That Boutique-y Rum Company Secret Distillery #1 Jamaica

Bythefatrumpirate April 23, 2019April 23, 2019

That Boutique-y Rum Company Secret Distillery #1 Jamaica. A release from a “Secret Distillery” in Jamaica sounds fantastic doesn’t it? Just imagine that The Boutique-y Rum Company have access to an as yet unknown Jamaican rum distillery. Is this a new start up or is it a tiny distiller who has been making their own moonshine for centuries?

It’s neither. It is in fact the name of a Jamaican Rum Producer who has decided, that they do not want Independent bottlers to use the name of their distillery on their bottlings. Whilst they probably can’t legally enforce this. They have requested this be the case. So going forward you will not see the Worthy Park name on future independent releases.

As far as I am aware I won’t get into trouble for disclosing the distillery. Besides which I am just guessing using my amateur palate. I could be completely wrong.

Anyway, with this being the Boutique-y Rum Company we do still get a stack of information about this rum. Which makes a reviewers job so much easier!

Distilled in March 2008. This is a 9-year-old 100% Pot Still Jamaican Rum. It has been aged entirely in a once used bourbon cask. This is a one of the rums from the first “batch” of Boutique-y Rum Company releases and it is still available via Master of Malt.

It is priced at £47.95 and the ABV is a hefty 58%. The bottle size, is smaller than usual at 50cl. There were 426 bottles available on release. Which suggests this rum is bottled at Cask Strength or very near to it. It is noted as being the First Batch, so there may be more casks of this rum available in the future?

That Boutique-y Rum Company Secret Distillery #1 Jamaica has spent 6 years ageing in Jamaica before being transferred to the UK.

Presentation wise the labels on the Boutique-y Rum Company are a bit wacky as is their website. If you find the whole ethos familiar, it is likely you are familiar with Jim’ll Paint It. It’s the same artist. The label for this one is and I quote “The label is a visualisation of the rum’s production, featuring sugarcane (that’s the big one), demerara sugar, molasses, unaged rum and aged rum.”

Might just be but it looks more like someone’s trippin’…….The second photo on this review shows a couple of other bottles in the range. All fun stuff and really makes the bottles stand out.

In the glass That Boutique-y Rum Company Secret Distillery #1 Jamaica is a medium/dark brown rum, with an orange hue around the edges.

On the nose it is obvious to anyone who has ever tasted anything from this “Secret Distillery”, which distillery this is actually from. Sweet milky builders tea mingles alongside milk chocolate, peanuts and caramel. It’s rich, warm and very inviting. Wafts of vanilla move in and out of the mix.

It’s very typical of a Worthy Park rum. Which is no bad thing as I think they are a fantastic distillery.

Sipped the rum is a little fiery at the full ABV but full of intense fruity and chocolatey flavours. Once you get past the milky tea notes you get a hint of pine cones and then the spicy warming dark chocolate, cocoa and raisin notes being that build up on the mid palate.

This leads to a spicy burst of ginger and banana, with just a touch of pineapple to add a little sweetness. Notes of gooseberry adds a slightly tart note. A touch of salty sea brine as well.

The continental ageing adds a little more spice and perhaps a bit more alcohol burn than the Habitation Velier releases. I wouldn’t say it makes the rum any worse. It’s just a difference rather than an off point to this rum.

The finish is long and has a really nice peppery spice to it, alongside the warming chocolate notes.The vanilla returns giving this a slightly sweeter finish than some Worthy Park rums.

Another really nice rum from Worthy Park.

If you wish to read more about this rum Steve James of Rum Diaries Blog has also reviewed this release.

JAH45 Silver Rum

JAH45 Silver Rum
Bythefatrumpirate September 3, 2019

JAH45 Silver Rum. This is the latest rum in the JAH45 line up to get a review here. It follows on from the Gold and Dark iterations of the brand.

The brand has it’s own website, which outlines its full portfolio of 5 rums from Silver to Spiced and everything in between.

JAH45 Silver is a blend of Column distilled rum from Clarendon and Pot Still rum from Monymusk, New Yarmouth and Hampden. I am unsure of the age but I think the oldest rum in the blend is around 3 years old.

JAH45 rums in quite distinctive albeit fairly standard bar style bottles. The design is bright and colourful and immediately puts you in mind of Jamaican Reggae and Dancehall. It does stand out from your standard white rum on the shelf.

In the UK you should expect to pay around £20-22 for a bottle of this rum (I was lucky enough recently to find some on Amazon on sale for just £15). It is bottled at a not to shabby 40% ABV. Which to be fair is about all you should expect at this price point.

The JAH45 brand has been around for around 18 months now and supply of the rum has been a bit sporadic especially of the Overproof version. I have tried to but as yet I haven’t got around to getting a bottle. I have seen some for sale recently though. This review might indicate to you whether I will be buying a bottle or not.

As tends to happen when you begin reviewing numerous rums from the same brand – I don’t really have a lot to say that hasn’t already been covered in my previous reviews of JAH45 Dark and Gold. Carl Stephenson who worked for Wray and Nephew for a while is the genius behind this rums. As with most rum brands without a distillery, especially in Europe the rum has been blended and bottled by our friends at EA Scheer.

In the glass we have a clear white rum. You could mistake if for a vodka or any other white spirit. Until you give it a quick nosing………..

The first thing you will probably do after nosing this rum will be to check the ABV. You then might even begin to wonder if you have picked up the JAH45 Overproof. No this is the 40% standard white rum.

This is a funky and very vibrant white Jamaican rum. The initial nosing is full on stewed pineapples and bananas. This however quickly gives way to some more nuanced notes.

Possibly from the Clarendon/Monymusk column still part of this Jamaican rum blend. Vanilla and honey mingle alongside some toffee. Pear Drops (English boiled sweets) and a touch of lychee. The mid palate is a confusing blend of Jamaican rum funk and more refined lighter sweet alcohol. It’s complexity is really quite something for a rum so inexpensive.

It sips surprisingly well – though its only let down in that respect is the short finish which fades pretty quickly into a more bitter alcohol note.

The real fun to be had with JAH45 Silver Rum is in the mixing. It makes one of the best rum and cola’s I have ever had with a white rum. It’s so flavourful and the “funky” elements of this rum really seem to burst out when mixed with cola or fruit juices. Think of this as Wray and Nephew’s little brother but with a little extra sweetness.

That is not to say this Jamaican rum has been “dosed” it hasn’t. However, much like Plantation’s Xaymaca, it’s funkiness is harnessed by a touch of finessee. Though JAH45 Silver Rum, is still a step or two up in the funk stakes for me.

This is one of the best white rums I have ever tasted and I think the blend from the various Jamaican distilleries is excellent. Price wise it is ridiculously competitive as well.

A no brainer of a purchase at just over £20. I know a lot of people will be a bit sceptical about this rum (and possibly this review) but I really believe most people who try this rum and enjoy good authentic Jamaican rum, will really enjoy this.

Honestly give it a try

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XM Royal 10 Years Finest Caribbean Rum

XM Royal 10 Years Finest Caribbean Rum
Bythefatrumpirate June 10, 2014July 13, 2015

XM are the signature rums for Guyanese master blenders Banks DIH (Demerara Ice House). Despite hailing from Guyana the rum’s are not Demerara rums. With only one distillery in Guyana (Demerara Distillers Limited) it is easy to think that Banks DIH obtain their rum’s ready for blending from there. However, research has found that they no longer obtain any rums from DDL and consequently the rum cannot be classed as Demerara rum.

This is something which I hadn’t noticed until it was pointed out to me At no point do they proclaim their rum is Demerara. However, it is wrongly labelled Demerara on numerous websites. This as my review will attest is not solely due to geography.

The presentation of the XM Royal is a little cheap, whilst the rum comes with a sturdy protective cardboard sleeve it is let down by the slightly dated label (particularly the XM Royal 10 on the neck) and the metallic screw cap. At £30 it is not unreasonable to expect a synthetic or corked enclosure.

I originally bought both this and the 7 Year Old in the belief I was getting a Demerara rum similar to the El Dorado range. As mentioned earlier the geography suggests this is not the case. However, the appearance of the rum in the glass does nothing to suggest this isn’t a Demerara rum. Upon nosing the rum it gives that familiar El Dorado almost flowery burst of rich caramel and dried tropical fruits.

I have found a lot of satisfaction in rums from the likes of Barbados and St Lucia that are aged between 8 and 12 years and this is no exception. The appearance of the rum is slightly lighter than the aged El Dorado rum’s I have tried (12 and 15 year old). The XM Royal does not smell quite as sweet as the 12 year old and is slightly oaky a little like the 15 year old. I would say that the Banks XM rum’s would definitely be enjoyed by an El Dorado aficionado. As a lot of the rum’s are slightly different age variations to the El Dorado’s (7 and 10 years for example) they could compliment an El Dorado collection. I have certainly not tasted anything as close to an El Dorado Demerara as the XM rum’s. the XM’s are slightly thinner than the El Dorado’s in terms of consistency and the overall smell isn’t quite the same but not far off.

Anyway, that is quite enough talk of El Dorado rum’s. We know how good they are but how good is the XM Royal? Well as with the 7 year old I have found that this bottle has went down very quickly. At £29.95 it was only slightly more expensive than the 7 year old XM XVO. It isn’t quite as sweet and has a little more oakiness in the profile. It leaves quite a dry aftertaste when sipped.

The rum tastes of caramel and raisins and dried fruits, with a little spice and smokiness on the afterburn. It is pleasantly smooth and has a lot of complexity which makes it a very rewarding sipping rum. It is a rum for someone with a bit of a sweet tooth (not as much as the VXO though in my opinion). I really enjoy these XM rum’s and can even forgive the fact it isn’t Demerara and that the packaging isn’t quite as good as it could be.

As anyone who has read my reviews, I do love a cuba libre. Call me what you like but I do enjoy a rum which can stand up to a bit of diet cola. The XM Royal just like the XM VXO is excellent when mixed with a little cola. In this instance, whilst the VXO’s sweetness seems to magnify when mixed the Royal seems to become more oaky with a little bit of smokiness in the profile.

I doubt anyone who enjoys El Dorado’s offerings would be disappointed with XM’s rum, it does have a lot of similarities. I’d be interested to try the two brand’s 15 year old’s in a blind tasting session. That could be very interesting. The one thing that puzzles me is how they get it like this when it isn’t from Guyana? You know what I think I might have to ask them!

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Rhum Neisson Blanc 55%

Rhum Neisson Blanc 55%
Bythefatrumpirate April 13, 2020April 13, 2020

Rhum Neisson Blanc 55%. Neisson are a Rhum Agricole producer from Martinique. Neisson produce their rhums from sugar cane harvested at their distillery and are a cane to bottle operatiion. They are not a brand that buy in rhum for blending and ageing.

Set up in 1931 Distillerie Neisson or Thieubert-Carbet and situated in the Le Carbet area of the island on the North-Caribbean coastline, sadly Distillerie Neisson is the only distillery still operating in the area.

Rhum Neisson is produced under the AOC guidelines, information can be found here. They can explain the process way better than me. It’s been a while since I reivewed a Neisson rhum way back in 2017. Time flies.

Rhum Neisson harvest the sugar cane for their rhums between late February and June. This is when all the rhum is produced. Rhum Neisson Blanc 55% is produced from 5 strains of sugar cane

Rod Blue (B69.566): 60% – Cane Cinnamon (B82.0333): 20%
Cane Red (B64.277): 10% – Cane Zikak (B80.08): 9%
Crystalline (Saccharum officinarum): 1%

This doesn’t really mean all that much to me but I do understand different strains of sugar cane can contain varying amounts of sugar content, acidity etc.

Rhum Neisson Blanc 55% is not completely unaged but it isn’t really “actively aged” as it is stored in stainless steel vats for 6 months to mellow out. Rhum Neisson produce a variety of this standard Rhum Blanc at differing ABV’s.

The presentation of Rhum Neisson is quite old fashioned but the bottle shape is distinctive and stands out. Some of their more recent creations have a more modern “trendy” style of presentation but for their more traditional core rhums they have this older style.

Rhum Neisson is also well known for having Edward Hamilton of Ministry of Rum fame as one of their distributors. Whilst researching Neisson, I was surprised at how many products they have released. Availability in the UK is sporadic. If you are a serious Neisson nut you’re probably best looking at French online stores or doing a booze cruise to France.

The price of this rhum for a 70cl/1 litre bottle seems to vary anywhere from £26 to £40. A lot of stores I am more familiar with do not currently have this in stock. Rum Stylez have a 70cl for €32,50.

I would normally include a link to the Neisson website and I will but it’s not fully operational (well its not operational at all really!). Work in progress.

In the glass Rhum Neisson Blanc 55% is a crystal clear liquid, which confirms it has no contact with any wood during it’s short lifetime.

The nose is very punchy, freshly mowed fields and bright sweet and vibrant wafts of sugar cane. Amongst this fresh grassiness is a nice burst of citrus . Lemon Juice and some nice peppery ginger. A slight creaminess is also present a touch of whole milk.

The nose is big but not at all boozy for such a young high strength rhum. It’s clean and crisp.

Sipped it retains sweetness but you get a slightly earthy note as well. The intiial entry is dominated by sweet sugar cane but the mid palate delivers an extra layer of honey and some grittier earthier notes. It’s very refreshing, very clean and full of flavour.

This rhum is clearly produced to a very high standard. Neisson rhums can often be a little more expensive than some of their counterparts but if the quality is this high I don’t mind paying a little more.

This is a very tasty palate cleansing kind of sipper. Something you might have between courses during a meal. A bit like a sorbet.

The finish is also surprisingly long, likely carried by the high ABV but its fruity with a decent amount of spicy burn. It’s nice.

It is perhaps in drinks such as a Ti-Punch where Rhum Neisson Blanc 55% is best enjoyed and indeed the full flavour and clear delivery and crispness of this rhum mean it works wonderfully.

Perhaps more expensive than a lot of unaged white agricole available, particularly the crazy prices I enviously look at in France but I would say it’s worth having a bottle for a more Premium mixer/part time sipper.

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Monymusk Overproof White Rum

Monymusk Overproof White Rum
Bythefatrumpirate June 26, 2018

Monymusk Overproof White Rum. Monymusk Sugar Estate lies in the South of the island of Jamaica on the Vere Palins in the parish of Clarendon. Rum has been made from Jamaican molasses in this area since the 18th century. Monymusk rum is initially distilled at the ultra modern Clarendon Distillery. The rums in the Monymusk portfolio are then blended and aged at the nearby Innswood facility which was also formerly a distillery but is now a blending and ageing house.

Ownership of the Clarendon and Innswood distilleries has passed back and forward between private and government ownership over the past hundred years. It is now partly owned by National Rums of Jamaica, Diageo and Maison Ferrand. For more details than would be reasonable in a review you can find a lot of detail on both Monymusk and Jamaican rum in general over at the Cocktail Wonk website. And if I have got anything wrong in the above brief write up I am sure the site will clear that up for you.

Monymusk/Clarendon rum is often sold in bulk they only recently brought back their “own brand” of rum, of which this Overproof forms a part of that range. I will endeavour to seek out other rum from the Monymusk brand going forward but importation of the rums in the UK is a bit sporadic at the moment. You will have tried distillate from Clarendon in Captain Morgan’s Jamaica/Original Dark rum. This Overproof rum has only been available since 2011.

This is a white overproof rum. A more familiar White Overproof would be J Wray and Nephew or Rum Bar Overproof from Worthy Park. Monymusk have opted however for a less partisan colour scheme. Red, white and black.Rather than the greens and yellows favoured by those two overproofs.

It is triple distilled and bottled at 63% ABV. A bottle in the UK will set you back between £25-30 for a 70cl. I haven’t been able to find out much else unfortunately even after consulting their own website. Which is something that does make me scratch my head. It’s also disappointing but perhaps not that surprising that I struggled to find any other reviews of this rum. I do get the feeling the “brand” could do with a big kick up the bottom.

In the glass the rum is entirely clear rum – clearly unaged and as “white” as they come. On first nosing you get a lot of sweet alcohol and some quite surprisingly rich molasses notes. It doesn’t have much funk on the nose at all. It’s surprisingly one dimensional and just smells of young sweet but strong booze.

There are perhaps hints of toffee and coconut lurking but it doesn’t really do much for me.

Sipping the rum at full strength you are left with little else really. No Jamaican funk, no grassy notes again just sweet young alcohol. Toffee and some brown sugar making it more like a Demerara rum than a Jamaican.

For such a strong rum it really isn’t all that impressive on the finish. Its just a boozy hit really all the way down. It just makes your tongue tingle and your throat burn.

Mixing the rum I’m just reminded enormously of Captain Morgan’s Dark Rum (not the Spiced one thankfully) but it even lacks the more treacly notes of that one. It’s a million miles away from J Wray or Rum Bar. It even makes Appleton 12 seem relatively funky.

A Jamaican rum that has had all the Jamaican sucked out of it. Overall as a strong, relatively inexpensive white rum it’s okay. Problem is the Jamaican Overproof’s it competes directly with are SO much better.

It may be that in triple distilling this rum they have taken all the funk out of it. Maybe they wanted to produce something different to the usual Jamaican Overproof’s. They’ve certainly done that. Just a shame its not much cop.

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Uncategorised

Ron Barceló Imperial Onyx
Bythefatrumpirate December 31, 2025

Ron Barceló Imperial Onyx.

One of my first “Premium” rums was a bottle of Ron Barceló Imperial that I picked up for around £12 in Gibraltar circa 2012.

At the time I was fairly pleased with it but as my experience grew I found myself less enamoured by the rum. I reviewed it back in 2017 by which time my perception had changed quite dramatically.

In the UK you will occasionally see Ron Barceló rums but it is not a brand which has been taken up by any of the big pub or restaurant chains to the best of my knowledge. It’s presence in the UK is fairly low key.

However, for anyone who travels outside of the UK and into Europe it is often present at the AIrport Duty Free. This bottling I am reviewing today I have seen numerous times when visiting Spain especially. The brand is pretty popular over there.

In the UK a bottle will set you back around £45 but if you are a regular traveller you are best picking it up at the Duty Free. I picked my bottle up from Amazon for £30 in a sale. Curiosity as much as anything and to maybe mix up the reviews a little.

Ron Barceló Imperial Onyx comes in a very wide flask style bottle with a short stubby neck. The cork stopper has a large ornate plastic topper. You also get a cut out card sleeve to house the rum.

Ron Barceló Imperial Onyx comes in a 70cl bottle coming in at a slightly disappointing 38% ABV. So only just above the legal limit. Quite common for Dominican rum though.

There is no information regarding the rum on the bottle or the cardboard sleeve. So its off to their website for some information. First thing that hits me is that the site claims Ron Barceló is the most exported Dark Rum in the world. Which seems a slightly odd (and difficult really to judge) claim to make. Dark Rum? Hmmmm

Anyway, I have found the following information regarding this rum

“The result of the finest selection of rums aged up to ten years in oak barriques with a high toast degree, subsequently filtered from real Onyx stones to obtain a rum with intense, deep notes and a unique character.

Notes on tasting

Mahogany colour with amber shades.
With a robust, structured body and of great character. Toasted fragrances, with a subtle hint of cherry, coffee and nuts. Intense sensations of wood and vanilla with a persistent aftertaste. An aged and complex rum that delights all the senses.

Ideal for

To be enjoyed used for the preparation of classic and contemporary cocktails. 750 ml and 700 ml presentations.”

So not a great deal of information. Ron Barceló say that their rums are made from the finest Sugar Cane Juice. Which like their Haitian neighbours might suggest something akin to Agricole Rhum.

What Ron Barceló don’t tell us on the website is the method of distillation. Industrial Multi Columns. So not the traditional Coffey Column Still’s used in Agricole.

So with my information exhausted I think I will pop that chunky cork and see what this is like.

In the glass the rum is indeed pretty dark – almost a mahogany colour. Coloured a little? Most likely – nearly all continuously produced rums are coloured to some degree for consistency, if nothing else.

The rum gives off a nice aroma – dark chocolate, a touch of cocoa, some plums and other dark fruits. There is a sweetness and a lighter touch as the rum settles in the glass.

Further nosing I’m getting some leather and cigar smokiness.

Despite the dark colour of the rum and the desire to be rich and decadent it isn’t as “deep” as I think they want us to believe. It’s still got a sweet light Spanish style aroma.

I’ve checked the Hydrometer and it bobbed at 38% ABV but I wouldn’t be surprised if their is a touch of Glycerol/Glycerin.

Taking a sip it is less interesting than the nose suggested. Much of the coffee and leather aromas are over taken by a sweeter note. It tastes more like something that has been made to feel old rather than actually long aged. I dare say there is a fair bit of a stretch going on with the “up to 10 years” claims.

It’s sweet but not overly so but it gives a fairly standard Spanish style rum flavour which you can find for a lot less money. Even they note this is for cocktails.

There really isn’t a great deal going on with this. It’s entry is fairly nice with a little bit of spice but the 38% ABV isn’t doing it any favours.

I usually comment on the mid palate and the finish. Unfortunately the main downfall for this is how short the overall experience is. It disappears very quickly and d

oesn’t leave much behind once swallowed. A very slight burn which quickly fades – sweet and inoffensive.

I’ve mixed it a Rum and Coke and its okay. At the price point it should be. That said I’d be happier with their own Anejo or Gran Anejo if that is all I was going to do with it.

They offer up Premium Cocktails to try on the website but in all honesty this rum doesn’t have enough about it to really enhance anything. So I’ll give that a miss.

I’m not disappointed or surprised by this rum. It’s not unpleasant but just doesn’t justify its price point in anyway shape or form. Which sadly means I’m going to give this very average rum a slightly below average score.

Another one for the Pretty Bottle Brigade. Not for me though.

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Raising Glasses Pelée's Fury Martinique Grand Arôme Rum

Raising Glasses Pelée’s Fury Martinique Grand Arôme Rum
Bythefatrumpirate May 3, 2025December 9, 2025

Raising Glasses Pelée’s Fury Martinique Grand Arôme Rum. A bit of a rarity for me. In that I am reviewing something from an Independent Bottler from the US.

It is fair to say that the “Europeans” have quite a monopoly when it comes to Independent bottlings and access to the casks to produce them. The largest rum broker E.A Scheer/The Main Rum Company have their two main warehouses in Amsterdam and Liverpool.

So US Independent bottlers are less common place than European bottlers. My own access to US Independent bottlings involves the same difficulties had by US citizens trying to get European releases.

Fortunately i have been sent some samples of Raising Glasses portfolio to review, by a contact I have in the Rum World who is currently working with the brand.

If you wish to read about the brand then you can see more here on their own website.

Raising Glasses Pelée’s Fury Martinique Grand Arôme Rum is also a bit of a rarity for me in terms of the juice. Once I have looked into the rum I have realised that it is a rum from Le Galion on Martinique. My initial very quick perusal of the sample had me assuming it has from Savanna Distillery on Reunion Island. They have used the Grand Arôme term with their own releases quite frequently.

However, releases from Le Galion are less commonplace than from Savanna. It’s commercial operation is really dependent on the production of Sugar. A lot of the rum they do produce is sold in bulk and used in perfume and other “industrial” products rather than for drinking. They aren’t really a very commercially minded rum producer at all.

You may also note that I have referred to this as rum rather than rhum. The rum is produced on a traditional column style used commonly in the French Islands.

However, they do not produce Rhum Agricole. The rum is made from the molasses from the sugar production. Again this is likely because rum isn’t their main focus……..

There aren’t a great deal of reviews of any other Le Galion rums kicking around. I did however find a review from Lance over at The Lone Caner. It was quite interesting to read that he also had similar initial thoughts and confusion when he discovered a Le Galion Grand Arôme Rum. Good to see I’m not the only one that needed to do some research! His review was 7 years ago so I’m well behind in that respect!

This rum is available direct from Raising Glasses it retails at $40 for a 375ml. So its half the size of a usual 750ml US bottling. A standard UK/Europe bottling is 700ml (or 70cl). Which I think is good value and quite a good idea. I’ve been a fan of “smaller” bottle sizes for quite a while. However having spoken with producers I understand why they are loath to commit smaller bottles.

Raising Glasses Pelée’s Fury Martinique Grand Arôme Rum comes in at hefty 62.5% ABV. It is an unaged molasses based rum. The long vinasse-powered fermentation creates prodigious amounts of ester flavor compounds which is why it is labelled as Grand Arôme.

Raising Glasses Pelée’s Fury Martinique Grand Arôme Rum is part of Raising Glasses’ “Folklore” series. The name comes from Mount Pelée. An active volcano on Martinique. In 1902 it erupted violently killing almost 30,000 inhabitants. Almost 15% of the island’s population. Destroying the port of Saint-Pierre.

Anyway enough of mass destruction my Mother Nature and human tragedy lets take a look at this rum………..

Raising Glasses Pelée’s Fury Martinique Grand Arôme Rum is unaged so unsurprisingly the liquid is crystal clear. There has been no cask interaction to alter the colour of this rum.

Like a Jamaican Overproof you can smell this at twenty paces….from way across the room. Highly pungent and highly aromatic. There is a huge hit of fermenting pineapple and sweet green apples. A touch of mango and some banana. It’s rich and fruity with a huge hit of sweet smelling varnish and a touch of petrol.

It is also quite “molasses” heavy. I am getting a lot of toffee/caramel on the nose and the familiar rich “Navy Style” you get with those blended Dary Navy Rums.

There is also a slightly sour cream like note to this rum as well.

SIpping this at full strength is advised in a gradual manner. The is a lot to take in. The sweetness on the nose is still apparent with a lot of the tropical notes coming through. However, I am getting a saltier more briny rum especially on the intial sip.

It has a slightly dry acidic mouthfeel which has quite a drying effect on the palate at full strength.

This however does lead to a lot of “shift” in the flavour profile. As I sip further and move into the mid palate of each sip I’m noticing a lot of black and green olives. Some pencil shavings and something almost nutty creeping into the profile.

Sweetness is still there with lots of funky pineapple and mango but it is a bit more savoury now. You can certainly tell why this is used more of a flavouring agent it certainly has quite a few similarities with our good friend Mr DOK from Jamaica. Perhaps not quite as pungent overall but certainly in the same ball park.

As we move into the finish I’m getting a fair bit of the molasses flavour again with a hit of toffee. I am also getting a mineral(y) note which reminds me of the seaside and getting sand stuck between my toes for some reason.

This is very intense, very pungent rum. The havoc it will likely wreak (in a very good way) I can only imagine. A rum and coke was certainly a very nice experience.

As it is unaged the finish isn’t particularly long or comforting it terms of development. The flavour and intensity of this rum certainly stays with you. It doesn’t fade out nicely though or develop much beyond the mid palate.

As this is completely unaged rum that is to be expected.

This is a very intense and strangely addictive rum. I will certainly be keeping Le Galion on my radar.

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