The Real McCoy Aged 3 Years. The Real McCoy is based around a famous prohibition era “rum runner” or “bootlegger” called Bill McCoy.
The term, now in common use “The Real McCoy” when referring to something of higher or better quality is not thought to have orginated from Bill McCoy however. It was in use long before he came along.
Introduction
I’ve been asked a few times recently why I’m not supporting the Gargano Rum Classification. By support, I assume people are wondering why I haven’t featured the classification on the site? Or why I haven’t adopted it in my reviews?
Fact is, I have for a long time tried whenever possible to find out how the rum in my bottle has been produced. Which is exactly what the Gargano Rum Classification involves. Though I haven’t “come out” in favour quite as enthusiastically or as quickly as some, the more information disclosed the better in my book.
Habitation Velier Foursquare 2013. No what other pairing in the rum world could you possibly think of that would be a virtual guarantee of a quality rum experience?
In amongst the sensation that was caused by the pairing of Velier and Foursquare with the 2006 release in 2016, where a number of bottlings released undeer the Habitation Velier moniker.
In a world dominated by click bait “lists” we will keep things very simple. Each year we will award ONE rum as our Rum of the Year.
The rum which will be crowned as Rum of the Year must have been released that year. It also must be commercially available to the average rum consumer. Any rums which were available prior to 2016 are ineligible. Likewise any bottlings that were extremely limited or are unavailable as of today are also out.
Foursquare 2006. The first collaboration between Velier and Foursquare Distillery, Barbados. This will certainly not be the last. With Velier no longer issuing their acclaimed aged Demerara rums from DDL, Luca Gargano has began sourcing rum from other distilleries to release under the Velier banner.
Another rum from the Kill Devil Single Cask range. This time hailing from Barbados. This bottling is identified as being from the Foursquare Distillery.
Due to a surge in releases and activity over the past 12-18 months. We have featured a number of Foursquares releases. It is likely that their key releases would have been reviewed as a matter of course, even if they weren’t as good as they are. Had I not enjoyed them as much as I did it is unlikely we would have featured as many Independent bottlings. Please note there are more to come as well.
Berrys’ or Berrys’ Bros and Rudd to give them their full name are an English Independent bottler of wines and spirits. They are also one of London’s leading wine and spirits retailers with the same premises at 3 St James Street London since 1698.
They have a wide and ever changing range of aged rums from all around the globe. I was fortunate enough to pick up this rather dusty bottling from a few years ago at a very reasonable £39.95.
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