Ron de El Salvador Cihuatan Alux Limited Edition Aged 15 Years

Bythefatrumpirate August 14, 2023

Ron de El Salvador Cihuatan Alux Limited Edition Aged 15 Years. I first reviewed a rum from Licorera Chihuatan back in 2019. It was a rather underwhelming experience with a 12 year old aged rum.

In all honesty the brand delivered pretty much what I was expecting. So whilst my experience was underwhelming, it was far from surprising.

My review of Cihuatan 12 Solera Reserva Especial contains some information regarding the distillery. To avoid regurgitating this information, I will instead concentrate on the story behind this particular Limited Edition Release.

Ron de El Salvador Cihuatan Alux Limited Edtion Aged 15 Years was distilled back in 2007 on a column still. It is not specified whether this a Coffey Style Single Column or a Multi Column still. I suspect its a Multi Column. There are 12,589 bottles available which seems a little random. However as the rum has been bottled at 43.2% ABV it may because they have bottled at (what seems quite low admittedly) Cask or Barrel Strength. When tested with the hydrometer it bobbed at 38.5% suggesting additives of around 20 g/L. Which is now the limit within the EU for a spirit to be called a rum rather than Spirit Based Drink.

It is unclear exactly how the rum has been aged. I have conflicting information suggesting it has been both aged fully in -ex Oloroso Sherry and ex-Cognac casks and/or finished in these casks.

The rum is a nod to the Guardian Gods of the land in Mayan Legend the Aluxes. According to Mayan Legend these gods lived in maize and cacao fields. As at the time these were regarded as the most sacred gifts of the earth. At the start of every harvest the Maya would hold a feast full or chocolate and corn based treats in gratitude to the Aluxes.

As you can see the rum comes in attractive 3/4 bottle with a “style” which is quite typical of Cihuatans usual presentation. It’s pretty bold and striking and along with the sturdy cardboard sleeve it is quite an attractive site on the shelf.

Distribution of Cihuatan Rum is handled in the UK by High Fern and is available directly from them priced at £79 for a 70cl bottle. The way prices are heading this is a fairly competitive price.

In the glass we are presented with a light golden brown liquid with a orange hue throughout.

The nose is light with notes of muscovado sugar, walnuts, pecans and some toffee/caramel. There are very light notes of some kind of oaky spice and vanilla but not really much to get your teeth into.

Further nosing or time in the glass doesn’t reveal much more. It is as expected – light, sweet bordering on the slightly floral and very easy going. Again much like the 12 Solera I reviewed previously from Cihuatan there is a saccharin/candied note running right through this rum.

Sipped Ron de El Salvador Cihuatan Alux Limited Edition Aged 15 Years is a little spicy but nothing out of the ordinary. There is perhaps a little more burn than I was expecting from the nose. That said its still pretty mellow and easy going.

In initial burst of oak and spices gives way quickly to some bitterness. Unfortunately I’m getting that saccharin like note. Which I really am not a fan of.

The mid palate gives a little tingle on the tongue and you get notes of toffee, pecans and some tobacco smoke.

There really isn’t a lot to say about this one. It all just feels a bit underpowered. I think some of the slight edginess the distillate might have had, has given way to the undisclosed additives.

Finish wise it kind of peters out into just a very light tingle of mild spices, vanilla and caramel. All sadly overridden by that bitter saccharin note.

My experience with this particular rum is sadly very similar to my previous Cihuatan review. It’s just incredibly average and unspectacular. Even within this particular lighter style of rum I don’t think it stands out in anyway.

Unremarkable.

Foursquare Rum Distillery Zinfandel Cask Blend

Foursquare Rum Distillery Zinfandel Cask Blend
Bythefatrumpirate April 25, 2016February 15, 2022

Foursquare Rum Distillery St Philip, Barbados. For many people Barbados is the birthplace of rum. Which is handy because in the Richard Seale Foursquare have one of the most vocal rum producers.

Passionately against additives and very much against the more secretive side of the rum world Richard is currently involved with Luca Gargano of Velier in educating and trying to push through new classifications of rum.

Calling for greater transparency and more information about the actual rum in the bottle rather than the faux marketing stories, the label used on this offering is giving the consumer much more information about the bottles contents.

This Zinfandel Cask Blend is a mix of Pot and Column distilled rum which has been first aged in Bourbon casks before being finished in Zinfandel casks. In total the rum has been aged for 11 years. The Zinfandel Cask Blend is Mark IV of the “Exceptional Cask Selection”. Regular readers will be aware that the similarly packaged Port Cask Finish swept the Rum of the Year for 2015 on this website and was the pick of the new rums released in 2015 for many other people as well.

The rum has been bottled at 43% and it retails at around the £40 mark in the UK. It has only very recently finally reached our shores and as with many Foursquare rums it is being distributed by Marussia Beverages of Holland. Strangely much like last year its release and availability has combined with a new release in the Doorly’s range – an 8 year old aged solely in bourbon casks.

Foursquare have released quite a few new rums over the past few years such as the Real McCoy range, Doorly’s 12 and the Exceptional Cask releases. They also have a couple of bottlings due in conjunction again with Luca Gargano of Velier. Independent bottlers such as Compagnie des Indes and Berrys’ have also continued to release rums distilled at Foursquare.

Before I start the tasting notes I will make something very clear to avoid any possible confusion. As with the Port Cask from last year this Zinfandel cask rum has a sweeter profile than a Foursquare rum which has been aged solely in Bourbon casks. The term sweet will be used in the review but please do not confuse this with a rum which has been sweetened with added sugar or artificial additives. It is not sweet in the sense of Diplomatico or Ron Zacapa rums. It is not a syrupy sugary rum.

The Zinfandel Cask Blend is very similar in appearance to the Port Cask (Foursquare do add Caramel colouring to their rums though possibly not these ECS releases) – it is a nice reddish brown colour nonetheless.

I’m not a huge wine buff and I have only come across White Zinfandel Rose Wine. However Zinfandel grapes also produce red wines. The nose is delicate yet bursting with light fruity flavours. It does remind me of Zinfandel Rose – nice sweet red berries, a little blackcurrant gives a little extra depth. There is a little oak on the nose and some familiar vanilla and a little light caramel/toffee. It has similarities to the Port Cask finish but it has a slightly lighter fruitier nose. As with all Foursquare rums there are no “off notes” or anything that doesn’t seem to be working in harmony. The balance is pretty much perfect.

Taste wise the rum delivers everything the nose promises. Light fruity strawberries, a great mix of vanilla and a really nice warming mix of oak and some great mouth watering spicy notes on the mid palate. The finish is long and nicely oaked – the initial sweetness of the sip gives way to the oak and spice from the bourbon casks. At 43% it is pretty much at optimum sipping strength. It is sweet and light yet robust enough to satisfy a more seasoned rum sipper. For those who prefer heavier rums such as Caroni or aged Demerara this rum may be a little on the sweet side but in my opinion it offers a very good alternative to the more standard Bajan rums. For those who enjoy El Dorado, Zacapa etc this may be a rum which shows how “sweet” can be achieved without any additives or “secret recipes”.

Although this is a very agreeable and easy rum to drink I also feel it offers more than enough complexity and depth of flavour. I would have a real issue with any genuine rum fan who didn’t enjoy this rum.

The Zinfandel Cask Blend is classic Foursquare but with just enough difference to make it stand out from other more standard Bajan rums. The finish works exceptionally well and really adds an extra layer of fruity flavour and spicy zest.

When you consider the whole package – this costs just £40 it is really is a bit of a no brainer when it comes to scoring. The only slight criticism would be the screw cap. I can counter that argument with the following – this isn’t a rum that will be sticking around long in your collection unless you buy multiple bottles.

Which is one thing I’ll be doing!

Related

Read More Foursquare Rum Distillery Zinfandel Cask Blend
John Frum's Cargo Cult Spiced Rum

John Frum’s Cargo Cult Spiced Rum
Bythefatrumpirate June 6, 2018

John Frum’s Cargo Cult Spiced Rum. This is a Spiced Rum which has been making a few waves in the UK. This is partly due to it being available in Marks and Spencer. It is also available at the travelling “The Rum Festival” events – where it is proving very popular with consumers.

A cargo cult is a millenarian movement first described in Melanesia which encompasses a range of practices and occurs in the wake of contact with more technologically advanced societies. The name derives from the belief which began among Melanesians in the late 19th and early 20th century that various ritualistic acts such as the building of an airplane runway will result in the appearance of material wealth, particularly highly desirable Western goods (i.e., “cargo”), via Western airplanes.

John Frum’s Cargo Cult Spiced Rum hails from Australia (Melenasia is a subregion of Oceania). The story behind it being called Cargo Cult is a little different to the information I found on Wikipedia – so if you want to read the story the website is here. It explains for a start who this John Frum fellow is.

On the website they also identify Cargo Cult as being a “dry Spiced Rum with no sugar added”. It’s always interesting when a Spiced Rum states no added sugar as they are generally sweet. Whether they are sweetened by actual sugar or by the combination of essences, spices etc used I’ve never really worried to much about. As a default I approach any spiced rum expecting a sweet take on rum.

In the UK a bottle of Cargo Cult rum will set you back just over £30. It is bottled at 38.5% ABV – so definitely qualifies as a genuine Spiced Rum as per EU rulings. The rum used is a blend from Fiji and Papau New Guinea. The spices used are not identified on their website. It is “Small Batch” (whatever that actually means).

Presentation wise we get a standard bar style tall bottle. The branding is good – with a typeface similar to those used on Cargo boxes etc. A synthetic cork stopper is also a nice touch along with the label used over the cork. It looks all very nice and I can see why M&S stock it.

So lets give it a run out. It’s been a while since I tried a new Spiced Rum and my expectations of this one are slightly higher than usual. I haven’t seen Vanilla used anywhere to describe this………..

In the glass the rum is a slightly uninspiring standard gold colour. It lacks any real sparkle and looks just a tiny bit cloudy or slightly muddy.

The nose is spicy but not as in hot and spicy. It genuinely smells a lot like when you are in a market surrounded by various spices. It’s very “exotic” and slightly floral.

Notes of Ginger, Cinnamon, a little Cardamon. There is a lot going on and a lot of the notes I’m not all that familiar with to be honest. Hints of lemon zest and peel. There is a slightly curried note to it but its balanced by some sweeter notes of (dare I say it) Vanilla.

It all smells very “genuine”, very clean and well “real”. I don’t think we are dealing with essences or artificial flavours with this. It is more of a true Spiced rum like say Foursquare’s effort (though this is less subtle). I stil think a less experienced rum drinker might think this is a regular rum. Especially if there experience is at the “sweetened” end of the spectrum.

Having said that, this isn’t an overly sweet rum – even by Spiced standards its pretty subtle. Sipping Cargo Cult is a real surprise. It’s quite peppery and spicy. You can taste the base rum though. You get quite a lot of oak and more regular rum notes. Initially it seems sweet but that quickly gets taken over by the spiced notes. It has a real ginger kick to it which I like. The finish is a little like an Indian Curry – there is a lot of all spice, ginger and maybe some fennel? I’m getting a little Garam Masala.

Mixed I fear it may fade a little with Ginger Beer – some of the rum does disappear as its to similar to the Ginger but the other notes really stand out and give an extra spicy kick to the drink. A lover of Spicy food will probably really enjoy Cargo Cult this way.

Mixed with cola it works pretty well and it does a good job with Lemonade as well. I would imagine it could be interesting for a bartender to use and work with cocktails with it.

I like the fact you can actually taste a half decent base rum a the bottom of this and it isn’t full of fake Vanilla Essence. Cargo Cult Spiced Rum is spicy though – a lot of ginger and pepper – it does have some sweeter notes of lemon, vanilla and a hint of chocolate. I think if I want a Spiced Rum I might actually want something sweeter. This is maybe like drinking Lucozade light rather than regular Lucozade. You know its not the real thing and it maybe just lacks the oomph you really need or want.

I like what the producers are trying to do though and it is a well put together product. It’s not quite at the top table for me though. An admirable effort though.

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Read More John Frum’s Cargo Cult Spiced Rum
FAIR 10 Year Old Rum

FAIR 10 Year Old Rum
Bythefatrumpirate December 21, 2015December 21, 2015

FAIR Spirits are the first line of socially responsible spirits, so the tagline on their website goes.

This 10 year old rum hails from Belize a Central American country which shares it eastern shoreline with the Caribbean sea. I have reviewed a couple of rums previously from Belize. One bottled directly by their largest rum operation Travellers and one which was produced for a third party – much like this FAIR rum.

The 5 year old FAIR Belize rum is still widely available but this 10 year old is not part of their usual line up and cannot be found on their website at present.

So what is it exactly that makes this rum FAIR? Well it is produced using Fair Trade Certified Sugar Cane. Hence making it socially if not environmentally responsible. It is transported from Belize to France for bottling and further distribution. Like most rum it has a huge global footprint!

If you can still find this rum (it is still stocked in the UK by Master of Malt and The Whisky Exchange) it will set you back around £45-55. It comes in an attractive stubby bottle with clean sloped edges. For your money you get 70cl at an ABV of 40%

The 5 year old has gained quite a bit of attention and is widely seen as being pretty decent (I take more notice of feedback from key people on Social Media than Awards). Personally I was quite surprised by this as I’ve been very disappointed with the rums of Belize so far. Both products I have tried were altered one to the point where it really was pushing it to describe it as rum. For anyone who hasn’t read my review of 1 Barrel – please do before you consider buying that particular “rum”.

The rum has been aged for 10 years in ex-Bourbon barrels – I have no details on how the rum has been distilled (pot/column) unfortunately.

So moving on to the nosing and tasting. FAIR Belize 10 Year Old has a very familiar nose. It’s around about 90% Bajan with nice light notes of vanilla and toffee, a little spiced oak. The remaining 10% is more a slight added sweetness when compared to drier Bajan rums. This made me think that it could be sugared as it reminded me most of English Harbour 1981. (I originally nosed this completely blind and came to the conclusion that it could be English Harbour 10 as it didn’t seem as oaky as the 1981)

Bearing in mind this blind nosing was done without ANY options whatsoever – my wife had acquired the rum for me with no input from myself (I’ve never even spoke about this rum before) I was pretty pleased with my guess and I don’t think I was far off in terms of profile at all. Though I concede I was very surprised to learn this was something from Travellers. Just goes to show what good rum they have their on the island and have no need to go down the 1 Barrel route or trot out the Small Batch Claims of Tiburon.

As awful as this may sound the nose was so familiar that you could almost say it is a little safe. Slightly boring, I’ve been here before with a good few rums. Having said that this rum does appear to have been made the right way. It’s not Bajan but its as close as you will get.

A quick sip, the FAIR rum is nice – it’s pretty dry and very oaked. It doesn’t burst with fruit flavours and the taste is actually quite “boozy” and a little young. On the tongue it still hold the vanilla but once sipped the throat is coated with spicy oak flavour and little else. It has a nice tingly warming finish with not much burn but it doesn’t offer a great deal.

To me this rum seems to have been “watered down” too low. At 40% it seems a little thin and insipid. It doesn’t do a great wrong and you feel you are drinking “proper” rum, problem is I could do the same for £20 with a bottle of Doorlys 5 Year Old. I can get Cockspur Fine Rum for £11.50. Both do pretty much the same job as this 10 year old FAIR rum. At £45-55 it is really lacking, its flat and just not at all exciting.

I would imagine this would make a perfectly competent mixer but at this price you would regret doing that. As a sipper I doubt it will inspire. It is more of a palate cleanser than a complex sipping rum. In many ways it suffers in the same way Cruzan Single Barrel rum does. It’s just not all that exciting or different.

Everything seems to be in order with this rum but ultimately it falls way short of greatness and the price due to the Fair Trade side of things means you are likely to be left disappointed.

Related

Read More FAIR 10 Year Old Rum
The Original Sailor Jerry Spiced Caribbean Rum

The Original Sailor Jerry Spiced Caribbean Rum
Bythefatrumpirate July 2, 2014July 13, 2015

For those in the UK please don’t let the title confuse you. This is NOT the “Original” Sailor Jerry rum which was so radically altered back in 2010. This is a recent bottling of the “newer” recipe. For those outside the UK, Sailor Jerry has always been more in keeping with this formula. In the US the rum is bottled at 92 proof (46% ABV). In the UK it is bottled at 80 proof (40% ABV). It is also marketed as a Navy rum in the US. To be honest a lot of the information relating to Sailor Jerry is a bit confusing and contradictory. If you can clarify any of the information please feel free to comment below this review. The title of my review, as always is based on how the rum is described on its/my bottle.

Norman Keith Collins (January 14, 1911 – June 12, 1973) was a prominent American tattoo artist, famous for his tattooing of sailors; he was also known as “Sailor Jerry”. Collins also served time in the US navy. Collins’ legacy in particular his artwork was left with two young artists Ed Hardy (who is arguably more famous that Collins now) and Mike Malone. The rum was introduced as a homage to Collins’ love of rum. The Sailor Jerry Company have a clothing line and other product lines which showcase his distinctive tattooing style.

When the Sailor Jerry rum was reformulated in 2010 the rum was also relabelled. Sailor Jerry now has a much smaller branding on the front of the label with the ukulele playing hula girl taking a more prominent role in the presentation. The rear of the bottle has a picture of Collins and a brief background of his legacy. For more information try http://sailorjerry.com/uk/ or http://sailorjerry.com/

Sailor Jerry is widely available in the UK marketplace. It is stocked by most major supermarkets and smaller off licenses. It is also quite popular in city centre bars. Part of the re-branding and re-formulation by First Drinks Ltd in 2010 was to take away some of the mass market feel associated with the rum. To try and make the rum more authentic, more Sailor Jerry than Captain Morgan. I’m not really sure if the re-branding was really necessary to be honest. Many people who enjoy more premium rum’s probably wouldn’t dream of trying a cheap spiced mixer anyway.

Having said that the presentation of this rum is quite good. It uses imagery from Collins’ tattoo’s and the label does have an oldie world feel to it. Its simple and uncluttered. Previously the rum gave an indication of its taste (blended with Lime and Vanilla), that is now more mysterious as it just states it is blended with natural spices. Again the labelling seems to vary worldwide. The bottle I’m testing is for the UK market.    Again if you see anything different in different territories feel free to leave some comments/pictures.

The bottle, on first appearance is just a standard bar bottle like most other cheaper offerings. However, on closer inspection the bottle has a slightly more rounded neck and is slightly heavier.  The closure, which I presumed was a metallic screw top is actually a synthetic fake cork with a plastic topper. This is quite unusual in the Spiced Rum market. Even Foursquare Spiced Rum comes with a metallic screw top (once you’ve gotten the wax seal off!). I guess people think Spiced Rum drinkers just guzzle their rum down in litre flagons mixed with cola or ginger beer.

The Spiced Spirit in the bottle is an inviting dark golden brown. This remains when poured in the glass. As expected with a spiced rum, it is very fragrant. The cork gives a satisfying pop and gives way to a vanilla explosion. The rum smells very sweet, caramel and brown sugar dark rich molasses tones. Its similar in some ways to a Navy Style rum or a lighter blended Caribbean rum.

Now I have a confession to make. Back in the heady days of 2009 I was first introduced to Sailor Jerry (or Scary Jerry’s as one of my drinking pals christened a Sailor Jerry and coke after forgetting his way home after a few too many of these) but I have never ever until now bought a bottle.  Probably the main reason behind this is that Diageo so aggressively marketed their own Morgan’s Spiced that every bottle of Spiced Rum I ever seemed to get was that. Sailor Jerry’s has usually always been that little bit more expensive as well. I’m not tight I just like a bargain! To be honest I drank so much Morgans Spiced that I pretty much sickened myself of Spiced Rum for a long, long time.

It is mainly for the purpose of this blog that I have finally bought a bottle of Sailor Jerry.  It is available as mentioned earlier, in most UK supermarkets and Off Licenses. It is usually around the £20 mark for a 70cl bottle. It competes with Morgans Spiced, Bacardi Oakheart and The Kraken. I managed to get a bottle in Sainsburys for £16 (their rum’s are frequently discounted).

On with the tasting. It is some years since I had Sailor Jerry.  It does smell quite similar to Morgans Spiced, fortunately not quite as cloyingly sickly sweet. There are aroma’s in the profile other than vanilla for a start. A little oak and tobacco which suggests the rum in the blend has been aged to some extent. The reverse of the label advises that the rum can be mixed with any mixer or enjoyed over ice. It states it is spiced and smooth. I’ve heard this before…………

As a sipping rum (on its own no ice) it is certainly not my idea of smooth. In the mouth it burns like a fairly young mixing rum. Rough around the edges and quite harsh. Unusually, it has a lot of oak and tobacco tones. It is initially very sweet on the tip of the tongue but it soon becomes very bitter. At 40% it is quite strong for a spiced rum and the finish is very hot with a lot of alcohol burn. When a cube of ice is added (okay I’ve added 3 and another good slug of the rum) it does certainly mellow out the bitterness, reduces the alcohol burn and bitter aftertaste considerably. Like this, the rum could be sipped. It wouldn’t be the most complex or rewarding of sipping experiences though. It’s pretty flat to be honest. There isn’t a great deal of flavour coming through this way.

Mixed with cola (how I have always previously enjoyed Sailor Jerry) it is preferable to Morgans Spiced. It is much sweeter now but not overbearing on your taste buds. You get a good hit of vanilla ice cream and toffee syrup but it isn’t as sickly sweet Morgans. I seem to remember my previous samples of Sailor Jerry and cola tasted very much like Cream Soda. This new formula is definitely very different if I can detect such a change after such a limited experience previously. The rum is quite enjoyable this way. Unlike The Kraken Spiced Rum it doesn’t feel like a very young rum is being disguised by artificial flavourings. The rum isn’t as gently spiced as Foursquare Spiced but I do believe that beneath the Sailor Jerry there is actually a half decent blend of Caribbean rum.    It does however need a good twist of lime to be added to a mixed drink to take away some of the vanilla taste for me. I’m not a big fan of vanilla flavouring in rum.

It should also be considered that for your money you are also getting a 40% ABV rum. Whilst personally I don’t think there is a great deal of difference between a rum at 37.5 and 40% ABV, it does again suggest that there is an element of care and attention that has went into this rum. The producers aren’t looking to cut corners (and price) by bottling at a slightly lesser ABV. A lot of spiced rums come in at 35% ABV.

I’m not a huge fan of Spiced Rum. My favourite to date is the Chairmans Reserve Spiced Rum (I need to get another bottle and do a review – this blog came a long time after I drank that). This is not a bad spirit but if it comes down to personal preference it isn’t a rum I would buy often. It’s just not my cup of tea (or glass of rum). Judged as a Spiced Rum this is not a bad example of the field. It is reasonably subtle, it doesn’t taste artificial or like its been massively over sweetened. There are far worse offenders in the Spiced Rum market than Norman Collins!

Related

Read More The Original Sailor Jerry Spiced Caribbean Rum
DropWorks Distillers Drop #002

DropWorks Distillers Drop #002
Bythefatrumpirate April 14, 2026

DropWorks Distillers Drop #002. DropWorks are clearly not hanging about. Distillers Drop #002 arrives off the back of a debut that sold out quickly and earned a fair bit of attention.

Rather than playing that safe they’ve leaned further into the experimental side of things. For Drop #002 they’ve gone down the Bordeaux Red wine cask route. Not a short finish, not a token influence either. This has spent 28 months in ex-Bordeaux casks from the Fronsac region. Casks which previously held Merlot.

It’s bottled at a meaty 50.7% ABV with an outturn of 900 bottles, and like Drop #001, it didn’t take long for people to start snapping it up. It is as I type down the “last few bottles” according to their latest Facebook reel. You can still pick up a bottle which for a 70cl will set you back £64.75 here direct from DropWorks

The bottle itself sticks to the DropWorks house style. Clean, modern, and refreshingly free ofgimmicks. No pirates, no shipwrecks, no overwrought backstory. Just the information you actually care about, presented clearly. It probably won’t excite the marketing department but it works for the rest of us.

In the glass it’s a deeper shade than the first Drop, with a rich amber colour and the faintest reddish tint when the light hits it.

A slow swirl shows some decent weight and gives the impression this is going to be a bit more structured than its predecessor.

The nose opens with the cask influence front and centre. Red fruits appear first, more Strawberry and Plum than heavy Red Wine, followed by Caramel and light oak-ey notes. There’s a crack of Black Pepper sitting underneath it all which stops things getting too sweet. Given a bit of time, darker notes start to creep in too. A touch of Cocoa, a hint of something earthy.

On the sip it there’s heat but it’s well managed. An initial burst of spice gives
way to Caramel, Vanilla and gentle Oak. The wine cask starts to show its hand a little more with more sips. This adds a soft tannic note that gives the rum shape without drying it out too much.

As you spend time with it, deeper flavours begin to emerge. Cocoa becomes more obvious, the Oak darkens slightly, and there’s a suggestion of Stewed Fruit rather than fresh sweetness. A slight bitterness runs through the back of the palate which keeps everything in check.

The mid palate is probably where this works best. The interaction between spirit and cask feels intentional and well judged. The wine influence adds complexity rather than novelty. Crucially it still tastes like rum first and foremost. That’s not something every wine cask rum manages to pull off. Especially those that are from a “wet cask” with soem extra special sauce added……….

The finish is long and warming. Sweetness fades first, leaving Spice, Oak and that gentle wine derived dryness lingering nicely. A final echo of caramel and pepper hangs around long enough to encourage another sip, which is always a good sign.

I didn’t really mix this. I thought about it briefly, but that was as far as it got. Like Drop #001, this feels far more at home sipped neat or maybe with a cube if you’re feeling generous. You could use it to reinforce a cocktail, particularly something spiritforward, but you’d be missing the point a little.

DropWorks aren’t trying to make these Distillers Drops appeal to everyone and that’s a good thing. Drop #002 feels like a step forward rather than a repeat performance. More refined than the first, but still clearly part of the same “What happens if we try this?” thinking that makes the series worth paying attention to.

It won’t be for casual drinkers, but for those who enjoy cask forward, higher strength rums and are interested in where modern British rum is heading, this is another excellent showing.

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Read More DropWorks Distillers Drop #002
Requiem SS Ferret Australian Pot Still Rum

Requiem SS Ferret Australian Pot Still Rum
Bythefatrumpirate January 30, 2021December 9, 2025

Requiem SS Ferret Australian Pot Still Rum. I was going to leave the title of this bottling as Requiem SS Ferret – but I thought it looked a bit strange! So I’ve added another prominent feature, on the front label to the title.

I’ve not reviewed many rums from Australia. Despite a dreadful experience with Bundaberg, I wouldn’t say I’ve been put off trying Australian rum. Logistically though, its just difficult to get my hands on any Australian rum. Very little is imported into Europe and buying from Australia seems a bit of a headache.

I’m obviously not alone in this, as very few rum reviewers are reviewing Australian products. Most reviewers are based in Europe and the US. There is coverage of Australian rum from native bloggers but I’ll be honest I don’t read many Australian rum/whisky reviewers blogs. Any hints on who I could follow let me know.

That said Australia does have a flourishing and expanding rum scene. I’m a member of the The Great Aussie Rum Rumble Facebook group. By being part of this group I have seen a great number of home grown Australian brands of rum.

Which is what I have got here. Requiem SS Ferret Australian Pot Still Rum is produced by Tin Shed Distilling Co. They hail from a suburb of Adelaide – Welland in Southern Australia.

So what is Requiem Rum? Well Tin Shed Distilling Co. are more famous for their Whisky expression “Iniquity” which as received numerous positive reviews and award since it was released in 2019. In June 2020 after 6 years of ageing Tin Shed Distilling Co. released this, their first rum.

So I hear you ask what exactly is the SS Ferret? In all honesty, it sounds like a pretty odd/stupid name to give a ship (I’m assuming the SS has already given that bit away). Ships usually have much more regal or prestigious names. I can’t think of any other ships named after this sort of creature. I’m reliably informed, that a Ferret is a domesticated European Polecat.

There is of course a story to the name first up Requiem Rum is called so because each expression of Requiem Rum will be a “final mass, a prayer for the dead, a final tribute” to each ship which is named in the series. So this is just the first in a series of rums which will be released in the Requiem Rum name.

The SS Ferret was built in 1871 in Scotland for the Highland Railway Co. In 1880 the ship was stolen. It was discovered in Adelaide, Australia by recently transferred Police Constable James Davidson from Scotland.

Sadly, in 1920 the SS Ferret was sadly wrecked after running onto a beach at Cape Spencer on the Southern Australian coast. I guess both stories explain why an Adelaide based distiller has opted to call their first rum….Ferret. Though, in fairness it probably wouldn’t have been my first choice! For further reading see Wikipedia and the companies own website.

So history lesson over with, lets see what we are actually getting in the bottle. Well as already noted, we have an Australian Pot Still rum. I assume it is produced from molasses but Australian regulations do not stipulate rum can only be produced from molasses or sugar cane juice. It’s quite strange, that they demand a minimum 2 years of ageing to be called “rum” but aren’t stricter on the base product used to produce the rum. Still, not to worry.

Requiem SS Ferret Australian Pot Still Rum has been aged for 6 years in American Oak ex-Port Casks. It has been bottled at 46% ABV and is non chill filtered. In Australia it retails at $140. Which works out at around £/€78. It’s worth noting at this point, Australia is one of the most expensive places in the world to buy alcohol. Perhaps another reason why they do not export so much?

Anyway, lets move on from the history lesson. Shall we see if those Aussies know what they are doing? Or is all Australian rum as bad as Bundy?

In the glass we have a golden brown rum with a orange/copper hue.

On the nose, there is a very prominent note of tangerine/mandarin. Sweet fruity citrus. It’s very pleasant with notes of milk chocolate, vanilla, some light toffee. Oddly enough I’m also getting notes of prune juice? Interesting.

There is a little light spice, some notes of English Breakfast Tea. Slightly milky and some familiar notes. The orange and the chocolate smell a little like a Terry’s Chocolate Orange. Which is no bad thing. In the background there is just a hint of treacly molasses but its quite paired back – more like a golden syrup.

It’s quite an intriguing and unique kind of nose. It’s rum Jim but not as we know it…….

Well not quite, as we might know it. Sure it’s different but this isn’t confected nonsense like the likes of Papa’s Pilar. It still has a very rummy note amongst it. No additives used here. Definitely not.

Sipping Requiem Rum SS Ferret Australian Pot Still Rum, is a very pleasant, easy going experience. The notes of orange and chocolate, on the nose come through on the initial sip. It’s quite easy going and very, very easy to drink. It has a lovely hit of orange and dark chocolate. Please note this is a million miles away, however from the nonsense that is Pyrat!

The sweet chocolate and orange notes on the initial sip, gently move into a mid palate which has more of slightly bitter notes of tea and a very gentle slightly smoky note of tobacco and leather arm chairs.

Although this has been aged in ex-Port Casks it is not as sweet as some other Port Cask rums I have tried. Their is definitely an influence from the cask but this rum is not a typical example of a Port Cask finished rum. It’s different and unusual but very good……

The finish is light and easy going with notes of orange, chocolate and a touch of molasses. It’s light but at the same time has a complexity to it.

The best thing about this rum is its balance. It’s not overly boozy and has no off notes to it. At the right price this would be a wonderful every day sipper in the ilk of the the likes of Appleton 8 and Doorly’s XO.

Does Australia have better rum than Bundy out there?

Well this was real bonzer……

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