Rum of the Year 2019 – Shortlist

Bythefatrumpirate

Rum of the Year 2019 by the fat rum pirate reviewRum of the Year 2019 – Shortlist

It doesn’t seem all that long ago since I was sitting down to write last years shortlist. A hectic mix of small children, the day job and keeping this blog going have certainly kept me busy. I even someone managed to make a footballing comeback in the over 40’s 11 a side as well.

I thought like last year I would compile a shortlist of the rums which I enjoyed the most over the past year. All of the rums were awarded 5 stars in the original review.

As usual there will be only one overall winner. I find when reviewers or websites similar to mine produce multiple awards it all just gets a bit too much. I think one gong is more than enough when I’ve “only” reviewed around 100 rums/cachacas over the past year.

All reviews I have conducted during 2019 are eligible for entry for the award. Rums which have been around for years – are unlikely to be noted as the overall winner. That’s my own fault for not getting around to them sooner. I want to try and keep things pretty recent. Also any single cask or very limited rums are usually discounted. Ideally any Rum of the Year should be available for you to buy after reading my thoughts. This might not always be possible as the popularity of certain rums, even when thousands of bottles are released, can lead to them selling out very fast. I think we probably know which Barbados rum brand and Italian Independent bottlers collaborations we are talking about……

So lets have a look at those 5 star reviews of 2019 and refresh ourselves on some of the exceptional rums we have had available in 2019.

Please note these are in no particular order other than the date I reviewed them. (That just made the list easier and quicker to compile for me – I’ve currently got a 18 month year old throwing a remote control at me and a 4 year old asking me why Thomas didn’t go to her Birthday Party)

So lets start at the beginning

The first 5 star review of the year took place in February. The rum concerned I only had sample of. It was absolutely brilliant to get the chance to try it – huge thanks to Lance Surujbally of The Lone Caner for gifting me it.

Step forward the legendary Velier Skeldon 1973 Full Proof Old Demerara Rum and Rum of the Year 2019 by the fat rum pirate reviewwow what a rum it was! 32 years of ageing perfection.

Due to the fact this rum is as rare as hens teeth now it is extremely unlikely it will win ROTY but it’s nice to reminisce over such bottlings.

So lets move on and see what rum or cachaca was next to get the 5 star treatment.

It took till the end of April for the next 5 star review to appear. This time we were of to Jamaica (via Scotland where it was aged) for a 35 Year Old Kill Devil release from Hampden Estate. As you can see, this wasn’t your run of the mill Kill DKill Devil Hampden Distillery Jamaica Aged 35 Years Rum review by the fat rum pirateevil release and they really upgraded the presentation. They also upgraded the price and this was only really for those with deep pockets at £700 for a bottle. It is still available to it stays in the running despite only being 198 bottles being available.

It seems I may have been a touch stingy with my marks during 2019 as there are a lot of 4.5 star reviews but not all that many 5 star ones.

Still lets move on and see if I gave anything else 5 stars last year. We haven’t as yet heard from some of the usual suspects.

Next we have a bottling which was part of The Whisky Exchange’s 20th Anniversary Celebrations during 2019. This was a Private Label Bottling from Foursquare Rum Distillery. A blend of pot and column distilled rum which had a double maturation in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. Some people found it a little too heavy on the Sherry but Hereditas Foursquare Rum Distillery rum review by the fat rum pirateI thought/think it’s fantastic! Foursquare Rum Distillery Hereditas.

The review of Hereditas came at the end of June. So we are halfway through the year and we only have three contender’s for the Rum of the Year crown.

Did the second half of the year get any better?

Next up we have a kind of “updated” version of a previous ROTY winner in the shape of Foursquare Rum Distillery 2007. Like the previous winner the 2004, the 2007 is a blend of Pot and Column distilled rum aged in ex-bourbon casks. No secondary maturations or any other fussing around. Just quality Single Blended rum.Foursquare Rum Distillery 2007 Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

So what do we have next? Well Foursquare had a few more releases up there sleeve in 2019. How did I find those – did they also get a 5 star review?

Let’s keep moving and find out.

Oddly enough we have only one further entry that got a 5 star review this year. Leaving us with a shortlist of just 5 rums. I think I had 10 last year.

Step forward Pusser’s Rum Company with their Pusser’s Rum 50th Anniversary Rum Blend. A more aged version of their standard Gunpowder Proof this, almost quite literally blew my socks off. Probably the best example of a Navy Style rum I have tried to date. Excellent stuff and a great way to celebrate the upcoming 50th Anniversary of Black Tot Day on 31st July 2020. Truly Up Spirits!https://www.nauticalia.com/limited-edition-50th-anniversary-pussers-rum/

So there we have the Rum of the Year 2019 – Shortlist at thefatrumpirate.com.

I’ve got to say I am quite surprised to note which rums I didn’t give the full 5 stars to. We are missing the likes of Foursquare Rum Distillery Patrimonio, Velier’s Tiger Shark and some pretty epic Independent bottlings from the likes of The Duchess, Kill Devil, That Boutique-y Rum Company and BB&R.

It’s also interesting to note that last years winner Worthy Park are not included in this list. That may be partly my “fault”. I’ve got their official 12 Year Old release requested for Christmas. So it may just be a timing issue on my part that they haven’t been able to be entered this year. That said I did enjoy their Boutique-y Rum release – even though the distillery wasn’t disclosed……

So was 2019 not as good a year as 2018? Well it seems I gave less 5 star reviews but I noticed a lot of 4 and 4.5 star reviews. I’ve certainly enjoyed a lot of the rum and cachaca I have tried.

Result to follow shortly………..please let me know your Rum of the Year 2019.

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  • Wester Spirit Co. Hand Sanitiser and Limited Edition Rum – Press Release

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Wester Spirit Co. have released their first white rum as a limited edition bottle to help support production of hand sanitiser for front line key workers. 3 weeks ago the distillery switched production from rum to hand sanitiser. So far Wester has donated over 700 bottles of alcohol-based hand sanitiser to front line key workers across Glasgow.

    The profits from the sale of this limited edition bottle will enable Wester Spirit Co. to continue to produce and distribute hand sanitiser to those that need it most in Glasgow.
    Zander Macgregor, Co-founder and Director – “Since we began producing hand sanitiser a few weeks ago we have supplied front line key workers in care homes, nhs staff, royal mail, charities and children’s homes. Our aim is to continue to produce sanitiser for as long as the main supply chain is not able to fulfill demand. We are a small independent company and the sales of our new Limited Edition White Rum will enable us to continue to supply those that are most in need.
    It has been great to see distilleries come together and help their local communities right across Scotland.”
    The Limited Edition White Rum is fully fermented and distilled from sugarcane molasses at Wester Spirit Co’s distillery in Partick. This is the first white rum from the distillery and it is perfect for creating your favourite cocktails or serving with a mixer of your choice. Customers also have the option of sending a bottle to a friend with a personalised message. The Limited Edition White Rum is available from www.westerspirit.com
    Hand Sanitiser Requests
    Key workers who are finding it difficult to source hand sanitiser should email here with their name, work address and how many 200ml bottles of sanitiser they require.
    Wester Spirit Co.
    Wester Spirit Co. was founded in 2017 by school friends Allan Nairn and Zander Macgregor. The independent urban micro-distillery is committed to producing honest, flavour driven spirits in a natural and sustainable way.
    The rum is produced from scratch using sustainable, high grade sugarcane molasses. Wester have full control over the production process with fermentation, distillation, maturation and bottling taking place on site at Meadow Road in the West End of Glasgow. Wester’s spiced rum was awarded “Distilling Product of the Year 2019” at the Scotland Food & Drink Awards.
    Contact zander@westerspirit.com / 07885490870

  • Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva Rum ReviewDiplomatico Reserva Exclusiva doesn’t it just roll of the tongue……. Well maybe the name might not but rum enthusiasts seem quite unanimous that the flavour of this rum is certainly something that your tongue will indeed savour. With such praise it was only a matter of time (or a bargain price) before I tried some.  I eventually ordered a Gift Pack version from the Whisky Exchange which included a large decorative box and two very nice Diplomatico labelled glencairn style glasses (one is in picture).  This came in at just under £50 which I felt was reasonable enough.  Good glasses aren’t cheap!

    I’ll make a confession at this point.  I had actually tried Diplomatico prior to buying this package.  Admittedly the Anejo, which is their entry level rum.  So I knew that unless something mightily strange had happened between producing the Anejo and this – it was going to be half decent! It’s often difficult to review a rum when you have seen so much positivity about it, you don’t know if you’re going to get carried away with all the hype.

    As you can’t see from the dark green bottle, the spirit once poured is a golden to dark brown.  The bottle itself is quite classy with the old postage stamp style bringing something slightly different to your drinks cabinet.  The bottle has a nice cork stopper and I understand that if you buy the bottle on its own you get a robust cylinder to store the rum in.  I recently found a half decent rum stockist in my vicinity and he stocks the rum for £37.99.  It’s pretty reasonably priced.

    If you have read this review previously then the next paragraphs may not seem familiar.  This is the first rum I have actually re-reviewed.  Since originally reviewing the rum I have tried numerous different rums and I have read numerous articles and discussions around rum.  My knowledge has grown. Unfortunately, one particular comment on Inu a Kena http://inuakena.com/spirit-reviews/rum-review-diplomatico-reserva-exclusiva (it is the third comment at the bottom of the review by Robert Burr) made me re-visit the Reserva Exclusiva. Now (being English and we LOVE sweet rum’s) I’m not going to wade into the pure v adulterated rum debate, but for me the idea of adding a liqueur into a supposed premium sipping rum seems to be stretching the boundaries, even by rum’s standards.  I enjoyed the honesty of Diplomatico’s Anejo and its fiery rough “rummy” feel.  I originally enjoyed very much the Reserva Exclusiva but at the time I had tried very little in the way of sipping rum’s be they “Premium” or “Super Premium”.

    Anyway, armed with this information I paid the Diplomatico website a visit to see how the Reserva Exclusiva  was described http://www.rondiplomatico.com/pages/rondetalle.php?menu=1.  No mention of any added sugar syrup or liqueur no Hacienda Sauro mentioned.  So this is just a 12 year old Venezuelan rum.  Now Robert Burr is no mug he knows his stuff, he runs the Miami Rum Fest amongst other things.  It’s likely that this was insider information he was given, so it seems strange it would be untrue.  Also Mr Burr isn’t one of the “pure” rum brigade so he wouldn’t just be trying to spread untruth’s.  He loves rum! All rum!

    My reviews have always been conducted using my own palate (and a little Internet research).  So with this in mind I thought I would re-visit my review and see if I was still as enthusiastic about this “rum” as I was first time around. When poured in the glass the Reserva Exclusiva is a lovely dark to golden/amber colour.  It smells sweet, almost a little too sweet.  It is fruity, oranges, grapes and raisins with scents of chocolate and a sweet almost syrupy like scent like Monkeys Blood (red syrup for Ice Cream).  It’s difficult in some ways to compare this to many rums or ascertain its style.  In terms of sweetness the best match would be El Dorado 12 Year Old.  Many reviews cite Zacapa 23 as being very sweet – in my opinion this and the El Dorado 12 Year Old are noticeably sweeter – both on the nose and in the taste.

    When sipped the rum is very smooth and feels quite viscous.  It reminds me both of Baileys (Irish Cream) and Drambuie (A Whisky Liquor).  It is very sweet.  The tasting notes on the site are very accurate vanilla, fudge/toffee sauce are noticeable as are notes of vanilla and a finish which is slightly bitter like cocoa which leaves a hit of oakiness on the taste buds.  The finish is pretty short.  It lacks the complexity of the El Dorado 12 Year Old or Rum Sixty Six (two other very good 12 year old rum’s).   There is a suspicious lack of burn or heat to this rum.  There is also a lack of oakiness which I would expect from a 12 year old rum.

    The word which keeps coming back to me as I re-review this rum is syrup.  Admittedly it’s sweet syrup not cough syrup but even still it concerns me.  Should this really have so many awards as a “Premium Sipping Rum”? Is this a case of the Emporer’s New Clothes? Are we are all being conned into buying a rum which has been altered to such an extent it should really be labelled a liquor?  Why do so many reviewers note this is an excellent “after dinner” rum?  Has the haste to remove Zacapa from its previous position as the undisputed number one led to us “loving” the Venezuelan underdog all the more?

    To be honest I feel that maybe the Reserva Exclusiva has perhaps went a touch too far.  I still have some of the Diplomatico Anejo so I’m going to try something.  I have some Ginger Liqueur.  Will adding a tiny drop of the liqueur even out the rough edges of the Anejo? The answer is undoubtedly yes.  It now exhibits the viscous nature of the Reserva Exclusiva.  Its not liqueur level but its definitely thicker than a standard rum.  It rounds off the rum’s rough edges as well – tastewise it was a Ginger liqueur so I can’t really compare that.

    So what has re-visiting the Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva told me? Well I’m suspicious that’s for sure and this suspicion will affect the scoring.  I don’t feel that gives the rum a high star rating is fair with such a strong suspicion that the rum has been doctored with a liqueur even if it is a very small amount.  Not being funny but the Anejo was more than acceptable and I do feel that they have crossed a boundary with the rum and to me it ceases to be very “rummy” at all.

    The Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva is a very enjoyable, sweet, easy going drink with a little complexity to it.  However, whether it is indeed the world’s greatest rum is another matter.  To me it is just a little bit too sweet and really not all that complex and very un-rum like in many ways.

    3 stars

     


     

     

  • That Boutique-y Rum Company Monymusk Distillery Aged 13 Years

    Bythefatrumpirate

    That Boutique-y Rum Company Monymusk Distillery Aged 13 YearsThat Boutique-y Rum Company Monymusk Distillery Aged 13 Years. I’ve a “Zoom Tasting” of Rum and Whisk(e)y later today, so I thought I would dig through my sample boxes and see if I had anything outstanding to review from That Boutique-y Rum Company.

    I was quite surprised to come across this particular sample still intact. Today I am reviewing one That Boutique-y Rum Company’s older releases. You can actually still buy this particular bottling but it is in very short supply over at Master of Malt.

    This is a 100% Pot Still Rum which was distilled back in September 2004. It was shipped unaged to the UK where it has been aged in “recycled rum casks” (I’m assuming these are ex-bourbon casks which then stored other rums) up until 2014. The rum was then re-filled into more “re-cycled rum casks” for a further maturation of just over 3 years.

    The artwork is suitably bizarre in keeping with the That Boutique-y Rum Company’s usual look – this time we have dogs riding the London Underground. Something which hints at where the rum was matured is what is hinted on in the description at Master of Malt.

    As with all (bar the Signature Blends) this rum is in a 50cl size bottle or half litre if you prefer. A carafe of rum maybe? This means less rum but a higher outturn of bottles. It retails at £59.95. This initial batch of rum was a release of 473 bottles. That Boutique-y Rum Company Monymusk Distillery Aged 13 Years has been bottled at 55.4% ABV, which I assume is Cask Strength or near enough!

    For those unfamiliar with Monymusk/Clarendon they produce a lot of rum for major producers such as Diageo – Captain Morgan and Myers’s for example. However a lot of this rum is their column distilled rum. Their Pot Still rum is still very well regarded and is very popular with rum enthusiasts. It is a popular choice amongst Independent bottlers such as That Boutique-y Rum Company.

    So lets see how this particular bottling rates.

    In the glass the continental ageing is immediately apparent. After 13 years in the tropics it is fair to say that the rum would be a lot darker! What we have hear is a very lightly coloured spirit. Straw coloured. It could almost pass as a “white” rum in some circles where producers don’t mind a yellow tinge.

    The initial nose is slightly salty and carries a nice hit of pineapple. Salted Pineapple? Is that a thing?

    Beneath this I am That Boutique-y Rum Company Monymusk Distillery Aged 13 Yearsgetting some notes of what I can only really describe as beer. It smells a bit like the bottom of a pint of bitter. Quite hoppy and malty. Nice though!

    Further nosing reveals some light chilli heat and some hints of smoke and tobacco. There is also a bit mixed fruit jam lurking around adding a bit sweetness.

    It’s a reasonably funky nose but its nothing stupid. I guess it midway between a Hampden and an Appleton. Probably more in keeping with a Worthy Park in that it has that refined note to it.

    Sipped the rum is quite spicy on the initial palate but it has a fruitiness that carries the spice along nicely. Pineapple, banana and some apricot stand out alongside some chilli and black pepper. A touch of cardamon as well. Therres something quite menthol about the rum with a bit liquorice.

    The mid palate remains vibrant with some more oak spice and further fruity notes and to the spicy heat on the tongue.

    As the mid palate moves into the finish you get some vanilla and more waThat Boutique-y Rum Company Monymusk Distillery Aged 13 Yearsrming oak. As the rum begins to fade out into the finish you get a lot of fruitiness again with the pineapple and apricot leading the way.

    The finish is a good length and is pleasantly fruity but has a good weight of oak and spice as it begins to fade.

    It is safe to say that whilst this is a reasonably “funky” rum in the overall way of things – its not a huge Jamaican funk monster. It’s not Hampden level DOK.

    It relies less on the oak ageing than Appleton but it does seem to have “mellowed” over time into something, which is a bit more refined than you might expect from 100% Pot Still Jamaican Rum.

    Not entirely sure why I hadn’t reviewed this before. I can only think I got mixed up and thought I had already reviewed it.

    Still a couple of bottles are still available if you are quick.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Ninefold Distillery Nith Inshore Rescue Pure Single Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Ninefold Distillery Nith Inshore Rescue Pure Single Rum review by the fat rum pirate Ninefold Distillery Nith Inshore Rescue Pure Single Rum. The unusual name of this rum is due to the fact it is a Charity bottling. The distillery – Ninefold should be familiar with readers of this blog as we have been keeping a close eye on their “Scottish Pure Single Rum” since they began production. Indeed we have both reviewed their products and interviewed owner/distiller Kit Carruthers.

    This is their second “barrel aged release” following on from last years 1 year old rum. In all honesty I know very little about “Nith Inshore Rescue” and Kit has put together a very comprehensive run down on the charity and this bottling. So for once I am actually just going to pretty much cut and paste the “marketing” gumpfh as I honestly don’t think I can offer anything different. The tasting notes etc will be my own work as will the final score. Kit won’t be influencing that!

    So here we go…..

    Ninefold Distillery has collaborated with Nith Inshore Rescue to release a limited charity edition of just 100 bottles of their Scottish barrel aged rum to support the charity and help celebrate 40 years of lifeboat service.

    Nith Inshore Rescue is an independent lifeboat service serving the Upper Solway and surrounding area rooted in the community of Glencaple, Dumfries, Scotland. Ninefold’s partnership with them was inspired by the long history between rum and the sea, including the history of navy sailors being given a daily tot of rum from 1655 until the ration was abolished in 1970.

    Their mission is: “To protect and save lives, and when life is lost do everything we can to recover loved ones for those who are experiencing loss”.

    Following the repeated tragic loss of life in the fast tides of the Upper Solway the community of Glencaple responded by founding their own independent lifeboat in 1982.

    Ninefold Distillery Nith Inshore Rescue Pure Single Rum review by the fat rum pirateThe lifeboat crew today are the custodians of a proud legacy of extensive knowledge, experience and history gained over four decades of service. Nith Inshore Rescue is committed to ensuring future generations are both protected and serve in the volunteer community rooted service that is their Lifeboat.

    This charity release is a one-off Scottish Pot distilled cask aged rum, made from sugar cane molasses here at Ninefold Distillery.

    Twelve experimental rums were distilled in Spring 2019 at the outset of the distillery, using 4-8 day fermentations and a variety of configurations of our 500 litre copper pot still. These rums were blended, casked at 60.9% and laid down at the distillery in September 2019, in a virgin American white oak barrel, barrel #04.

    21 months later, in June 2021, the rum was re-racked into two ex-oloroso sherry octaves used to finish Speyside and Islay single malts, and finished for three months at the distillery.

    The two octaves were blended back together in September 2021 at a ratio of 60:40 in favour of the Islay cask, to retain hints of smokiness in the final rum. Just 100 bottles are available, at cask strength of 59.2% ABV.

    As part of the sales process some bottles will be auctioned.

    Auction – Bottles 1-5
    Bottle numbers 1 to 5 will be auctioned, and are the only bottles to each come with a presentation box made from local driftwood. Each box is made from a different wood: Sycamore, Yew, Ash, Douglas Fir and Holly. Bidding is via the following form, beginning immediately and ending 10pm Sunday 7th November.

    Auction form link

    The five highest bids submitted will be allocated the first five bottles in order of highest to lowest bids. You will be notified before the general sale starts so that you can still get a chance to buy a bottle if you didn’t obtain one in the auction.

    General sale – Bottles 6-100
    Pre-orders will begin via our online shop at 9am on Tuesday 9th November for 95 of the 100 bottles available. Each bottle will be £100, limited to one per person/household, with all profits being donated to the Nith Inshore Rescue. All bottles will be numbered.

    NB – I will be updating the review with a link to purchase on Monday when the link is released by Kit.

    Well this has been one of my easiest review to write so far. Now I’m just left with the fun part (hopefully) so lets crack on and see what this rum tastes like.

    In the glass we are presented with a golden amber coloured liquid with a slight haze to it. Which suggest no chill filtering – which we like as it means all the flavour compounds remain. Hurrah!

    Ninefold Distillery Nith Inshore Rescue Pure Single Rum review by the fat rum pirateThe nose will be familiar to those that have tried any of Ninefold’s output. It’s has a very creamy toffee nose with lots of butterscotch and with this particular rum I’m getting a really fruity note of bananas and some indulgent Cornish style Vanilla Ice Cream.

    It’s a really nice toffee/molasses heavy nose which I really like. Beneath the sweetness and creaminess you get a slight smokiness and a touch of peat. Bit of camp fire perhaps.

    Sipped the rum shows much more of the whisky character which will be coming from finish as detailed above. Fortunately for me the Islay “peaty” side of things whilst very apparent is not completely taking over the spirit. I’ve got to be honest I’m not a huge fan of Scotch Whisky in general. Speyside is really about as far as my tastes tend to take me so I’m pleased that this component and the heavy molasses flavour of the rum is standing up to the smoky/peaty Islay influence.

    I’m noticing a trend of “peated” rums appearing and rums being finished in Scotch Whisky casks. I’ll be honest I’m not a huge fan as essentially I feel you just end up with a Spirit that no longer really tastes likes rum. That I must stress in not the case with this offering.

    On the sip you initially get a lot of honey, some molasses, toffee and a little hint of licorice. The entry is quite sweet but the mid palate cuts in quite quickly (not sure if it can even be called the mid palate as the change is very swift).

    Ninefold Distillery Nith Inshore Rescue Pure Single Rum does quickly take on a lot of character from the casks it was finished in. So it becomes quite smoky and peaty. However as I take a few more sips I’m noticing my palate adjusting to this smokiness and I’m finding more of the “rummy” notes return as the mid palate develops into the finish.

    Ninefold Distillery Nith Inshore Rescue Pure Single Rum review by the fat rum pirateThis rum kind of goes sweet, gently smoky and then sweet again with a hint of smoke. It’s a really interesting rum to sip on. I dare say I would likely preferred this rum without the Whisky/Sherry finish but it is defnitely adding something unique to the mix.

    I feel this is a very good sipper for this time of year. The smokiness of the rum really suits the cold Northern climate.

    Finish wise the rum has a nice length to it and the peat and smokiness linger for quite a long time. The sweeter notes return a little more in the finish as well with the banana and toffee sticking around for a while between sips.

    A really great rum and a really great cause. Great stuff

     

     

     

  • Dead Reckoning Port Broadside

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Dead Reckoning Port Broadside Rum review by the fat rum pirate Dead Reckoning Port Broadside. Today we have another review of a rum from Australian Independent bottlers – Dead Reckoning. They have recently expanded distribution into Europe and the US. However, this is Single Cask release for the Australian market only.

    This is a blend of rums from three different “secret” distilleries. It should be noted at this point that some Rum Producers have requested that Independents do not use the distillery name on their bottlings.

    I am not entirely sure if all three of the distilleries used in this bottling have such informal arrangements in place. Dead Reckoning Port Broadside does have identifiers though. In the shape of rum marques which can be used to determine which distillery the rum hails from.

    First of all though we will consider the name used for this release – Port Broadside. Rather than being an actual Port the term is actually a reference to firing all guns/cannons from one side – Port (left) of a warship. Which suggests this is quite going to quite a “fiery” number.

    So it is a little bit of surprise to see which rum marques have been used in this release. You might expect this rum to be made up of the higher ester Rum Marques. It isn’t. Dead Reckoning Port Broadside is made up of marques at the lower end of the ester count. That said this is Jamaican rum so it is by nature more “funky” than just about everything else on the planet.

    I’ll give a quick run down on the marques used in this release

    LFCH – First up we have a marque from the Hampden Estate. This is a more recent marque – Lawrence Francis Close Hussey a member of the Hussey family who own Hampden Estate and the grandfather of current Marketing Director Christelle Harris who is often the “face” of Hampden Estate. The ester range is between 85-120 gr/hl AA.

    For context Hampden Estate’s ester level marques range from 40 gr/hl AA OWH (Outram W Hussey) to 1600 gr/hl AA DOK (Dermot Owen Kelly-Lawson).

    This is a Pot Still distilled rum.

    WPL – Secondly we have rum from Worthy Park Estate. Worthy Park Light which has between 60-119 gr/hl AA. Worthy Park are a different kind of distillery to most of the other Jamaican producers. It is a much more modern, more technologically advanced distillery.

    Worthy Park operate a Pot Still only set up and there rums do not go as high ester-wise as the likes of Hampden, Long Pond and New Yarmouth. The highest ester rum produced by Worthy Park is Worthy Park Extra (WPE) which can go up to 800 gr/hl AA.

    NYE/P – The New Yarmouth Estate has only recently become more well known thanks mainly to Independent bottlers. New Yarmouth is situated in Clarendon Parish (not to be confused with Clarendon Distillery) and was acquired by Appleton Estate (Campari) in 2012. It operates both pot and column stills.

    The distillery produces rum for various Jamaican blends and is also where the worldDead Reckoning Port Broadside Rum review by the fat rum pirate (in)famous J Wray and Nephew White Overproof Rum is produced.

    From what I gather the rum used in this release is a column distilled rum. NYE/P – New Yarmouth Estate Plummer is the marque. I have also seen this marque attributed to Pot Still rums. It will also be familiar with anyone who has had a bottle of Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum.

    The ester count for this one is between 95-150 gr/hl AA. Again for reference New Yarmouth Estate rums can run up to 1600 gr/hl AA with their NYE/WK – New Yarmouth Estate Winston Kennedy marque.

    So that is the information on the juice in the bottle. I am not sure in what quantities the rum has been blended. The bottle notes this is Single Blended Rum, As it is from multiple distilleries this should just be labelled Blended Rum. Justin at Dead Reckoning has acknowledged this error. It’s not a big deal for me as we get plenty information from Justin and co at Dead Reckoning so there is no real confusion over what we are getting here.

    As noted this rum is a Australia only release with just 360 bottles available. ABV is 50%. The overall ester count is noted as 96.5 gr/hl AA. It has been aged for 4 and a 1/2 years. 3 Years in ex-bourbon casks in Jamaica and 1 and a 1/2 years in a 120 year Australian Dry Tawny (Port to all intents and purposes) Cask “Dry Aged” in Adelaide.

    The cost of this rum is around $125. Information on this rum can be found at The Rum Tribe.

    As with all Dead Reckoning releases – no added sugar or any other additives and non-chill filtered.

    I think we have enough information on the contents of this bottle so now lets see how it goes down…….

    The nose is quite mellow, fair bit of influence from the Tawny casks giving it a sweet, slightly floral aroma initially. There is a hint of “funk” lurking beneath.

    Further nosing reveals more tropical fruits – pineapple and coconut in particular. There is also a hint of stewed prunes, breakfast tea (no milk) and a mix of allspice and some slight woody/aged notes. I am also getting hints of nail varnish and some charred banana skins.

    All in all the nose is complex and inviting at the same time. Even at 50% ABV this is very approachable.

    Sipping Dead Reckoning Port Broadside offers a quite different experience initially. On the first sip their is a real “tang” and a hit of sour notes. There is a lot more Jamaican funk going on now. After a couple of sips the tangy sour notes begin to give way to more traditional, familiar Jamaican notes. I’m getting more of the nail varnish and pineapple. It’s a kind of sweet and sour note now.

    As the palate becomes more accustomed to the rum you will begin to notice some stoned fruits, banana bread and a touch of icing sugar.

    The mid palate really begins to open up and you will start to experience the black tea notes again. Alongside a nice mix of vanilla/bourbon and some spicy oak. There is a slight herbal note to this as well. Mango, Passion Fruit – the list goes on…..Dead Reckoning Port Broadside Rum review by the fat rum pirate

    There is so much going on with this rum. By the time you reach the finish you will have went through a real array of flavours and aromas.

    Length wise the finish is a good length, nice and dry with a good amount of spiciness. Even a touch of ground coffee. Sweetness from the Tawny cask comes through leaving a nice taste of what I can only describe as funky blackcurrants.

    With this rum Justin at Dead Reckoning has achieved a complex sipper. One which will appeal to more experienced rum buffs but  won’t have more casual or less experienced rum drinkers running to the hills.

    It might not be the liking 100% of the more extreme 1% of rum drinkers who only drink perfume, sorry DOK (Dermot Owen Kelly) marque rums but hey ho.

    I think this is a great piece of work again from Dead Reckoning.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Leatherback Rum Barrel Strength Special Reserve

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Leatherback Rum Barrel Strength Special Reserve Rum review by the fat rum pirateLeatherback Rum Barrel Strength Special Reserve. This rum is produced at North of 7 Distillery. Which is a micro distillery in Ottawa, Canada it is ran by avid rock climbers Greg Lipin and Jody Miall. You may think that is a pretty odd thing to point about someone. However, the reason is they run a rock climbing training gym right across the road from their North of 7 Distillery. They divide their time between the two businesses.

    Now I was a bit curious about what “North of 7” referred to as none of the other reviews/interviews I had read about the distillery, had touched upon it. After a little bit of googling I found the following blog post which explained it all.

    So now I best explain the Leatherback part. As you can see from the label the Leatherback is a Sea Turtle, which can be found in Canadian waters. For each bottle of Leatherback Rum sold, a portion is donated to the Canadian Sea Turtle Network – a charitable organization based in Halifax that is working to conserve endangered sea turtles in Canadian waters and abroad. So there you go.

    We’ve explained about the distillery and the name of the the rum. So now lets take a look at the presentation, before we get down to looking at the actual liquid.

    Leatherback Rum Barrel Strength Special Reserve comes in a short rounded 3/4 stubby style bottle complete with a synthetic wood topped stopper. Presentation is reasonably modern and quite well “branded”. The information provided about the rum is good as well. This particular rum is only available at the Distillery store. It retails at $55.95 Canadian dollars. The bottle size is 750ml standard for the US/Canada.

    Should you wish to learn more about North of 7’s products then you can visit their website.

    So let’s take a look at the liquid. My Leatherback Rum Barrel Strength Special Reserve is from batch number 19 and from barrel number 31. The rum is distilled from 100% molasses which comes from Lantic Rogers based in Montreal. The molasses is fermented for 5-6 days before being distilled on a Pot Still with only one plate.

    Leatherback Rum Barrel Strength Special Reserve Rum review by the fat rum pirateLeatherback Rum Barrel Strength Special Reserve is then aged in new barrels from Independent Stave Company based in Kentucky. When producing the rum the barrels a given a light toast and a heavy char. It is then aged for a minimum of 4 years. The producers are very clear that they do not add sugar or any other additives to their rum.

    If you would like some more reading on Leatherback Rum and North of 7 distillery, then please have a look at Ivar’s post on Rum Revelations. Which I found useful for this review.

    The eagle eyed amongst you may notice that Ivar and myself have reviewed the exact same bottle. Ivar kindly gave me a pretty much full bottle at Rumfest last year. Cheers Ivar.

    So lets get down to the tasting then now we have covered pretty much everything!

    In the glass we have a dark brown spirit with a orange hue. The nose delivers a fair amount of oak spices and some treacly molasses aromas. Further nosing reveals a slight whisky/bourbon like “malty” note. Some green apple, raisins and a smoky caramel aroma. It’s quite nice and at 57% ABV it is surprisingly restrained in the “booze” department.

    Sipped, this is a pretty big, brusing style of rum. Very molasses forward in terms of treacly caramel and a slightly bitter note. Despite this the initial entry is quite sweet with lots of toffee, vanilla and sugar (though none has been added). This moves along into the mid palate which is spicy with quite a of oak and a touch of tobacco. There isn’t as much of the fruity notes that were there on the nose. They are present briefly on the initial entry but the woodier notes quickly take over.

    This is what some might call a “dry” rum. I’m not a big fan of the term because often it is used to explain a “non sugared” rum. I think using such a term almost legitimises added sugar which is not something I’m happy to play with. For my meaning this is along the lines of the likes of Foursquare 2004, which for me is no bad thing. That said Foursquare 2004 is aged much longer and is a blend of Pot/Column. I think Foursquare 2013 might be a better comparison.Leatherback Rum Barrel Strength Special Reserve Rum review by the fat rum pirate

    Finish wise Leatherback Rum Barrel Strength Special Reserve has a long clean spicy finish, which has a refreshing slightly minty bite to it.

    All in all this is a really nice well balanced Single Barrel Pot Still rum. Something which all things considered is a pretty tricky thing to pull off.

    It punches way above it’s 4 year age statement and makes for a great sipper when you fancy something with a bit more character. Likewise even in mixed drinks this is not a rum to shy away from the action.

    Good stuff – I did see some Leatherback rum for sale on either The Whisky Exchange or Master Malt a few years ago. I never bought it. If it comes on sale again I’ll be sure to pick some up.

    A pleasant surprise.

     

8 Comments

  1. Have been very impressed with the Cadenhead releases over the past few years.
    My Rum of the Year go’s to their Venezuela 14yo Cask Strength Series.

  2. To echo what someone else said below, thank you for another year of great reviews. I really rely on bloggers like you and the Lone Caner et al when it comes to choosing rum. As for my favourite rum of the year it’s hard to go past the Baker Williams cask strength from Mudgee in central western NSW. I have no idea how it, and all the other Australian rums taking over my bookcase, stack up against the Foursquares etc of this world and to be honest it’s not something I dwell on. Maybe tomorrow’s arrival of the Forsyths 2006/2017 WPM will change all that.

  3. Never actually tried any pussers, I am curious about the 50th anniversary release, but since its near Christmas and the wife and child have bled me dry I’m only allowing myself 1 bottle and at the cheaper end of the scale. It comes down to the Pussers or FS sagacity. Decisions decisions…….

  4. I really want to try the Pusser’s 50th Anniversary, but unfortunately the three online retailers that have it don’t ship internationally. I hope it becomes more widely available. Pusser’s Gunpowder is one of my personal favorites.

    I liked Tiger Shark, but not as much as the first in the series.

    My personal rum of the year is Clairin Le Roche. It changes profile every time I drink it. Sometimes, it tastes like burnt plastic, sometimes beef jerky, sometimes barbecue corn chips.

  5. Thank you very much for this blog, I learn a lot from it, as my tastes seem to align with yours. This was my first year of rum exploring, and you have led me to some amazing purchases and many hours of joy. Happy holidays to you and your family, please keep sharing your rum expertise for years to come!
    I am not keeping up yet with rum releases, as it is not really easy (or even possible) here in Russia, but for my first rum year (release year aside) I would name two clear outliers, two rums that leave me in awe: TCRL Fiji 2014 and Hamden Overproof. My first Fousquare ECS (2005) is on the way now, and I feel it might shake me too!

  6. The first 4-5 times that I tried the Foursquare Rum Distillery Patrimonio I thought it wasn’t very special or very interesting, definitely not worth the price, but now after 4-5 months I find it to be the best rum of the year. Maybe it just needed some air or maybe it was me who needed time 😉 or maybe both, but I also find this behaviour on other Foursquare releases, they grow. Anyone else with similar experiences?

    1. I can’t comment on Foursquare rums but I quite often find a rum needs a bit of air in the bottle for it to settle down. Fat Rum Pirate referred above to some people finding the Hereditas too heavy on the sherry. I bought an Australian rum this year that was aged in sherry casks and the first couple of times I had it it tasted & smelled more like sherry than rum but once about an inch or so of air got into the bottle the sherry wafted off leaving behind a delicious rum.

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