Rhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Hors D’Age Port Cask Finish

Bythefatrumpirate

Rhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Hors D'Age Port Cask Finish Review by the fat rum pirateRhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Hors D’Age Port Cask Finish. Rhum Depaz are an Agricole Rhum producer from the French West Indies.

More specifically they hail from the island of Martinique. Rhum Agricole from Martinque can be produced in line with the AOC. The AOC – Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) is the French equivalent to EU’s Protected Designation of Origin (PDO).

Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) is one of the geographical indications defined in European Union law to protect the names of regional foods. The law ensures that only products genuinely originating in that region are allowed to be sold as such. The purpose of the law is to protect the reputation of the regional foods, eliminate the unfair competition and misleading of consumers by non-genuine products. Which may be of inferior quality or differ wildly to the original product.

Rather than re-create more content I would urge you to investigate here for more information on the AOC designation.

Rhum Depaz is produced using solely Blue Sugar Cane. It is noted that Blue Cane has a higher sugar level and is “heralded” for its intense flavour profile. It is noted as being the most expensive and difficult sugar cane to grow. The sugar cane is harvested once a year at the Depaz Plantation and the production of Rhum Depaz from Cane to bottle is undertaken in-house.

Depaz Distillery is situated in the North West of Martinique at the foot of a volcanic mountain – Mount Pelee.

For review today we have Rhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Hors D’Age Port Cask Finish. The rhum comes in a stubby bottle with a cork enclosure. Presentation wise as with most aged agricoles its impressively packaged and you get a card box to store your rhum in when you aren’t quaffing it. Retail wise I have seen this rhum selling anywhere from £75 to £85 online. So you would be wise to shop around for this.

Rhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Hors D’Age Port Cask Finish has been aged for 8 years in small oak barrels before being transferred to ex Port casks and matured for a further 11 months. It is bottled at 45% ABV.

The nose is interesting. Soft and fruity. A lot of red grape and a touch of bubblegum. Further nosing reveals a quite oaky as opposed to grassy Agricole style of rhum. It is very well balanced. Notes of figs, blackcurrants and cranberry make an appearance.

It is quite a mellow, well balance nose. It is not hugely complex but you can certainly feel the added fruitiness afforded by the second maturation in Port casks. There is a zesty orange peel lurking in the nose as well.

Sipped this is quite an unusual tasting Agricole rhum. The sweeter notes on the nose have faded slightly giving more familiar notes of grassiness but they never overwhelm the more delicate notes of this rhum. The initial sip gives a burst of red currants and peach. There are notes of vanilla and some white chocolate mingling alongside some very nice zesty orange peel – which has carried through from the nose.

The mid palate has a lovely balance of oak and vanilla. It has a blackcurrant crumble feel to it – stewed winter fruits and some really nice buttery notes of biRhum Depaz Rhum Vieux Agricole Hors D'Age Port Cask Finish review by the fat rum piratescuit and cream. Some nuttiness as well puts in an appearance.

The finish is quite long – yet mellow with the fruitier Port like notes taking over alongside the orange zest and some nice woody notes. It fades out nicely leaving behind a nice oaky Agricole like flavour. Another sip and you are back the with fruity notes.

This is definitely a rhum which could appeal to more seasoned molasses based rum drinkers. It is not as sweet as Foursquare’s Port Cask (I know someone will ask) the Port Cask finish is a bit more subtle. The balance of the two are similar though. This is a really nice sipper.

I’m very fond of this.

 

Similar Posts

  • Vale do Sol Organicos Cachaca Ouro

    Bythefatrumpirate

    vale do sol organicos cachaca Ouro Rum Review by the fat rum pirateVale do Sol Organicos Cachaca Ouro. This cachaça hails from the “Sun Valley” in the state of Rio Grande do Sol in the south of Brasil.The distillery is situated in Parana.

    Like a few cachacas, I have noticed that the brand are very proud about being an “Organic” cachaça producer. They are another producer that do not use any pesticides etc and do everything “in-house” at the distillery.

    Their bottles both highlight “Organicos” (Organic) in the naming of the cachaça and they also boast the “Organico Brasil” certificate noted on the bottle. This ensures that the cachaça is produced in line with strict organic guidelines.

    In Brasil Vale do Sol Organicos Cachaca Ouro sells for around 47$R which is approximately £9 in UK sterling. Were this to come to the UK however, I would expect to see it retail at around £30-35. It is bottled at 39.8% ABV. Presentation wise the cachaça is fairly modern, with a tall bottle with a short neck and a metal screw cap. It’s not expensive looking as such but it does like up to date. More so than many cachacas!

    Vale do sol – The Farm Valley of the Sun, has been Certified Organic, in the field and in the processing of Brown Sugar and Molasses and in early 2014 for the production of Cachaça. Based in the city of Siqueira Campos, in northern pioneer of Paraná, the property has always belonged to the Coutinho family. The farm supports three families directly. vale do sol organicos cachaca Ouro Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    Vale do Sol production is to cultivate cane sugar organically and in a sustainable way. they do not use pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Clearing the field using manual carp, and re-using bagasse as organic matter, thus having a healthy soil for the harvesting of the sugar cane. The fermentation of sugar cane juice is using a special yeast CA-11 as an agent, since this method ensures that there is no chemicals in the process. This maintains 100% organic product.

    For the Ouro the cachaca is aged in French Oak Barrels for six months. It is distilled on a Copper Pot Still. Vale do Sol Organicos currently have two cachacas in the their line up this aged cachaça and a Prata (White). The brand do not seem to have a website but they do have a Facebook page.

    In the glass Val do Sol Organicos Cachaca Ouro is a golden brown colour. The nose is surprisingly mild and well-balanced. For a young cachaça I wasn’t expecting something quite so mellow.

    There is a really nice oak note on the nose which is really nicely complimented by some traces of lemon zest, caramel, toffee and some fruitier notes of raisin and white grapes.

    Sipped the cachaça is again really nicely balanced and very easy to sip. It has a really great balance and has no “off notes” or anything which doesn’t fit. This is very good spirit. The initial entry is one of oak spice and some sweetness – white grape and raisin. This is followed by a slightly bitter note in the mid palate which fades into the finish. The finish is rich and oaky and very enjoyable. As this isn’t a high ABV spirit the finish is perhaps a little short but overall – this is a really great cachaça.

    vale do sol organicos cachaca Ouro Rum Review by the fat rum pirateMixed it works nicely – but it’s not the most dominant of cachaça so it can be a bit overawed by mixers such as cola or ginger beer. A Ti Punch or Caiprinha are enjoyable but I do feel like I am missing something by mixing this cachaça. It’s definitely much better as sipper.

    This is a mellow easy going, easy drinking style of cachaça. It’s not hugely complex – though there is enough going on to make it interesting. It’s not a huge grassy flavour burst its much more subtle.

    A real surprise – I would imagine the Prata will work better as a mixer. Would be interesting to try that one as well.

     

  • Saint James XO Rhum Vieux Agricole

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Saint James XO Rum Rhum Review by the fat rum pirateSaint James XO Rhum Vieux Agricole. In all honesty I’m not totally sure if this is a bottling which replaces a previous XO or another rhum in the Saint James line up. Or is just a completely new release?

    Saint James have a number of rums in their line up and the website isn’t always as up to date, as I would perhaps like. Couple this, with the fact that so many older bottlings lurk in various guises on numerous online stores. So I haven’t really researched, too much into the history of this particular rhum. I just end up giving myself a sore head and getting no further forward.

    I saw it on Whisky Exchange where it was £43.25 and off the back of the 7 year old, which I really enjoyed, I thought I would give it a try.

    Saint James XO is a blend of rums aged between 6 and 10 years. It is bottled at 43% ABV. Saint James Distillery is situated on the island of Martinique. Their rums are made under the Martinique AOC. Only Agricole Rhum from Martinique can achieve this “AOC” accreditation (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée/Controlled Designation of Origin).

    This accreditation was created in 1996. The App.lation reflects the authenticity of Martinique’s Agricole Rum. In order to be marked with “Rhum Agricole AOC Martinique”, the rum must be produced from sugar cane grown in an area authorised by the AOC. The harvest dates are also regulated.  The juice used for agricole rum must be obtained exclusively by grinding and pressing the sugar cane. Rum quality is controlled with minimum sugar content, pH levels are analysed, and content of volatile components are also tested. No addition of syrup or molasses is allowed at any stage of the distillation and ageing..

    Presentation wise, as you can see you get a 3/4 squared decanter style bottle with a short neck. The colour scheme is simple and classic. A cut out black “slip on” case house the very sturdy bottle. A chunky plastic topped cork stopper completes the package. It looks “Premium” especially next to some of the more rustic cheaper Agricole.

    In the glass Saint James XO is a dark/golden brown colour with orange flashes. It is vivid and inviting.

    Nosing Saint James XO is not a disappointment either. Initial grassy notes are Saint James XO Rhum Vieux Agricole Rum Rhum Review by the fat rum piratetempered by a more sophisticate Cognac like sweetness. Hazlenuts, prailine and a really nice mix of sweet zesty spices – cinnamon, a touch of ginger and some really bright notes of orange and an overall nuttiness which is really pleasant and adds both complexity and balance to the rhum.

    Sipped, this is a very elegant, easy going style of Agricole. It is refined, so although it is unmistakably Agricole Rhum it is not as grassy or as vegetal as you might expect. The ageing in the barrels has really worked its magic with this particular blend of rums.

    It is zesty with big notes of lemon, lime and orange zest. Really strong ex-bourbon cask notes, give a wonderful spiciness on the palate as you sip. It’s not hugely oaky despite this and its quite youthful and vibrant. Very fresh tasting. It doesn’t have a great deal of burn going down the hatch. Saint James XO has a really good balance of sweet notes like white grape, a touch of passion fruit, mango and even some lychee.

    The finish is of reasonable length – again it is zesty and quite fruity. Enjoyable with a really nice balance of fresh oak notes. It’s not a hugely challenging intense Agricole Rhum. For my current palate it is perfect as it delivers enough familiar notes I would get with a molasses based rum.

    I really enjoy the enveloping nuttiness – hazelnut and milk chocolate notes that pass on the initial sip and remain in the mid palate. Cashew nuts and a touch of buttery sweetness is also very pleasant – sweet shortcust pastry.

    This is a Saint James XO Rhum Vieux Agricole Rum review by the fat rum piratebit of a steal by Agricole standards at just over £40 a bottle. It is definitely up there in my experience of Agricole Rhum.  I have not mixed this – mainly as I mix mostly with cola and cola and Agricole rhum isn’t my favourite mix. But in reality this rhum is just far too good to be mixed. It wasn’t even a consideration to mix it. It’s very much a sipper.

    Really good stuff. This is a producer I am increasingly becoming interested in. Aside from my immature (palate wise) comments regarding the Royal Ambre Rhum – a review which I urgently need to re-visit. As soon as I can get another bottle. Sadly supplies of that rhum are hard to come by.

    I’m really quite beginning to enjoy dipping into Agricole. Any further recommendations are invited.

     

  • Don Papa Rum Sherry Casks

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Don Papa Rum Sherry Casks review by the fat rum pirateDon Papa Rum Sherry Casks. I’ve not reviewed any Don Papa products for a while. They aren’t a brand that I would ever buy if I’m being honest.

    So when it comes to getting reviews of Don Papa, I am often relying on my friends in rum circles being gifted well meaning but sadly misguided bottles which they then “invite” me to sample and review………..

    Which is very much the case here. I have a very generous (not sure that’s the right word) sample with which to conduct my assessment.

    It is fair to say that my previous reviews of Don Papa were far from glowing. Indeed, since I reviewed their flagship No.7 blend the “rum” is now noted as being a Spirit Drink here in the UK. Which as the ABV is above the minimum 37.5% to be classed as a rum in the EU (the UK despite not being part of the EU still tends to follow their lead rums aren’t being re-formulated to fit any UK criteria) suggests they are still close to the 20g/L limit on additives. So they can’t legally call this rum anymore. I originally noted 19g/L on the Hydrometer but maybe they have other additives (glycerol) which might mean they are in murky waters calling it rum. I speculate.

    Has this had any impact on sales? Well it is even more visible in UK Supermarkets since I conducted my original review. So that certainly speaks volumes.

    Don Papa Rum Sherry Casks is bottled at 45% ABV. It comes in a purple coloured variation on the standard Don Papa bottle, more or less. To ensure its premium look you also get a nice cardboard cylinder to house the rum. The look is completed by a chunky cork stopper. All in all the rum looks impressive.  It is easy to see why bottles such as Don Papa and Bumbu are gifted as often as they are. Particularly at this time of year.

    Whilst this particular rum isn’t available in the supermarkets, it did have a considerable presence online when released. It’s a little more difficult to find now. It originally retailed at around the £55 mark.

    Don Papa Rum Sherry Casks is (to quote their website) “First aged in ex-bourbon American oak barrels before being finished in four different types of sherry casks: Palo Cortado; Fino; Cream; and Pedro Ximenez. The resulting blend offers a delightfully dry, almost nutty nose with a rich, fruity taste and a wonderfully smooth finish.”

    They don’t state how long the rum is aged and I’ve been unable to find any further information. I can’t find any bloggers that have reviewed this particular rum. The back label does little mDon Papa Rum Sherry Casks review by the fat rum pirateore than re-iterate what is available online.

    So that is all I have information wise. We may as well get on with the tasting.

    In the glass Don Papa Rum Sherry Casks is a dark brown colour with a very striking red hue.

    On the nose you are immediately met with an array of red wine and rich dark fruits. Raisins, Sultanas and a touch of plum. There is a faint note of oak and a light dusting of white pepper. Other than that this does smell very much like a bottle of sherry. Even at 45% ABV it somehow even manages to smell a little thin. Very little alcohol or real evidence of an aged spirit. It has an almost perfumed note to it.

    Further nosing reveals a touch of orange/marmalade. It’s very sweet smelling though in fairness it doesn’t smell “confected” the way other Don Papa’s do. Which may have something to do with the fact that the Hydrometer is not detecting any additives. Yes the biggest surprise I have had so far with this rum is that it doesn’t have any additives. Well at least none that the Hydrometer can pick up. As other Don Papa iterations did show additives via the Hydrometer method, I can say that this is different in that respect.

    So as I approach my first sip I am slightly more optimistic and curious as to how this will go down………….

    Sadly, upon my first sip my optimism quickly vanishes. The perfumed note I notices a little on the nose comes to the fore front. Beneath this is a slightly synthetic tasting toffee taste which is fleeting on the taste buds. Giving way again to the sweeter floral notes which really aren’t good. There’s a big taste of what I can only describe as watered down Ribena. With a nasty alcohol hit behind it.

    Don Papa Rum Sherry Casks is at best a bit of a mess but really it just tastes like a really badly done flavoured Vodka.

    There is nothing “rummy” about this aside from a very faint hint of bourbon barrel ageing which amounts to little more than a faint woodiness and a suggestion of spice/pepper.

    The mid palate is mildly spicy and the flavours – the blackcurrant and toffee quickly disappear leaving behind a faint watery after taste.

    Finish wise we are left with…well if I’m being entirely honest. Not a great deal. The shuft from the initial sip to finish is very fast and it disappears fairly quickly. To say the finish is short would be an understatement. I don’t even feel there is one. Such is the underpowered nature of this “rum”.Don Papa Rum Sherry Casks review by the fat rum pirate

    As bad as the Don Papa line up is when they adulterate their rum, if this is anything to go by, the distillate is no better when its not being messed around with.

    I’m not sure what the original distillate is? It tastes like a very thin almost neutral column distillate. Which I suspect has been distilled at a stupidly high ABV. This tastes like a watery cheap and nasty Sherry with an oak stave chucked in for a laugh.

    Truly awful. I’ll give them one full star for not fucking about with this in terms of additives (I bet there is still something here that shouldn’t be). In fairness if this is how bad their base distillate is no wonder they add the special sauce!

    This isn’t as offensive as their other offerings. It feels toned down but much like when Diplomatico released rums without additives – it showcases how boring the rum off the multi column alcohol machine, sorry “still” is………..

    Avoid.

  • Silver Seal Dennery Superior St Lucian Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Silver Seal Dennery Superior St Lucian Rum Review by the fat rum piratSilver Seal Dennery Superior St Lucian Rum. The use of the “Dennery Distillery” on this bottling (and others) by Silver Seal has caused quite a lot of consternation from those currently involved at St Lucia Distillers.  Dennery is a completely different site to where the only St Lucian rum producer – St Lucia Distillers are now housed.

    The distillery hasn’t operated since around 1972 so that is why the current owners of St Lucia Distillers are a bit perplexed by the use of the name.  Maybe this rum is from around that period?

    At around £60 for a 70cl bottle with an ABV of 43% I very much doubt that.  There isn’t a great deal of information on this bottling.  It is believed to be from 1988/89.  Presentation wise – the label looks like something a small child has drawn.  It’s absolutely hideous.  I don’t know what it is with some indie bottlers but their presentation is stuck way back in the seventies for some reason.  To be fair Silver Seal have improved their presentation recently but some of it still looks dated.

    Unfortunately I’ve no information on the actual rum – whether it is Pot, Column or a blend etc.  So a lot of this I will try and guess at as we go through the tasting of this bottling.  As its bottled by Silver Seal I would guess most of the ageing has taken place in Scotland – not much Tropical Ageing.  It is estimated that this rum was bottled around 2012 so the rum is around 22 to 23 years old.

    I’m a big fan of St Lucia Distillers so I’ve been curious to try this rum for a long time.  So lets see how it went….

    Very dark in the glass almost mahogany.  Caramel? I would reckon.  If I’m right about the tropical ageing then this wouldn’t be so dark.  Maybe a charred barrel? Possibly

    Nose is pretty uninviting.  Almost sterile.  Little really to pick out just a bite of alcohol and a very woody bitterness. It doesn’t really say or do much.  Column distillation? I’d have to say so, yes. It offers little of what I expected.  There may be a few very faint notes but they are more odours than anything else.  Something old and a bit musty.

    No salt, brine, herb or touch of Jagermeister.  It’s almost neutral beyond woody bitterness. Lacks any real vanilla or cocoa to balance it like Admiral Rodney.  It’s just a bit boring.  A million miles away from the 1931 series.Silver Seal Dennery Superior St Lucian Rum Review by the fat rum pirat

    Sipped its got a bit of cocoa and a touch of caramel but it just tastes a bit old.  Any real flavour quickly disappears into woodiness and muskyness.  Muted, aged in barrels that have had their best days.  Maybe re-charred and just knackered.  Slightly murky and just a bit tired. Initially its quite fiery and peppered but it goes nowhere.  Just runs into a very boring fade of tired oak, faint caramel and a bitter almost sour note.  The finish is virtually non-existent bar the sour/bitter hit.

    One thing I never thought would that I would actually be bored by something coming out of St Lucia Distillers. I’ve seen them on Social Media question whether this is their product at all!  Which is a bit worrying.  Mind you, even the way Silver Seal presented this would make me want to distance myself from it.  That’s not counting the very average contents inside.

    A real disappointment for me.

  • Foursquare Rum Distillery Hereditas TWE Exclusive

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Hereditas Foursquare Rum Distillery rum review by the fat rum pirateFoursquare Rum Distillery Hereditas TWE Exclusive. This rum is exclusive to The Whisky Exchange, London. Rum is increasingly being taken more and more seriously by whisky enthusiasts. At the forefront of this is Sukhinder Singh owner of The Whisky Exchange.

    As well as having a much envied collection of rare and collectible whisky, Sukhinder also has a similarly impressive array of rum, at the Whisky Exchange offices. I was one of the lucky rum enthusiasts who were invited to attend a “bring a bottle” event and dinner at the Whisky Exchange’s tasting room, back in October last year. The event was part of London Rumfest. It was a great event and I was humbled to be invited along.

    Rum, was also given it’s own stand at last years Whisky Show event. Which is organised by The Whisky Exchange. So this particular bottling has not come as a surprise. I was becoming increasingly aware of The Whisky Exchange’s interest in rum.

    Hereditas is a Single Blended Rum, it is a blend of Pot and Column distilled rum that has been aged in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. It is actually a blend of a blend. A portion of the rum has been aged for 14 years in ex-bourbon casks. The remainder has been aged for 10 years in ex-bourbon casks, before being transferred to ex-sherry casks for a further maturation of 4 years. All the rum in the blend is 14 years old.

    Hereditas is one of three “sherry” matured rums Foursquare have released this year. All of which are 14 years old. All are differing blends with some of the rum used being scarcer than others. The output of each release also varies. Making some bottlings “rarer” than others. This is the “mid price” of the three at £79.99 for a 70cl. The other two are Empery. a part of the Exceptional Cask series and retailing at around £63. Patrimonio, a bottling in conjunction with Velier at £200. All the ex-sherry casks used are ex-oloroso sherry.

    You can try asking Richard which one is his favourite but he is usually quite tight lipped about which of his own expressions, he prefers the most.

    Hereditas as mentioned is only available from The Whisky Exchange. It has been bottled at Cask Strength of 56% ABV. There were 2520 bottles available on release. Hereditas Foursquare Rum Distillery rum review by the fat rum pirateThe Whisky Exchange have released this rum as part of their 20th Anniversary celebrations. I know, because I got a very big sticker all about it on my bottle. I’ve noticed others don’t seem to have the sticker. So I was “lucky”. A few weeks after release you can still pick it up, though I have been told its sold very,very well!

    I’m not sure if I have anything else to say about this rum? No….can’t think of anything else so we might as well get on with the tasting.

    Oh, no hang on….

    Now I’ve never really drank much sherry in my life. However, as part of my “research” into various rum reviews. Dos Maderas I’m looking at you, I did obtain a few small sherry samples to see just how influential some “sherry finishes” are. I was quite surprised to find how close to some “Premium Rums”, some of the aged sherries were in terms of sweetness. Wet barrels anyone? And the rest.

    Now I really enjoyed last years Premise release from Foursquare, which was also matured for some time in ex-sherry casks. I know some others were less enthusiastic about Premise – the ABV was a sticking point for some. I however took it for what it was and thought it was outstanding. For the record I still do.

    So I’m expecting pretty good things with this rum, so lets see how much I enjoy it.

    In the glass we have a very dark brown liquid, with a reddish/orange hue around the edges. It looks “old”, at 14 years old this is amongst one of the oldest Foursquare bottlings I have tried. Certainly, the oldest release which is all tropically aged (and released by Foursquare rather than an Independent).

    There isn’t a great deal of “booze” on the nose. In fact its quite “light” in that respect. InHereditas Foursquare Rum Distillery rum review by the fat rum pirate terms of a Cask Strength spirit. The nose has a slightly charred note to it. Almost a bit like a camp fire. However, rather than chestnuts roasting on an open fire, here we have rich plump raisins and currants, orange peel and lime zest. In short we have Christmas cake.

    Further nosing reveals plums and apple crumble. There are light notes of vanilla and a touch of honey. On top of all this is the sherry influence which casts it net wide. Whilst individual notes can be picked out it is all enveloped in the sweet aromas of aged sherry. If you dislike sherry, it is unlikely you will enjoy this rum. It is the most sherry influenced of the three rums released this year.

    It’s a rich, fruity nose with a nice spicy undertone and a hefty amount of oak to give the nose a bit of a kick. It’s a lot “meatier” than last year’s Premise. The extra ageing is very apparent.

    Sipped, we are back in slightly more traditional Foursquare territory. The sip is not as sweet as the nose. There is more vanilla, coconut and oak spices, especially on the entry. The mid palate, however develops quickly into a very rich currant and raisin heavy mouth. A nice hit of ginger as well. There is a slight bitterness and oak char which adds a further layer of flavour to the rum.

    Hereditas is quite a tricky rum to describe. It’s sweet but at the same time, it has some more bitter and more savoury notes. It’s quite light in some ways but at the same time it has a certain heaviness – particularly on the finish. This is a rich and very complex rum.

    There is a lot going on with this rum. As the mid palate develops you get more stewed plums and some licorice. Dark chocolate and a touch of smoke. The finish is very long and really enjoyable.Hereditas Foursquare Rum Distillery rum review by the fat rum pirate

    With so many released from Foursquare and the consistent high quality it is becoming increasingly difficult to score the rums without constantly giving out 5 star ratings. However, with only a ten point scoring system (I use half stars clever dick) it leaves me with little leeway really. Such is the quality.

    This is a rum which is probably a very good one to start to try drinking at Cask Strength, if you haven’t tried Cask Strength rum before. I haven’t had to add any water to the rum whilst reviewing this. I can’t imagine a drop or two would do it any harm though. There are no prizes for drinking rum at Cask Strength either. Drink as you enjoy.

    I am very enthusiastic about this rum but if you want the perspective of those who maybe aren’t so enthused by sherry finished rums you might wish to take a look at the reviews of Steve James and Roger Caroni. They both like this a lot as well but maybe not as much as me!

    So the question is did Sukhinder and Co at The Whisky Exchange get a good Private Cask Selection?

    Put it this way I’ll be getting a few more bottles come pay day!

    Sweet but not sweetened rum.

     

     

     

     

    .

     

     

     

     

  • Damoiseau Rhum Vieux Millesime 1995

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Damoiseau Rhum Vieux Millesime 1995 Rum Review by the fat rum pirateDamoiseau Rhum Vieux Millesime 1995. My Agricole Rhum journey is no where near as advanced as my forays into Molasses based rums. That is re-inforced yet again by the fact I have never reviewed an Agriocle Rhum, from one of Guadeloupe most respected producers Damoiseau. Certainly not under their “official” name anyway.

    Damoiseau’s rhum is produced at the Bellevue au Moule Distillery in Grande-Terre on the eastern side of the island. It is the only remaining rhum distillery in this part of Guadeloupe.

    It began life as a Rhum Distillery in 1942 when Roger Damoiseau bought the Sugar Plantation from the Rimbaud family from nearby Martinique. The plantation was then transformed into a distillery to produce rhum from fresh sugar cane juice (and on occasion Molasses).

    Damoiseau are extremely popular on Guadeloupe and 50% of rhum sales on the island are attributed to Damoiseau. Until recently distribution and availability of Damoiseau rum in the UK has been a little sketchy. However, over the past couple of years the wonderful lads behind RumCask have began importing the Damoiseau range (amongst others) under their Skylark Spirits brand. They’ve sold out stock of this particular rhum but they do have the rest of the range. Should you require a bottle of this exact vintage then the The Whisky Exchange  still have stock.

    So lets see exactly what the juice in this Damoiseau Rhum Vieux Millesime 1995 bottle is. As mentioned already Damoiseau produce Rhum Agricole. So this is rhum produced in the traditonal manner on column stills from fresh estate sugar cane juice. The fermentation period is between 24-36 hours and it is distilled to between 86% and 88% ABV.

    Damoiseau Rhum

    Damoiseau Rhum Vieux Millesime 1995 Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    Vieux Millesime 1995 has been bottled at full Cask Strength of 66.9% ABV. It is the result of an out-turn of 42 casks. It was distilled in January 1995 and was finally bottled in January 2010. The rhum has been bottled in a smaller 50cl bottle and retails at around the £80 mark. As you can see from the photos the slightly smaller rounded stubby style bottle is housed in a grey hinged box.

    No I dug around to find a couple of reviews of this rhum but generally drew a blank. I did find a review of the 1989 iteration from Lance over at The Lone Caner.  Which in turn led to a trio of Damoiseau’s, which included this one reviewed by Single Cask Rum.

    Further reading also led me to an article over at Rumporter which interestingly noted this as being a blend of 50% Agricole Rhum and 50% Molasses based distillate. Interesting. To be honest there isn’t a great deal of information on the bottle of this rum to go by!

    So I think we have covered everything that is required and exhausted all my resources. So lets move on to the fun part.

    In the glass we have a dark intense looking rum (not sure what I should be calling this now?) It has a slightly reddish/orange hue to it as well.

    Nosed this is a big meaty almost “gravy” like rum. Lots of tar and smoke and heavy notes very similar to a long aged Caroni rum. It perhaps replaces the more petrol notes with a more salty briny note but it’s still pretty fierce. Which to be fair is to be expected. This has been bottled at pretty much the maximum of what any normal person would consider reasonable.

    The nose is very complex. There’s a really big hit of sherry and sulphur Damoiseau Rhum Vieux Millesime 1995 Rum Review by the fat rum pirateand lots of tannic red wine like notes. There’s a fairly big dose of slightly bitter plums and red grape. Zesty Kumquat and a touch of marmalade bitterness. Orange Peel. A hint of sourness. Lychees in syrup and some wonderful complex oak spices

    which add another layer to the spirit.

    Whilst it could be argued that as a sipper this benefits from a drop or two of water, it is still surprisingly approachable even at 66.9% ABV. As long as you are used to Cask Strength spirits you probably won’t find this massively overpowering. The fruitiness on the nose balances wonderfully with the more “aggressive” more powerful notes of tar and sulphur.

    The intial entry is sweet with lots of red grape, plum and sticky peaches in syrup. This is followed by a big smack of tar and soot. These contrasting flavours are held together by a wonderful bourbon like tingle of oak ageing and spices. Cinnamon, clove a touch of vanilla alongside a nice hit of woody oak and tannic red wine.

    There is so much going on with this rum. The mid palate moves into a lighter sweeter profile with a sherry like note and lots of orange and citrus zest.

    In terms of overall complexity and the amount of different flavours coming out of this rum – this is pretty much unmatched really. It’s got so much going on. I would imagine we could see a hundred reviews of this rhum and everyone would say something different.

    The finish is very long and at some stage pretty much gives you every flavour you have experienced before. As it fades with woody spices mingle with a sudden note of sweet caramel and toffee sweetness.Damoiseau Rhum Vieux Millesime 1995 Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    This is an absolute sublime rum/rhum, apologies, I have used both in this review. which is very difficult to pigeon hole or compare with anything else. Rhum Rhum Liberation or maybe this Kill Devil (which may or may not be from the same distillery) but no not quite as ludicrously complex.

    Damoiseau Rhum Vieux Millesime 1995 is one of those rums/rhums where I just think “Wow!” I’ve found something which I consider to be as good as anything I have had before. Be it molasses or cane juice based. It is also a very distinctive type of rum/rhum which I think will really appeal to people who are seeking something a bit different.