That Boutique-y Rum Company Flying Dutchman Rum Aged 4 Years. We are back reviewing another Boutique-y Rum Company release. This time I’m 100% up to date as this bottling is due for release today (19/11/2021).

Which is nice because things have been slipping a little lately on the site. I haven’t been updating it as often as I would like. Life has a habit of getting in the way of doing the things you’d like to do I’ve found recently……..

Anyway, this is the first Boutique-y Rum release from a distillery based in mainland Europe. As the title suggests this rum hails from the Netherlands and comes from the Zuidam Distillery. The distillery which is headed up by distiller Patrick Van Zuidam has been producing their won “Flying Dutchman” branded rum for a number of years now.

I’ve been aware of Zuidam Distillery for some time but have never previously had the opportunity to try any of their rums. I’ll also say that due to my somewhat eclectic buying choices/decisions I have never sought to buy their products either. Quite why I’m not entirely sure as I have heard good things about them. I will confess though I am always put off a little by distilleries that produce multiple types of spirit rather than focusing one in particular.

More often than not Rum is pretty much an after thought or a Spiced/Flavoured rum range is released as a cheap cash in. So I tend to avoid releases from such distillers. I will say at this stage that I have been told that Zuidam but a lot of care in to all their products.

So what do we have for review today exactly?

This rum is produced using imported molasses, which goes through long fermentation (two weeks plus, I’ve been told) utilising multiple yeast strains before being double distilled in Pot stills. This rum has been aged for 4 years in the Netherlands using an ex-Pedro Ximénez cask and is bottled with The Flying Dutchman name, which is consistent with the own-label rums released from the distillery.

The usual wacky Boutique-y label design shows Patrick van Zuidam in full Willy Wonka garb with a pirate-y eyepatch. He is in a roiling sea of fermenting molasses, beneath a nightmarish looking sky. A member of the crew hands him his telescope, as he is said to always have one eye on the future. A pitched battle appears to be won by the crew of the Howard Pyle. The nearest ship to them has been holed, slipping below the waves with the Captain clinging to the mast. Another ship has turned tail and is making off like a bat out of hell. A Windmill in the background reminds us of the heritage of the rum in the bottle.

That Boutique-y Rum Company Flying Dutchman Rum Aged 4 Years comes in a 50cl/500ml bottle. The rum has been bottled at 53% ABV. Stock in the UK at Master of Malt is quite limited, as a lot is being sent to mainland Europe. I am unsure how many bottles of this have/will be released. Currently it is limited to one bottle per customer which will cost you £59.95. If you are in a hurry to buy this then here is a link, which will also see me get a couple of quid to go towards hosting fees etc (or maybe a bottle of rum).

So lets see what this rum is like I’m very keen to try something finally, from this distillery.

In the glass we have rum which is a shade or two darker than perhaps a “traditional” Gold rum. It’s nearly dark……but has an orange hue around the edges and running right through it.

On the nose That Boutique-y Rum Company Flying Dutchman Rum Aged 4 years is initially very sweet and very heavy on the raisin. In short the initial burst is that of PX Sherry. For those unfamiliar PX Sherry is a very sweet sherry that does carry a lot of raisin aromas (and flavours). Bit like Christmas Cake.

Further nosing and the raisin noted develop more into dark chocolate covered raisins. I am now beginning to notice more of the “rummy” notes in this spirit though. So I am getting a nice hit of treacly molasses and some really nice vanilla and coconut notes.

Due to the age of the rum it does have quite a nostril tingling kick to it and a slightly astringent note. Some pencil shavings and a touch of green chilli. I’m also noticing a kind of minty/menthol note, the more I stick my beak into it.

It’s rich and fruity but has a little menace to it as well – bit of backbone which I like in a rum – especially a Pot Still Rum. It’s pretty complex and there are also a couple of notes/aromas that I can’t quite place but they add to the rich fruityness of the nose. Some kind of exotic fruits.

Sipped, I am getting much of a Pot Still Rum flavour now. More heavy treacly molasses and some spicy notes which give a nice kick of spicy heat and oak tannins. The fruitiness especially the raisin from the PX cask mingles in amongst this and is less dominant than on the nose. Dark chocolate, plums and some apricot jam develop on the mid palate alongside some of the slightly minty elements and a good chunk of oak and spices. Some Gingerbread and a touch of fennel.

As we move into the finish I notice more of the vanilla and some coconut notes. The finish is a reasonable length but it does lose quite a lot of the oak and spiciness. This leaves behind the gentler vanilla and coconut, which fade out nicely.

As it stands this is certainly a very mature sip for what is a 4 year old rum. Yes it does show some of its youthfulness – but I quite like that. Overall it’s a very complex experience. There is a lot of development from the initial nose to the finish on the sip. At full strength I didn’t feel it needed any water. As mentioned earlier, it certainly belies its age to some extent.

My interest in Zuidam Distillery is well and truly piqued by this release and I would be very keen to try this with more age on it. I think the use of PX cask has really worked – without being overbearing. It’s added a layer to the rum which is what a good finish/maturation should do. It should add some influence to the rum not make the rum taste like Sherry.

Great stuff