|

Levy Lane Rum Co Tamosi Port Cask

Bythefatrumpirate

Levy Lane Rum Co. Tamosi Port Cask rum review the fat rum pirateLevy Lane Rum Co Tamosi Port Cask. I recently reviewed the “regular” blend of Tamosi rum. This is pretty much the same blend with a Port Cask finish and a higher ABV. Should be good? We’ll sharp find out.

As well as the regular Tamosi release, the Levy Lane Rum Co. have also got two “single cask” rums which I will be reviewing as quickly as I can.

Levy Lane Rum Co Tamosi Port Cask is a similar blend to the “regular” Tamosi with a  higher Jamaican component. The make up of the rum is as follows

8 year old Barbados rum (Pot/Column blend)

6 Year Old Panama rum (Column still)

and 3 unaged Jamaican rums (not totally sure of the Pot/Column ratios but the rums hail from Worthy Park, Hampden and Clarendon.

This blend of rums was then rested in a Port Cask for 8 months in Europe.

Tamosi is named after the Carib creator “Tamosi Kabotano”. This roughly translates as “Ancient one of the skyland”, who created the earth and everything upon it. The Carib people, who believed themselves also to have come from the skyland, found Tamosi to be an absent creator. Often leaving their pleas for help unanswered.

No different to other “gods” then I guess……………

Levy Lane Rum Co Tamosi Port Cask is now available in the UK from The Whisky Exchange, it retails at £69.95. It has been bottled at a higher ABV than the regular Tamosi and sits at 55% ABV.

The rum is presented in an opaque bottle with a synthetic cork stopper to seal the rum. Presentation wise, it is similar to the regular Tamosi release. The rear label gives more information regarding this rum and Tamosi Kabotano. Levy Lane Rum Co have set up a website should you require further information. You can find it here.

Levy Lane Rum Co. Tamosi Port Cask rum review the fat rum pirate

For this particular release only 310 bottles have been produced. Ever since the release of Foursquare’s Exceptional Cask Port Cask release, the rum world have been very receptive to any rum in a Port Cask. So I wouldn’t “faff” about if you are hoping to pick up a bottle of this. I doubt they will last on the rum up to Christmas, Especially since it is now readily available at The Whisky Exchange.

I’ve heard good things about this rum so lets crack on and get it poured in the glass…….

The nose is light and quite sweet. At first nosing you’d perhaps think it was a Foursquare ECS finish. I doubt this is anything other than a compliment, bearing in mind how much I enjoy those rums………

Some light oak notes mingle alongside notes of cherry, raisins and some red grape. The ABV makes itself known a little giving your nose a little twitch.

Further nosing reveals the Jamaican influence with a nice layer of banana and a slightly medicinal “funky” note. Rather than overpower the Port influences this actually works nicely to add complexity to the nose.

As far as the Panama rum is concerned you get a light airing of tobacco and some flowery notes but these are quite a way down the overall mix.

Overall the Levy Lane Rum Co Tamosi Port Cask has a very inviting nose. This will really appeal to anyone who likes a Port Cask finished rum.

Sipped, this rum rely belies its ABV. It’s still quite fiery but I don’t think you would think this was bottled at 55% ABV. It’s really quite mellow. Easy going and I’m finding far too easy to drink. Which to be honest how I have find quite a few Port Cask finished rums. Not many of these rums have lasted long on my shelf!

The initial notes are sweet with a lot of the Port Cask. So we get lots of dark stoned fruits such as cherries, raisin and sultanas. As you progress onto the mid palate though the rum becomes a bit spicer with more notes of oak spice and some white pepper.

As the mid palate progresses you’ll notice notes of liquorice and coca-cola. A touch of hazelnut and some praline. A touch of milk chocolate as you move into the finish. The Jamaican elements of this rum give it an extra edge as well giving just a bit more “bite” to the rum than pLevy Lane Rum Co. Tamosi Port Cask rum review the fat rum pirateerhaps, a straight Barbados/Panama blend would have done. It has a touch of “menace” that compliments the sweeter, smoother notes.

The finish is a good length and has a nice warming “winter” like note. A bit like Christmas cake/pudding?

This is arguably an ideal type of rum for this time of year. Ideal time for me to be reviewing it I think!

This is a really great use of the Port Cask and I’ve got to say Levy Lane Rum Co. have made an excellent start, with this and the regular blend.

Seems like really good rum blends are coming back in vogue………

 

Similar Posts

  • The Real Rum Co No1 Blend Cask Strength 13 Year Aged

    Bythefatrumpirate

    The Real Rum Co No1 Blend Cask Strength 13 Year Aged Rum review by the fat rum pirateThe Real Rum Co No1 Blend Cask Strength 13 Year Aged. If Companies House is correct then The Real Rum Co have been around since 2013. Up until this release they have focused on Spiced and Flavoured rums.

    The Real Rum Co is ran by Freddie Hart, who has also brought brands such as Todka and Bombo to the UK market. I can hear the collective groans amongst you all…….bear with me.

    However, as the title suggests this is the first “straight” blend of rum from The Real Rum Co. So lets give this bottling a chance.

    As this is a blend it is not a Single Cask rum – it is still quite limited though with only 500 bottles being available. It has been bottled at Cask Strength 62.1

    % and is free from any additives.

    The blend comprised rum from Panama and Venezuela. I tend to shy away from “commercial” bottlings of Panamanian and Venezuelan rums nowadays, as the producers mainly focus around the 40-43% ABV mark and like to add a little special sauce to their rums. Which can make them a bit “homogenised” and slightly muted.

    The Real Rum Co No1 Blend Cask Strength 13 Year Aged is currently available at Master of Malt priced at £84.95 for a 70cl bottle. Bearing in mind the way rum prices are heading – I don’t think this is a bad price at all in todays market. If it’s any good of course. Maturation has taken place in ex-bourbon casks.

    I’ve not got a lot of information on the actual rums in the blend – likelihood is the Panamanian element will come from Varela Hermanos – who produce the Abuelo brand amongst others. So the rum will be distilled in a multi column set up.

    The Venezeuelan element will mostly likely have come from the DUSA (Destilerias Unidas S.A.) which is responsible for the Diplomatico brand.  As a result this rum could be multi column, column, pot distilled or a blend of column/pot.

    The Real Rum Co No1 Blend Cask Strength 13 Year Aged Rum review by the fat rum pirate

     

    I’m not someone who obsesses about the type of still used – many people wrongly (in my opinion) think that Pot Still equates to best and column and especially multi column is worst. I do not buy into this viewpoint. In all honesty I’m quite comfortable judging rums based on limited information. I feel often people seek out rums based on to many facts and figures.

    Anyway that is all the information I have at present on this bottling so we may as well dive into the nosing and tasting and see how this blend of Central and South American rums works out.

    First up the rum is “clean” and the Hydrometer shows no signs of any additives. Which is pretty much essential as far as I’m concerned when you are paying premium for aged rums.

    In the glass The Real Rum Co No1 Blend Cask Strength 13 Year Aged is a medium to dark brown liquid with an orange/yellow hue.

    Nosing the rum is quite fruity with notes of orange peel/marmalade and some sultanas. Further complexity is provided by a slightly perfumed note which runs alongside heavier smoky notes – cocoa and some leathery elements. There is also a milk chocolate note which mingles with the sultana/raisin giving Milk Chocolate covered raisins.

    Which can never be a bad thing…….

    Sipped at full strength it is full bodied and very rich. Lots of smoke, leather, dark chocolate, raisin and other dried fruits. Dark plums, a touch of apricot and that tangy orange note with a hint of citrus.

    The initial entry is quite smoky but the chocolate and fruity sweetness lead nicely into the  mid palate which shows more of the barrel ageing. Warming oaky notes mingle alongside trace of tobacco, sandalwood and some almost bitter dark chocolate.

    The finish builds with the oaky notes giving way again to some more of the fruity notes and the chocolate. It is a really nice length and is very rich and warming.

    The Real Rum Co No1 Blend Cask Strength 13 Year AgedWhilst the type of rums are often seen as “lighter” as this rum hasn’t been “dosed” I do feel I’m getting more character and less of a homogenised product than is produced by the big producers. I do feel this likely does have elements of Pot Still distillate in the mix as it reasonably heavy.

    It reminds me quite a lot as a darker, heavy version of Santa Teresa 1796.

    I’ve thoroughly enjoyed The Real Rum Co first foray into this type of blended rum and I have to say that I’m really glad I have tried it. A really excellent start from them.

     

     

     

     

     

  • London RumFest and RumWeek 2018 – Press Release

    Bythefatrumpirate

     

    RumFest and RumWeek 2018 Press Release

    LONDON RUM WEEK LAUNCHES THIS OCTOBER

    From the makers of RumFest, London Rum Week is a week-long celebration of rum across bars all over the capital, ahead of RumFest 2018

    London Rum Week
    15th – 21st October

    RumFest
    Saturday 20th & 21st October 2018
    London’s Earl’s Court
    ILEC Conference Centre
    rumfest.co.uk

    RumFest tickets start from £44.55 and can be purchased here.

    Bigger and better than ever before, RumFest is launching London Rum Week to prolong the celebrations of one of the nations favourite tipples. With an abundance of events taking place from rum launches and Tiki Thursday to rum masterclasses, rum-lovers from across the capital will have endless opportunities to get involved.

    RumFest, the world’s premier festival of rum, will also return to London this autumn to host an abundance of tastings, masterclasses and delicious food all under one roof. Taking place 20th-21st October, over 400 world-class rum brands, mixologists, master blenders and specialists will jet in from around the world, to celebrate their passion for all things rum, taking visitors on a rum pilgrimage to explore the exquisite and unique. For more information on Rum Week and RumFest, visit the website.

    RumFest is the lead event in the newly launched London Rum Week this October. Kicking off on Monday 15th, rum-focused activities will take place across the capital for the first five days, including the launch of Hampden Rum from one of Jamaica’s oldest distilleries at Usain Bolt’s new London bar Tracks & Records, a Q&A with Bailey Pryor, the five-time Emmy Award-Winning Director and Producer, a showcase of rare rums & cigars at La Casa del Habano with award-winning rum maker Richard Seale and much more.

    Also part of London Rum week is The 6th Golden Rum Barrel Awards & Dinner, to be held at The Holiday Inn Kensington Forum, on Sunday 21st October. This star studded night will see awards given to best in the rum industry including the Best Rums of 2018, Best Rum Master, Best Rum Bar, Best Rum Brand Ambassador and Rum Influencer of the Year .

    Running as the highlight event, RumFest – the worlds finest festival of rum, opens its doors on the Saturday 20th – Sunday 21st October. With over 400 rum brands united together under one roof, guests will be able to enjoy exclusive tastings and pairings, take part in a variety of masterclasses and learn the art of perfecting a rum cocktail from leading mixologists.

    New for this year, Ian Burrell, renowned Global Rum Ambassador and RumFest Founder, will be leading a one-off tasting on the Saturday and Sunday, showcasing five rare and expensive rums with a combined retail value of £1500. Tickets for all masterclasses (except those stated) are included within the entry ticket, however, places are limited and must to be booked in advance.

    Sponsoring the main stage this year is London’s newest tropical escape bar Laki Kane. Co-founded by award-winning mixologist Georgi Radev, the bar produces innovative cocktails and is the first bar in the world to make all syrups in-house without using refined sugars. Using the finest rums, sugar cane syrups and a hand-picked selection of rare and exotic ingredients, Laki Kane will be showcasing their mixology expertise.

    Speaking about this year’s events, founder and Global Rum Ambassador Ian Burrell;
    “RumFest is a fantastic chance to get the inside track on the next big thing in rum as well as try some hidden gems on the market. Last year proved once again that this is THE event for anyone in the business of rum, with the worlds best brands, master blenders, distilleries and aficionados from across the globe. 2018 promises to raise the bar again with a few more surprises!”

    A variety of additional masterclass sessions will take place across the course of the weekend. All sessions will involve tutored rum and cocktail tasting by spirit experts.
    Saturday Masterclasses:
    – Angostura
    – La Hechicera
    – Velier Masterclasses with Luca Gargano
    – Canadian Rums
    – Appleton Rum
    – Flor de Caña

    Sunday Masterclasses:
    – Real McCoy
    – Foursquare class with Richard Seale
    – Appleton Rum
    – Velier Masterclasses

    For rum connoisseurs, the RumFest Golden Tot Tokens will give you the opportunity to taste limited edition and premium rums, retailing from £80-250.

    In addition, Saturday guests will be able to place their bids at the Rum Auction, with premium rums priced from £500 – £2000. There will also be a host of chef demos throughout the weekend from Shivi Ramoutar, The Modern Caribbean Chef & Hassan de Four.

     

     

     

     

    A full itinerary for London Rum Week can be found on http://www.londonrumweek.com. Activities across the week include Hampden Rum launch at Usain Bolt’s new London bar, a showcase of rare rums and cigars at La Casa del Habano plus much more to be announced. For more information regarding London Rum Week or to get involved contact info@rumfest.co.uk.

     

  • Mount Gay Select Blend of Matured Rums TWE Exclusive

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Mount Gay Select Blend ofMount Gay Select Blend of Matured Rums TWE Exclusive Rum Review by the fat rum pirateMount Gay Select Blend of Matured Rums TWE Exclusive. TWE stands for The Whisky Exchange. Which is a physical and online store based in London, England. Headed up by business man and spirits enthusiast Sukhinder Singh. I’m a regular customer with them as they have one of the best selections of rum available in the UK.

    This is the first time Mount Gay have “outsourced” some of their rum beyond bulk rum sales. You  won’t have seen any independent bottlings with Mount Gay listed as the distillery.

    The rum has been distilled and bottled at Mount Gay so it is presented in line with the brands usual offerings. However as mentioned you will only find this at the Whisky Exchange in the primary retail market. I would expect to see some appear in the future on the secondary/auction market.

    Mount Gay Select Blend is a blend of Pot and Column distilled rums aged for 7 years. It is presented at Cask Strength of 54% ABV. 2400 bottles will be available and it retails at £87.95. It was aged in ex-American Oak Barrels. The blend has been selected by master distiller Allen Smith. It is drawn from just 20 barrels with a Angels Share of between 37.3% and 47.9%. Although we couldn’t get the exact details it has been noted that this blend contains more Pot Still rum than the rest of the Mount Gay range. No caramel colouring or chill filtration.

    Mount Gay primarily make their money with their Eclipse and Black Barrel rums which have become staples of Travel Retail the world over. They are also noted for their iconic Mount Gay Extra Old (MGXO). They have released a few different expressions lately, including a Cask Strength version of the XO.

    Presentation wise as it has been bottled at Mount Gay it is presented in their recently restyled bottles complete with a cork closure. It looks a very classy package. I am not sure if a card sleeve is provided.

    Nevertheless it is very exciting to see a Cask Strength Mount Gay rum available at a more competitive price point. It will no doubt (and already has been) mentioned that this rum is more “expensive” than the Foursquare Exceptional Cask Series rums or even regular Foursquare rum. I suppose it is fairly expensive for a 7 year old rum but as I have found in the past Barbados Rum can be very good from a very young age. Especially when matured in Barbados.

    So lets see how this compares to those releases.

    In the glass Mount Gay Select Blend presents itself as a light golden brown with orange flashes.

    The nose is a very familiar Bajan style rum. It has a lovely mixture of coconut, cashew nuts, pineapple and a touch of lemon zest. The balance on this nose is really spot on and it noses like a much older rum might.

    The extra ABV for this over the XO is not really immediately noticeable from the nose. It’s so well-integrated. There are some spicy notes of oak ageing but it really does have such a great balance.

    Further nosing reveals some toffee and banana. This is a rum which you will nose quite extensively it is so good.

    Sipped Mount Gay Select Blend is wonderfully spicy. Very zesty with lots of bourbon esque sweet/sour notes. Zesty lemon/lime and some woody oak. The initial entry is quite fiery butMount Gay Select Blend ofMount Gay Select Blend of Matured Rums TWE Exclusive Rum Review by the fat rum pirate further sips are much easier on the palate.

    The mid palate is also quite spicy but notes of coconut, a touch of coffee, ginger, walnuts and some toffee also put in an appearance. It’s a complex, quite dry type of sipping rum similar in many respects to the Foursquare 2004 and 2005 rums. I like the zestyness and oakiness found in the profile.

    The finish has perhaps a touch of bitterness which is the only thing which is slightly out of place with this rum. It is fleeting as well as the wonderful woody notes return giving you a very rich and warming finish. The finish is long and has a really nice note of dark chocolate mixed with ginger – bit like chocolate ginger stem biscuits. Nice!

    This is a complex and very rewarding sipping rum. I wouldn’t even think about mixing this one. Fans of rums such as R L Seale’s, Mount Gay XO and the more recent Foursquare Exceptional Cask 2004 and 2005 rums will be in heaven with this one.

    More of this please Mount Gay.

     

  • Bristol Reserve Rum of Jamaica – 8 Year Old Worthy Park

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Bristol Reserve Jamaica Worthy ParkBristol Classic Rum have certainly increased their portfolio over the past few years.  This rum represents an aged expression from the rejuventated Worthy Park Estate.

    I was fortunate enough recently to make contact with John Barrett who runs Bristol Classic Rum.  So I have a little more information on this rum than what is noted on the bottle.

    For anyone unfamiliar with Bristol Classic Rum they are an English Independent Bottler based just outside of Bristol.  They offer a very distinctive and ever so slightly home made feel to the presentation of their rums.  They represent single cask offerings, often as little as one single cask yielding just a few hundred bottles.  They do not bottle at Cask Strength (they typically bottle at between 40-46% ABV) and this is reflected in their pricing.  They rarely hit the heights of Velier, Samaroli and Silver Seal for example.

    A 70cl bottle of this rum will set you back around £45 – for that you get the traditional Bristol bottle and canister in a very nice royal blue color scheme.  43% ABV

    This 8 year old Jamaican rum from the Worthy Park Estate has been tropically aged on Jamaica for 7 years.  At which point John bought the casks and had them shipped over for another years ageing in the UK, prior to bottling in 2013.  The rum currently represents some of the oldest available Worthy Park rum as the Estate’s distillery only became functional again in the mid 00’s.  It is worth noting that rather than reviving the old distillery, which stopped producing rum back in the 1960’s it is a new state of the art distillery.

    Worthy Park use an 18,000 litre custom Copper Pot Still made for them by Forsyth’s in Rothes, Scotland.  It can produce 4000 litres of rum per day.  This is one of very few automated pot stills in the world and the entire distilling process is controlled and monitored by a touch screen.

    I’m a big fan of Worthy Park Gold (a rum aged for around 5 years) so I was very keen to try this 8 year old expression.

    The nose on the rum is unsurprisingly very reminiscent of Rum-Bar Gold.  There is a very distinctive creamy/nuttiness that runs through the aged Worthy Park rums.  It sets them apart from the Hampden and Monymusk rums and places them more alongside the more refined Appleton Estate line of Jamaican rums.  Yet they still manage to retain their own very individual identity.

    BRISTOL WORTHY PARK rum review by the fat rum pirateNice notes of toffee, caramel and a nice creamy nuttiness all line up alongside a slight hint of ginger.  A strong noseful of sweet alcohol gives it all a nice rummy kick.

    Sipped the rum is slightly more vegetal than the Rum Bar Gold and has a slight edge to it.  You definitely get more spicy oak and despite the extra ageing it seems to burn just a little bit more.  This may be a result if this is a single cask rather than a blend of rums.

    The sip is quite sweet – nice toffee and sugar notes initially fading out to a nice rounded and long lasting finish.  Worthy Park rums are very distinctive and this rum also has a nice hit of spicy almost szchezuan style heat – its like spicy Thai food especially on the finish.

    I’ve noticed that a couple of the rums which have been bottled by Bristol have a slight licorice note to them – this also has this feature.  I guess this may be something to do with the years ageing in the UK.  It could of course just be a coincidence.

    It’s very good – slightly different to the Rum Bar Gold.  Not a huge step up but certainly a very interesting rum to try.

    Thoroughly looking forward to more aged product from Worthy Park in the future.

    4 stars

  • Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend rum review by the fat rum pirateMount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend. For once in the rum world new packaging does 100% mean a change in the blend. It is not just the work of conspiracy theorists, who can remember exactly, what a rum tasted like 20 years ago and immediately notice tiny little differences to the blend – but only I hasten to add once the bottle shape and/or label have changed……..

    Perhaps one of the most iconic rums in the world MGXO for short, has been a constant and readily available companion for the Barbados rum lover since it’s launch in 1992.

    Sales of Mount Gay rum have always been strong, particularly their Eclipse expressions. However, it has been felt in some rum enthusiast circles, that Mount Gay have been left behind a little recently, by Foursquare in terms of innovation and overall product portfolio. They had until fairly recently stuck stubbornly with their tried and tested rums with no Limited Edition or particularly show stopping releases.

    That has definitely changed over the past 3-4 years as Mount Gay have upped their game and put out some very interesting limited edition releases. Such as a Cask Strength XO (I wonder if we see this as Cask Strength in the future?) and a Selected Blend bottling for The Whisky Exchange, amongst others.

    The original blend of Mount Gay Extra Old, as it was commonly known back then, was devised by then Master Blender Jeremy Edwards. He was assisted with this blend by Allen Smith, who became Master Blender in 2010.

    Towards the end of 2019 and after over 25 years with Mount Gay, Allen Smith stepped down. His replacement as Master Blender Trudiann Branker, has wasted no time in making her mark. In 2019 Mount Gay released a Pot Sill only blend. I haven’t actually bought a bottle as yet, so alas no review.

    Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend rum review by the fat rum pirateTrudiann has now turned her attention to this new blend for Mount Gay XO. She has also revised the blend for Mount Gay Black Barrel. The Eclipse blend currently remains unchanged.

    The first thing that will be noticed by a lot of consumers, is the increase in price. Mount Gay XO was available typically in the UK for around £35-38. You would occasionally find it discounted at between £30-33 and if you didn’t shop around you could pay over £40 for a bottle.

    This Triple Cask is currently available at Master of Malt for £53.75 or House of Malt (where I acquired my bottle) for £46.99. It came pretty swiftly as well. So they come recommended.

    Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend comes in the “flat” almost flask style 3/4 stubby bottle. The little details that were there with the previous XO are all present. The Barbados flag on the seal, a good quality wooden topped artificial cork stopper and the Master Blender’s signature. Which confirms Trudiann is responsible for this blend.

    Presentation wise, Mount Gay have adopted a cleaner colour scheme. More in keeping with their more recent Limited Edition bottlings. This is a good move as the previous XO’s colour scheme, did look a little washed out. Almost like camouflage!

    Particularly the card sleeve. It’s worth noting that whilst the new brown and gold card sleeve looks better, its isn’t as sturdy as before. Nit picking I know but I guess you all want to know all the differences!

    As before Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend is presented at 43% ABV. It is a blend of Pot and Traditional Column (not huge industrial multi columns) rums. The age of the rums in the blend has been altered from between 8 and 15 years to between 5 and 17 years. So we have a mixture of older and younger distillates. I am unsure of the exact ration of each. As Mount Gay XO is a continuously avMount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend rum review by the fat rum pirateailable product made to a particular flavour profile, it is highly likely the rums used in the blend will change over time.

    Now the other big difference between Mount Gay XO and this new Triple Cask Blend is, errrmmm….the use of three different types of cask in ageing.

    So we have some of the rums aged in ex-bourbon barrels, some in ex-whisky and finally (and perhaps unsurprisingly as Remy Cointreau own Mount Gay) ex-Cognac casks.

    I think I’ve exhausted all the information I have. Most of which is provided on the very informative bottle – hats off to Mount Gay for that as well.

    Now for the review and this will be in two parts. First up I am going to review Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend on it’s own. With no comparisons to it’s predecessor. Then I am going to try it alongside a glass of my freshly opened Mount Gay XO non Triple Cask Blend.

    Here is a tip you can pick up both these XO’s at the minute for less than £80 for the pair. Amazon have the “old” XO for £33. I’d be keen to hear how others find these side by side.

    Right okay so lets deal with Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend on it’s own to start with.

    In the glass the spirit presents itself as rich dark brown with an orange hue. It’s a “traditional” dark spirits colour. Maybe a dash of E150 for consistency. Mount Gay do not do any other additives.

    Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend rum review by the fat rum pirate

    Nosing Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend, I am immediately reminded of just how nice the nose on MGXO always was. The signature coconut aromas burst out at you. There is nice fruity note on the nose as well as the coconut – a kind of rum and raisin like aroma going down.

    It’s quite spicy with a fair amount of oak and some sweet bourbon like vanilla aromas. Notes of dark chocolate float in and out giving the nose a slightly richer overall profile. Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend has like all good well aged Barbados rums – a really nice well balanced, easy going nature to us. For many this is not “extreme” enough for me not appreciating rums such as these is almost laughable.

    Sipped, the rum is much drier than the nose suggested. I have always found Mount Gay XO to be quite a dry, oak driven spirit. This has not changed. Then entry has nice sweet hit of coconut, dark chocolate and vanilla. A little toffee as well.

    The mid palate moves into a more “charred” note – slightly smoky with lots of ginger and oak spices. Underneath all this is a slightly honeyed sweetness which carries the rum along into its long and punchy finish.

    Finish wise Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend certainly has a lengthy very oaky finish with lots of barrel char and slight hints of smoke and smidge of tobacco.

    This “new” Mount Gay XO is pretty impressive I must say. However, maybe the question on everyone’s lips is “Is it better than the Old Mount Gay XO?”

    Well why don’t I do a little comparison before I hand out the scores?

    Mount Gay XO Reserve Cask Rum v Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend

    In the glass theMount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend rum review by the fat rum piratere is no discernible difference between the rums. They could be switched around quite easily and I wouldn’t have noticed. They are your standard aged spirit colour.

    On the nose “old” Mount Gay is a touch more aggressive. Just a tiny bit more “boozy” and maybe more malty..The Triple Cask Blend seems slightly more rounded – a tiny bit sweeter. Maybe a touch better balanced. I prefer the newer incarnation though being completely honest – after a few I might not necessarily notice the difference.

    In many ways the rums are very similar and very typically Mount Gay. The “old” Mount Gay is perhaps more “clean and crisp” where the “new” bottling is just a tiny bit richer and every so slightly sweeter.

    If you are a hardcore regular Mount Gay XO drinker then the differences may seem more dramatic. For me the rums are still pretty similar. Overall in terms of profile length and delivery, they are pretty similar both start sweet and have a fairly spicy and dry mid palate which leads to a long dry woody finish.

    The “new” Mount Gay has a slightly oilier, richer mouthfeel as well and seems to balance out a little better on the finish.

    I like this. I’ve always liked Mount Gay XO and I’ve had a couple of bottles pretty much every year since. That will certainly continue.

    I would say that this is a tiny bit “better” (or more to my tastes) thanMount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend rum review by the fat rum piratethe previous Mount Gay XO. That said and as I’m sitting here really enjoying it – I’m not sure if it’s worth an extra point.

    Maybe 4 1/4 stars?

    We’ll stick with 4 stars. Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend is a completel

    y solid rum, one which does sometimes fly under people’s radars. It is easily as good as R L Seale’s 10 Year and Doorly’s XO and to be fair thats not bad company to be in now is it?

    Crikey this has been a bit of a monster review hasn’t it?

    Pass me the Mount Gay XO………..either is fine by me.

     

     

     

  • Kill Devil Barbados Aged 14 Years

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Kill Devil Barbados Aged 14 Years rum review by the fat rum pirateKill Devil Barbados Aged 14 Years. Another Kill Devil rum from Hunter Laing and another Single Blended rum from the Foursquare Distillery, Barbados.

    As with all the Kill Devil rums (aside from a couple of blends) this is a single cask rum. Kill Devil have coloured coded their rums. All the rums in the range come in the familiar black cylinder and opaque bottle. However those issued at Cask Strength have a black and purple/pink colour scheme. Those that are diluted to 46% ABV maintain the black and gold colour scheme.

    As already mentioned this single cask rum was distilled at the famous Foursquare distillery in Barbados, home to many high-quality brands. Foursquare are growing an incredible reputation for producing some of the best rums on the market with their Exceptional Cask Series and bottlings such as Fousquare 2006, Triptych and Principia.

    Distilled in August 2001 and aged for 14 years in a single cask, this is limited to 353 bottles. It is a blend of Pot and Column distilled rum. The exact make up of I am unsure of. When it was available (you will find bottles on Whisky Auction sites) it would have set you back around £50. It was released back in 2016. To be honest the delay has occurred with me forgetting about a box of samples I had put away.

    Kill Devil Barbados Aged 14 Years is straw coloured in the glass.  This suggests mostly continental ageing in Europe. The nose is welcoming – nice oak and spice notes mingle alongside some banana and coconut. A touch of lime zest on the nose and a pinch of nutmeg. It is typical Foursquare in that it has a wonderful balance and the intergration of each note is so well done it is almost as if it is planned with military precision to turn out like this.Kill Devil Barbados Aged 14 Years Rum review by the fat rum pirate

    Sipped you can tell it is aged in Europe despite its relatively “old” age. It’s quite spicy and a little heated. Notes of ginger and all spice on the palate especially on the entry. It is not as “smooth” as other rums of similar age which have had the benefit of tropical ageing. It reminds me a little of Foursquare 2004 ECS in its spiciness and bourbon-esque zesty qualitites. At 46% ABV though its fairly easy going and reltively well balanced. The coconut comes through unfortunately a lot of the banana is left behind. You do get quite a lot of oak though particularly on the finish.

    There is a touch of a medicinal herbal note as the sip progresses into caramel and brown sugar, with notes ot toffee.

    Its easy to sip and goes down very nicely. The finish is a reasonable length though nothing exceptional. It has a nice woodiness to it and a touch of zest and just the tiniest note of turmeric makes a little appearance.

    Another great offering from both Kill Devil and Foursquare. Due to sheer volume of Independent bottlings of Foursquare rum coupled with the amount of official releases coming out of the distillery I wouldn’t break the bank to get this on the secondary market. Unless of course you are some kind of rabid Foursquare collector. It’s very good, of course but I personally wouldn’t pay more than £60 for a bottle if I saw one for sale. There are simply so many other options out there and in all honesty you’ll never try every cask of Foursquare rum even if you set out to try and do so.