Kill Devil Trinidad Caroni Distillery Aged 20 Years 64.8% ABV The Whisky Barrel Exclusive

Bythefatrumpirate

Kill Devil Trinidad Caroni Distillery Aged 20 Years 64.8% ABV The Whisky Barrel ExclusiveKill Devil Trinidad Caroni Distillery Aged 20 Years 64.8% ABV The Whisky Barrel Exclusive. Apologies for the not so snappy title. I always try and provide sufficient information, particularly when dealing with Independent bottlings. This is in the hope a web search will turn up the result you are looking for. I’ve included the ABV in the title because The Whisky Barrel has two Caroni 20 Year Olds from Kill Devil that have just been released. They hail from two different casks but were distilled and bottled at approximately the same time.

There are a number of Caroni bottlings on the market at present. Concerns that stocks would have run low by now, seem a bit ahead of themselves. There seems no shortage of Independently bottled Caroni, appearing on the market.

This particular Caroni bottling, was distilled way back in December 1998, so it will have been produced using Trinidad molasses. Some of the later Caroni bottlings used imported molasses, as sugar production on the island decreased as plantations closed. It is from a single cask which yielded 214 bottles. Hunter Laing (who are behind Kill Devil) have bottled it at Cask Strength of 64.8% ABV. It was produced on a Column still.

As noted in the title this release is restricted to The Whisky Barrel. The listing can be found here. As you can see it retails at £149.95 for a 70cl bottle. In today’s market this is a fair price for a 20-year-old Caroni. Clearly its price means it will be bought by 214 rum enthusiasts (and probably a few flippers).

Presentation wise, it comes in the usual opaque Kill Devil bottling, with a solid cardboard Kill Devil Trinidad Caroni Distillery Aged 20 Years 64.8% ABV The Whisky Barrel Exclusivetube to store the rum in. The Cask Strength Kill Devil releases, all have purple and gold presentation. The cork seals are particularly “blingy” being a striking gold colour. The presentation also notes the rum is Single Cask and Cask Strength.

Hunter Laing have done remarkably well with their Kill Devil range of bottlings, over the past few years. They have released a great number of different rums. These rums, from Jamaica in particular have been impressive. I have previously reviewed a Kill Devil Trinidad bottling, a 13 Year Old. However, I concluded that it was from Angostura rather than Caroni. And it wasn’t all that great. Could Angostura be the most boring rum distillery? They are definitely in the running.

Anyway enough chatter let’s get down to a tasting and see if this is a rum Caroni hunters need to seek out.

In the glass, Kill Devil Trinidad Caroni Distillery Aged 20 Years is an inviting dark brown with an orange tinge to the edges. On the nose, there are familiar tarry and smoky notes, common with Caroni’s heavy style of rum. Nice notes of spicy aged oak give the tar and smoke a delicate spiciness, which is very pleasant. Despite the fact the rum will have been predominantly aged in Europe, it is quite rich. Reminiscent of a tropically aged Caroni

Wafts of fruity raisins and Christmas cake make an appearance, which also help balance out the more “extreme” sounding notes. This is a warming style of rum. Very navy like. Whilst I think I would pick it out as a Caroni rum, by the petrol and oily notes – I wouldn’t have been surprised to be told this was a blend, containing rums from other islands. It really does have a nice balance on the nose. Overall balance sometimes goes a bit skee-wiff with Caroni.

Sipping this Caroni at full strength, is a very rich warming experience. Deep fruity notes of plum, dates and sweetened raisins mingle alongside smokier notes of charcoal and some more oily, petrol like notes. A bit of creosote creeps in but is not dominant and rubs along nicely with the fruitier notes.

The mid palate is also very pleasant with a lot of spicy oak and some slightly bitter tannins. Ginger and bitter toffee treacle but in an appearance.

This rum is drinkable at the full ABV but some may favour a drop or two of water. Not too much though, as the beauty of a good Caroni rum is the slightly edge the less pleasant-sounding notes give. “Menace” as I have called it in the past. This is rum to put hairs on your chest.Kill Devil Trinidad Caroni Distillery Aged 20 Years 64.8% ABV The Whisky Barrel Exclusive

Finish wise you get a lot of the petrol and oily notes. It’s quite spicy and has a fair amount of heat (especially at full proof). As it fades out the fruitier notes again reappear – raisins, plums and a slight hint of pineapple.

I’ll be looking forward to trying the sister cask of this rum, as this is a really good example of a fruitier, more balanced Caroni rum. It’s still got all the menace it’s just got a bit extra fruity complexity to help balance it out a little

Really top stuff.

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  • Rum Chata – Liqueur with Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    RUM CHATA rum review by the fat rum pirateRum Chata is a product new to the UK market in 2015. It is noted in other territories as “Horchata con Ron”.  For those not familiar with the term, “Horchata” is in this particular instance a rice, milk or cream based drink with vanilla and Cinnamon flavourings common in Mexico.

    In different cultures and different countries it can mean a whole host of different things the Wikipedia page probably explains things best should you wish to learn more.  US band Vampire Weekend have a song entitled “Horchata” on their album Contra.  This has led to delays with this review as every time I see the Rum Chata bottle I start humming the song and its the kind of song that really sticks in your head……..I won’t leave a link.

    Anyway, enough of my natterings.  With Christmas fast approaching and a review of Lord Nelson’s Spiced Rum Liqueur recently completed I felt it the right time to review Rum Chata.

    In the UK the popularity of Bailey’s as a Christmas gift and drink is not to be underestimated and no doubt those with a love of rum probably feel they might like to try a Rum Based Liqueur over the festive season.

    Rum Chata is currently available in Walmart owned ASDA supermarkets throughout the UK.  Retailing at around £10-15 per 50cl bottle.  The ABV of this Rum Cream/Liqueur is 15%.  You would probably be hard pushed getting too drunk on a bottle.  It is distributed by Whyte and Mackay under license from Agava Loco LLC.  I can find little information on what the rum in the blend actually is – other than its 5 times distilled – yipee woo!  You can find some reviews of Rum Chata online – from other sources.  I’ll say no more other than I paid good money for my bottle.

    This liqueur is the brainchild of former Jim Beam Executive Tom Maas who after his retirement decided to try and market a liqueur at the Latin American segment of the US market.

    The presentation is simple and clean with a slightly tacky plastic “gold” screw cap.  It has a strong brand identity and the bottle offers a real insight into what is contained within…….RUM CHATA 3

    This Rum Liqueur looks like milk – there’s no other way to describe it.  It’s a dazzling white colour has no hints of any off white notes or any of the spices contained within this drink.

    The nose is super sweet with heavy notes of refined white sugar and a hit of Cinnamon.  There is a faint nose of Vanilla but not much.

    The taste is cloyingly sweet – huge amounts of white sugar dominate with almost medicinal notes of Cinnamon.  And to be fair not much else.  Rum wise this so sweet and cloying it could be made with wine or anything really there is no rum taste.  How authentic this is for me is summed up on the back label – it can be kept opened and unrefrigerated for up to 6 months.

    This is pretty nasty cheap synthetic muck which is best avoided.  Just buy some cheap Whisky liqueur for half the price and add your own rum!

    I accept that other reviews of this product are much more positive.  Cinnamon isn’t my favourite taste flavour in the world but even that aside this promises liqueur with Rum and I can taste no rum – just Cinnamon flavoured condensed milk and that’s not really what I look for as a rum lover.

    This review is fairly short but there is little really to say about this.  There are better Rum Creams and liqueurs available.

    1 stars

     

  • J Gow Revenge Aged 3 Years

    Bythefatrumpirate

    J Gow Revenge Aged 3 Years Rum Review by the fat rum pirateJ Gow Revenge Aged 3 Years. This is the third aged release from VS Distillers, who are based in the Orkney Islands, just off the North East coast of Bonny Scotland. VS Distillers refers to the man behind J Gow Rum Collin Van Schayk. Clever eh?

    I’ve previously reviewed Fading Light and Hidden Depths (Vol 1) so if you are unfamiliar with VS Distillers, you might want to read up on those expressions as well. J Gow also produce a Spiced Rum, which I have yet to review.

    So what do we have in this particular bottlings?

    Much like the previous aged bottlings from J Gow, there is a good deal of information on the back label of the bottle. Which is great for lazy reviewers like myself. It is also great for the average consumer, who can learn more about the actual contents of this rum.

    J Gow Revenge Aged 3 Years is Scottish Pure Single Rum. it is 100% Pot Still rum. The rum has been aged for 3 years in a combination of ex-bourbon and virgin oak casks. It is a blend of J Gow’s HD (Heavy Dunder) and DS, which is J Gow’s standard rum which has been has had an extra stripping rum to make it a bit stronger. The ageing has taken place on Orkney.

    The rum is named after the infamous Orkney pirate John Gow’s ship The Revenge which he acquire when he instigated onboard the ship, when it was originally named5 the Caroline. He soon acquire a further 6 cannons for the ship and it began its new life as a pirate vessel.

    J Gow Revenge is available via the mailing list from today and will be on general sale on Wednesday (21/04/2021). It retails at £38.99 and is bottled at 43% ABV. Around 2,000 bottles of this rum will be available. My bottle is noted as Batch #1. 2018. NB J Gow Revenge is now available from The Whisky Exchange at £39.50.

    Presentation wise Collin is quite an artistic guy so he has designed (and hand labelled) all the bottles for this release. As he has with all the other J Gow products. The front label unsurprisingly, shows a pirate ship on the high seas. The rear label gives some information on the rum in the bottle and a bit of folklore regarding John Gow.

    I really like the 3/4 stubby style bottle and the bottle is sealed with a chunky wooden topped cork stopper. The label over the top of the enclosure reads Pure Island Rum Inspired by Pirates and Distilled Beside The Sea…..

    J Gow Revenge Aged 3 Years Rum Review by the fat rum pirateI think I’ve covered pretty much everything now so we may as well get on with the fun part and see what this “Scottish Rum” has to offer.

    In the glass we have a gold coloured rum a shade or two away from a straw colour. It looks a touch darker in the bottle than the glass. There are no signs of any caramel colouring here and the hydrometer does conclude there is no additives present. Which is always  a good start.

    The nose, as you should really find with rum matured here in a colder climate, even when aged is full of rich molasses notes. Strong aroma’s of toffee and caramel feel your nostrils. Beneath the sweetness is a touch of “menace” something just a bit boozy but very pleasant nonetheless. This does smell a bit like a rum pirates might have drank.

    The sweetness is carried a along with some nice notes of vanilla and some very vibrant woody notes which are fresh and full of rich spices – clove, a touch of cinnamon and some warming oak spice.

    Hints of pair and some apricot come into the mix as well. It has a really nice balance to it and actually noses more maturely than its 3 years might suggest.

    Taking a sip it is initially quite spicy with lots of oak and some peppery heat. However, it is only the initial couple of sips that present the rum this way. It quickly settles down to a lighter easier going sipper.

    It’s reasonably sweet but there is a bitterness to the molasses and some of barrel influence certainly leads it down a slightly more savoury/whisky-esque note. That said it is much in keeping with Fading Light rather than Hidden Depths Vol 1.

    The mid palate builds slowly with nods towards bourbon. The vanilla fades as the woodier notes take over. The molasses fades and is replaced with a spicier bite but not a fiery chilli like note. It’s still nicely balanced and very pleasant. Theres a hint of a perfumed note as it moves towards the finish.

    At 43% ABV it retains plenty of its bite but it still works as a very easy sipper. It goes down perhaps a little too well………

    The finish fades out nicely and is a decent length. It leaves a spicy note on the tongue and it becomes very moreish. It very much leaves you wanting another glass I am finding.

    J Gow Revenge Aged 3 Years Rum Review by the fat rum pirateIt’s interesting to note the progression as unlike the Fading Light, the molasses notes aren’t as dominant. Sure they are there but they are tempered and balanced more by the barrel influence. Very nicely balanced.

    The rum has a crispness to it that I can’t quite explain. It’s got no real rough edges aside from the little hint of booze (which I really like in my rum), right at the start of the sip and on the nose.

    This is the best rum, I think so far from J Gow/VS Distillers. Which is no bad thing as the other two rums I’ve tried weren’t too shabby either.

    Get yourself on that mailing list. Also get yourself some of that tablet in the photos. It’s bloody lovely.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Plantation Xaymaca Special Dry

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Plantation Xaymaca Special Dry Rum Review by the fat rum piratePlantation Xaymaca Special Dry. Unless you have only very recently gotten into rum or have been living in a cave, Plantation Rums should really need little or no introduction. Headed by Alexandre Gabriel Plantation Rum is a part of Maison Ferrand. They are based in France and a lot of their “double ageing” or secondary maturation takes place in cellars in the Cognac region of France.

    Xaymaca (zay-muck-uh), is probably not a term you have heard a lot. It is the old Arawak term for the island of Jamaica. The Arawaks were the first human inhabitants of the island. As well as buying West Indies Rum Distillery on Barbados last year Maison Ferrand have also bought a stake in National Rums of Jamaica. As a result Plantation have more access to Jamaican rum than ever before.

    Using this to their advantage Plantation have created a 100% Pot Still Blended Jamaican rum. Plantation Xaymaca Special Dry comprises rums from the Long Pond and Clarendon (Monymusk) distilleries.

    In the UK a bottle of Xaymaca Special Dry should set you back around £35 for a 70cl bottle. The ABV on this one is 43%. It is denoted as “Special Dry” as it has none of the usual Plantation “dosage”. Dry is a term used to describe champagne which has no added sugar. From what I understand the name is a bit of a “fuck you” to Plantation’s critics. They know it will piss some people off.

    Presentation wise Plantation have returned to their stubby bottle with the twine covering. Aside from decorative purposes this twine does have a purpose. In warmer climates it prevents the bottle from slipping from the bartenders hand when pouring or moving the bottle. Presentation of all Plantations rum is pretty top notch and this is no different.

    Further information on the actual rum including 0 g/L for dosage is also on the back label. The rums in the blend were fermented between 1 and 3 weeks prior to distillation. Esters are noted as being 156 g/hL AA Which is not considered particularly high by Jamaican standards. Those familiar with Independent bottlings may recognise the use of rum “marques” on bottles. Codes which make little sense at times. These codes are used to identify the different types of rum that each still/distillery produces.

    In this case the rear label kindly advises us that Plantation Xaymaca Special Dry is a blend of the following Clarendon EMB and LMC marques and Long Pond VRW and STC^E marques. I’m not really sure why Plantation have included this information on the label and not then clarified what the marques actually mean. It seems a little pointless to do that to be honest. Anyway the marques are as follows

    EMB – Is from Clarendon and was distilled on a Vendome Pot Still. The rum used in the is blend is 2-3 years old with less than a year of that spent in the Caribbean. Maturation took place mainly in France in ex-cognac casks.

    MLC – Again from Clarendon this is also produced on a Vendome Pot Still but this was fermented for 2 weeks and is much higher in esters than the EMB marque. EMB was fermened for just the one week, it’s esther count is noted as between 125-175 g/hL AA. MLC is noted as being between 500 and 600 g/hL AA. The age of the rum is the samPlantation Xaymaca Special Dry Rum Review by the fat rum piratee as EMB with a similar maturation.

    VRW – Is the first marque from Long Pond. It has been aged for less than one year in the tropics before being transferred to France for a year or two in ex-cognac casks. Fermented for 1 week with esters at 150-250 g/hL AA. John Dore Pot Still distilled.

    And finally we have

    STC^E – Also from Long Pond this is the highest ester rum of the whole blend coming in at around 550-650 g/hL AA. Again it is from a John Dore Pot Still. This is the oldest rum in the blend having been distilled in 2009. It spent 8 years ageing in the Tropics before spending one year in ex-cognac casks.

    There is actually a 5th marque in the rum as well. This may or may not remain as part of the blend. Blended rums are tricky to judge and that is why so many do not have exact age statements. The 5th marque is a 2000 Long Pond rum aged for 17 years “mostly” in the Tropics. The marque is ITP.

    There is a very detailed breakdown and review of Plantation Xaymaca available at Cocktail Wonk.

    It is worth noting at this stage that Xaymaca is not a Limited release. As with Stiggins’ Fancy and O.F.T.D., this will become a permanent part of the Plantation line up. Once again like the two rums before them Plantation have ramped up the hype machine ahead of this release. For the previous two releases the hype has been justified. So it will be interesting to see how this rum shapes up.

    In the glass I am presented with a golden to dark brown rum with a reddish hue. It looks very vibrant and inviting.

    The nose is quite sweet and oaky. The double ageing in the cognac casks is very noticeable. It is interesting to try one of Plantation’s Cognac finished rum minus the dosage. Further nosing reveals more familiar Jamaican notes. Pineapples juice and black bananas. Some nice weight of spicy oak and a touch of lemon zest.

    The Long Pond elements of the rum make themselves known by giving the rum a sharp very fruity but almost varnish like notes. This is what I was expecting or hoping for. Yet despite all the talk of “hogo” (on the label and in other reviews) this rum it isn’t really THAT funky. For those not familiar with the term “hogo” its not one I use. The word “hogo” derives from the French term “haut gout,”. Which means both slightly tainted game meat as well as a strong yet desirable flavor. I wouldn’t say the nose on this rum is all that strong to be fair.  It certainly isn’t in the Smith & Cross “funk” bracket nor is it as full on as numerous Independent bottlings of Long Pond and HamPlantation Xaymaca Special Dry rum review by the fat rum piratepden Estate rums.

    As a rum though, it has a nice balance. I quite like the cognac influence. It’s a very pleasant nose. Just not hugely Jamaican. I would have mistaken it for a rum blend with Jamaican rum in it rather than entirely 100% Pot Still Jamaican rum. In fact I am struggling to reconcile Xaymaca Special Dry with any 100% Pot Still rum I have had before.

    Sipped Plantation Xaymaca Special Dry is quite spicy – I’m getting quite a lot of heat – white pepper, ginger and all spice. Once again I’m left wondering where all the Jamaican Pot Still rum has gone. As I found with the sip it’s not hugely obviously Jamaican Pot Still – this transfers across to the sip. It’s good a really nice spicy delivery with some nice fruity notes and some sweeter notes of toffee. It’s really easy to sip at 43% ABV.

    However, beyond the initial spiciness and the sweeter fruity notes the mid palate doesn’t really develop into a full on funky Jamaican rum. I can only assume it is the Cognac Casks which have softened the rums up and made them a little more easy-going. Which whilst making this rum balance nicely and sip easily – I feel it also makes it a little to soft.

    The only other feasible reasons why a rum comprising Long Pond and Clarendon Pot Still rums would be as light as this is if some lighter column distilled rum is in the mix. I think a lot of people who buy this will be expecting something more akin to Smith & Cross or Appleton Signature. After all Plantation have made a point of it being 100% Pot Still and full of “hogo”.

    Plantation Xaymaca Special Dry doesn’t really carry itself as a big bruising Jamaican rum. It’s too soft, too polite. The mid palate on this rum fades a little too quickly and the finish is all just a bit woody. The finish doesn’t last all that longer either.

    As a mixer it works quite well but it isn’t as funky as Appleton Signature. I wouldn’t sub Plantation Xaymaca for it. You do get some of the Long Pond notes I so enjoy in a rum and cola – pineapple juice and nail varnish but they are kind of muted and again just to damn polite.

    It’s kind of like Jamaican rum for beginners. Which may well be something people find comfort in. I’ve seen it referred to as a possible gateway Jamaican rum recently. Plantation may claim that this is what it is intended to be. If that is the case then I do not really understand making a play on the “hogo” and 100% Pot Still characteristics of this rum. Anyone seeking that will be disappointed. The 43% ABV will not encourage rum enthusiasts to seek this out rather than cask strength bottlings of Monymusk (Clarendon), Long Pond and the current favourite amongst Jamaican Dunderheads Hampden.

    This rum reminds me of the Plantation Barbados 5 Year Old. It’s nice enough but its not quite there as an authentic Bajan rum. I always blamed the dosage for that but this has achieved a similar “not quite there” type of profile. It’s appeal probably will appeal to lovers of that rum but I remain unconvinced that is what Plantation were aiming for originally with this rum. I feel they have ended up with a rum which is trying to hard to please too many people. If anyone is thinking this may have benefited from “dosage” then I would definitely say no. That would have totally killed it like it does other Plantation Jamaican vintages. The one style of rum that doesn’t need or benefit from dosage has got to be Jamaican.

    It’s a decent wePlantation Xaymaca Special Dry rum review by the fat rum piratell balanced rum but it goes to far away from its Jamaican roots to make it feel like a Multi Island Pot/Column Blend rather than the 100% Pot Still “hogo”, ester and dunder heavy Jamaican rum it is trying to convince us it is. If Smith & Cross gets a 8 out of 10 in terms of funkiness then Plantation Xaymaca Special Dry is a 2.

    If you want a reasonably priced introduction to Jamaican Rum and Appleton Signature Blend is a bit “rough” for your tastes then I recommend trying Rum Bar Gold. It’s a better rum than Xaymaca and has enough sweetness not to scare of people new to Jamaican rum.

    It’s nice but not what I was hoping for.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Premium Rum The Impossible Task? – Part Two

    Bythefatrumpirate

    premium rum the impossible task part two by the fat rum pirateIn the first part of this series we touched upon how rums are labelled.  I used an example to show how confusing it can be to determine a Premium rum.

    Marketing and packaging play a huge role in what the end consumer buys.  No matter who you are, you will encounter and be influenced by marketing at some stage.  Even if you think you aren’t.

    It is fair to say that some Rum Producers are absolute masters at the art.  With big brand backing comes big advertising and marketing budgets.  Some producers have already taken steps to ensure that their products are deemed “Premium”.

    When I first began exploring rums I had little idea about Rhum Agricole.  I would still class myself as a bit of “newbie” when it comes to this  rhum category.

    Produced from Fresh Cane Juice. The cost of producing such rhum is more expensive than molasses based rum.  As a result Agricole producers are at a slight disadvantage when it comes to cost conscious customers.

    One of the ways Rhum Agricole producers ensure their survival is by selling a lot of unaged white rhum.  If you ever go into a larger Carrefour store in France you will be surprised at the amount of agricole rhum available.  A lot of this is at entry level prices.  I guess the mark up on such bottles isn’t great but the volume is.

    Once you get beyond these inexpensive white agricoles we get into aged Agricole territory. This is where the molasses rum world needs to wake up and take a look at how the French speaking population are doing it.

    As with Champagne and Cognac the Caribbean island of Martinique has ensured that their product is protected under French law..

    The AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée))  is the equivalent of the EU’s Protectedaoc Designation of Origin (PDO).  Which protects things such as Parma Ham and Wensleydale Cheese.  It sets out clear guidelines regarding production.  A link to the guidelines are here.

    The AOC decree elevates rhum from Martinique and gives it a status which others rhums cannot have.  It is a clever move and one which causes quite a lot of disagreementss about what rhum agricole can and can’t be!

    Despite the AOC other rhum producing islands are still held in high esteem.  Brands such as Haiti’s Barbancourt as are brands from Guadeloupe such as Longueteau and Damoiseau.

    It’s not just the AOC which makes me feel agricole producers have done more to elevate their products into “Premium” category, than molasses based producers.  It is also the way they have chosen to label and present their rhums.  I think this is where other producers could learn.

    Terms such as XO are used in molasses based rums.  It is only agricole producers though who seem confident enough to use terms such as VO or Rhum Vieux for rhums aged only a couple of years.

    La MaunyTaking influence from the ultimate luxury spirit Cognac – most agricole producers have adopted labelling which suggests “luxury”.

    Pictured is La Mauny VO (Very Old) the rhum is only 3 years old.  As you can see the presentation screams out Premium Rum – the decanter is particularly impressive.  I have a bottle of this at home and whilst I didn’t find the contents all that impressive – I certainly liked the packaging.  Compare this to a similarly aged molasses based rum.  You won’t get the fancy decanter!

    I’m not suggesting Molasses based producers should put average rums in fancy packaging nor am I suggesting this is what Agricole producers are doing.  They just seem to have more confidence in their aged products.

     I do feel though that by using some of the Cognac terminology in their labelling of rhum they have made it more consistent and recognisable than the various naming and labelling conventions used in Molasses based rum.  Admittedly it might still be confusing at times but I’d say easier to research the terms used in Agricole than try and decipher the various codes used in labelling molasses rum. 

    Despite all this though Rhum Agricole has still not elevated itself outside of French speaking territories.  Molasses based rum is still more popular worldwide.

    So what do molasses based rum producers do to market and package their rums to elevate them into the Premium category?

    Big brands such as Appleton Estate and Mount Gay have Appleton Estate Reserve Blend Rum Review by the fat rum pirateadopted a hybrid of largely meaningless names and age statements.  They occasionally use the odd Agricole moniker as well,

    Appleton Estate have Appleton Special, Appleton Signature Blend (formerly V/X), Appleton Rare Blend Aged 12 Years and Appleton 21 Year Old.

    Mount Gay release Mount Gay Eclipse, Black Barrel XO (Extra Old) and 1703.

    So what else has the molasses or industrial rum world been doing in recent years to try and elevate their “Premium” rums? 

    We’ll take a look at that in Part 3.

     

     

     

     

  • Plantation Jamaica 2000

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Plantation Jamaica 2000 rum review by the fat rum piratePlantation Rum should need little introduction.  Part of Cognac Ferrand, they finish and/or age rum they procure from all around the globe in cognac and other wine casks.

    They also add “dosage” (a practice used in Cognac where sugar is added post distillation). Plantation tend to add around 16g/L on average. Their rums nearly always gain positive reviews and they have quite an extensive network of representatives and they are not afraid to promote the brand.  They have a large presence at all the more prestigious Rum Festivals and Competitions.  More often than not coming home with an array of awards.

    My overall opinion of the Plantation rums I have tasted so far have been mostly underwhelming.  Some such as the Plantation Dark I think are hugely overrated.  Others I find pleasant enough but nothing too spectacular.

    One thing I do like about Plantation is their presentation and by in large their prices.  Most rums in the Plantation range are not particularly expensive.  For their £40-45 range of rums (of which this is a part) they usually opt for the taller wine style bottle.  Complete with netting on the bottle and maps of each country/island the rum hails from and some information on how the rum is aged etc.  They also have a sticker over the top of each bottle indicating the country of origin as another nice little touch.  Presentation wise Plantation rums really do stand out and have strong brand identity.

    This pot stilled Jamaican rum comes in at 42% ABV.  It has been difficult to gain a definitive age statement on this rum, which was released onto the market a few years back now.  Eight years seems to be the most noted claim so we’ll go with that.  The notes on the bottle state only that it has been aged in small oak casks.  No information is given on the dosage or if it is “double aged” at all.  Information has led me to believe that this rum is from Hampden Estate.

    You’ll likely struggle to find this bottle on the shelves anymore I was able to pick up aPlantation Jamaica 200 rum review by the fat rum pirate pretty dusty bottle from a local off licence just a few months ago (October 2015).  I went for this over the other Plantation’s on offer as it was the only one I could identify as no longer being available.  The world has now moved onto the 2001 edition of this rum.  A 2001 edition of this rum will set you back around £40.

    In the glass the rum is a lovely mahogany colour – slightly lighter than many aged rums.  The nose is very distinctly Jamaican pot still.  Jamaican pot still rum can be quite divisive.  You either get it or you don’t.  It’s not the kind of rum you find many people noting as okay.  You usually form quite a strong opinion on Jamaican rums one way or the other.

    Which is what makes this rum so confusing.  The nose is heavy on the familiar funky notes – bruised bananas, coconut and rich tropical fruits run right through the rum.  The nose also has a burst of strong boozy notes.  However in contradiction of all these notes you also get overly sweet notes of brown sugar.  Which reminds me very much of the Plantation Dark, sadly.

    As a sipper the rum is pretty harsh and I find very jarring on the palate.  It’s initially very sweet but the sweet sugary toffee like notes are fighting with rather than complementing the pot still ester heavy notes of this rum.  Being honest if this has been aged for 8 years there is little in the profile which agrees with that.  It seems very young and very edgy.  It lacks balance and the “dosage” isn’t really rounding this rum off the way, for example Plantation Nicaragua 2001 was.

    Plantation Jamaica 200 rum review by the fat rum pirateThe only hope I feel this rum will have is a mixer.  It’s amazing how some rums really work as mixers even when they fall short as sippers.

    It’s better when mixed – in this instance with Cola but like the Plantation Dark I find it cloying.  It’s too sweet.  Again it kind of jars against the Pot Still Flavour rather than enhancing it.

    I know some in the rum world feel that I am critical of Plantation they feel I am using them as a protest against “added sugar”.  I don’t feel like this at all.  I still try Plantation rums and when I enjoy them I will state that.  I actually like the fact they are open about the added sugar debate and that they have even had the balls to enter into a discussion with none other Richard Seale about the issue.  The people I have spoken to are friendly, fun people who feel that Plantation offer something a little different.  I agree and whilst many hold up Plantation as the poster  boys for all that is wrong in the Rum World – I don’t share that view.

    That said I still haven’t enjoyed this particular expression.  I don’t agree that all Plantation rums are spectacular.  The positive reviews on other sites don’t really surprise me or influence my own opinions.  For £40 I believe you can get much better Jamaican rum.  With some styles of rum I think Plantation’s methods work very well but with Pot Still Jamaican I think they got it wrong.

    If you do like Plantation Dark then give this a go.  I just found it didn’t have the right balance and ended up too sweet and cloying.  All the pot still flavours are there but the added sweetness just doesn’t work for me.

    1.5 stars

  • Clarendon 2007 Aged 12 Years Selected by Thompson Bros

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Clarendon 2007 Aged 12 Years Selected by Thompson Bros rum review by the fat rum pirateClarendon 2007 Aged 12 Years Selected by Thompson Bros. These rather nicely presented bottlings of Independently bottled Caribbean rum, first came to my attention with another Jamaican rum. That rum was bottled exclusively for The Whisky Exchange and came from Worthy Park it was also 12 Years Old.

    Thompson Bros are more than just Independent Whisky and Rum bottlers. Back in 2015 the brothers Simon and and Philip also began setting up Dornoch Distillery with a view to making the “kind of whisky that has long been extinct”.

    The brothers are perhaps better positioned than many, to do so as they run the award winning whisky bar at the Dornoch Castle Hotel. The bar is renowned for its rare and antique whisky bottlings. For more information on Thompson Bros you can visit their website.

    So let’s take a look at the rum in this rather snazzily presented bottle. Presentation wise this is certainly a step up from a lot of Scottish Independent bottlers but we’ll come to that shortly. Clarendon 2007 Aged 12 Years Selected by Thompson Bros may seem a bit of mystery to some of you. It probably depends on how long and how deeply you have delved into the world of rum and in particular independent bottlings.

    You may well be more familiar with the output from Clarendon Distillery under the guise of the Monymusk brand or even by the numerous “Monymusk” labelled independent bottlings. The Monymusk Estate which is owned by National Rums of Jamaica distills most of its output at Clarendon, this includes the distillate which is used by Captain Morgan.

    Clarendon 2007 Aged 12 Years Selected by Thompson Bros is (and I quote from the label) “Fine Pot Distilled Jamaican Rum”. It was distilled back in 2007 and bottle sometime in 2019. There were only 262 bottles available. It has been bottled at 53.5% ABV which is likely to be Cask Strength or near enough. It has been aged in ex-bourbon casks.

    This was available at both Master of Malt and The Whisky Exchange. I think I paid around £55 for the 70cl bottle. I regret to say this has now sold out. If I thought it would sell quite so quickly I would have reviewed it quicker. So apologies!

    Presentation wise although it is fairly minimalist with just a front label and Clarendon 2007 Aged 12 Years Selected by Thompson Bros rum review by the fat rum piratea normal tall style bar bottle the label is designed by KMG who design a lot for the Dornoch Distillery/Thompson Bros. I’m not particularly arty so I don’t know how you might describe the design but it’s quite catchy on the shelf and looks pretty slick to me.

    I think it’s time to move on and give this rum a run out.

    Now first up I’ve been overall fairly disappointed to date with my experience with Clarendon/Monymusk bottlings. They are far from my favourite distillery. However, I heard good things about this bottling from people whose opinion I value (there are at least 2 people I occasionally listen to), so I thought I would give it a try.

    In the glass Clarendon 2007 Aged 12 Years Selected by Thompson Bros is a light/golden brown colour. Quite light for 12 years ageing. Going from how National Rums of Jamaica operate with their bulk rum operation it is highly likely this has been entirely continentally aged, here in Europe.

    On the nose this is much more fruity and “solvent” led than I have experience in the past with Clarendon/Monymusk offerings. It is more in line with my experiences with the Long Pond Distillery (which is also part of National Rums of Jamaica). For those familiar with the site, this is not a bad thing………..

    Solvent, Creosote and Pineapple Cubes/Pear Drops (Boiled Sweets) fly out of the glass. The mix of the strong glue and varnish notes compliment the sweeter notes of Pineapple, Pear and fresh Green Banana. I’m only getting very mild notes of oak and wood ageing. This is a fruity and very funky nose. There is however a slightly smoky note and a bit of English Breakfast tea which reminds me of Worthy Park.

    On the initial entry the rum is sweet with lots of pineapple juice and sweet ripe pear. As the entry develops it becomes much more savoury and malty than I was expecting from the sweetness on the nose and initial entry. Notes of charred banana and English Breakfast tea are quite predominant.

    It has a bitter-sweet note to it and each sip seems evolve differently as it hits different parts of your taste buds. It’s a very complex and very well defined rum. The solvent, varnish notes remain throughout the experience giving an extra weight to the overall flavour sensation. It’s quite a spicy rum particularly on the mid palate and towards the finish. Spicy Chilli Pepper heat and some Black Pepper come more and more into play. These mingle with some light ginger on the finish.Clarendon 2007 Aged 12 Years Selected by Thompson Bros rum review by the fat rum pirate

    The finish is pretty long and the burn takes a considerable time to fade. The finish is spicy with a woody tone – pencil shavings and chewed pencils. As the burn fades out you are left with a very gluey taste in the mouth. If you enjoy the smell of petrol then you will probably quite enjoy this. I certainly did.

    If I was given this rum blind I would swear it was a blend if Worthy Park and Long Pond. I wouldn’t have noted this one as being a Clarendon/Monymusk.

    Overall a really pleasant surprise and again apologies for not reviewing this sooner though in fairness I only got it on the 23rd June. I guess the whisky guys must have got their hands on this.

    Addendum you can still pick up a bottle here. Not sure how I missed it!

     

     

3 Comments

  1. I love my Caroni but I’ve been hanging back on these two bottles. It’s a fair price but still pretty expensive. I did buy the Boutiquey Rum Caroni 20 for the same money but smaller bottle. I was able to get a sample of that first though. Serge reviewed the two Kill Devils today and gave them very good but not outstanding marks. 86 for this one and 84 for the other. The price/quality issue of Caroni is becoming problematic. Any release of Caroni is going to be old and, therefore, expensive. The prices will continue to go up but is the rum in the bottle getting any better? I’m not sure that it is. The excellent cask strength Habitation Vellier releases cost about £100 a bottle, mostly quite young but more than likely superb in my experience.The Kill Devil Hampden is a lot cheaper than the Caroni and I’ll wager it’s just as good. My point is there is a lot of excellent rum out there much cheaper than Caroni. However, Caroni has a unique style in the rum world and the wider spirits world. It is a real tragedy that they closed. I just opened a bottle of the Ancient Mariner Caroni 16 from a couple of years back and it is very, very, good. I’ll probably get the Kill Devil because it’s not going to be long before Caroni will become prohibitively expensive.

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