That Boutique-y Rum Company Diamond Distillery (Versailles Still) 13 Year Old

Bythefatrumpirate

That Boutique-y Rum Company Diamond Distillery (Versailles Still) 13 Year Old rum review by the fat rum pirateThat Boutique-y Rum Company Diamond Dsitillery (Versailles Still) 13 Year Old. This particular bottling, was one of the first releases by the Boutique-y Rum Company. As a result I am quite surprised that it is still available. Maybe this review might help sell the last few bottles? If it’s positive, of course and if anyone listens to me…….

This rum was distilled on the Versailles Single Wooden Pot Still, which has been housed at Versailles, Enmore and Uitvlugt distilleries in its time, before finally settling at Diamond Distillery aka Demerara Distillers Limited. If you wish to read a little more information on the various stills at DLL try this. It’s pretty brief but gives a nice overview.

This rum was distilled back in July 2004. It was aged initially in refill rum casks until 2011, when it was re-casked in more ex-rum casks. I am unsure whether this indicates the point at which tropical ageing was replaced by continental ageing, though it seems logical. I’m unsure how much aged rum DDL ship out. It has been bottled at 56.1% ABV it is a single cask and 439 bottles are available It is worth noting the bottle size is 50cl so slightly smaller than the usual 70cl bottle. The rum is available via Master of Malt and retails at £64.95.

The wacky design on the bottle is provided by Jim’ll Paint It who is known for his bizarre Microsoft paint drawings requested by his fans on Facebook. The design is described as such

“Here we can see Pete Holland from The Floating Rum Shack dismayed at the fire underneath the wooden pot still. So dismayed in fact that he seems to have taken leave of his senses and is simultaneously using a chocolate teapot and a glass hammer while playing darts on an inflatable board. Excellent multitasking but perhaps it’s time to rethink those purchases Pete…”

Yes, quite I have no idea what this is all about to be honest so we best just move onto the rum review.

In the glass we are presented with a straw/golden brown coloured spirit. Lighter than a lot of the aged rum I have seen from the Versailles still. Admittedly a lot of those rums have caramel added as a colourant. Unlike this it would appear.

The nose is more familiar. Sweet notes of raisin and some light sugar cane. Toffee and a note of vanilla. More savoury spicy woody oak and some very light vanilla.

Hazelnuts and mixed peel also arrive on the nose and a touch of star anise. A slightly malty note is present throughout, giving it a slightly whisky like feel. It’s nice and familiar and more balanced than some Versailles rum, which are overladen with too much caramel colouring/added molasses giving a slightly bitter note at times. It’s fresh smelling and slightly zesty. Not as woody and oak heavy as some Demerara’s and it is a touch musty on the nose.

Sipped That Boutique-y Rum Company Diamond Distillery. is initially quite spicy and quite dry. There isn’t a great deal fo sweetness to this. It’s certainly not an El Dorado style Demerara. Woody oaky spice and some ginger greet the taste buds along with some savoury and slightly malty notes. Freshly sanded wood and some saw dust alongside some malted barley and some very medicinal notes of cough mixture. Calpol/paracetamol like flavours.

It’s a very complex rum, with a lot going on in the mix. As a sipper it is not the easiest to drink. It’s a rum you will enjoy when you have time on your hands, to really spend time with it. It’s not for chugging back or for mixing.

Once you get past the initial sip the mid palate really develops into a very intense spicy experience. This is quite a dry rum but it is full of different spices and nuances. One minute you are getting Christmas cake the next you are getting pencils shavings.

Finish wise it is of reasonable length and it has a nice balance to it. Personally, I prefer a slightly sweeter take on Demerara but this is still a nicely balanced and well aged drop of rum.

 

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  • Peaky Blinder Black Spiced Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Peaky Blinder Black Spiced Rum Review by the fat rum piratePeaky Blinder Black Spiced Rum. Peaky Blinder’s is a very popular programme in the UK at the moment. It is a Gangster Family Epic set just after the First World War. I’ve never seen it to be honest.

    The term Peaky Blinder refers to the gangs Flat Caps which they stitched razor blades into to slash the foreheads of their enemies, causing blood to drip into their eyes rendering them temporarily blind and unable to defend further attacks on their person.

    Sadler’s like the Peaky Blinders gang hail from ” The Black Country” which is a region in the West Midlands. They have been brewing for over 100 years. As part of their new Peaky Blinder range they are also marketing Gin and Irish Whiskey. There is no doubt when looking at their website that the TV series is definitely the inspiration behind the bottlings.

    Priced at around £22-25 Peaky Blinder Black Spiced Rum is bottled at 40% ABV so is a true “Spiced Rum”. The Black colour is no doubt helped with some Caramel Colouring.

    “Over a century’s worth of knowledge and passion has led the family to create this bold rum, blended with selected spices delivering notes of orange, nutmeg, vanilla and raisin.”

    Presentation wise I like the stubby rounded bottle and the wax dipped cork stopper, adds a nice touch.

    The nose is very sweet. Huge amounts of concentrated vanilla and caramel dominate. Surprisingly there is a little hint of oak spice and quite a sharp hit of alcohol. Clove and maybe a tiny hPeaky Blinder Black Spiced rum Review by the fat rum pirateint of ginger. It has a kind of “burntness” to it. Like old coffee grinds.

    Sipped its not as sweet as the nose would suggest. It’s quite artificial tasting – synthetic flavourings. It doesn’t really offer a great deal on its own. Tastes a bit like a sugar substitute with a really biter artificial after taste. There is a little bit of oak and spice but its mostly just young alcohol giving you a bit of a burn. Burnt toffee and some cloying clove and vanilla keep drifting in and out of the mix.

    Up front it offers a quick sharp burst of sweetness. Followed by a fade of bitterness and just about no finish at all.

    Mixing this with cola you get a different experience and a lot of coffee. Now I like coffee but I’m not that keen on overly sweet vanilla laden coffee. Which is what this gives you when you mix it with cola. Vanilla laden coffee with some steeped cloves. Lovely………

    This is yet another spiced rum which seems reasonable enough, for about half of the first glass. To be honest as much as it was no show stopper sipped, at least it was drinkable. Mixing this just gives you a very sweet, cloying drink. Which only the sweetest sweet tooth will manage to drink beyond a glass or two.

    Peaky Blinder Spiced Rum Review by the fat rum pirateThe eagle eyed amongst you may notice similarities between this review and my review of Liberte Black Spiced Rum from Lidl. That is because beyond the label and the wax seal this is EXACTLY the same rum. Even the bottle is the same one. So if you are considering buying Peaky Blinder Spiced Rum you’d be much better off buying the Lidl offering as it is around £5 cheaper – and trust me it is exactly the same juice.

    I knew this was a bit of a “cash in” on the series of the same name. In fairness I wasn’t expecting anything spectacular. Sadler’s have a solid if uninspiring reputation. I was expecting something a little better though, maybe with a little more authentic flavouring.

     

     

  • El Dorado Rare Collection Port Mourant 1999

    Bythefatrumpirate

    El Dorado Rare Collection Port Mourant 1999 rum review by the fat rum pirateA 15 Year Old Port Mourant Rum from El Dorado released as part as their Rare Collection.  The three rums in the Rare Collection were released simultaneously earlier this year.

    It has been noted that the rums ages mirror three of El Dorado’s “Premium” rums. 12, 15 and 21 years old.  I’m not sure whether it is entirely deliberate, nor am I totally sure if the stills used reflect the dominant rums used in each of El Dorado’s regular expressions.  A spreadsheet of rums used in El Dorado rums was published a while back but has since been questioned.  To be honest all are blends anyway so its academic really.

    For those unsure if you have tried a Port Mourant rum before – it’s quite likely you have even if it hasn’t been immediately obvious.  Pusser’s 15 Year Old and Plantation’s Guyana 2005 are both from the Port Mourant Still.  Admittedly unlike this offering both are sweetened rums.

    The presentation of the Rare Collection bottlings are all the same.  Taking influence from both the Velier bottlings (Opaque bottle) they succeed and the El Dorado range (Stubby bottle) with a colour scheme which suggests Premium rum – attractive gold lettering on black and brown.  At around £150 per 70cl bottle, the presentation should be spot on and indeed it is. A nice cork stopper tops of the presentation along with a nice embossed ship on the neck of the bottle.

    This rum was distilled in 1999 and bottled in 2014.  Coming in at 61.4% ABV, on the bottle and when tested with the Hydrometer, this rum is pretty much Cask Strength.

    I’ve reviewed a few Port Mourant rums in the past.  This rum is the first which will have benefited from full Tropical Ageing in Guyana.El Dorado Rare Collection Port Mourant Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    These rums represent the first attempt by DDL since their Single Barrel rums to release a more “serious” rum without additives.  They are also the first rums in this “style” not to be sold by Velier.  It is worth noting at this stage that Luca Gargano does have a stake in DDL.

    Whilst the thought of no more Velier Demerara is sad, there is no reason at all why DDL cannot produce the same rums under a new guise.

    For anyone approaching these rums from past experience of El Dorado rums only – you will get a huge surprise with this particular rum.  If you haven’t tried a Port Mourant on its “own” you will get a shock.

    The nose is big – as to be expected from a spirit coming in at 61% ABV.  It’s reminiscent of the Bristol Port Mo(u)rant rums.  The dominating note of those the almost vegetal grassy/briny earthy note is paired alongside aniseed and liquorice.  However it is more a bitter liquorice note than a sugared one.  It is not the more familiar sweet molasses and raisin Demerara note.

    This rum is quite different.  It also should be noted that the rum is pretty dark in the glass.  It may be the tropical ageing it may not be.  It’s certainly noticeably darker even than the Pusser’s 15 Year Old.

    As you nose deeper you do detect some more fruity notes – raisins and a little plum.  There is also a more subtle note of leather and oak.  It’s not the “nicest” friendliest nose I’ve ever encountered but it does have a good amount of complexity to appreciate.

    Sipped at full strength you get a very intense, almost overbearing initial tasting. It’s quite bitter and almost astringent.  It’s very sharp with some red wine like notes.  The aniseed is prominent and again its mixed with a kind of salty/briny note which is not top of my list of things I enjoy in rum.

    El Dorado Port Mourant Rare Collection 2A little water helps with the intensity but whilst it tones down the bitterness it doesn’t give you a great deal else.  The rum doesn’t really develop the way I had hoped.

    It’s a big flavourful rum with a lot of “menace” which I usually like.  Unfortunately it just doesn’t have any redeeming sweetness which would give it more balance.  It’s a rum which for me would be great in a blend.  On its own? Not so good.

    I got a lot more out of the Bristol Port Mo(u)rants I have reviewed previously.  I also got more enjoyment from the Plantation Guyana 2005.

    There isn’t a question mark about this being a well made rum it’s certainly a “good” rum.  It’s just not to my tastes.  From scouring the internet for other reviews (from people I actually take note of) they seem to have found this also to be slightly disappointing.

    3.5 stars

  • Tellura Prata

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Tellura Prata Cachaca Rum Review by the fat rum pirateTellura Prata. Tellura is a recent addition to the Cachaca producing family in Brasil. Formed in 2015 Tellura with the aim to produce quality, handmade and sustainable Cachaca.

    Cachaca has been produced at Abadia Farm, Campos dos Gotacazes in the north of the state of Rio de Janeiro for over 100 years. Tellingly Tellura is located strategically just 48km to Port do Acu so it is already, geared to export outside of Brasil.

    The export market may also play a part in the presentation of Tellura. As a relatively new company I would expect quite a modern design. The design is clean and clear and reminds me a little of the presentation of Leblon. Leblon is one of the biggest Cachaca exports and is widely available in Europe. The colour scheme of green, grey and white is clean and crisp. The bottles are bar tender friendly and they do look well set to break into the “Caiprinha” market with this white Cachaca.

    Tellura Prata is bottled at 40% ABV.

    The sugar cane on the estate/farm is harvested manually and it is milled on the same day. They have 4 Copper Pot Stills with an annual capacity of 600,000 litres of Cachaca. Despite only being in production for a few years it is one of the biggest Cachaca plants in Brasil. Quite an achievement when you consider how many they are!

    Tellura use a variety of different barrel types and have three different Cachaca’s on offer. Tellura Prata is not aged in wood. It is stored in stainless steel tanks for 6 months after distillation. It is noted as being a Cachaca for mixing rather than sipping.

    In the glass Tellura Prata is crystal clear. The nose is a little like a muted version of Wray & Nephew. It has a slightly glue like note and hints of black pepper and hints of pear and pineapple.

    It is quite vegetal and grassy – the overwhelming note is very cane forward with a slight sourness on the nose. For a 40% spirit it is very punchy with some very punchy fruity notes like bruised bananas and fermented pineapple juice.

    A fan of funky Jamaican rums or Clairin will be very much at home with this Cachaca. It has a freshness which is sadly lacking in some white Cachaca which is produced in a more industrial manner.

    Even without the native Brasillian woods which are quite floral Tellura Prata has a lovely sweet floral note – something which makes it recognisable as a Cachaca. It’s light and pleasant and really balances out the more pungent notes.

    Sipped it is a very clean spirit. It isn’t as flavourful as I was expecting from the nose. It has an initial burst of sweetness, mixed with some pepper and a touch of what I can best describe as solvent.

    The grassy notes and the fruity notes don’t come across in the sip. There is a slight soapiness in the profile. The mid palate and finish don’t last very long and don’t offer a great deal. The finish gives a bit of smokiness akin to a Mezcal but its a little muted.

    Treated solely as a sipper this wouldn’t really stand up with the aged Cachaca’s. As this is marketed and I assume priced as a mixer it would only be fair if I reviewed it that way.

    Tellura Prata Cachaca Rum Review by the fat rum pirateCoke isn’t the best test of a Cachaca so I’m venturing into making a Caiprinha and a simple Ti Punch.

    Both work nicely but Tellura Prata isn’t the most punchy of Cachaca’s. It’s light and perhaps a little neutral in flavour. This can obviously work well with mixed drinks but for my preference I  would be seeking something that gives some more flavour of its own.

    Tellura Prata is pleasant enough as a mixer and does a decent job. However like so many White Rums it is perhaps a little to simple in its delivery. To neutral and doesn’t pack enough punch to really stand out from the crowd.

    I also have an aged Tellura to try going forward. I do expect that to be better. This is a nicely balanced well put together spirit but I think it could do with a bit more “oomph”.

     

  • Dead Reckoning Australia 9 Year Bourbon Cask

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Dead Reckoning Australia 9 Year Bourbon Cask Rum review by the fat rum pirateDead Reckoning Australia 9 Year Bourbon Cask. We have become quite familiar with the Dead Reckoning line up of rums of the past couple of years. For those who are unacquainted with the bottler they are one of the first Australian Independent bottlers. Certainly one of the first to be exporting to the lucrative EU and US markets.

    Headed up by Justin Boseley, I have been hugely impressed by their output thus far. As well as bottling more popular and in demand distillery rums, such as Foursquare, they have also been happy to bottle some less well known distillers and produce some very “out there” single cask offerings. Along with a few bespoke blends.

    Today, we are a reviewing a 9 year old rum from the iconic Australian distillery Beenleigh. In a real twist of fate this rum was aged for 4 years in tropical North Queensland, Australia before being sold on to a European rum broker, where it has enjoyed a further 5 years of continental ageing. It was then picked up by Australian Justin Boseley to be bottled as part of his Dead Reckoning line up.

    Dead Reckoning Australia 9 Year Bourbon Cask is a blend of Pot and Column distilled rums. The rum is produced from locally sourced molasses and the fermentation period prior to distillation is between 24 and 72 hours. The rum has been aged as I mentioned already for 4 years in Tropical North Queensland and a further 5 years in the less tropical port of Amsterdam. It has been aged in ex-bourbon barrels (small white oak).

    This is a EU and US only release and is limited to 430 bottles, it is a single cask rum and has been bottled at a beefy 55% ABV. No additives and no chill filtration.

    For those unfamiliar with the Beenleigh Distillery it first began distilling rum in 1884 (though it has not been active continuously), whilst not quite as well known as Bundaberg in their native Australia they are largely seen as being a far superior producer. They have also produced “genuine” Navy rum which was issued to the Australian Navy for their daily tot.

    Dead Reckoning Australia 9 Year Bourbon Cask Rum review by the fat rum pirateJustin has began to seek out distributors in the EU and here in the UK we are fortunate enough to find that he has enlisted Rarerumclub to handle distrbution and he is using Zeewijck in the Netherlands for EU distribution.

    The rum is priced at £107 for a 70cl bottle.

    So that is as much information as I have on this particular bottling so we may as well move on to the fun part.

    In the glass Dead Reckoning Australia 9 Year Bourbon Cask is your typical “aged rum” colour. A nice golden to dark brown with a slightly yellow/orange hue.

    On the nose (and even before its near my nose) I am getting wafts of vanilla and oak spice. Some walnuts and peanut brittle. It is many ways very typical of an English Style of rum. Think of Foursquare or (non pun intended) English Harbour in particular. There is a lot to be said for a well blended Pot/Column rum. Something which I feel is often overlooked by some rum enthusiasts.

    Having said that this isn’t a particularly gentle rum. We are not talking about English Harbour 5 Year Old or Doorly’s XO. No the extra ABV certainly gives this more of a punch. So we are more in keeping with a Foursquare ECS or the Velier Antigua bottlings.

    Another thing which gives this rum a little more “oomph” is the unmistakable hit of molasses which carries over the nose. There is a really nice “treacly” note which I really enjoy.

    SIpped, initially the rum is quite fiery with the molasses and oak spice taking centre stage. A few sips in and as the palate and throat acclimatise to the rum – we begin to get more of the softer bourbon influenced notes. So the suggested flavours from the nose begin to shine through. Vanilla, light caramel and peanuts all appear.Dead Reckoning Australia 9 Year Bourbon Cask Rum review by the fat rum pirate

    As we move into the mid palate I begin to get the molasses coming back along with a very nice hit of oak and spice. I’m also getting notes of corn flakes and I keep thinking about freshly buttered toast and golden syrup. There is a hint of smokiness.

    The finish is dry but very long. The molasses and caramel notes stick around for a long time after the sip. As your mouth dries out the oak and spice come out to play again giving a very more-ish feel to this spirit.

    This is the first time I have sat down properly with a distillate from Beenleigh. I have to say I am highly impressed.

    This is great stuff.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Foursquare Rum Distillery Patrimonio

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Foursquare Rum Distillery Patrimonio Rum Review by the fat rum pirateFoursquare Rum Distillery Patrimonio. This is one of three Sherry finish/2nd maturation rums Foursquare have released this year. I have already reviewed Empery and Hereditas. Empery was part of the ongoing Exceptional Cask Series and Hereditas was an exclusive bottling for The Whisky Exchange’s 20th Anniversary celebrations.

    Patrimonio is presented in the Velier style cardboard box and opaque bottle. It is one of the series of collaborations between Foursquare and Velier or Richard Seale and Luca Gargano if you prefer. Price wise like the other Velier collaborations this is more expensive than the ECS bottlings and other official Foursquare releases. Patrimonio retails at around £/€180. It’s crept up to just under £200 on Master of Malt should you still want a bottle.

    The rum is a Single Blended Rum so both Pot and Column still rums from Foursquare Distillery only. It was distilled in 2004 and bottled in February 2019. 100% matured in Barbados. There were 6,000 bottles of this rum on its release earlier this year. It is stated as being aged for 14 years in ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry barrels. It has been bottled at 58% ABV Barrel Proof.

    The actual maturation is that a percentage of the rum was aged for 10 years in ex-bourbon and 4 years in ex-sherry with the remainder being matured only in ex-bourbon casks.

    Opinion over the trio of “Sherried” rums has been very much split amongst enthusiasts. Some found Hereditas a touch too sweet, others found Empery a bit woody. Most however seemed to agree that they are all very good rums. Opinion over Patrimonio that I have seen has been pretty unanimously in favour of it.

    However its worth noting that I have seen more opinions on Hereditas and Empery in general. Some people either cannot or will not pay the price of the Velier collaborations. People expect a huge increase in the quality of the rum but it doesn’t really work like that.

    Presentation wise it appears we have moved from the Red,White and Black colour schemes and are sticking with the Blue, White and Black first used on last years rather excellent bottling Destino. Other than that its all pretty standard for a Velier release as you can see from the photos.Foursquare Rum Distillery Patrimonio Rum Review by the fat rum pirate No fairy stories just cold hard facts.

    Sherried rum round three….here we go.

    In the glass Foursquare Rum Distillery Patrimonio is a dark brown spirit with a reddish/orange hue.

    Nosed we are in familiar Bajan Barrel Proof territory with lots of coconut, oak spices, tobacco and some dark chocolate. Fruity notes of raisin and banana also make themselves known.

    It’s a very rich, complex, warming nose. There is a really nice smoky note running through this rum which works beautifully alongside the rich fruity notes of raisins, currants and blackberries. The Sherry influence is there adding a nice amount of sweet fruit but it is less prominent than with Hereditas.

    To me it is more similar to Empery but I feel that this has a slightly better balance and doesn’t have as much wood in the mix. It still has some wonderful oak spices but its not quite as woody as Empery.

    Further nosing reveals a very slightly salty briny note – green olives. It’s very much a rum you can nose for hours.

    Sipped, this is a very intense fruity rum – lots of sweet raisin and currants again on the tongue. There is a slight tart/bitter note a sort of sweet/sour fruity jam like note. Once you get past the initial intensity, the smokiness and the tobacco on the nose reveals itself again.

    The mid palate and finish are where the rum gets quite woody and begins to burst with oak spices. This gives the rum a really great balance. Which is perhaps one thing Foursquare consistently offer – wonderfully well balanced rums. Foursquare Rum Distillery Patrimonio Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    At 14 years of Tropical Ageing we are in danger of getting into a rum which is perhaps a bit too woody. Not in this case but I think we are pretty much near the edge in terms of ageing. The finish is long and smoky with lots of oak spice, white pepper and some chocolate raisins and some pipe tobacco.

    This is definitely one of the more complex and challenging Foursquare rums. It is certainly not as easy going and accessible as Premise or Port Cask. It has an extra layer of smoke, tobacco and wood spices.

    Another Foursquare rum that I will wish I had bought more of in future.

     

     

  • Velier Skeldon 1973 Full Proof Old Demerara Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Velier Skeldon 1973 Full Proof Old Demerara Rum by the fat rum pirateVelier Skeldon 1973 Full Proof Old Demerara Rum. One of the oldest rums, both in terms of when it was distilled and the length of time it was aged, I have reviewed so far. This is also one of  the rarest. It was one of the earlier Velier bottlings originally released back in 2005. Long before I had become serious about rum.

    The original Skeldon Distillery closed in 1960. From reading around online it seems none of the stills from Skeldon were relocated – so I guess they were destroyed or just left to rot.

    This rum was actually produced at the Utivlugt Distillery.on a Coffey Still. The marque noted on the bottle (taken from the barrels) is likely to mean SWR – Skeldon William Ross, who was the founder of the Skeldon distillery. Skeldon is actually in Ayrshire, Scotland. As the name suggests William Ross was a Scottish immigrant. Other theories suggest SWR may stand for Sir Willaim Russell – but I have found no explanation for this.

    Velier Skeldon 1973 Full Proof Old Demerara Rum was distilled in 1973 and bottled in 2005 giving 32 years of tropical ageing in Guyana. The Angels Share is not noted for this release. Bottled at full proof of 60.5% ABV only 544 bottles were released. If you wish to buy a bottle of this rum then try a Whisky Auction site. However you’ll need deep pockets – I would be surprised this to set you back less than £1500 now.

    Velier Skeldon 1973 Full Proof Old Demerara Rum by the fat rum pirate
    Photo copyright Lance Surujbally – The Lone Caner

    I was very fortunate to swap a few samples with Lance Surujbally of The Lone Caner fame and this was one of the samples he gave me. I was very pleased, as I had kind of given up hope of ever trying this or the 1978 release. I seem to remember Luca stating at the Rum Tasting of the Century I attended last year – that the 1973 had some of the 1978 distillate “mixed” with some of the barrels to make more numbers though DDL did not tell him that at the time. As this rum wasn’t made on the actual Skeldon stills, I assume it is made to replicate those marques of rum. DDL have recently released a Rare Collection rum noted as being Skeldon and an Albion rum as well. The cynic in me thinks, this is to help sell the rums, based on the myth of rums such as this one.

    In the glass Skeldon 1973 is a very dark brown – almost black. With only a tinge of brown around the outer edge.

    The nose is very rich and fruity. Lots of juicy raisins and sultanas. Notes of port and a slighty mustiness. Which might not sound very appealing but it’s actually very pleasant.

    Hints of ginger and clove come into the mix the more you sip. It’s surprisingly “low” on boozy alchol for such a high proof rum. It’s all just so rich and concentrated it swirls in the glass. A slight bitterness is present as well licorice and Guinness are present on the nose as well. It’s surprisingly not all that woody.

    Upon sipping everything that was on the nose and more come into play. Initial notes of slighty bitter stout/Guinness and some hits of unsweetened licorice. Raisins and sultana’s again alongside some really fruity notes of Port. Black currants and Red currants. There is also a touch of saltiness in the mid palate.

    This is really intense, very fruity rum. I was expecting it to be very oaky but that is simply not the case. The mid palate does reveal  some notes of ginger and some wood spicing but they are still only playing alongside the fruitier notes.Velier Skeldon 1973 Full Proof Old Demerara Rum by the fat rum pirate

    Finish wise it is long and very pleasant.  Again it’s not as spicy as you might expect, its rich and warming.  This is a very good “winter” rum. Sadlym it is unlikely I will try it again beyond this sample.

    A very unique tasting rum and very different to what we get nowadays. 32 years of ageing but not a year wasted.

    Sensational. If you are given the chance to try this then I would urge you do so.

    Rum rarely gets much better than this from Guyana. Will be interesting to see how the “new” Skeldon marque rum matches up.