Neptune is a new rum brand from the UK.  Unsurprisingly whilst the brand is from the UK the actual rum is not.  Neptune Golden Rum is a 3 year old rum from Barbados. The rum is actually from Foursquare distillery.  Effectively what we are getting here is a “gold” version of Doorly’s iconic three year old white rum. Kind of.

Which cannot be a bad thing.  Released earlier this year Neptune rum currently retails at around the £35 mark, which is fairly pricy for a three year old rum.  A number of people I have spoken to have fixated on this and (in my view) made their opinion on the actual rum, before even tasting it.

Neptune Golden Rum is bottled at 40% ABV and is a blend of Pot and Column Distilled bajan rum.  Currently you can buy the standard edition and the “Limited Edition” bottle which will set you back £49.  Presentation wise Neptune have ensured that their brand will impress at Rum Festivals etc.  They have a clear brand image and they are clearly no fools when it comes to marketing etc.

Presentation is slick and consistent, the tall bottle is very impressive and the design is modern.  Unlike some other “indie” bottlers or brands Neptune are very forthcoming about where the rum comes from and how old it is.

I have met, brand owner Richard Davies on a couple of occasions now.  Both at Rum Festivals and at both events Neptune was creating a bit of a buzz.

Not being one to shy away from difficult questions I addressed the elephant in the rum regarding Neptune Rum – the price.  Currently you can get many Foursquare products at cheaper price points than Neptune (you can get Rum Sixty Six 12 Year Old for £35) so it has entered a crowded market.

Richard was very honest and stated that he will be looking to lower the price once he can secure enough sales to make the economies of scale work more in his favour.  He will also look to develop other age statements if he can.  Which was refreshing and good to hear.  Richard did however urge me to try his rum and forget about the age statement.

So I did and I best tell you all about it now.  In the glass the rum is….can anyone guess? Yes thats right its a golden brown appearance.  The nose is quite alcohol forward.  Which is to be expected from a relatively young rum.

Once you get past the alcohol notes you are in familiar territory.  Nice notes of vanilla, banana and a hint of coconut.

I tried this alongside Doorly’s 3 and The Real McCoy 3 – both of which are white rums.  As a result some of the “bite” has perhaps been lost in those two rums.  This is an altogether more spicy and oak influenced rum.  It’s much better than you might expect a 3 year old rum to be.  There is a nice note of honey and caramel which hold this rum up nicely alongside the spicier, oakier elements.

Sipped Neptune is a nicely balanced blend of Pot and Column distilled spirit.  I really like the vanilla, caramel and oak which are really inviting and warming.  The initial sweetness on the palate of banana, coconut and vanilla lasts longer than in either Doorly’s 3 or The Real McCoy.  When it does give way you get some very nice spicy oak notes.  The finish doesn’t last all that long but its still a very tasty and well put together rum.  It’s familiar Foursquare but is perhaps a little edgier than some slightly older Foursquare expressions.  We are more in Old Brigand territory (review to follow soon).

The question many will ask is how this rum fares alongside older

Foursquare products such as Doorly’s 5 and Rum Sixty Six Aged 6 Years?  The answer is very favourably.  Especially when mixed.  The younger rum gives this an extra bite which I personally really enjoy.  It still delivers a very smooth, balanced rum and cola but it has just a bit more “rumminess” which I welcome. There is a fair amount of oak and spiciness to this rum even when mixed up in cocktails etc.

If you enjoy Foursquare then this is a definite purchase.  It might seem a little overpriced but the rum is very good.  Forget the age and just enjoy this.  This is different enough to merit a purchase.