Levy Lane Rum Co.Tamosi. Tamosi “The Ancient One, the creater of all, brought into being such a great tree that none like it has ever been seen since” I’m a bit lost to be honest………

Tamosi is named for the Carib creator Tamosi Kabotano. Which translates as “Ancient one of the skyland”. It is said he created the earth and everything upon it. The Carib people, who believed themselves also to have come from the skyland, found Tamosi (Tah-moh-see) to be an absent creator, often leaving their pleas for help unanswered. Tamosi has never been seen so is not depicted as a person.

So there you go I’m still not sure what the tree is all about but never mind.

Tamosi rum is produced by the Levy Lane Rum Co. which is headed up by British ex-pat Benjamin Boothe. He is now located (conveniently for a rum brand) in Amsterdam. Benjamin is the son of Jamaican and Guyanese parents. His great grandfather had a stint as the Master Distiller at Blairmont no less!

So it would seem he has a pretty good pedigree to produce some decent rum.

This is Levy Lane Rum Co. flagship bottling. They have also recently released two Single Cask rums from Guyana and a Port Cask Finish blend. I will be reviewing them all in due course.

Levy Lane Rum Co. Tamosi is a blended rum. It contains rum from Barbados, Jamaica and Panama. The blend consists of  predominantly 8 year old blended Pot and Column distilled Barbados rum from Foursquare, 6 year old Column Distilled Panama rum from an undisclosed distillery (so most likely Varela Hermanos home of Abuelo) and finally unaged Jamaican rum from Hampden, Worthy Park & Clarendon. Which is all 100% Pot Still rum.

The blend contains no additives (I’m always skeptical of claims of this whenever Panama rum is around). It is bottled at 45% ABV. The hydrometer bobs nicely dead on 45% ABV.

Retail wise I can currently see it for sale at both Zeewijck and Best of Wines. Price varies between €36-40. The price seems reasonable when you compare with other recent blends such as Thameside Signature Blend,  Diablesse Caribbean Rum and Black Tot Rum Finest Caribbean.

Levy Lane Rum Co. Tamosi is presented in an opaque bottle, it is slightly squat with a longer neck – looks a bit like a Brandy/Cognac bottle. The label design is clear and uncluttered and along with the opaque bottle it will grab the attention of both casual rum drinkers and the enthusiast crowd I feel.

On the rear label we are give more information on the mythical Tamosi.

As I have some other rums from Levy Lane Rum Co. to review I’ll save some further information for the other reviews. I think I’ve given enough information about this particular bottling? Of course I have, so lets see what this is like.

In the glass we have a golden brown coloured rum. Pretty sure that this hasn’t been coloured with caramel.

Nosing Levy Lane Rum Co. it is quite a complex nose. I’m getting banana and a little bit of pineapple juice from the Jamaican element and a good hit of vanilla and some spicy almost floral oak from the Barbados and Panama elements.

Further nosing reveals some peaches in syrup, a real fruitiness – Green Apple and stoned fruits plums and a touch of cinnamon. The Barbados element adds some coconut notes and some creamy milk chocolate. Touch of cocoa and some baking spices perhaps from the Panama component.

Despite the unaged Jamaican elements of this blend it still smells “old” not in a bad way but the oak and spice is nicely balanced. There is a slight “dampness” to the nose – something a bit musty that reminds me a little of aged Port Mourant/Versailles still rum from Guyana, oddly enough.

It’s a complex nose and a very interesting one. It reminds me of aged Independent bottlings from a number of locations.

It’s rare that I approach a rum following a nosing and still be unsure quite what the rum might taste like. I’m definitely feeling that here. Not in a bad way. There is just so much going on, I’m not sure what will cross over from the nose to the sip.

The initial entry is quite sweet with a hit of vanilla and a light floral note. This is almost immediately overtaken, by a firm but not overbearing hit of spicy ex-bourbon oak. Alongside a nice warming hit of barrel char.

On the mid palate the char subsides leaving vanilla and a tiny hint of some “funk”. It’s not particularly prominent. You do however,  get a little hint of some Pineapple Juice and overripe banana. There is a zesty note of bitter sweet apples and lemon rind. A touch of orange marmalade.

There is a lot going on with this blend. It makes for a complex and quite rewarding sipper. As a mixer, especially in drinks calling for a variety of rums, it could prove very useful and very versatile. I think a Daiquiri with this rum would work very nicely.

Finish wise it is a good length. The oak and spice gently fade out leaving more of the zesty and fruity Jamaican like notes to linger on your tongue.

Levy Lane Rum Co. Tamosi reminds me of a few different rums but it isn’t exactly like anything I have had before. Aged blends such as these are not all that common, though quite a few have come along the last 18 months or so. The 45% ABV also lifts this rum out of the ordinary giving it a bit more definition and flavour.

A really good start from the Levy Lane Rum Co. A rum which could appeal to a broad spectrum of rum drinkers and mixologists. I’m eyeing up the Port Cask Finish version of this blend which has been bottled at 55% ABV next……