The Duchess Guyana Rum Aged 20 Years Armagnac Finish. This is the final rum in the “Flower” series featuring the artwork of Hans Dillesse, a Dutch artist. The Duchess are an independent bottler from the Netherlands, who began bottling rums in 2018.
The brand are gaining quite a following and this is their latest Single Cask release. If you are in the UK then their rums can be found here. The Duchess Guyana Rum Aged 20 Years Armagnac Finish is a rum from Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL). This particular rum was distilled on the Wooden Coffey Enmore Still. It was distilled in 1998 and bottled in 2019. It has spent 8 years in an ex-Armagnac cask in Europe. I am unsure how much of the its prior 12 years were spent in the Tropics/Europe.
orado Rare Collection Albion 2004. Guyanese rum powerhouses Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) caused a bit of a stir in the rum world a few years back when they first released their “Rare Collection” rums.
El Dorado Rare Collection Skeldon 2000. The only rums I have seen in my rum “career” that denote Skeldon are the Velier 1973 and 1978 releases. Which are long gone except for those with very deep pockets. As any rum blogger will attest researching Demerara Rums is on the most complicated and time-consuming pursuits. Excellent work by the likes of Marco Freyr of Barrel Aged Mind have helped with this. I will once again recommend reading his huge article on
Berry Bros & Rudd 26 Year Old Uitvlugt Rum Exclusive to the Whisky Barrel. Another collaboration, between one of London’s finest independent bottlers and one of Scotland’s finest rum and whisky retailers.
Pusser’s 15 Year Old Rum has been around for some time. (At least 15 years I can hear someone saying……) I first reviewed it a few years ago. I do intend to re-review some of the rums I have covered going forward. To be honest, Pusser’s 15 Year Old was one that would have had that treatment bestowed upon it anyway – miniatures of the rum are readily available. Which makes it easier on the wallet.
Lamb’s Demerara Navy Rum. I don’t know exactly when this was bottled. Research has shown that this style of bottle was available in the 1970’s (and before). The UK largely stopped using their own “proof” calculation in 1980 and began showing the ABV rather than the proof. Whilst this is noted as 70 proof on the bottle, it’s the old “British” style proofing so it translates to 40% ABV. The same ABV Lamb’s Navy Rum is today.
Wood’s Old Navy Rum. Wood’s is a Navy rum brand which is quite a staple in UK bars and Working Mens Clubs. It’s not quite as common as Lamb’s – partly due to its ABV, but it is probably the second best-selling Navy rum in the UK.