The Rum Festival Newcastle 28th and 29th April 2017

Bythefatrumpirate

RUM FESTIVAL Review by the fat rum pirateThe Rum Festival Newcastle was one of the events organised by Lucy Douglas and her team.  Lucy is behind a travelling Rum Festival. Visiting towns and cities throughout the UK during 2017.

The Festival took place at Hoult’s Yard a office/create hub/venue just 5 minutes drive from Newcastle City Centre in Byker. Yes that Byker of Byker Grove fame.  No before you ask Ant and Dec weren’t in attendance. Neither was Jimmy Nail, Sting or Gazza.

However the North East’s best (and only) Rum Blogger/Critic was at the festival and here is my little overview/review of the event.

Originally, I was planning on attending a number of these events and doing some Guest Speaking. Unfortunately circumstances beyond my control meant this was not possible. Luckily at pretty much the last minute I was able to attend the event on the Friday and Saturday nights.

I work in Newcastle so upon finishing work on Friday I commuted into Newcastle City Centre. From the City Centre I hopped on the Q3 Quaylink bus and was at Hoult’s Yard in around 15 minutes.  A taxi ride would set you back around £5 the Q3 a bargain £1.45.

I wanted to get to the venue early to have a chat with Lucy and some of the exhibitors. Also just to get a feel for what its like “behind the scenes” of a Rum Festival.  First up I began helping unpack the rums and then set about setting up the bars.

I chatted with Lucy as we unpacked the rums.  Lucy had a selection of over 100 commercially available rums.  Many of which I hadn’t actually tried especially in the Spiced and Flavoured sectors.  Lucy explained that she had stocked the bar herself. It is not full of freebies from the exhibitors.  The exhibitors were separate to the Rum Bars.

At the Rum Festival Newcastle the entrance fee is much lower than the London Rumfest.  Tickets for the event where priced between £8.55 and £13.87 (including booking fee). Early Bird/Student Discount tickets being the cheapest. Compare this entry price to the admittedly much larger London Rumfest which is £50.

The Rum Festival GlassThis gives you entry to the Festival a large tulip glass and a programme.  The programme has a handy run down of all the rums behind the bar. For your money you will also experience a live band and a group playing calypso music on steel instruments throughout the session.

Hoult’s Yard is a office/creative hub complex. The part of the venue used for the event is known as the Clay Shed.  And it was basically a big shed.  I can’t dress that up.  To be fair it made for a cracking size venue for the event.  It was big enough to be busy but you weren’t overcrowded or feeling claustrophobic, even on the very busy Saturday night.

Not included in the the price of entry are drinks at the bar.  The bars were divided by category – White, Aged, Gold, Flavoured and Spiced.  Over the course of the weekend Spiced was by far the most popular.  Whilst this kind of saddened me I can’t say I was surprised.  Drinks cards were available costing £20 which gave the buyer access to any four rums from the bar with a mixer and garnish of their choice.  Ice was extra (I’m kidding).  The mixers were bottles of various Fever Tree mixers and Diet Coca Cola. Drinkers could also opt for cocktails which were priced from £7.50 to £11.  I had a Old J Tiki Fire Mango concoction which was way better than I expected!

Over the two nights the crowd was varied to say the least. Anything from female teenage students to Navy veterans and their wives and pretty much everything in between.  It was nice to see such a diversity. Many whisky and beer events fail to attract any female clientele.The Rum Festival Newcastle review by the fat rum pirate

The one thing I will say about attracting such a diverse clientele is the expectation of what you might get for your money at such events.  I overheard one chap comment that he’d “paid £20 for four Kraken and cokes and they weren’t even doubles”.  I asked him why he hadn’t went for the aged rums or tried something different “Wasn’t sure if I would like them” was his grunted response.

Over the course of the event (3 sessions) there were over 1500 visitors.  As these festivals are only in their first year, I think this is more than respectable.  The Saturday evening session was a sell out.  The venue certainly didn’t look empty at any point.  Ample seating was provided and it was all very relaxed.  There was a great party atmosphere throughout.

Lets move onto the Exhibitors. Now at first glance it might not have appeared that there were very many.  There were 6 in total. These were as follows

Cellar TrThe Rum Festival Newcastle review by the fat rum pirateends – Now straight up you were meeting two very well known faces in the Rum and Spirits world in two Peter’s – Thornton and Holland.  Peter Holland is famous for TheFloatingRumShack and hosting numerous rum related events in the UK.  He is Rum Royalty without doubt.  Peter Thornton is also well known in the wider spirits industry. With them they had Re’al Syrups – which are syrups to be used in cocktails etc.  Rum wise they had the full range of Pusser’s along with Bumbu (there is photo evidence of me trying this) and Botran’s line up.

Next up came Mount Gay who had their range to sample headed up by UK Rum Ambassador Miguel Smith.  We then moved onto Plantation Rum with Nick Rodgers (and a sidekick whose name escapes me, though she was much prettier than Nick) wooing the crowds and rounding off the range of regular rums.

The Rum Festival Newcastle review by the fat rum pirateNext came the Spiced and Flavoured rums with Lara and David heading up Beach Craft Spirits.  Excitedly selling the very first batch of their Sloe Rum. Next we had Dom Joly (more than a passing resemblance as you can see) showing us Cloven Hoof. Finally Old J were there showcasing their New White Spiced Rum.

There was also a very exclusive exhibitor in Ian Linsley who was there promoting  Expressions by Old Man Rum Co.  You had to do something special to get a tot of his exclusive £1800 aged rum mind!

So all in all you had over 30 rums to try. On top of 4 rums of your choice from the bar, entry to the venue, a glass, a programme, a steel and regular band to entertain you. All for a little over £30.  Now that can’t be bad can it?  There was also Caribbean food available both inside and outside the venue.

I spent a few hours at the venue on each occasion.  Overall my personal impressions of the event were very positive and the crowd did really seem to be enjoying themselves.  I spoke with a number of people at the event and offered them help and assistance. Some people seemed unaware that there were any exhibitors (I’m not sure quite how as everything was in the same room).

I’ve seen a few comments online regarding help and advice and the usefulness of the staff behind the bar in offering help with mixers etc.  As this is a mobile Festival Lucy has to rely on local staff. Some of whom she might not meet until the day of the event. The best bartenders in Newcastle are likely to be working Friday and Saturday nights The Rum Festival Newcastle review by the fat rum pirateso yes this can be a little problematic.  The staff were a little inexperienced in the world of rum that cannot be denied.

Quite what the solution to this might be I don’t know maybe a couple of people “supervising” each queue and offering help and advice? Maybe try and get a couple of experts in?  Maybe have more suggestions etc in the programme?

Again having spoken to Lucy she is very keen to get the Rum out of London and get people around the country to enjoy events closer to home.  A little patience is perhaps needed whilst she irons out any minor gripes etc.  Overall for a first time at a venue and her first year of organising the Rum Festival I thought the event was very professionally ran.  If you went to enjoy yourself I can’t see how you could have failed.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Rum Festival. Due to it being relatively small visitors were able to spend more time with the Exhibitors. Having spoken with Peter Holland and Nick Rodgers they felt it was good to spend time with people and give them a bit more background and information regarding rum in general.  Especially those new to rum.

Another bonusThe Rum Festival Newcastle review by the fat rum pirate was a marshaled taxi queue outside the venue.  Ran by one of Newcastles most reliable and reasonably priced taxi firms – Blueline Taxis.  They immediately arranged you a taxi as you began queuing. On both evenings I was on my way home within 5 minutes.  Both evenings I was just a little tiddly!

Oh and finally here is that photo of me with Bumbu Rum. Mrs Fatrumpirate even quite liked it……..the rum not the photo. Shame on her.

 

 

 

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  • Berry’s St Lucia Rum Aged 11 Years

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Berrys St Lucia Rum Review by the fat rum pirateBerry’s Bros & Rudd (BBR for short) is London’s oldest and one of its most respected wine and spirits merchants.  They have traded from the same shop in St James Street since 1698.

    They hold two warrants to supply wines and spirits to the Prince of Wales and the Queen!  So if I don’t give this bottle of rum a good review I might end up in the tower….

    I was fortunate enough to come across a selection of Berry’s rums in own local Wine and Spirit Merchant (Rehills in Jesmond – no royal warrants but they do supply me on a regular basis).  Amongst the selection was this 11 Year Old St Lucia Rum.

    As many of you will know I’m very fond of St Lucian rum, in particular Chairman’s Reserve.  Having been very slightly disappointed in the 1931 offerings and the Forgotten Casks edition of Chairman’s Reserve I jumped at the chance to try a pot still aged St Lucia rum.  Which is what this bottle has afforded me.

    I picked this bottle up for just over £42 which compares favourably with online prices.  The rum comes in the very elegant and very tall traditional BBR spirit bottle. It has a clear glass bottom which adds a touch of class and it has a good weight to it.  The labelling is clear and uncluttered and gives some information on the rum in the bottle though not enough for the likes of me!  It’s all very elegant.  The rum is bottled at 46% ABV. I like the tasting notes on the bottle its nice to know this rum has been tried and tested!

    The rum is a nice golden to red colour suggesting maybe a little of added caramel for colour only.  I suspect it has only been lightly chill filtered.  The nose is immediately reminiscent of the 1931 series of rums.  St Lucia Distillers pot still rums have a very distinctive nose.  A kind of halfway house between Jamaican rum and Scotch Whisky initially.  Given time in the glass the rum begins to show its sweeter side despite its slightly medicinal almost herbal notes.  It is very clean and almost refreshing – perhaps a touch of pine? The sweeter notes are  Banana and Toffee perhaps a little green apple.Berrys St Lucia Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    What I found with the 1931 series was that all the rums were just a little bit too busy for their own good.  The numerous rums in the blend and the different types of casks used to age before the final maturation, made the 1931’s at times a little unwieldy.  Don’t get me wrong I enjoy a complex sipper but it needs balance.  Which is what you get with this rum.

    If this is a rum blended from many casks I will be surprised. It is very well balanced.  Very crisp and clean.  It tastes exactly how it appears. Elegant and not too showy.

    When sipped it has a very herbal and slightly medicinal note to it.  The label notes it as invigorating.  I would liken the taste to trying to eat immediately after brushing your teeth or eating chewing gum.  You can taste the flavours but they are masked by an almost minty, refreshing note.

    There are also notes of almost Jamaican pot still rum and dare I say it Scotch Whisky.  Despite its ABV the rum exhibits very little burn even on the finish.  It is spicy but not at all rough.  It’s a dry rum which you could compare to R L Seale’s 10 Year Old.

    The finish is very long lasting and spicy with nice oak notes finally coming into the mix.

    It is a rum which benefits from a second glass. I find that the sweeter notes shine a little more.  They don’t dominate the profile but light honey and a little vanilla do start to show themselves.

    Berrys St Lucia Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    This is very much a sipping rum.  Those who enjoy a drier less fruity experience will particularly enjoy this rum.

    I did however decide to mix this rum with some cola.  Really it was just to see how it faired next one of my favourite mixer’s Chairman’s Reserve.  I found that the extra sophistication this rum has meant that really it was a little wasted as a mixer.  Whilst it made a smoother and equally flavourful rum and cola I felt that it lacked the extra little oak and oomph that Chairman’s gives a rum and cola.  Plus I was paying twice as much for the drink!

    This rum doesn’t quite hit the highest mark on the score front but I have enjoyed it slightly more than the 1931’s overall.  I would say it is pretty much on a par with the 2nd 1931.

    It delivers a very different experience to Admiral Rodney, which is another rum from St Lucia Distillers but is entirely column distilled.  I found the Admiral Rodney to be sweeter, much less dry and very easy to drink.  This is more challenging but well worth the effort.  A real grower.

    4 stars

     

     

  • Dos Maderas 5+5 PX

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Dos Maderas 5+5 PX Rum Review by the fat rum Dos Maderas 5+5 PX. Dos Maderas are a rum producer from Spain. The rum is blended at one of the biggest wineries in Europe, the Jerez de la Frontera. Which owned by Williams and Humbert who are more famous for producing Sherry and “Brandy de Jerez”.

    The title relates to the ageing process undertaken by the rum. It is transported to Spain after the rum has been aged for 5 years in Guyana and Barbados.

    It is then aged for three more years at the Williams & Humbert facilities in casks which have aged “Dos Cortados” (Palo Cortado). Once finished Dos Maderas 5+5 then undergoes a third stage of ageing in butts which have previously aged “Don Guido” sherry (Pedro Ximénez) for 20 years. Both “Don Guido“ and “Dos Cortados” have been aged for 20 years and are certified by the oldest Denomination of Origin in Spain: that of Jerez-Xérès-Sherry. All their rums are aged in Solera System.

    Dos Maderas are quite a slick, “premium” looking brand. In the UK you can pick up a bottle of Dos Maderas 5+5 fairly easily. It is priced at around £40 for a 70cl bottle. It is bottled at 40% ABV. Presentation is in an stubby rounded bottle, with quite a bulbous neck the look is completed by a plastic topped synthetic cork enclosure. A maroon tube with gold lettering like the bottle is also provided to store the bottle in. It looks nice and you can see why it commands attention.

    I saw a lot of Dos Maderas in Gibraltar when I was there and it has also been present in other parts of Spain and Europe, when I have visited. It would seem to be quite a popular brand. The bottle does seem to have had a few different incarnations over the past couple of years.

    The slick marketing continues on their website. Which gives some decent information on the ageing process but tells us little of the actual rums which comprise this blend  beyond Dos Maderas 5 + 5 PX Rum Review by the fat rum piratethe fact they are 5 years old when they arrive in Spain and from Barbados and Guyana. Where they have been tropically aged. Via rum broker E&A Scheer.

    The Solera Ageing of this rum is where it all gets a bit more complicated. Luckily Matt at Cocktail Wonk has visited Williams & Humbert so they have provided a more detailed look at the ageing process including the addition of some sherry to some of the casks in the solera. This isn’t mentioned in the company’s marketing.

    Which goes some way to explaining the Hydrometer reading that I experienced (Johnny over at Drecon.dk got the same results with his Anton Paar density meter). 35 g/L of additives was the reading. Which is pretty high.

    Swirled in the glass Dos Maderas 5+5 PX is a rich dark brown with red flashes. Nosed it is intense. As intense as the sweetness derived from the raisins used in the production of PX sherry this rum was finally aged in as part of the Williams & Humbert solera system.

    Rich, plump raisins dominate the palate. Coating it with an almost cloying intense spicy sweetness. Rum and Raisin Ice Cream dialled up a notch or two. Sweet almost sickly milk chocolate rubs alongside a very spicy and surprisingly dry sherry like note.

    This is a rum blend with rums in it from Barbados and Guyana. It tastes similar to an El Dorado rum – maybe the 12 or perhaps the 8 as the sherry like flavour does have a slightly “drying” affect.

    Such is the intensity of the sweetness on the sip it is quite difficult to track anything further down the line. It’s very raisin forward. It’s also quite drying on the palate so the mid palate probably gets the best experience of the actual rum lurking in this blend. A slight oakiness and a little touch of the oak barrel.Dos Maderas 5 + 5 PX Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    As a drink it’s quite tasty – I ‘d enjoy it poured on pancakes or even as an after dinner drink. A bit like dessert wine.

    As a rum it’s just totally masked by the sweet sherry. PX sherry is very sweet up to 400g/L of sugar can be used to produce such sherries.

    Am I being unfair? No, not if we want to talk about rum. This reminds me of Legendario’s Elixir de Cuba. Now that is a liqueuer which is often confused as a rum. This is a heavily sherry dosed rum which, whilst not at liqueuer levels is far sweeter than a rum really should be. It confuses the category. Some would say it adds variety – I disagree. It should be clear that this is dosed heavily with sherry and perhaps noted as a “flavoured” rum.

    In all fairness if I wanted to spend £40 on Sherry – I dare say I could get a very good bottle or two at the price this goes for.

     

     

     

     

  • An Interview with Leszek Wedzicha – UK Cachaca Festivals 2018

    Bythefatrumpirate

    UK Cachaca Festival London and ManchesterCachaca is a Cane Juice spirit native to Brasil. It is often “lumped” in with rum. Some independent bottlers even label it as rum.

    However as this fascinating interview with Leszek Wedzicha one third of the Cachaca Festivals UK team shows Cachaca is very much its own unique spirit. 

    1. Leszek welcome to thefatrumpirate. Please tell us a little about yourself and
    your background in the Spirits Industry.

    Firstly I would like to thank you for the interview opportunity and the space you are
    opening for Cachaca. My passion for Brazilian sugarcane spirit was born during my time spent in Brazil. I consider myself a Cachaca enthusiast . While learning about different producers and brands of Cachaca I came with an idea to organise some events. In the hope that they could help the whole Cachaca category be more recognised in the UK. I am also representing Cachacaria Weber Haus in various events in the UK and
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    2. So tell us all what exactly is Cachaca? It is it rum or is it something completely
    different?

    Cachaca is a sugarcane spirit produced in Brazil. It is made from a distillation of fresh sugarcane juice and it’s alcohol volume (ABV) ranges from 38% to 48%. To which sugar can be add it up to 6 grams per litre.Cachaca was first distilled between 1516 and 1532 and it was first distilled beverage to be made in Latin America.

    It actually makes Cachaca an older brother of Rum to my knowledge. Although Cachaca is made from sugarcane juice with similarities to rum, I believe
    you can not call Cachaca a rum. Cachaca is recognized as a distinctive Brazilian product, having as its exclusive raw material the fermented “must” of sugarcane juice. Most rums  I would say 95%) are made from molasses. There are differences in ABV and wood use for aging. I think is just a matter of time before rum producers will age their rums in Brazilian native wood.

    3. So how does it differ to Rhum Agricole? Would you expect a Rhum Agricole lover to enjoy Cachaca?

    Rhum Agricole is also made from freshly squeezed sugar cane juice similar to Cachaca. It is a “terroir” shaped spirit. However, it is usually distilled to a higher ABV and has different origin. Having said that I believe Rhum Agricole fans will enjoy Premium Aged Cachaca.

    I posted you un-named samples of Agricole Rhum from Martinique and 2 samples of Cachaca to compare and an additional extra premium sipping cachaca to try.

    (This is a feature I will be writing about very soon to see how I got on identifying which was which)

    4.Will Cachaca be a surprise to those familiar with Molasses based rum?

    I believe so. But once we choose the right Cachaca type and the aged wood it
    could be nice surprise. It is great in cocktails as well. These days everyone looks for origin.

    People want more and more details, sugar content etc..The great thing about Cachaca is we know where the sugarcane comes from. Brazil produces organic Cachaca’s already. So we are ahead of the times in many respects.

    5 How popular in Brasil is Cachaca? Is it really the nations spirit

    Cachaca is the most consumed spirit in Brazil. It’s consumption is almost 5 times greater than that of Whisky (348 milion litres) and Vodka (270 milion litres). Brasil has an installed capacity of 1.2 billion liters per year. 70% of which is Industrial Cachaça (Column still and Continuous distillation) and 30% of Artisanal Cachaça (Copper Pot-still).

    Currently, there are over 40 thousand producers (some 5 thousand brands) and micro-enterprises represent 99% of this universe. The sector is responsible for the generation of more than 600 thousand jobs, directly and indirectly.

    6. How is it Cachaca consumed back in Brasil?

    Cachaça is drunk in Brazil in various forms from Caipirinha, Rabo de Galo or Batida
    and could be used as an ingredient for various cocktails. It is an extremely versatile drink. Remember it can be aged in over 30 different woods.

    It can be consumed neat and brings a fantastic sensorial experience. In addition, many festive dates use cachaça to make seasonal cocktails like ˜Quentao˜, a kind of mulled wine made with Cachaça.

    7. In which other countries beside Brasil is Cachaca popular? Does it have a global
    audience?

    In 2016 Cachaca was exported to over 50 countries with Germany followed by the United States being the higher importer. France, Portugal,Italy and Spain were also high in the ranking. The UK alone imported 396,949 USD* worth of Cachaca .You can find Cachaca all over the world these days.

    * source Cachaca Export Ranking
    http://indicadores.agricultura.gov.br/agrostat/index.htm

    8. You have targeted the UK with the Cachaca Festivals? Why have you chosen  the UK? Have you ran festivals in other European countries?

    I believe there is a market and huge opportunity for Cachaca in the UK. Sadly lack of
    information about the spirit and strategies chosen by big Cachaca brands have not worked so far. Cachaca is always on side in Rum or Spirits events but I believe we have a fantastic product.

    In the future we should look the different approach to show what Cachaca really is and get its rightful place in the market. To my knowledge these are first dedicated Cachaca festivals outside of Brasil and we are hoping to make these annual events.

    9. What are your aspirations for the Cachaca festivals? Do you hope to entice rum lovers?

    The idea is to make Cachaça known worldwide.

    Show its versatility, different terroirs within Brazil (more than 26 states with the extension of Europe in scale) and make rum and cocktail drinkers passionate about Cachaça.

    10. What about lovers of other spirits such as Whisky and Gin?

    Cachaca is the opportunity to try something new. The woods present in the aging of
    the cachaca can add all the palates.

    11. Do you also enjoy Molasses based Rums?

    Yes, I do. I am not an expert on molasses based rums but I have enjoyed for example: XM Royal 10 Year old Rum, El Dorado 15 and more recently Penny Blue from Mauritius.

    12. What Cachaca brands do you think we should be looking out for?

    There are so many great Cachaca producers. Unfortunately many of them are not
    available outside Brazil. I would rather not mention the brands but please come and join us in the festival to discover how unique and special Cachaca can be.

    Thank you Leszek for a fascinating insight into the wonderful world of Cachaca. Leszek makes up just one third of the Cachaca Festivals UK team. The festival is head up by the House of Cachaca.

    Also involved are veteran Rum Festival Organiser Jon Rees who also puts together the Cardiff, Bristol and Exeter Rum Festivals under the UK Rum Festivals banner. Jon was particularly keen to get involved in the venture

    “I have been running rum events in the UK for six years and wanted to showcase the diversity of sugar cane spirits. Having only know Cachaca as an ingredient for a Caipirinha, I was amazed at the taste that aged Cachaca had and the different woods used for aging. When I was asked to help with the Cachaca festival I jumped at the chance to help showcase this much-understated spirit in the UK”

    Making up the trinity is Hugo Tolomei, born in Rio de Janeiro, is an economist. He has adopted Europe as a home and currently resides in London, England. Entrepreneur and spirit specialist, he is passionate about  good Cachaça and has as his dream to popularize Brazilian culture through the four corners of the world through caninha.

    Details for the UK Cachaca Festivals 2018 can be found On Event Brite there are events in Manchester and London

    Manchester is 7 April 2018 at the Britannia Sachas Hotel, M4 1SH 

    London is 14 April 2018 at the Unit 5 Gallery E2 8NH

    More details can be found on Facebook and Twitter should you need it. 

     

     

     

  • Rum Nation Ilha de Madeira – Limited Edition 2017

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Rum Nation Ilha De Madeira Limited Edition 2017 review by the fat rum pirateRum Nation Ilha de Madeira. Rum Nation are an independent bottler that we have covered a couple of times already on this site. They have been operating since 1999. Besides releasing rum under the Rum Nation label they also market rums such as Ron Millonario and Reimonenq.

    Rum Nation and the Portuguese island of Madeira have been in the “rum news” quite a bit lately. Over the past year rum Nation began releasing their “Rare Rums” series and the emergence of the William Hinton brand from Madeira has alerted people to “Madeira Rhum” as a thing.

    I’ve got a couple of Rum Nation Rare Rums lined up for reviews. I also met with representatives of William Hinton and attended a “masterclass” at the London Rumfest in October 2017. So I am not unfamiliar with Madeira rhum.

    This rhum has been released as part of the “normal” Rum Nation line up and comes in their standard stubby bottle. The “stamp” type label is again in use and the bottle gives you a few details regarding the rhum inside. Madeira rhum is produced in a agricole style from Fresh Cane Juice. Rum Nation Ilha de Madeira is bottled at 50% ABV. A bottle, should you come across one in the UK should be around £50. I’m not sure anywhere in the UK stocked this though. Typically I have found this online for as low as 30 euros and as high as 45 euros.

    Rum Nation Ilha de Madeira was released in 2017 there is no mention of any ageing (either age or what the rum was aged in). It may well be unaged. The Ru,m Nation website recommends using this as a mixer. They also note the rum is “crystal clear” which indeed it is.

    So with little else to report on the rhum we may as well delve into this Cane Juice distillate………

    As mentioned already this is a crystal clear spirit. Nosing and you don’t have to delve very deep reveals a pungent and very medicinal style of rum – similar to unaged Agricole and Jamaican White Overproof rum. It is perhaps most similar in style to the Haitian Clairin’s. It’s pretty robust to say the least.

    It smells like sea air very briny and there is a note of sour milk running alongside it. Green olives, nail varnish and a touch of tar and petrol. There is a sweetness in there as well but its very grassy and vegetal – there is a lot going on.

    Sipped the rum is actually quite approachable. Initial notes are mostly of pepper and spicy ginger. Not at all like the nose would suggest.

    Rum Nation Ilha de Madeira has quite a rich sweetness running through it – cinnamon and licorice are very nicely developed and it has a very slight smokiness as you approach the finish. Which is spicy and warming and again not overbearing.

    Despite the noRum Nation Ilha De Madeira Limited Edition 2017 Rum Review by the fat rum piratese this rum is actually quite nicely balanced and very much at odds its own nose. Its flavourful but is surprisingly well balanced. Its no where near as funky or as overpowering as the nose might lead you to believe.

    It’s quite a clean and almost clinical kind of spirit. All the flavour is delivered in just the right amount and I would imagine this would work very nicely in cocktails and in a Ti Punch. Its flavourful but has good balance. It’s almost as if it has “checked” itself to deliver enough flavour without throwing itself off balance or becoming to overpowering.

    Really promising stuff.

     

     

     

  • Lost Years Four Island Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Lost Years Four Island Rum review by the fat rum pirateLost Years Four Island Rum. Up for review today is another offering from Turtle Savers Lost Years. This rum follows on from my review of their Navy Strength Rum a few weeks ago.

    Lost Years Four Island Rum as the name suggests is a blend of rums (yes you’ve guessed it) from four different Caribbean Islands.

    Firstly the blend is a little unusual in that it is a mixture of both molasses based and sugar cane juice r(h)ums. We have an 8 year old rum from Foursquare Rum Distillery, Barbados alongside a 5 year old rum from the Dominican Republic, 2 year old pot still rum from Jamaica and finally some unaged white agricole rhum from Guadeloupe.

    The Lost Years website notes that no additives or colouring has been used in the blend. The additives bit I can confirm via a clean Hydrometer test.

    Presentation wise Lost Years Four Island Rum comes in a short necked,rounded stubby bottle with a natural cork wooden topped stopper. The branding is clean and modern. The rear label gives the information on the blend and other relevant information relating to the rum and their work with the Sea Turtles. Expect to pay around £38. It is bottled at 40% ABV. Lost Years Four Island Rum is currently in stock at The Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt or you can buy direct from the Lost Years website.

    I’ve mentioned already that “blended” rum seems to have made a bit of a comeback over the past couple of years. New brands from the UK in particular have been popping up with great regularity. Especially at a similar price point to this rum. So lets see how it stacks up against the competiton…….

    In the glass Lost Years Four Island Rum is light/golden brown. The nose is surprisingly robust. Lots of oak, tobacco and some underlying funk and grassiness which adds an extra layer to the nose.

    Further nosing reveals some light toffee, banana and papaya. The Guadeloupe element shows itself in the shape of a sweet, grassy aroma. Hints of vanilla float in and out of the mix. I get some green apple and some smokiness as well.

    Lost Years Four Island Rum review by the fat rum pirateAll in all its a very interesting nose. The profile overall is quite “dry” and you can really notice the barrel influence but that is balanced by the sweeter rum from Guadeloupe and the Dominican Republic.

    As a sipper Lost Years Four Island Rum is surprisingly rounded it has a really nice balance. Even at 40% ABV it is still quite “punchy” and has a nice weight to it. The oak and spices work nicely alongside the fruitier elements in the blend.

    My concern was that the Guadeloupe rhum might have dominated the mix. Maybe caused it to develop to the point, where the other rums were lost. That hasn’t happened. The Guadeloupe rhum sits nicely within the blend and doesn’t make is taste “odd” – like you might expect.

    The initial sip is quite woody and dry but further sips reveal more of the fruitier and sweeter notes of the blend. Toffee and caramel mingle alongside the oak spices and the tobacco notes on the initial entry.

    On the mid palate the Lost Years Four Island rum becomes fruitier with more sweetness. Some grassy funk comes in with plenty green apple, banana and a touch of raisin. It has a really nice balance to it and everything works together nicely.

    As a sipper possibly due partly to the ABV and the use of some younger rums – the finish isn’t quite as long as you might like. That said it has a very nice, clean finish which fades out gently. The flavour does disappear a little quicker than I would like though.

    Lost Years Four Island Rum review by the fat rum pirate

    Lost Years Four Island Rum is at a price point where I would still consider using it as a “Premium Mixer”. It makes for a really interesting and quite different rum and coke. I would also imagine that due to the different rums used in the blend that a talented mixologist could find a lot of uses for this particular blend. It could work as a shortcut to using 2 or 3 different rums?

    Lost Years Four Island Rum is a very nice “everyday” kind of sipper. That said it’s not what I would call soft or overly easy going. It’s still quite a “rummy” rum – ie it still has a bit of “menace” about it.

    It’s not quite as good as their excellent Navy Strength Rum but its still more than decent. Certainly well worth the price.

     

     

  • Scotch Malt Whisky Society R6.1 Spice at the Races

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Scotch Malt Whisky Society Spice at the Races Rum Review by the fat rum pirate r6.1Scotch Malt Whisky Society R6.1 Spice at the Races. As you can guess the primary fuction of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society is not bottling rum. However, they have bottled a few over the years and released quite a few more late last year.

    Now I’ll get one thing of my chest I am not overly keen on the frankly rather stupid names given to the rums – “Spice at the Races” is one of the better ones. “Paddingtons First Sip” anyone? Sadly, it reminds me of some of the pretentious and over the top tasting notes made by whisky commentators in their attempts to be noticed.

    This is the full description they give on the rum

    “Moist hay with a touch of spice. Rum Bloody Mary with smoke and lighter fuel, then scorched leather, rubber from a horse’s saddle and sandalwood.”

    Right now that is out the way lets concentrate on “Spice at the Races”.

    The rum comes in a tall dark green glass bottle. The overall look is quite contemporary. Much less old fashioned than most other Scottish Independents. This rum is actually from the Foursquare Distillery, Barbados. It was distilled October 2002 and bottled in 2017 after just over 14 years of ageing. Thought to be in Europe in a refill cask (no further information is available). A run of just 210 bottles priced at £75. The price can change dependent on whether you are a member or not. Non-members pay more. Spice at the Races was bottled at 57.3% ABV which I assume to be Cask Strength.

    I’m not the first reviewer to have cast their eye over this particular bottling. SImon over at Rum Shop Boy has also reviewed this. He’s reviewed quite a lot of the SMWS output recently. In Simon’s review he explores the make up of the rum – he suspects it may all be Pot Still rather than a blend of Column and Pot which is more common for Foursquare. Simon also notes the reasoning behind the SMWS strange naming conventions.

    Scotch Malt Whisky Society Spice at the Races Rum Review by the fat rum pirate r6.1In the glass the SMWS Spice at the Races is a straw to light golden brown colour. Those unfamiliar with a spirit appearing like this might assume it is relatively unaged.

    The nose is very heavy. Strong notes of alcohol and a medicinal and slightly tar like note dominate. It reminds me very much of Cask Strength rum from Fiji. In particular the Berrys’s Bros 8 Year Old. It has a “young” vibe to it. Rough and ready and smells quite immature and unbalanced.

    It’s aggressive even with time in the glass it does not really mellow. There is some sweetness trying very hard to get to you – faints hints of tropical and stoned fruits. Maybe a tiny hint of the Foursquare 2013 is trying to reveal itself.

    But it struggles there is a strong almost overbearing note of something smoky and tobacco like. Indeed like the descriptors say (so maybe they aren’t all bad) it does have a kind of vegetal smell to it like perhaps wet hay or freshly cut grass.

    It’s not an awful sickly sweet horrible mess of a nose but it is quite difficult to love. It’s very whisky-esque. It does smack me very much of being aged in a barrel which was perhaps past its sell by date. It’s not very vibrant.

    Sipped at the full ABV it is very boozy. Hugely spicy with masses of white pepper and not really much else if I am being completely honest. It is difficult to enjoy the spirit. Once the heat dissipates you get a very tobacco heavy bitterness on the mid palate which is brief but pretty unpleasant. The finish is very long but again its mostly just heat.

    Can this rum be enjoyed at full ABV? Not by me, so lets see if some water might be its saviour?

    Scotch Malt Whisky Society Spice at the Races Rum Review by the fat rum pirate r6.1The water helps a little. Sadly though not enough to make this enjoyable. It’s still the same drink but with slightly less heat. It’s better and there is a little sweetness thereby way of a touch of pineapple and some raisins and blackberries but its hard to pick the flavours out. It tastes “old” and not in a good way. It tastes over oaked, tired and is just to “savoury”. Far too much smoke, leather and tobacco to make it an enjoyable balanced rum.

    Without doubt the worst rum I have had from Foursquare. I’m sure when the rum was distilled it was very vibrant and full of flavour but now its just tired and a little bit sad. Over done and sadly just very flat. It’s not totally undrinkable but I wouldn’t seek this rum out again. For too many better options available.

    I would never have guessed this as being a Foursquare or Bajan rum at all to be honest. It reminds me a little of the St Lucia Dennery Silver Seal rum I reviewed a little while back.

    Disappointing and not a very good example of a Foursquare product at all. Probably best the name is left off this bottling!

     

2 Comments

  2. That sounds like a good day. Have to say, we went to a rum festival on Southampton last weekend and it was nothing like the one discussed above. There was a distinct lack of quality rum – everything they had is available in a supermarket. They charged £15 to get in and then drinks on top of that. There were no promised distillers, rum talks, food stalls with no explanation. Looks like they’re touring the country now – avoid at all costs. https://en-gb.fievent.com/e/southampton-rum-festival-200-tickets-left/7150139

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