Saint James XO Rhum Vieux Agricole

Bythefatrumpirate

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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  • Berry Bros & Rudd The Classic Range Guatemala

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Berry Bros & Rudd The Classic Range Guatemala Rum review by the fat rum pirateBerry Bros & Rudd The Classic Range Guatemala. When it comes to rum there is little doubt that over the past 20 years Guatemala has become on of the worlds biggest players.

    Global rum brand Diageo, now own Ron Zacapa and other brands such as Ron Botran have made an impact on the UK and European market. Newer entries to the scene such as  El Pasador de Oro and Ron Barca are also growing in popularity in mainland Europe.

    It’s not all good news for Guatemalan rum though. A lot of more serious rum enthusiasts no longer get as “enthused” about releases by the likes of Ron Zacapa, due to the knowledge that they use additives. This is further compounded by the fact they continue to deny the practice. Stories about ageing in the clouds and herb/flower gardens haven’t helped either. Brands such as Ron Botran have also been criticised for using a glycerol to “smooth” out their products. That said, I still think they (Botran) stand up as decent rums.

    This means that whenever Guatemalan rum is mentioned in some circles, it is met with disdain. I’ve not tried a lot of “non branded” or Independently bottled rum from Guatemala. The last one I recall reviewing was a Kill Devil bottling from Darsa Distillery.

    I have read conflicting information about how many distilleries there are in Guatemala and the names and descriptions seem to change at will. Most of the independent bottlings I have seen note the Darsa Distillery.

    Unfortunately Berry Bros & Rudd can’t disclose which distillery (or distilleries) this rum is from, nor can they reveal the age of the rum. All I know that this retails at around £30 for a 70cl bottle with an ABV of 40.5%.

    Presentation wise we get a slightly smaller more easier to handle bottle than from the usual Berrys’ range. A nice synthetic cork stopper give this a bit extra class and the presentation is clean, simple and modern.  The lack of real information on this rum may well hinder its sales. That said it isn’t hugely expensive.

    These rums are very much an attempt to introduce key styles of rum to inexperienced rum drinkers. They are fairly easy drinking rums which can be used a sippers or premium mixers.

    In many ways I am reviewing this rum almost “blind” in that I do not know which distillery (or distilleries) it hails from and I have no real idea how long it has been aged.

    In the glass we have a golden brown/straw coloured liquid. The nose is quite floral and has a nice overall balance. It’s fairly light and quite perfumed but not in an over the top manner. It has enough earthiness and oak in the mix to make this quite rummy. Which is nice.

    Creamy vanilla and shortcake appear underneath the floral and perfumed notes. A nice development of oak and spice. Some ginger and nutmeg notes.

    Sipped Berry Bros & Rudd The Classic Range Guatemala, is a quite spicy affair on the palate. Probably more younger alcohol than actual development in the cask, as it a little bit fiery. It’s not bad though and it least it has a bit of character.

    Further sips reveal more of the perfumed, sweeter notes you get on the nose. That said any buying this hoping for a cheaper “version” of Ron Zacapa wil be in for a bit of a shock. This is a much drier and more “rummy” product.

    On the mid palate you get a little bit of butterscotch, some shortcake, butter and a hit of curry powder. Overall its pretty dry and certainly doesn’t give any indication that it is dosed in anyway. The Hydrometer agrees with this theory.

    Finish wise with its lighter style and conservative ABV the finish isn’t overly long but its not half bad. A nice hit of oak and spice and a slight zestiness gives it a nice punchy kick.

    It wouldn’t be top of my list as a sipper but its decent enough – something you could easily have a few glasses of. Maybe a little break from something Cask Strength?Berry Bros & Rudd Classic Range the fat rum pirate

    Mixed the rum works nicely but its maybe a little light overall. It makes a nice smooth rum and coke with a little bit of on oak and spice but its not as robust as I would like.

    It works better in cocktails or with tonic/lemonade which don’t overwhelm the rum quite so much.

    All in all though it’s not bad at all for the money and offers something different so credit to Berry Bros & Rudd for that. I’ll be reviewing all four rums in this range (as pictured) so keep your eyes peeled.

     

  • Velho Pescador Extra Premium Cachaca Aged 5 Years

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Velho Pescador Extra Premium Cachaca Aged 5 Years rum cachaca review by the fat rum pirateVelho Pescador Extra Premium Cachaca Aged 5 Years.  Velho Pescador is actually a Weber Haus product. I was unaware of this. As a result of this my sample has remained untouched for a couple of months – as I had so many to try. I had not heard or seen of Velho Pescador before. My bad!

    Weber Haus are quite a big deal in the Cachaca world and they are one of the producers trying to gain a foot hold in Europe. With my friend Leszek Wedzicha acting as their Brand Ambassador I am sure this will not take long!

    For anyone who hasn’t already seen Leszek and his range of Weber Haus Cachaca, at a Rum Festival, I can thoroughly recommend spending some time with him and his cachaca.

    Anyway, enough of all this butt kissing – it almost sounds like an advert doesn’t? Haha Not here, no free rides are given even if you are a friend.

    Velho Pescador or the Fisherman is a cachaca aged for 5 years in American Oak barrels. It is produced on a Alembic Pot Still. Weber Haus are very clear that they do not produce Premium Cachaca in an Industrial manner (ie on a Continuous Column Still). Velho Pescador has been bottled at 38% ABV.

    Weber Haus actually acquired this brand back in 2014. Which is perhaps why it is not immediately apparent it is a Weber Haus product. Velho Pescador is produced in Rio Grande do Sul.

    Presentation wise you get a stubby style bottle with a very chunky cork stopper. The bottle and design remind me a little of Ron Vigia from Cuba. It looks expensive. In Brasil it is fairly pricy coming in at around $R95. This would equate to around £20 in the UK. I wouldn’t expect to see this for anything less than £50 should it make its way to the UK. Which it very well might!

    In the glass Velho Pescador is a very light brown/yellow colour.

    The nose is sweet with hints of molasses rather than sugar cane juice. It’s quite creamy but it also has a real kick of sweet alcohol which gives it a bit of oomph. Aromas of toffee, caramel and some really strong scents of vanilla are present in this very complex cachaça.

    Some burnt toffee and some cashew nuts also put in an appearance. Nicely aged woody aromas combine to give this cachaça a really nice nose.

    Sipped Velho Pescador is a very distinctive tasting cachaca. Not very grassy. It shows little evidence of being produced from sugar cane aside from the sweetness. The sweetness however is more of a toffee/treacle molasses type. There is a slight peppery note to this cachaça which cuts through the sweetness and adds a little balance. Some gentle spices from the wood combine with this to give the spirit a real edge and complexity.

    The more you sip the more you notice the woodier influences of the ageing. The sweetness goes down a notch after a few mouthfuls. This is an incredibly light and easy to drink cachaça but at the same time it packs a really nice layer of complexity and balance.

    Velho Pescador Extra Premium Cachaca Aged 5 Years rum cachaca review by the fat rum pirateThe mid palate takes you through a variety of flavours from sweet vanilla ice cream to spicy wood and some traces of cinnamon and tart-tartin. Maybe some Crème Brulee whilst we are on the French theme.

    The finish is long but light – mild spices and the vanilla lead to a finish which gently cleanses and refreshes the palate. The light spices make this go down far too easily and before you know it – you have finished another glass.

    Wonderfully balanced despite the overlying sweetness this is a really tasty easy to drink cachaça with enough complexity to retain your interest.

    Dangerously drinkable. Highly recommended.

  • Cane Island Dominican Republic Aged 5 Years

    Bythefatrumpirate

    CANE ISLAND DOMINICAN REPUBLIC RUM AGED 5 Years rum review by the fat rum pirateCane Island Dominican Republic Aged 5 Years is the final review in the recently released trio of rums from Cane Island.

    As mentioned previously Cane Island are a new Independent bottler – at the moment their rums are only available from shops in Amsterdam.  Luckily most of these stores deliver to the UK so I didn’t miss out on trying these rums.

    For me when it comes to Independent bottlings it seems that Demerara, Caroni (Trinidad) and Jamaican rums are the most popular offerings.  There are perhaps a few reasons for this – DDL do not release many rums that do not have additives – a gap in the market which Velier expertly exploited which heightened peoples awareness of Demerara rum without additives.  Velier were also in the favourable position of being able to have their rums aged in Guyana – unlike the rest of the competition.

    Even said European aged Demerara is still very popular.  The myth that is built around the Caroni distillery and their “heavy” style rums ensures their enduring popularity.  Jamaican rum is popular because Appleton apart none of the Jamaican rum distilleries release many aged products.  So if you want aged Hampden or Long Pond rums you must buy independently.  The likes of Monymusk and Worthy Park are moving into the aged market.

    So this makes a couple of Cane Island’s releases a little more interesting.  Especially this one.  Rums from the Dominican Republic are very popular especially in Spain.  Brands such as Brugal, Bermudez and Barceló are well known and well recognised.  Oliver & Oliver also have numerous bottlings available in numerous guises.

    Very few indie bottlers have put out any Dominican rum.  This rum is aged for 5 years and has been column distilled at “Alcoholes Finos Dominicanos” the distillery location noted on the bottle is “San Pedro de Macoris”.  Which is the distillery which produces the Ron Barceló brand amongst others.

    The rum from the Dominican Republic is produced in the “latin” style additives and adulteration take many different forms and information is hard to come by.  The hydrometer reveals 12g/L of “additives” in this rum.  It is likely this rum will be a light, approachable and sweet rum.

    A 70cl bottle will cost around 40 euros – again slightly more expensive than the branded equivalent.   It should be noted though that the likes of Brugal. Barceló and Bermudez do not note ages of their rums..

    The rum is noted as being column distilled and aged in American Oak (Bourbon) barrels.  No details of any “finish” or second maturation are noted.

    In the glass the rum is a little dull – its not a particularly vibrant colour, it looks a little washed out.  It’s an ungolden brown.

    The nose is not overly impressive either.  It’s quite muted and I’m not getting a great deal from it.  There is a slight sweetness to it.  It smells a little Cuban.  It’s very light and easy going.  There is nothing offensive about it but at the same time nothing exciting either. It has a slightly floral note lurking in the background.

    When sipped it initially is quite “boozy”.  It’s youthful and the alcohol really comes out.  Further sips reveal more of the sweetness hinted at on the nose.  It’s a very familiar rum – it reminds me of Botran or a younger Panama rum.  It is not as sweet and as layered with chocolate notes, like Barceló Imperial nor is it is a dry and briny as Brugal.

    Although the nose and appearance were a little disappointing its not an unpleasant experience sipping this rum.  At 5 years old it still has some of the youthful alcohol notes.  I enjoy these as they make it more “rummy”.  This make it less generic than some of the lighter column distilled rums from this part of the world.

    It’s not massively sweet and is quite dry (especially on the finish).  It also has some nice spicy oak. A good deal of interaction with the barrel giving it some sweet/sour notes.

    It’s a light latin style rum but its not afraid to show its teeth.  I wouldn’t call it particularly meaty or complex but it does have a bit of a twist and an extra dimension.  It’s easy to drink but it does give you a little bit of a kick.

    All in all much better than I had imagined.

  • Foursquare Rum Distillery 2007

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Foursquare Rum Distillery 2007 Rum Review by the fat rum pirateFoursquare Rum Distillery 2007. Foursquare may have dropped the “Rum Distillery” part from the front label but I’m keeping if for my review titles. Just to keep things nice and tidy. I was going to finish off the sherry finished rums and review Patrimonio but my photographer is not available tonight, so we’ll do the 2007 instead.

    As with all the Exceptional Cask Series this is a Single Blended rum. Which means it is a blend of Pot and Column distilled rums. I do not know the exact ratio of Pot/Column but I do know that the ratio of Pot to Column has increased from the 2005, which in turn had more Pot Still rum than the 2004. All three of these rums are part of the Exceptional Cask Series. This is number ten already in the series.

    All of the ECS named after the year of distillation have been quite straightforward affairs. All have been aged in small oak (ex-bourbon casks) with no additional maturation or any other faffing aroun. This is a 12 year old rum and was bottled in March 2019. it has been bottled at Cask Strength of 59% ABV.

    For those familiar with the ECS, the bottle will be familiar. They have tweaked it a little to give a little medal on the neck and we now get a synthetic cork stopper, rather than a screw cap. You pick this up quite easily in the UK from the likes of The Whisky Exchange (make sure you get a Hereditas as well whilst you are on) a bottle of 2007 should set you back around £55. This bottling is not similar to the Foursquare/Velier 2006 collaboration aside from the distillery it is a progression of the 2004 and 2005 releases.

    The 2004 “version” of this rum one my Rum of the Year back in 2016, so this has quite a lot to live up to. So let’s put it to the test and see how we get on.

    In the glass, we have a classic golden/dark brown rum with a slightly orange hue. The nose is full of sweet notes of vanilla and coconut. There is a spicy sweet/sour bourbon note, the more you nose. Nice notes of woody oak and a touch of ginger.

    Sweet notes of raisin and sultana move in and out of the mix, adding a really nice fruity balance to oaky notes. You wouldn’t think you were nosing such a high ABV spirit as the balance of this rum is absolutely perfect.Foursquare Rum Distillery 2007 Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    The woody/oaky notes are fresh and quite airy. I’m not getting much barrel char, it all smells very light and very fresh.

    Sipped at Cask Strength you get a lot of spice on the initial sip. It shows it’s full 59% ABV especially when it is your first drink of the evening. Further sips of this rum come much easier and more flavour does come forward. It’s just a case of getting the palate accustomed to the ABV. You can of course, add some water if you prefer.

    Once things have calmed down the initial sip is still quite hot with a lot of oak spice and ginger especially on the entry. This seems more boozy than the 2004 especially. There is a slight bitterness on the mid palate but this leads onto more rich oak spice, which really integrates nicely. It’s rich and warming.

    Foursquare Rum Distillery 2007 is a woody, very dry rum. It is not as sweet as the nose suggested it might be. The sweeter notes come in time – on the entry you begin to get some coconut, banana and vanilla.

    It is not as easy to drink as some of the other Foursquare offerings, especially those with a secondary maturation. It is very much an example of a very pure, simple Barbados rum. Yet one of exceptional quality, which few other producers could even begin to replicate or match.

    The question will be is this as good as 2004 and 2005. How does it compare? The answer is, I am not at all sure I would be able to pick them out blind. Much like Rum Sixty Six Cask Strength the rums are very similar. From memory this rum seems a touch less sweet than the 2004. I have one bottle of 2004 left but I won’t be opening it for some time yet. It’s more similar to the 2005 I would say.

    For £55 Foursquare Rum Distillery 2007 is another fantastic example of a pure Barbados rum. Maybe lately, my preferences have geared more towards some of the sweeter Foursquare offerings but this reminds me what I liked about Foursquare in the first place. Foursquare Rum Distillery 2007 Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    Many rum producers neglect the balance of a rum and many rum commentators, also miss this as something very important in rum. A lot go for intense rums, such as Jamaican Long Ponds or Hampden DOK marque rums, Clairin’s from Haiti and other such “flavour bombs”. Whilst there is nothing wrong with such rums – I enjoy those as well, the belief that 100% Pot Still or Maximum Ester rums is where the good stuff is – I feel is a bit misguided an shortsighted. An excellent balanced blended rum, is every bit as good if not better.

    The score for this one may be a bit predictable. If you enjoy Foursquare, you will thoroughly enjoy this bottling.

  • Langs Banana Jamaican Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Langs Banana Jamaican Rum review by the fat rum pirateLangs Banana Jamaican Rum. It’s been a while since we’ve reviewed anything Spiced or Flavoured. Whilst I tend not to buy much Spiced/Flavoured, unless I fancy it will be very popular for a review, I do still find the odd sample or two of Spiced/Flavoured rum comes my way.

    Langs Banana Jamiacan Rum is brought to us by Ian McLeod Distillers. More famous in the Scotch Whisky world for bringing Tamdhu, Glengoyne and Smokehead to the market they do dabble in rum. Indeed they produce two pretty popular “dark” rum expressions in Watson’s Demerara and Trawler Rum.

    You also may come across King Robert II blended rums on your travels. I’ve never seen the brand in the UK but have noted it in  Duty Frees in Cyprus and Greece. Langs Banana Jamaican Rum is said to be a revival of a popular Jamaican rum brand which was famous in the 1800’s. Apparently…….

    There’s not a great deal of information out there surrounding Langs Jamaican Rum. It does appear that at some point rum was produced by this particular brand though.

    In all honesty I tend not to focus too much on the history of rum. I’m more about the here and now. So I’m not going to worry much about it.

    So let us instead take a look at the present day Langs Banana Jamaican Rum and see what its all about.

    First up this isn’t an expensive or fancy brand. Ian McLeod stick to the bargain basement when it comes to rum and they certainly aren’t making any concessions with this brand. Langs Banana Jamaican Rum comes bottled at 37.5% ABV. The bare minimum allowable for a rum to be labelled as such, rather than a Spirit Drink. It is not unusual for Spiced/Flavoured rums to be bottled at this ABV.

    There are a few Banana rums on the market at the moment. This one works out the cheapest. It is currently available at Master of Malt and The Whisky Exchange. It was released sometime in late 2019 or early 2020, if memory serves me correctly. Since its introduction it has been followed by two further flavoured expressions. You can find more information on their website here.

    I’ve got to say its entirely disappointing but not surprising to see a Jamaican Rum Brand introduced into the UK, that doesn’t even have a non-flavoured variant on offer.

    Presentation wise Langs Banana Jamaican Rum comes in stubby bottle with a “sixties” style logo and yellow/black presentation. It prominently displays its “Jamaican Rum” heritage but I just find this to be further insult to injury to be honest. They are so proud of producing a Jamaican rum they haven’t even bothered releasing a non-flavoured variant to the market. Way to go guys.Langs Banana Jamaican Rum review by the fat rum pirate

    I tested this through my hydrometer to see how much of the “natural ripe banana with hints of toffee” was present in this bottling and found my hydrometer bobbing at around the 25% ABV mark. Suggesting that in this 37.5% ABV spirits there are around 40g/L of “additives”. Whilst this is no surprise in the Spiced/Flavoured rum world I had hoped for a much lower reading. Perhaps a sense of a more authentic product. Never mind.

    Such expectations are blunted even further when pouring this “rum” into the glass. Now I’m not suggesting I don’t like Toffee and in particular, I must say I was always rather fond of the Banana Flavoured Toffee which could be found in a packet of Toffo’s…………

    BUT…………I really don’t want to feel like I’ve been dipped upside down in a massive vat of whatever the “essence” used to create those flavours was kept in……..

    Langs Banana Jamaican Rum smells of Banana Toffo’s that have been dipped in sugar syrup, mixed with Candy Floss and those Fake Foam Bananas and then sprinkled with icing sugar.

    I swear I could hear my future fillings saying hello……….

    Basically the nose is sweet and synthetic. The nearest this rum has been to a banana is when the sugar cane used to produce it was growing the cane fields! Fake foam bananas and Banana Toffo’s. No trace of anything remotely rummy. This could be flavoured vodka and no-one would be any the wiser. Any trace of “Jamaican Rum” has gone for a Burton.

    Sipped (well swallowed with a grimace) Langs Banana Jamaican Rum gets no better. It’s every bit as sweet as the nose suggests. It’s basically Banana Toffee flavoured water with a slight ethanol kick of something faintly boozy. There may be some Jamaican rum elements there – but they are just lost in the sugar assault. It all just tastes cheap and nasty to be honest.

    I’ve mixed it (well tried to drown the bastard thing) with coke. If you want a really sugary fake banana flavoured Rum and Coke, its absolutely spot on. Much like if you want to use some really sharp sticks to poke your own eyes out with.

    The very fact that this “rum” has produced two further variants in such a short space of time tells you all you need to know about the average “rum” drinker here in the UK. Basically a lot of more casual “rum” drinkers in the UK don’t actually know what rum tastes like. Partly because they just drink shit like this and think it’s “rum”. It’s tragic really. This is the type of garbage overly excited teenagers tell me “I’ve got to try” and at Rum Festivals.I usually just smile politely and thank them for their advice…….

    I guess I probably sound like a bit of a snob but it is worrying how increasingly common it is for people to proclaim themselves as “Rum”, “Gin” or even (god bless them) “Vodka” drinkers yet they drink Spiced Rum, Strawberry Flavoured Gin and Lychee and Langs Banana Jamaican Rum review by the fat rum pirateDragonberry Vodka. It’s a farce really and entirely of each categories own making.

    If I had to some Langs Banana Jamaican Rum as anything other than shite I would contrast to the time I once worked out of Saturday overtime.

    I can cope with a lot of things but not The Beautiful South’s Greatest Hits on repeat.

    “Music for people who don’t really like music” was my leaving gambit

    Langs Banana Jamaican Rum is here if you don’t like rum buy a truckload.

     

     

  • Mhoba Pot Stilled White Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Mhoba White Potstilled Rum review by the fat rum pirateMhoba Pot Stilled White Rum. I first came across Mhoba Rum at London Rumfest a few years ago. 2017?

    At the beginning there was a bit skepticism surrounding the brand. They had pretty much rocked over from South Africa. Hardly a hot bed of rum and had a big-ish selection. Not just one or two expressions of Pure Single Sugarcane Rum, as they called it. Okay, they had 4 expressions but it seemed a lot more at the time…….

    Agricole Rhum from South Africa? Tasted really nice but is there any added sugar? Isn’t the branding all just a bit too slick? Is it too good to be true?

    There were a lot of doubts about the brand from a lot of Rum Enthusiasts at the festival. To be honest, they can be a funny bunch. When presented with something a little different, they can often seek validation from others before stating their own opinions. I remember saying I thought it was pretty good but I would like to test it under a Hydrometer. It seemed a little too smooth.

    I’ve tried Mhoba at that Rumfest and everyone since, I think. I’ve always enjoyed the rums but no particular one ever stuck in my mind as a must have. So I didn’t buy any until recently. I felt it was about time that we got some Mhoba Rum on the website. So I’ve got 8 of their expressions to review. As a result I’ll keep back some background information and opinion for some of the other reviews. I’ll try and concentrate on each particular rum as much as I can.

    I’m not aware of reviewing any rum so far from the continent of Africa? No hang on, Madagascar is Africa so I reviewed a Dzama rum a while back. Maybe my geography is off for some others as well. Apologies if it is.

    So first up we have Mhoba’s” cheapest” rum. Their Pot Stilled White Rum. This rum has an ABV of 43%. In the UK it is readily available. You can currently pick up a bottle from The Whisky Exchange for £38.75 for a 70cl. All of Mhoba’s rums come in the 3/4 style square flask bottle with a short neck and synthetic cork stopper. As mentioned earlier, the branding is very slick and very modern. Not as “rustic” as some other rums from similar parts of the world.

    Mhoba Pot Stilled White Rum is produced from estate grown Nkomazi sugar cane at the Mhoba Sugar Estate, which is near the small village of Malalane in South Africa. Mhoba Rum is a farm to bottle outfit.

    The rum is produced from hand cut estate sugar cane which is fermented for 7-10 days using traditional bakers yeast, with no temperature control. The resulting wash is then double distilled in hand built (by owner Robert Greaves) Pot Stills, of which Mhoba have 3.Mhoba White Potstilled Rum review by the fat rum pirate

    It is then reduced down with local pure spring water to 43% ABV before being hand bottled.

    So lets see how Mhoba White Potstilled Rum smells and tastes.

    First up I will confirm that everything Mhoba have said about no additives in their rums is true. This rum came up clean as per the Hydrometer. So we’re off to a good start.

    The nose is crisp and clean, not as grassy or vegetal, nor as alcohol forward as I would expect of an unaged spirit. The double distillation seems to have added a smoothness to this rum. It’s quite an unusual nose with nods to Agricole in terms of the more vegetal notes but there is also a sweet molasses note which reminds me of younger white rum rather than rhum.

    Just to add an extra layer – their is also a milky/sour cream note commonly found in cachaça.

    Further nosing reveals some chilli heat, ginger and slight zestyness. There is certainly a lot going on with this white rum.

    Sipped it is very smooth. It goes down very  easily. Initially the nose translates the funkier vegetal notes on to the palate but it quickly switches to reveal sweeter notes and a touch of smokiness. It’s much cleaner and less funky than I recall some of the higher ABV Mhobas being.

    Further sips confirm that this is a really clean and crisp, almost palate cleansing white rum. It is fairly unique and certainly carries a very interesting profile.

    There are no real off notes with this rum and whilst I doubt I would regularly sit and sip it, I am expecting that it will shine even more when used in some mixed drinks.Mhoba White Potstilled Rum review by the fat rum pirate

    It works really well in both traditional drinks calling for both White Agricole and Cachaca so Ti Punches, Mojitos and Caiprinhas all benefit from the smoothness of the rum and its punchy sweeter/vegetal notes. The creaminess in particular really comes out adding a nice twist.

    It works a little better than most White Agricole with cola but only hardcore Rum and Coke devotees like myself will worry about that.

    This is a decent start. I hope you’ll continue this Mhoba journey with me. If you wish to do a LOT of background reading on Mhoba Rum then my good mate Steven James over at The Rum Diaries Blog has produced an absolutely outstanding series of articles on the producer.

    This has been a bloody good introduction to Mhoba.

     

4 Comments

  1. Pingback: Rum-News aus dem Netz – Sommer 2018 – Rum-Magazin

  3. Rivière du mat really is worth considering. Although it is not made under AOC regulations, it is an agricole-style rum, hailing from La Réunion. the Grande Réserve and the 2004 Cuvée are top rums on my shelf!

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