Rum Sixty Six Extra Old 6 Year Old

Bythefatrumpirate

Rum Sixty Six Extra Old 6 Year Old Rum Review by the fat rum pirateRum Sixty Six a rum from the Foursquare Distillery on Barbados has recently seen some additions to its range.  Previously, the only rum in the Rum Sixty Six portfolio was a tropically aged 12 Year Old. A blend of Pot and Column distillate aged in ex-bourbon barrels.

Rum Sixty Six have added two more rums to the line up alongside an updated version of the original.

Released to the UK in September 2017 the new Rum Sixty Six line up comprises a Cask Strength Version of the original 12 Year old (59% ABV), a slightly higher ABV (43% as opposed to 40%) of the “original” 12 Year Old and this 6 year old rum which is up for review today.

Rum Sixty Six Extra Old 6 Year Old is a Pot and Column distilled rum which has been fully tropically aged at Foursquare Distillery.  It is bottled at 40% and is priced at around £28 for a 70cl bottle here in the UK.

Part of the reason for the new releases is a new deal between Rum Sixty Six’s parent company the Bajan Rum Company and Halewood International.  Halewood can ensure that distribution is increase,d so Rum Sixty Six is more easily and readily available.  Halewood have a number of very recognisable rums, gins and vodkas in their portfolio.

The 6 Year Old version of Rum Sixty Six was aged solely in ex-Bourbon casks (Jack Daniels) so it offers an authentic Bajan rum experience with none of the flourishes of recent Foursquare releases such as the Port and Zinfandel Cask finishes.

I’ve tried a number of Foursquare rums of a similar age – Doorly’s 5, Doorly’s 8 and the XO.  My biggest concern with this rum is how close to the Doorly’s 5 it may be.  Will it just be the same blend aged for a further year?

As well as trying the Foursquare rums available above I have also been lucky enough to try Old Brigand, which is a younger blend of Foursquare rum and the recently released Neptune rum – a 3 year old Gold rum.  I was impressed with both so it will be interesting to see if this new offering is as good as those younger rums.

Foursquare as I’m sure you are aware are pretty “hip” at the moment.  They’ve produced at least two of the stand out rums of 2017.  When I first got into rum around 5 to 6 years ago they had quite a stable line up of rums.  Since then the number of different rums and limited editions they have released has bRum Sixty Six Extra Old 6 Year Old Rum Review by the fat rum pirateeen quite frightening! Especially for my bank balance…. I’ve spent probably 10 times as much on Foursquare offerings as I have any other producer.

So what does Rum Sixty Six 6 Year Old have to offer?  Lets find out.

First up presentation is in keeping with the original.  A tall rectangular bottle with a refreshing good cork stopper.  I like the consistent design.  Though I do worry that the less inquisitive may not immediately associate the rum as being an official Foursquare release.

Secondly the price I feel is more than reasonable and certainly very competitve.  Rum Sixty Six 6 Year Old enters probably one of the most over saturated parts of the rum market – the £25-30 price range.

In the glass we are presented with a medium to dark brown liquid.

On the nose there is quite a lot of lightly charred oak and bourbon like spices.  I’m not getting a lot of sweet notes – maybe a touch of toasted coconut and a light waft of vanilla.  I’m also getting some hazelnut and macadamia. As is so often the case with Foursquare I find myself talking about the balance of the nose.  Which is pretty much bang on.  All quite familiar and almost the same but ever so slightly different.  It certainly smells like a slightly “heavier” rum than Doorly’s 5 or even the 8.

Taste wise its not as sweet as its older brother.  It’s actually verging on being a little on the bitter side at times.  It’s pretty spicy and quite dry. Pretty oaky.  I wouldn’t say it was overly aggressive or menacing like some rums but its certainly a lot more oak-centric than the Doorly’s range.  You don’t get any sweetness or even much by way of vanilla.  Some of the notes in the nose haven’t quite moved over to the tasting.  It still retains however a certain balance and what oak and spice is there all plays along nicely.

I spoke to Richard about this and he advised (as I had suspected) that there is more Pot Still rum in this blend than the Doorly’s range.

As a sipper it wouldn’t be my first choice.  But do not let that deter you as it is certainly not without its merits.  There are few rums in this price range you will find to be sippable and pure.

At the price point it could be seen more as premium mixer.  I’ve got to say it makes for a very lively Rum and Coke.  The extra Pot and the spiciness of it really makes for a great drink.

It isn’t Foursquare’s greatest rum but then again it is amongst the youngest I have tried to date.  If you want something a little more oaky and punchier than Doorly’s 5 then this might just be for you.

It’s still a very good rum.

 

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  • DropWorks Barrel Drop Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    DropWorks Barrel Drop Rum review by the fat rum pirateDropWorks Barrel Drop Rum. We are back to Worksop today. Ahh Worksop Town I’m sure George Best played for them at some point…..I hear you all shouting, no Wes it was Dunstable Town!

    Well he did so there. unfortunately it was George A Best and he was a Goalkeeper. Not a right winger or an alcoholic. He actually played his last professional game not far from me just down the road in South Shields.

    That pretty much sums up my knowledge of Worksop a town in Nottinghamshire where DropWorks Distillery is situated. Close to the Welbeck Abbey Brewery, which I also know sweet FA about.

    DropWorks Barrel Drop Rum is the first aged offering from the distillery. There is quite a lot of information about the rum on their wesbite so I will summarise it as best I can. For full details see here.

    DropWorks Barrel Drop Rum is a molasses based rum. This is important as a number of distilleries in the UK use Panela or even Sugar as the base for their rums. Which arguably makes them NOT rum according to EU guidelines. Little however seems to be done about this. I suppose as long as Tax is being paid why would the government care?

    Two fermentations ranging from 4 to 30 days using a unique Wild Trinity Yeast. The rum is made up of 3 marques of which 75% is Column Distilled, 15% Double Pot Distilled and 10\% Double Retort Distilled.

    It does not have an age statement on the bottle but it has been aged up to 16 months. I am not sure what this means? Is only part of the liquid 16 months old? I don’t know.

    It is aged in a selection of casks one of which is a hybrid of Portuguese and American Oak. Both of which have been Shaved, Toasted and Re-Charred (STR). There is also a small amount of the rum aged in Virgin Oak casks.

    DropWorks Barrel Drop Rum review by the fat rum pirateThis rum is a continuous release as part of DropWorks core range. It is bottled at 40% ABV. You can pick a bottle up direct from DropWorks or at Master Of Malt.

    It retails at just over the £30 mark. So its pretty well priced considering the work that goes into it.

    So thats my information exhausted so lets see how this one goes down…………

    DropWorks Barrel Drop Rum is in keeping with most other UK based rums. On the initial nosing its a heavy molasses, caramel and treacle profile. It’s certainly something much like Jamaican and Bajan rums that marks it out from other types of rum.

    Something which I think the UK poducers should make more of a point about. I do think a little more solidarity and working together would help UK rum overall. Raise its profile worldwide perhaps.

    Anyway I digress, further nosing reveals some fiery ginger root and some gingerbread biscuits. A touch of black pepper and some cocoa like notes. I’m getting some Rum and Raisin Ice Cream and some stoned fruits as well.

    On the sip the molasses heavy profile remains so plenty of dark treacle and lighter caramel notes. Treacle Toffee but with a slight bitterness to it.

    DropWorks Barrel Drop Rum review by the fat rum pirateIt’s rich and warming and quite fiery. The ginger and spicy notes from the barrel certainly come out as we move into the mid profile. There is a slight creaminess off set by the strong rum flavour which runs out into the finish.

    Finish wise its a reasonable length and the strong flavours of the rum remain throughout. It’s certainly full bodied and does not shy away.

    As a mixer it works really well as it stands up to pretty much anything you throw at it. Maybe not the best for the lighter cocktails such as Mojito’s but its certainly good in a Dark and Stormy, Navy Grog etc.

     

     

  • Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin Rum Review by the fat rum pirateSaint Benevolence Rum Clairin. Saint Benevolence is a charitable organisation which was set up in 2017 by father and son team Calvin and Chase Babcock. This follows on four decades of work by Calvin in helping the people of Haiti.

    The town of Saint Michel de L’Attalaye is where most of Calvin and Chase’s charitable work is located and it the people in this town that they have helped the most. They decided to combine their desire to help the people of Haiti with their love of Caribbean rum. And Saint Benevolence was born.

    Bwason Pou Bonte – Haitian-Creole meaning “Drink to Goodness” , is an expression that embodies the buoyant spirit of the Haitian people as well as the philanthropic ethos of Saint Benevolence.

    Every sip of Saint Benevolence Clairin and aged Caribbean rum directly funds charitable organisations such as Living Hope Haiti, Ti Kay and Innovating Health International.

    Saint Benevolence have two expressions available in their fledgling range. One is an aged Caribbean rum the other which I am reviewing today is an unaged traditional Haitian Clairin.

    The town of Saint Michel de L’Attayale does have working distilleries. These distilleries on Haiti which produce clairin are very rudimentary and often put together by hand from foraged materials and the Pot Stills are often pretty basic and capable of very small batch distillation.

    Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin is a field blend of Cristalline, Madame Meuze, Farine France and 24/14; indigenous cane clones organically grown in the fertile alluvial soils and tropical climate of Saint Michel de l’Attalaye.  This sugar cane is grown in the fields surrounding the Dorcinvil Distillery. The processes for producing this Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin are entirely organic. Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    The sugar cane is harvested by hand and the resulting sugar cane juice is fermented with wild yeasts for between 5 and 7 days.

    In homage to Saint Michel, the town of the spirit’s provenance some of the sugar cane juice is reduced to a syrup before being fermented in a local style, known as Methode Saint Michel.

    The two resulting fermentations are then blended together and ran through the hand built Copper Pot Still. This results in Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin.

    Saint Benevolence rum is mainly available in the US. I was sent a sample to try and get the word out about this, as it for a very noble cause and definitely something to get behind.

    Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin retails at just over or around $30. A simple search on google reveals a lot of online stores, where you can find it. Here are a couple of examples. I’m not sure what availability will be like in every state. Presentation wise Saint Benevolence, comes in a very and shapely tall bottle. The labelling is modern and there is a good amount of information on the bottle. The website is also pretty good for information. Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin is bottled at 50% ABV

    In the glass Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin is a crystal clear liquid. The nose is very rustic with lots of vegetal grassy sugar cane notes. There is a slightly sweet sour note.  Gooseberries and a salty briny aroma. It’s quite pungent and can be nosed from a distance.

    Further nosing reveals some tart lime notes and a smattering of sour cream and mayonnaise. There is a slightly spicy note of horseradish as well.

    Sipped Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin is surprisingly smoky and almost mezcal like. It is quite stony and mineral-ey. A much cleaner spirit than the quite vegetal nose suggested. Quite clinical and tastes a little of how disinfectant smells (don’t go there!). But in a good way (?).

    It’s certainly quite unique and it tastes a little more refined than some of the Velier Clairins. Finish wise it isn’t especially long but it leaves a nice spicy burn. More than a hint of Wasabi/Horseradish. I love Wasabi, so this is a really nice compliment to the smoke.Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    The website notes that this works well in a number of cocktails. It is certainly something a skilled bartender could work with and probably use both as a rum and a substitute for other more exotic spirits.

    I tried it in a Caiprinha and it worked well. The smokiness worked really nicely and more of the sweeter vegetal notes shone through.

    This is not going to be for every rum drinker – it’s certainly not your average white rum or even rhum. Definitely one for the more experimental enthusiast.

    Really good stuff.

     

     

  • Mount Gay 1703 Master Select Rum – 2017 Release

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Mount Gay 1703 Master Select Rum Review by the fat rum pirate 2017 releaseMount Gay 1703 2017 release. Mount Gay probably don’t need much introduction to even the most casual of Rum drinkers. Putting aside the puerile/childish comedy that can be derived from it being a “Gay” rum, the Eclipse is omnipresent in most British supermarkets. It’s availablity in pretty much every Airport I have ever visited in Europe also ensures it is one of the Rum Worlds big hitters.

    For all of Foursquare’s innovations and limited editions over the past few years Mount Gay and Cockspur are still Barbados’ biggest hitters in terms of volume and worldwide sales.

    For many years Mount Gay were known for their Eclipse rum’s (available in Gold and Silver though the Gold is much easier to find) and their Extra Old or XO – often shortened to MGXO in enthusiast circles. Until recently they had a 50% ABV Black Label rum as well but they discontinued that in favour of Black Barrel. You will now find bottles of Black Barrel pretty much everywhere that sells the Eclipse. It’s worth keeping an eye out of the 1 litre bottles available in Travel Retail.

    Contrary to popular belief the year 1703 is not the year Rum was first distilled on the island of Barbados. Mount Gay is often cited as the first Rum Distillery. It was the first legally recognised distillery but the noble spirit was produced much earlier than this date on Barbados.Mount Gay 1703 Master Select Rum Review by the fat rum pirate 2017 release

    Mount Gay 1703 has been in circulation for a number of years. It was recently “revamped” with new packaging and more information on the actual rums involved in the blend. It is Mount Gay’s “Super Premium” offering and retails at over £100 in the UK.

    The version of Mount Gay 1703 I am reviewing today is from the 2017 “batch”. This batch is one of 12,000 bottles issued annually. It is a blend of rums aged between 10 and 30 years. As far as I am aware it is a blend of Pot and Column distillates from 55 different casks expertly blended by Alen Smith. Alen is widely recognised as one of the best rum blenders in the world. The rums are blended and matured in ex-bourbon casks. I have no information suggesting anything otherwise.

    In the UK a bottle of Mount Gay 1703 Master Select will set you back around £150 for a 70cl bottle. Presentation wise the new look is much more contemporary and looks much better on the shelf. It is much more appealing and less “old fashioned” now. It is bottled at 43% ABV.

    I think that’s me done on the information side so lets see how good this rum is…..

    Golden brown in colour. The nose is full of chewy toffee, banana, caramel, brown sugar and that signature coconut.

    The coconut notes are particularly good. Its not very spicy. There is interaction with the wood but it doesn’t seem to have developed beyond a little buttery spiciness. This is a light and sweet bajan style of rum which has a wonderful balance to it.

    Big and punchy it isn’t but it is a rum which has been developed by a master blender that knows his rums strengths and he’s very much playing to them.

    Sipped the sweetness is dialled down a little. There is a nice spicy entry which is quite woody – ginger and a little hint towards a charred barrel and a little fire to the sweeter brown sugar and toffee notes.

    Further sips reveal more of the sweeter notes. The coconut returns – this time tasting at times like a Coconut Ice. The finish is long and spicy but never overbearing. It lasts longer than I had expected. Ginger and a bit of caraway seed alongside a good measure of oak.Mount Gay 1703 Master Select Rum Review by the fat rum pirate 2017 release

    It’s all very nice and polite and very nicely balanced. But its just not overly exciting. I think at this price point we need more from Mount Gay. They need to get out of that comfort zone. A re-brand is all very nice but they must be looking at Foursquare. St Lucia Distillers, Worthy Park and even Plantation and thinking – we must spice things up. We need to change, innovate, maybe try some different finishes – up the ABV (this is 43%) and just offer something more exciting and more 2018.

    This would have been great 10 years ago. Heck its still a very good rum but you can get better for a quarter of the price. I like Mount Gay rum a lot but they really need to move way beyond the Eclipse if they want the “aficionados” money.

    Safe – too safe.

  • Worst Rum of the Year – 2019 Winner

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Worst Rum of the Year 2019 – Winner

    Before I announce the Winner of the Rum of the Year 2019 I thought we would have a bit of fun. So here we have the other end of the Rum Spectrum.

    First up, I’m not sure if the recipient of Worst Rum of the Year should really be called the winner? Maybe loser would work better? It has been suggested on numerous occasions over the past couple of years that I should gave an “award”, not only to the Best Rum of the Year but also the Worst Rum of the Year.

    As I like to keep you all happy, I thought I would have a look through the 2019 archives and see what “gems” I uncovered. This time I had a few more contenders in the 1 star rated category (which covers from half a star to one and a half stars).

    Going by half and one star ratings only, I was left with six possibilities. I decided to discount Stroh 80 Inlander Rum, as it is arguably just a cooking product. At best it’s a Spiced “Rum” or Spirit Drink. I decided to go with 5 rums that market themselves as being rum.

    In all honesty, as my Rum Journey has evolved I no longer buy quite as much rubbish as I used to. If there is something out there like Don Papa or Bumbu, that is causing stir I will try wherever possible to get a small sample. Either through friends or from somewhere like Master of Malt. It may sound daft but I do want to review bad rums.

    It’s important to me that I can help you all as consumers, so reviewing cheap and not always quite so cheerful rum is something I do. I also like to try and get my hands on the more deceptive “Premium” rums and run them through the Hydrometer.

    Unlike quite a lot of reviewers/bloggers I don’t really do this for other enthusiasts as such. I certainly don’t want to enter the snobbier end of bloggers. Reviewing only Single Cask or Independently bottled rum is not what I’m about. Nor am I interested in getting into the Industry.

    Anyway, as a result I do end up reviewing some pretty bad rum. In terms of writing reviews, the bad reviews are often the ones I enjoy the most. I like “taking the piss” and making people laugh. I hope most of these reviews have raised a chuckle or two.

    As with the Rum of the Year all these rums have been reviewed in the last twelve months. Some of these rums have been around for a while. One might (thankfully) no longer be produced.

    I’m only doing the one piece on Worst Rum of the Year so this is the final running order of the five nominees.

    5. Plantation XO Barbados 20th Anniversary

    Plantation XO Barbados 20th Anniversay Rum Review by the fat rum pirateAs the attempts to complete the Barbados GI (Geographical Indicator) continue this rum for me offers one of the best examples, alongside Bumbu The Original as to why the Barbados GI is required. If anything why sweetening Barbados rum should be a no no. This is a cloying sickly sweet coconut flavoured mess. When Plantation gets things right they can produce decent rum. This is one of their best known offerings but it is without doubt one of their worst. Liqueuer like in its execution and with a deceptive age statement to add to the insult. This is not fine Barbados Rum and any reviewer/commentator recommending this should give their head a shake. This has been around a long time but I only got around to it this year so here it is.

    4. Dictador Best of 1979 41.8% ABV

    There is no getting away with it when it comes to Dictador. Their rums taste funny. Whilst they never seem to tip the Hydrometer by very much, if at all the taste just isn’t rum. This is rum marketed as being 39 years old. However, reports have circulated that only a portion of the rum is anywhere near 39 years old. Despite the amount of ageing this is a thin, coffee flavoured rum with very little going on. It’s smooth to the point of being sugared water. The eye watering price tag of over £300 really doesn’t justify the disappointing un-rum like liquid that is in the bottle. Even at £30 I’d feel badly done to.

    3. Bacardi Anejo

    Bacardi Anejo Rum Review by the fat rum pirateBacardi gets a very bad rep amongst more serious Rum Enthusiasts. In all honesty they are nowhere near as “bad” a rum producer as they are often made out. When they get it right they can come up with decent rums such as Bacardi Reserva and the Limited Edtion Major Lazer offering. It is usually their more Premium offering which disappoint. There core range – the Carta Negra aside are not THAT bad. The various flavoured offering yeah, I’ll concede those are shite.

    So what is so wrong with Bacardi Anejo? Well produced in Mexico and seemingly aimed at the Spanish speaking market this is just an awful tasting rum. Especially the after taste which is just weird. Nasty artificial tobacco like notes. To add insult to injury it is bottled at a measly 38% ABV. I don’t think it’s still in production is the only saving grace for this. Oh hang on it was cheap as well.

    2. Comandante Fidel Ron Anejo del Caribe

    Comandante Fidel Ron Anejo del Caribe rum review by the fat rum pirateI dare say if you had given this utter toss to Comandante Fidel he’d likely have had you shot! No wonder this is exported into Spain. I’ve included this even though it has fairly limited distribution as if you holiday in Spain sooner or later you’ll come across it. With its’ ridiculously cheap price tag and the Fidel image you may (like me) think it’s worth a shot.

    If you have ever wondered what a white rum might taste like mixed with the contents of an ashtray then this is it. This is absolutely putrid stuff – especially considered it has no additives. How you get a rum to taste this vile – like cigarette water is beyond me but this is truly vile stuff. Even at €7 or less a bottle, please don’t do it to yourself.

    So let’s move on and see which Rum is the first recipient of Worst Rum of the Year here at thefatrumpirate.com

    1. Santos Dumont XO Rum

    Santos Dumont XO Rum Review by the fat rum pirateA fairly recent review, in fact I think some of this festering sugary mess is still stuck to some of my teeth. In short there is nothing right about this rum – no definitive age statement given. I suppose in some ways its better than lying and sticking a big number 23 on the front. Okay I’ll give a bit of credit for that. What I won’t give credit for is the amount of additives used (58g/L) and the proud declaration on their website that it is produced using “proprietary formulas”.

    This “rum” is supposed to be made from Sugar Cane Honey (yet that old chestnut) produced in Brasil. To be honest the base spirit of this rum could have come from Timbuktu for all you will be able to determine in terms of “Terroir”. This tastes absolutely nothing like any Rum or Cachaca that I have had from Brasil.

    You see this is actually an A.H Riise product and it has there “signature” flavouring all over it. Which has turned whatever the base spirit was into a cloying, synthetic, sugar bomb with a truly disgusting sour/sweet after taste.

    I truly cannot understand what people enjoy about this rubbish. It’s simply not rum.

    So there we have it the first Worst Rum of the Year. No doubt people will have a lot of opinions on this list. If you do actually enjoy and disagree with the opinions here then I would suggest you start reading the following website instead

    The Rum Howler Blog

    Chimo!

     

     

  • Rum Nation Rare Rums Worthy Park 2006 2017

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Rum Nation Rare Rums Worthy Park 2006 2017 rum review by the fat rum pirateRum Nation Rare Rums Worthy Park. This is a rum from the second fully operational year for Worthy Park since the distillery was relaunched. The Rum Nation bottlings don’t seem to be as easy to get in the UK as they are in most of mainland Europe. I’m not really sure why this is the case as they would be pretty popular. This added to their fondness for a touch of “dosage” means I don’t review a great deal of their products.

    From the limited experience of their Rare Rums Small Batch, they don’t seem to be sweetening these offerings. Which is encouraging. They don’t sweeten all their rums but you never know when they might. This rum is bottled at 57% ABV and the Hydrometer bobbed at 56% which gives a reading of slightly over 5 g/L of additives. Due to it being borderline I recorded it as 0-5 – so “clean”.

    It will be interesting though when I taste the rum to see if I can detect any extra sweetness. I’ve had a fair few Worthy Park’s over the last couple of years. So I should notice if it goes down the same route as the Bacardi Single Estate bottling.

    This rum is still currently available and retails around the €130 mark approximately £120 or thereabouts. It is bottled at 57% ABV. Which is probably near enough cask strength. Its worth noting that this is a blend of rums from 4 different casks. Numbers 25,32,42 and 58. It is 100% Pot still rum. Distilled in 2006 and bottled in 2017.

    Presentation wise you get a nice cork topped stubby style bottle and a good quality canister to store the rum in. The presentation is clean and modern. You get a decent amount of information about you are buying. It continues Rum Nation’s use of “stamp” like labelling and looks a bit more contemporary than some of their bottlings.

    Rum Nation are a European Independent bottler. As a result I would imagine that this has been aged mostly in Europe. With minimal ageing in the tropics. I have, however noticed that some Worthy Park rums have had up to 4 years of Tropical ageing, before being shipped to brokers to be sold as “bulk” rum.

    In the glass the Rum Nation Rare Rums Worthy Park is a dark to golden brown with red and orange flashes. The nose is familiar and welcoming. Whilst clearly from Worthy Park it has a herbal note to it and a touch of brine which reminds me of St Lucia Distillers.

    There is though enough toffee and a note of black stewed English breakfast tea to make it clearly a Worthy Park rum. It’s quite a rich sweet nose which reminds me of the tropically aged Velier 2005 Worthy Park.

    Its nicely balanced and as you leave it in the glass it becomes less herbal and more full of toffee and chocolate notes.

    Sipped at the full ABV it is spicy with a nice warming concentration of flavours. It has a zestiness to it. Yet it is mellowed by sweeter notes of banana, guava and toffee. It’s very drinkable and quite mellow. Balance is very much the key with this rum.Rum Nation Rare Rums Worthy Park 2006 2017 rum review by the fat rum pirate

    There is a touch of sea salt and a hint of pine cones. These notes combine well with the chocolate and toffee which leads into a very tangy and slightly peppery finish. The notes of breakfast tea are very much left in the nose and only really re-appear a little in the aftertaste on the finish.

    This is pretty excellent to be honest. Up there with the best I’ve had from Worthy Park. The work Rum Nation have done in blending the casks together is impressive. This is a really first class rum.

    If Worthy Park is your thing then you will really enjoy this one. Its quite easy going but it has a good deal of complexity going on. Rum Nation Rare Rums Worthy Park just wraps up into a very appealing and enjoyable sipper.

    Balance is the key with this one with no bad or off notes.

     

  • J Gow Culverin

    Bythefatrumpirate

    J Gow Culverin Rum Review by the fat rum pirateJ Gow Culverin. Regular readers of this website should already beware of the J Gow Rum Distillery from Lamb Holm in the Orkney Islands, Scotland.

    I’ve not reviewed any of their rums for a while. In all honesty I’ve not reviewed any rums for a while. Which is something I am looking to correct now I am finding a little more time to get some reviews out.

    A Culverin was a two tonne cannon adapted for use on the sea during the 16th century. It could fire up to 8kg round shot to distances of over 1 kilometre.

    It has been noted by Collin Van Schayk (the distilleries owner) that J Gow Culverin is named because ” like the Culverin this rum has a long range and packs a punch.”

    So how exactly does J Gow Culverin do this? Well lets look at the information relating to this bottle which is provided on the company website.

    J. Gow Culverin is unaged Pure Single Rum – rum with no additives from a single distillery. It is J Gow’s own TC (Triple Cut) marque. The TC marque is fermented to 9% ABV over 5 days, it is then distilled to 85% in a single pass on J Gow’s 2000L pot still with rectification column. It is then slowly diluted down to drinking strength.

    J Gow Culverin Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    J Gow Culverin is bottled at 50% ABV and is non-chill filtered. If you want any clarification on the above technical distilling details – ask Collin I haven’t got a clue about this type of carry on…………

    You can pick up J Gow Culverin from numerous retailers such as The Whisky Exchange etc or direct from J Gow. It retails at around the £35 mark. Which might seem pricy for an unaged rum. However, you need to consider this is small batch pot still rum at a hefty 50% ABV.

    So lets move along and get some tasting done. In the glass J Gow Culverin is, as expected entirely clear. You may find the odd flavour particle or haziness in the bottle due to it being un-chill filtered but there is nothing of note beyond a neutral white spirit in my glass.

    The nose is quite surprising. It’s quite creamy and not as aggressive as I was expecting. Single Cream and Custard Cream’s (English biscuits) There’s a grassy aroma to it and a zestiness. Light notes of lemon and some freshly cut grass.

    There is a black pepper like note as well coming in as well as some green apple and a hint of cinnamon. There is a slight sourness overall as well.

    So its pretty complex on the nose and very interesting to sit and nose.

    Sipped neat the rum is quite fiery initially with a slightly metallic hit to it and a fair amount of bitterness. It’s sharp and leaves a lot of flavour behind on the palate. There’s slightly mineral like quality to it.

    It doesn’t carry the same level of sweetness and creaminess the nose suggested. You can certainly taste the 50% ABV and its pretty “fizzy” on the tongue.

    Further sips reveal a little more of the green apple and lemon/lime like notes. It’s not a bad little sipper – just as long as you recognise its an unaged white rum you are sipping on!

    In fairness it is recognised as being more of a quality mixing rum than an out and out sipper by the distillery itself but I can happily enjoy a glass or three of this neat. No problem.

    J Gow Culverin Rum Review by the fat rum pirateIt is in the mixing department where you likely will get the most joy out of J Gow Culverin though. A combination of the higher ABV (than most standard white rums) and a more interesting flavour profile makes it really stand out in mixed drinks. Simple things such as a Rum and coke/lemonade are really good with this rum. The slightly sour notes work nicely alongside the sweeter green apple and citrus notes to give you a really enjoyable and very punchy long drink.

    A Daiquiri is also really good with this rum and something which comes highly recommended.

    This showcases the variety available in White Rum and this is certainly a good bang for your buck in the current climate. Well worth seeking out and so much better than most “white rums” out there.