cuban rum beyond the Havana Club brand, more of an audience here in the UK. I’m pleased to see they are still importing Ron Cubay and many others spirits to the UK. I’ll be honest seeing Diageo taking over a spirits brand, rarely fills me with joy. Then again they don’t pay me to suggest otherwise…………..

    Whilst Ron Santiago de Cuba was still being imported by JBE, I was able to review their Carta Blanca, Anejo and 12 Year Old. I did try this bottling at a Rum Festival or two but I never got to sit down at home with a bottle or even a tot.  I heard a lot of good things about the 11 though on Social Media.

    A lot of people rate it over the 12. I’ve always found it very curious that a brand would have a entry level white, an “Anejo” and then an 11 and 12 year rum. You wouldn’t expect to find all that much difference between rums only one year apart. Certainly it’s not common practice amongst brands to have continual releases, so close together alongside much younger rums.

    Availability of Ron Santiago de Cuba Ron Extra Anejo 11 Anos will increase. As I write I can only see it stocked at The Whisky Exchange for £55.95. I don’t think they are opening a ballot on this one so you should be able to secure a bottle. Even if you’ve never bought a rum before in your life.

    Ron Santiago de Cuba Ron Extra Anejo 11 Anos is bottled at 40% ABV (quite commonly Cuban rum is bottled at 38% ABV). It is said to be the second best selling Cuban rum brand in the world. The first despite not being widely available in the US – one of the biggest rum markets is Havana Club (as in Cuban Havana Club NOT the Havana Club branded rum released in the US market by Bacardi).

    The rum is produced from sugar cane grown in the Oriente province of Cuba in the Sout East of the island. Ron Santiago de Cuba is a molasses based rum. Following fermentation and distillation the resulting spirit is charcoal filtered before being transferred to white oak barrels for ageing. The new Santiago de Cuba website notes the rum is aged in “Don Pancho” warehouse which is said to be the “Cathedral of Cuban Rum”. Hmmmmm……..

    In terms of presentation Ron Santiago de Cuba are now using 3/4 size stubby bottles with medium size necks. Thankfully the diffusors have now gone. In terms of presentation it looks more modern but not typically Cuban. Still I can imagine the re-design prompting the younger market to make a purchase should they see this in a bar. It fits in very nicely with the type of branding used in the Revolution de Cuba chain of bars here in the UK. Particularly their menu’s.

    As tends to be the case with Diageo led brands. You get a pretty website, with some nice stories and some tasting notes and the very basics on the rum. However, there is little of any real substance. Pretty much what I have read about this rum I could have just guessed at anyway. I’ve learnt little new. Should you be interested in the changes to Ron Santiago de Cuba since they began working with Diageo the old website, is also still available.Ron Santiago de Cuba Ron Extra Anejo 11 Anos rum review by the fat rum pirate

    I have seen in the past Cuba and parts of Cuba being referred to as “The cradle of light rum”. This theme is now being used by Ron Santiago de Cuba.

     

    As far as marketing is concerned I’m always a bit suspicious but in this instance I think it is an important distinction to make from a consumer point of view.

    Cuban Rum is lighter in style than a lot of other rums. It is also rarely bottled above 40% ABV by domestic producers. A lot of people shy away from such rums. I don’t buy a great deal of them but I usually try to have some lighter rum kicking about. As far as possible I try to make sure these are “additive” free but there are never any guarantees, sadly.

    In the glass Ron Santiago de Cuba Ron Extra Anejo 11 Anos is a dark brown almost mahogany coloured liquid with an orange hue.

    On the nose I am getting quite lot of orange zest and some tangerine. Further nosing reveals some light spices, some subtle woody notes and some tobacco and leather arm chairs.

    The nose is actually quite robust for 40% ABV. Whilst its not going to knock anyones socks off there is plenty there to be enjoyed. It is complex with notes of green apple, almonds, pistachio and some fennel.

    It’s warm and inviting and nicely balanced.

    As a sipper Ron Santiago de Cuba Ron Extra Anejo 11 Anos is initially quite sweet with toffee and caramel. I’m also getting some zesty notes of orange again. It’s warm and fruity. Further sips build on the sweeter profile with more of oak and spice coming into play particularly on the mid palate.

    Ron Santiago de Cuba Ron Extra Anejo 11 Anos rum review by the fat rum pirateTobacco, oak spices and leather become more prominent and bring a drier and smokier profile to the rum. Making it a much more complex and enjoyable sipper than the initial entry might suggest.

    Coffee and toasted almonds come in alongside some dark chocolate and a touch of raisin as the rum progresses towards the finish line.

    Finish wise it is quite long and has a nice complexity. At the same time maintaining a good balance. It fades out gently with a lingering sweetness which is balanced by some of the drier tobacco and oak notes.

    If you are looking to explore the “lighter” side of rum. I would recommend this as a sipper. It’s quite easy going but at the same time has enough going on to remain interesting. The balance of this rum is really good.

    It is suggested on the rear label that can be enjoyed “on the rocks, in a luxurious cocktail, or even straight”. I don’t tend to add ice to my rum (personal preference only).

    I was a little surprised to see that the neat option for this rum wasn’t seen as the starting point though!

    Sure this works great in things like an Old Fashioned but I think its best enjoyed on its own. Cigar optional I only smoke when I’m on fire……..

     

     

  • Bristol Classic Rum Port Morant 1990 Demerara Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Bristol Port Morant 1990 rum review by the Fat Rum PirateAnother independent bottling up for review this time a Port Morant Demerara Rum from English bottlers Bristol Classic Rum.  Rather than bore you all with yet another monologue about Demerara Distillers Ltd/Diamond Distillery I will instead focus on the possibly incorrect labelling of this rum.

    In both Guyana and Jamaica there are towns called Port Mourant (Jamaica) and Port Morant (Guyana). In times gone by both these towns have lent their names to Rum Estates/Distilleries.  In more recent times the Guyana version of Port Morant is, as well as a town now a name given to a double wooden pot still taken from the Port Morant Estate.

    The Port Mourant (to give it its correct spelling) is used in many of El Dorado’s rum and a healthy portion of Port Mourant distillate is in Pusser’s blends.  So it is more than likely that you have enjoyed Port Mourant rum before just perhaps not in this guise.

    The rum itself was matured in oak casks until 2005 when it was transferred to a used Port Pipe to be finished, for a further two years.  It was bottled in 2007.  I’m not 100% sure where the rum was aged.  From what I understand much of the ageing is performed in the UK, in what has been described to me as being almost like a kind of underground quarry!

    The rum retails at around the £80-90 mark in the UK and seems to appear sporadically on various online retailers and in specialist shops. It’s very much a rum which you have to look out for.  I think more than one run from the 1990 casks have been released some with a Port finish and some without.  However, Bristol Classic Rum do not keep information on all their past products readily available on the site.  The rum comes in the usual Bristol bottle and although the rum is pictured with a Bristol tube protector this particular bottle did not come supplied with one.  The rum is bottled in a 70cl bottle at 46%ABV.  A hydrometer tests reveals 0-5g/L of additives/sugar.  So it is a pure rum.  As you tend to get from indie bottlers.Bristol Port Morant 1990 rum review by the Fat Rum Pirate

    The Port Morant 1990 is for a Demerara rum quite light.  It is medium brown in colour with red flashes.  On the nose it has a familiar El Dorado/Demerara element to it but it also has a more earthy, slightly grassy note.  Similar in some respects to the Bristol Diamond Distillery 1998.  A deeper nosing reveals aniseed and wine like notes.  It is a complex and very unusual nose.

    When sipped the rum is definitely not altered with sugar (see my Pussers 15 review if you prefer a sweeter tipple).  The rum is pleasantly sweet but not overly so.  The ageing in Port Pipe(s)? definitely gives this rum a very distinct flavour.  Far different to anything I have encountered previously with Demerara Rum.  Again aniseed comes to the fore along with a rich long lasting spice.  It is fairly dry rum but if offers a long finish.

    The rum definitely gets better with a second glass.  If you allow the palate to breathe for a while the second tasting even is much more rewarding than the first. Once your palate warms upto the rum you definitely begin to enjoy it more.  It’s much like a real ale.  You may not love it on the first few sips but as the pint gets nearer to the end you find yourself, if it is a winner ordering another.

    Bristol Port Morant 1990 rum review by the Fat Rum PirateThe fruity notes in the rum shine once you become accustomed to the rum.  Classic Demerara flavours such as raisin and currant but the port finish seems to give way to more plum and even a little orange citrus.

    It’s not a deep dark almost treacly chocolatey Demerara like say Lemon Hart or El Dorado 8.  In many respects it reminds me most of Pussers Navy Rum (Blue Label).  However, unlike the Pussers Navy Rum this has an extra refinement which makes me not want to mix it with cola.

    As a sipper it just remind me more of Pusser’s 15, however this is nowhere near as sweet and as mentioned has more in common with the younger variants of Pusser’s rums.

    4 stars

     

2 Comments

  1. It’s interesting comparing this to the Kill Devil Hampden 10. The additional 6 years has certainly added some finesse to the table. The 10 smelled of rotting fruit and matter in a steaming tropical atmosphere, which I’m very fond of personally. This, on the other hand, smells of ripe fruit and has integrated further. I think that’s confirmed on the palate as well and slightly lower alcoholic strength is clearly apparent. Most people will find the 16 year an easier drink, which is meant as a compliment because this is a stunning rum. Serge Valentine reviewed it the same day as you and scored it 91/100. Personally, I love the 10 and 16. Hats off to Hampden and Hunter Laing for bottling this fantastic stuff.

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