Merser & Co. Rum Merchants Double Barrel. Blended rum has long been well established at the lower end of the rum market. Most supermarkets have their own blends and many “cheaper” brands are based around blends of Caribbean rum. In recent times many blends have changed from multi island blends to single island blends.
In the “mid price” market a number of blended rums have come along in the UK over the past couple of years. Hattiers and Thameside are two that spring immediately to mind. Though there are others.
Merser & Co. have introduced the first rum blending house in London for over 100 years. Well at least that is what they claim on the reverse label of this bottle.
The particular bottle I have up for review today is a “Double Barrel” Blend No. 3 from Batch 107-AH4. The rum is a blend of rums from Jamaican, Barbados and the Dominican Republic aged up to 12 years. I do not know the exact ratios etc of the blend. The rum is soured by Merser and Co. and the blend is put together in London. Where it is “double aged” in London for six months is small american white oak barrels. Each barrel has an outturn of around 400 bottles which are released one at a time. My bottling has been released at 43.1% ABV. In the UK a bottle of Merser & Co. Rum Merchants Double Barrel retails at around the £40 mark. You can however often find it cheaper on Amazon if you keep an eye out……
Merser & Co. Double Barrel comes in a rounded, dimpled, stubby style bottle. The labelling is clear, modern and uncluttered. The design is quite striking and certainly something I would look at in a shop.
In the glass the rum is a typical “golden brown” colour. It’s medium golden brown with a slightly orange hue.
The nose is light with lots of vanilla and baking spices. Its warm and inviting and immediately re
cognisable as rum. Which is re-assuring.
No additives are present in this blend. Warming oak spices, caramel and toffee come in and out of the mix alongside some ginger and a little bit of banana bread.
At 43.1% ABV the nose isn’t going to knock any socks off but it is certainly a big step above much of the 37.5% ABV cheap nonsense were often subjected to here in the UK!
As a sipper it is easy going, easy drinking. It goes down quite nicely. Despite the overall sweet and warming nature of the rum (sweet not sweetened!) it does have a bit of a kick to it.
The initial sips are warm and inviting much like the nose. Vanilla, toffee, caramel and some banana. The mid palate becomes more spicy with more of the oak and a slight hint of lemon zest and some white pepper.
It is a rum which heats up as you move into the finish. There is a spicy peppery heat on the finish which takes some time to develop. Initially I was expecting the rum to fade out quite a bit but the finish is actually a decent length and really helps with the sipping experience.
It works as a good sipper but I would be lying if I said it was a great sipper. It has a great balance but it is a little soft and it could perhaps benefit from a bit more complexity or a punchier rum in the mix.
Merser & Co. Double Barrel is at the edge of my “Premium Mixing” price point and unsurprisingly this rum makes a tasty rum and coke. To be fair that should be a no brainer for any rum costing £40. Though to be fair some “Premium” products struggle to do even that……….
Overall this is a nice blend of rum. However it is a bit “forgettable”. It doesn’t offer anything radically different.
That said it is a good rum to make a step up from Rum and Coke. It’s approachable and honest.
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