The Real Rum Co No1 Blend Cask Strength 13 Year Aged

Bythefatrumpirate November 8, 2021February 18, 2022

The Real Rum Co No1 Blend Cask Strength 13 Year Aged. If Companies House is correct then The Real Rum Co have been around since 2013. Up until this release they have focused on Spiced and Flavoured rums.

The Real Rum Co is ran by Freddie Hart, who has also brought brands such as Todka and Bombo to the UK market. I can hear the collective groans amongst you all…….bear with me.

However, as the title suggests this is the first “straight” blend of rum from The Real Rum Co. So lets give this bottling a chance.

As this is a blend it is not a Single Cask rum – it is still quite limited though with only 500 bottles being available. It has been bottled at Cask Strength 62.1

% and is free from any additives.

The blend comprised rum from Panama and Venezuela. I tend to shy away from “commercial” bottlings of Panamanian and Venezuelan rums nowadays, as the producers mainly focus around the 40-43% ABV mark and like to add a little special sauce to their rums. Which can make them a bit “homogenised” and slightly muted.

The Real Rum Co No1 Blend Cask Strength 13 Year Aged is currently available at Master of Malt priced at £84.95 for a 70cl bottle. Bearing in mind the way rum prices are heading – I don’t think this is a bad price at all in todays market. If it’s any good of course. Maturation has taken place in ex-bourbon casks.

I’ve not got a lot of information on the actual rums in the blend – likelihood is the Panamanian element will come from Varela Hermanos – who produce the Abuelo brand amongst others. So the rum will be distilled in a multi column set up.

The Venezeuelan element will mostly likely have come from the DUSA (Destilerias Unidas S.A.) which is responsible for the Diplomatico brand. As a result this rum could be multi column, column, pot distilled or a blend of column/pot.

I’m not someone who obsesses about the type of still used – many people wrongly (in my opinion) think that Pot Still equates to best and column and especially multi column is worst. I do not buy into this viewpoint. In all honesty I’m quite comfortable judging rums based on limited information. I feel often people seek out rums based on to many facts and figures.

Anyway that is all the information I have at present on this bottling so we may as well dive into the nosing and tasting and see how this blend of Central and South American rums works out.

First up the rum is “clean” and the Hydrometer shows no signs of any additives. Which is pretty much essential as far as I’m concerned when you are paying premium for aged rums.

In the glass The Real Rum Co No1 Blend Cask Strength 13 Year Aged is a medium to dark brown liquid with an orange/yellow hue.

Nosing the rum is quite fruity with notes of orange peel/marmalade and some sultanas. Further complexity is provided by a slightly perfumed note which runs alongside heavier smoky notes – cocoa and some leathery elements. There is also a milk chocolate note which mingles with the sultana/raisin giving Milk Chocolate covered raisins.

Which can never be a bad thing…….

Sipped at full strength it is full bodied and very rich. Lots of smoke, leather, dark chocolate, raisin and other dried fruits. Dark plums, a touch of apricot and that tangy orange note with a hint of citrus.

The initial entry is quite smoky but the chocolate and fruity sweetness lead nicely into the mid palate which shows more of the barrel ageing. Warming oaky notes mingle alongside trace of tobacco, sandalwood and some almost bitter dark chocolate.

The finish builds with the oaky notes giving way again to some more of the fruity notes and the chocolate. It is a really nice length and is very rich and warming.

Whilst the type of rums are often seen as “lighter” as this rum hasn’t been “dosed” I do feel I’m getting more character and less of a homogenised product than is produced by the big producers. I do feel this likely does have elements of Pot Still distillate in the mix as it reasonably heavy.

It reminds me quite a lot as a darker, heavy version of Santa Teresa 1796.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed The Real Rum Co first foray into this type of blended rum and I have to say that I’m really glad I have tried it. A really excellent start from them.

Articles

An Interview with Robert A Burr
Bythefatrumpirate January 14, 2016January 14, 2016

Today we have an interview with one of the most recognisable personalities in the Rum World – Robert A Burr.

In the online world Robert is responsible for publishing Rob’s Rum Guide and the National Rum Examiner

In the real world together with his wife Robin and son Robert V Burr , Robert hosts and organises the annual Miami Rum Renaissance Festival the largest gathering of rum lovers in the world. They also host the Rum Renaissance Caribbean Cruise, an adventure for rum enthusiasts to visit distilleries and rum shops on many islands.

Robert very kindly took some time out of his hectic schedule to answer some questions I posed to him (hey I even took the time to ask him some questions specific to him – maybe that could be idea for some other sites to follow!).

As with previous interviewees I have not amended Rob’s answers in anyway nor have I sought any further clarification regarding them.

1. So Robert how has 2015 been for the Burr Empire? Another successful year?

It’s hardly an empire with three people here, but yes, we had a good year in terms of the rum festival and trade show, the rum guide and the rum cruise. It was also a good year for being a judge in international rum tasting competitions. Several new projects are in the works that should bear fruit next year.

2. How do you feel rum has progressed and developed during 2015? I feel that 2015 has certainly been a very big year!

The rum category continues to move forward. Many new distilleries, many new brands, many new expressions, have come to the market and many more are in the pipeline now.

3. Other than Miami Rum Renaissance which Rum Festivals have you enjoyed the most this past year? Any highlights?

Being invited to the 250th anniversary of St. James in Martinique was wonderful — absolutely incredible. Our trips to Haiti to search for rustic clairin distilleries are truly fascinating adventures. Joining my fellow RumXPs for the festivals in Hong Kong, San Francisco, Rome, Berlin, Belgium and London are always top notch experiences. Unfortunately my schedule would not allow for the rums festivals in Paris and Madrid this year. Our exclusive rum seminars at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans were the first to sell out again. Visiting the distilleries of Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Croix and San Juan on the rum cruise was over the top. We always end the year with a week in Key West to relax and soak up some rum in the sun.

4. In both the UK and the US rum production seems to have stepped up a notch. Which rum distilleries/producers would be your one’s to watch in 2016?

The myriad private labels and new distilleries in the USA bringing new products to market are nearly overwhelming. Elsewhere, St. Lucia is sitting on a gold mine and since the death of the visionary leader Laurie Bernard several years ago, we’ve been wondering what direction they might take.

I am encouraged that incredible products are forthcoming. Expect more dynamic rums from Richard Seale at Foursquare, from Gordon Clarke at Worthy Park, from Cartavio in Peru. Our friends at Monymusk make great rum, but are a bit short on the marketing skills necessary to get these fine products to the market. Hopefully that will change.

Yoshiharu Takeuchi at Nine Leaves in Japan is winning more top awards than any new brand I’ve ever seen. Anders Skotlander in Copenhagen also has taken many awards for his new rum label and continues innovating and pushing the envelope. Compagnie Des Indes is making a name for themselves in Europe. I hope to see them in the USA some day soon. Of course, we trying very hard to get Bristol, Velier, Silver Seal, Samaroli and other collectible spirits into the USA as well.

5. On that note which “new” rums or distilleries caught your eye in 2015?

Some of the tiny distilleries in Haiti are ready to be discovered by a greater international audience. It’s the last place in the modern world where anyone can make rum legally without a license, oversight or taxation. The very best of these artisanal rustic cane spirits are like a time machine taking you back to the way rum was made three hundred years ago.

6. Have you discovered any new rums in 2015 that have become staples in the Burr household?

Most of our rum enthusiast friends buy spirits to enjoy them. They have their favorites that they choose more often that others according to their preferences for styles, categories and regions. Our modus operandi is a bit different than most. We collect spirits to understand them. Our interest is in knowing every aspect of their production method, their intentions and the business model of every available spirit in the rum category. We evaluate many rums each week and have currently have more than 2100 samples on hand at the home office bar. In this sense, we don’t have any particular favorite rums that we buy from the liquor store each week to enjoy in our leisure time.

7. As well as promoting and encouraging new commercial bottlings how do you feel about the continued interest especially for those on a “Rum Journey” with Independent bottlers? Do you find it strange that so many of them come from the UK and Europe and the US has yet to catch on? Or do you think that is unfair?

Interest in special bottlings is a good sign of coming success for authentic rums. The market in the USA, with 50 states and 3,300 counties makes it difficult for a company that produces only 200, 500 or 800 bottles of a special expression to make economic sense. It’s not a matter of fairness. With so many regulations and hurdles on top of a myriad of distribution challenges, the US market favors very large brands with significant promotional budgets.

8. Going back in time when did your own “Rum Journey” begin? Any influences? Could you have went down another path?

We’re involved in numerous business ventures. Rum is one of my personal passions and one that I predicted was ready for advancement ten years ago. Rum’s reputation was ordinary, average, unremarkable. I knew it to be fascinating, quite varied and far better than its common status might suggest.

Growing up in Miami, rum was always available. Miami is the number one local market for rum in the world, so we’re lucky to see many brands from the Caribbean and elsewhere first breaking into the US market here. Our years of publishing a magazine about scuba diving in the 1980s took us to every imaginable tropical destination on earth where corals and tropical fish might be found. Incidentally, sugar cane flourishes in these places and the opportunities to discover that wide variety of rums made in the tropics was before us at every turn. The rum collection grew significantly during these years of easy international travel, as did our fascination for understanding the various processes of making and aging rum.

9. When you have visitors do you have a signature serve? Any Burr cocktails that you particularly enjoy serving up to guests?

I like rum and gingers, daiquiris, mai tais, rum old fashioneds — plus we make many variations on the classic rum punch formulas. But far and away, when friends visit our Rum Wreck Dive Bar, we have a purpose — to sample small amounts of many interesting rums neat.

When we travel to visit a good bar, we like to order a daiquiri to see if this simple, delicious cocktail is understood. There was a time when 95% of them were horrible. I’d say we’re closer to 50% now as many bars and bartenders catch on the the simplicity of creating classic cocktails using fresh ingredients.

10. More “Authentic” rum seems to be enjoying a bit of a come back with many rum enthusiasts now ignoring the sweeter “Premium” rums. Do you think that rums such as Smith & Cross. The Scarlet Ibis etc will ever become “mainstream” or do you think that we will always have the sweeter rums as the forefront?

We’ve seen trends in whiskey, bourbon and tequila that lead to greater appreciation of authentic, quality products gaining greater appreciation. This trend in rum is a signal that more rum enthusiasts are becoming rum adventurers, looking beyond the most popular expressions and seeking more interesting spirits.

Many begin their appreciation with the “sweet delicious” style rums and move on to others which they discover to be more interesting. Serious rum collectors look for the true signs of authenticity and take an active roll in social media platforms to share thoughts and advice. Time will tell. The market will reward those expressions that meet the needs of consumers.

11. Do you have a guilty pleasure when it comes to rum – a drink or a particular rum that is one that you sip or mix in secret?

Not really. I make a unique cocktail at my home bar using seven relatively inexpensive rums which, when combined, produce a hauntingly complex and delicious libation that one would certainly believe was made from very expensive rum. It’s a potent drink, meant to be sipped in a leisurely manner. Rum Wreck Dive Cocktail

So there you have it. Rob’s views on the Rum World today (not all necessarily agreeing with mine) and a few lighter hearted insights into his life and libations. I hope you have all enjoyed this. Thanks again to Rob for his time and here to another great year for Rum!

Related

Read More An Interview with Robert A Burr
1931 St Lucia Distillers - 5th Edition

1931 St Lucia Distillers – 5th Edition
Bythefatrumpirate March 15, 2017September 15, 2020

The fifth edition of the 1931 series which is now celebrating 84 years of Rum Making on the island of St Lucia. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that the UK will see any of this stock as they have struggled to make enough to satisfy demand particularly in US. I’m not going to give this issue anymore time – suffice to say this is the second rum producer in the past few months to have disappointed me by not making their product available in the UK. I’m no longer interested in the reasons or excuses.

So I had to import this from mainland Europe which shipping aside presented few issues and enabled me to pick up another few interesting bottles. The average price for a bottle of 1931 each year has been around £55-65. This 5th edition bucks the trend ABV wise and is bottled at 46% ABV which is higher than the usual 43%. This rum was eventually made available in the UK and you can find it here.

Presentation wise the 1931 have all been identical apart from the colour scheme. For this outing we are going for a very fetching shocking pink. Which is nice…….

St Lucia Distillers have a variety of both pot and column stills available to them. They also get quite a selection of used Bourbon barrels. They have also begun experimenting with Cane Juice rum (I won’t dare call it Agricole). As a result the 1931 series gives the master distiller licence to play with the available stocks and create something unique. In the past this has also resulted in the addition of sugar. A small amount has also been added to this blend. The rums in the blend are aged between 6 and 12 years.

Michael Speakman who works for SLD was kind enough to provide the following information on a Facebook Group

“35% Vendome Pot Still

18% John Dore Pot Still

20% John Dore/Vendome blend

18% Column (Coffey)

and 9% Agricole (John Dore)”

I like the transparency that Michael gives us as Rum Enthusiasts. Its refreshing and good to see.

So with all that information concluded we may as well move onto the fun part. Nosing and sipping.

A little more information first this rum is Batch 05 Bottle Number 550 and was bottled on the 7th December 2015.

In the glass the rum is a fairly dark reddish/brown. The nose is immediately familiar. It’s quite a sweet and fruity nose. There are nice notes of red grapes, banana and some zesty tangerine/orange. This is all held together nicely be a very inviting spicy sweet/sour oak. There is a freshness to the rum – unlike the minty 3rd 1931 this has more of a slightly agricole like cane freshness.

There is a little of the brine and tree-sap which crept into other 1931’s but not as much as the 1st or 2nd editions. The more you nose the more you seem to notice – traces of mint and even a slight char from the oak are evident with more extensive nosing.

It’s complex stuff but overall the feeling is this has a sweet, fresh profile. It’s inviting and very interesting. In many ways its similar to the 4th edition 1931. I believe since the 3rd edition all the 1931’s have been sweeter and less dry than the first two offerings. This continues that trend.

Sipped the rum is drier than I was expecting. It has a surpising amount of oak.and there is a definite char to the oak spices I’m experiencing. There is a touch of burnt caramel on the palate. Sweetness is delivered by way of some vanilla and a almost tannic like red wine “grape” note.

A slightly salty sea salt note is also present which again gives the rum a slightly vegetal feel. The rum in many ways gives a mouthfeel of menthol chewing gum. It’s a very clean distillate but not in the conventional sense.

There is a lot going on with this rum and as I have said before with other 1931’s I’m not sure if there is just a bit to much going on. I feel they are trying to cram to much into this drink. We have after all in this rum two different pot stills, column distillation and agricole.

I do often feel some rums are trying to much to be different when a more straightforward approach maybe better.

Having said that at around £60 if you like this particular very distinctive style of rum then you will find yourself in very safe hands.

For me they still haven’t trumped the 2nd or 4th release but this is another very good addition.

Related

Read More 1931 St Lucia Distillers – 5th Edition
Articles

Rum of the Year 2017
Bythefatrumpirate December 31, 2017December 31, 2017

Rum of the Year 2017. It’s that time again when I look over the rums I have tried in the past 12 months and decide which one fits the bill as Rum of the Year.

Now I’ll let you all know the criteria for this years selection has changed – slightly. This is basically because the Rum World is evolving and changing. Producers are taking more risks and producing more varied and interesting rums.

2017 was the year seemingly of the “Limited Edition” releases. In 2015 and 2016, although I did give the Rum of the Year to “Limited Edition” rums, both were still widely commercially available at the time of the award. This year the truly great rums I have discovered have in the main disappeared from view.

2016 perhaps saw one of the first real scrambles for a rum release. I don’t recall there ever being a case of demand outstripping supply, quite so much as was the case with the Velier/Foursquare 2006 release. Demand for Velier bottlings has increased greatly since their last Demerara’s in 2014. I recall early on in my Rum Journey, 2012-14 seeing a good few Velier releases, at the likes of the Whisky Exchange remain on the site for months. Now they would likely be gone within a day.

We have seen over the past couple of years more producers release Limited Edition rums. Often with “finishes” or “maturation” in casks other than ex-Bourbon – Sherry, Marsala, Cognac etc. Whilst Foursquare Distillery might be the first producer to spring to mind with their Port and Zinfandel Cask rums it is worth noting that it was Plantation who perhaps began to make this kind of thing “trendy”. I don’t think there is a “finish” or “maturation” Plantation haven’t tried.

Other producers such as Don Q and Worthy Park are also getting in on the act. Unfortunately, their efforts have come to close to the year end for me to review. I could have got some Worthy Park imported from France. Alas I do not have a bottomless pit of money.

We have also seen the beginning of Cask Strength releases and higher ABV rums (above the standard 40-43% ABV) from the likes of Mount Gay, Plantation, Worthy Park, St Lucia Distillers and Foursquare (again). Independent bottlers have popped up left, right and centre with even more limited releases, Single Casks with runs of just a few hundred.

In terms of genuinely exciting releases most have come from the producers already mentioned. They have stood out for the reasons stated above. A real stand out “new” commercially available rum for 2017 just hasn’t come my way. I’m scratching my head to think of one. I’ve tried a lot of really great rum in 2017. Unfortunately, a lot of it has been Independent bottlings. St Lucia Distillers released (in the UK) a couple of 1931’s. I’ve yet to review the 6th edition. Both were excellent rums but not quite as good as my final choice. Neptune was a nice addition to the rum scene but at the end of the day its a 3 year old Foursquare rum. It’s very good but its not a game changer for me.

So unfortunately I am afraid I have had to tweak my selection process slightly this year. You likely won’t be able to go out and buy this particular rum after reading this. If you do find any bottles lying around in liquor stores – buy all they have would be my advice.

So how has the rum been decided upon? Well it’s a Limited Edition rum. As much as I was amazed by the Duncan Taylor Long Pond 2000. I just don’t think it is much use to give a Rum of the Year award to a single cask which yielded only 270 bottles. Going forward it is highly likely I will increase the number of awards next year. I’ve been looking at Serge over at WhiskyFun and I quite like his way of doing things so maybe something like that. I would like to give a few more producers some credit as they are doing some great stuff.

The rum I have selected was a Limited Edition. I am not sure how many bottles exactly were released. I think it was around 4000. Available only in Europe and the US. It was matured in ex-bourbon and Madeira casks for 10 years. A blended rum of Pot and Column distillates. Released at an eye watering Cask Strength of 59% ABV.

For the third year running a Tropically Aged rum from the Exceptional Cask Selection Series, takes the crown as Rum of the Year.

Foursquare Rum Distillery’s Criterion. Another jewel in the crown. Few producers would get away with calling their rums “Exceptional” but this distillery does just that!

Yes, I hear you cry “Triptych”. It was definitely in the running but personally I preferred this one. I’m aware of there is a real split over the two rums. Personally I preferred the slightly sweeter, less woody profile of the Criterion. If you picked Triptych though that is a very good choice.

I hope my choice is relevant. I personally cannot see the point of re-hashing lists of rums you tried years ago and re-scoring or re-reviewing for the purpose of an award. The idea of giving Mount Gay XO, El Dorado 12 Year Old or Havana Club 15 a rum of the year in today’s rum world just seems pointless. Out of touch and irrelevant.

Anyway, a very Happy New Year to all of you. Thank you all for taking time to read the site over the past year. It has been a truly “exceptional” year for us here at thefatrumpirate.com. Please contact us if you have any ideas or questions, for or about the site.

Thanks also to all the Rum Producers for, well producing the rum in the first place! Kudos to all those involved in the Industry who have helped me over the past year. Giving me information on your rums, access to your events and just general help and support.

And a final wave to all those people who I have met over the past year both online and at the various Rum Festivals and events I have attended. I hope your Rum Journey continues with us.

Related

Read More Rum of the Year 2017
Articles

An Interview with Nicholas Pullen – Top Beverages Limited
Bythefatrumpirate May 22, 2020May 30, 2020

An Interview with Nicholas Pullen – Top Beverages Limited.

Late last year I reviewed a CBD (Cannabidiol) Infused Spiced Rum from Top Beverages Limited. Co-owner Nicholas Pullen has kindly agreed to answer some questions I posed of him. At the moment here in the UK we are in a lockdown, courtesy of COVID-19.

As a result the drinks industry has been severely disrupted. Here is Nick’s take on the current situation, the future of rum and his take on things being a new start up Craft Spirits producer. Nick is pictured with the co-founder of Top Beverages Limited Saf Ali.

1. Firstly please give a brief introduction on yourself and your role in the rum world.

My name is Nicholas Pullen, co-founder of Top Beverages, the leading CBD craft spirits company. I started Top Beverages with the idea to create all natural spirits with no added sugars, flavours, essences or colours. In collaboration with our distiller, we created two unique rums, one a spice rum and the other a mocha rum consistent with these values. We believed a natural spirit would be a perfect fit for CBD as it too derives from a plant. Anything less would be inconsistent.

2. Obviously COVID-19 has been devastating to the hospitality industry, we cannot avoid this fact it has had a huge impact on us all. How damaging has it been to your business/role and what have you done to try and minimise this?

In times like these, I think we need to focus on the front line personnel as well as the many individuals and families who have been devasted by this epidemic. The only thing we focused on for Top Beverages was how we could help front line personnel some small way and that was by donating all of our profits from the sale of our gins to the NHS until the lockdown ends.

Your blog is the perfect forum to announce that we have extended this program to our rums as well. We know it won’t be as impactful as others, but ultimately health always is paramount, and honouring the brave front line workers who have put others first best represents Top’s values.

3. What first attracted you to the Rum World? What were your first experiences with rum?

Well a long time ago, my go to drink was a Captain and Ginger. At the time in college, I had no idea how poorly made Captain Morgan was with so much artificiality. It did the trick, but as I have aged, my body was demanding a healthier form of drink with an emphasis on quality.

4. How do you think the Rum World has changed over the past 5 years? Where do you see the Rum World in another 5 years? Where would you like to be in 5 years?

I think rum has followed the larger craft spirits movement and more innovation has been coming around rums as in all spirits. That is ultimately a positive as people are demanding better ingredients, better quality, better taste and less artificiality.

In the coming five years, I expect to see more of an emphasis on using sustainable means to distil rums from ingredients to the actual distillation itself. Our mocha rum represents this ideal using 100% renewable energy to power the still but also using a discarded byproduct to actually make the rum itself.

I try not to look ahead as this crisis has reminded me that every day is valuable so in that regard, I can tell you that tomorrow I will do what I try my best to do and that is to prioritize my family and friends before everything else.

5. What is your stance on additives in rum? Would you like to see more Universal Regulation?

Yeah so additives are shit and I think it is absurd that there is not more regulation mandating what ingredients are in all the spirits we consume, including proper nutritional information. Why there isn’t is mind boggling to me.

6. How do you view your role within the Rum World? What do you hope to “bring” to the rum community? Do you reach out beyond your day job in rum?

I think it would be too arrogant to say that I have any role in the rum world, being a small start up craft spirits company. I hope that my products show that people should not be afraid to be natural, use clean ingredients and push the boundaries of flavour and taste without artificiality.

7. Do you actively use Social Media to reach out with other Rum Drinkers and Enthusiasts? If so where might we find you?

Truth be told, I hate social media on a personal level. I guess I am too old or old-fashioned or probably both. But I do understand the power of it as a means of communication. You can follow us @topbeverages on Instagram and @thedonasofia, which is the line of new CBD Ready To Drink’s we are launching in July that incorporates our values of craft all natural spirits with all natural handmade low calorie, low sugar mixers.

8. Which rum producers are your current favourites?

Well being how I brought my own spirits into quarantine with me, I will go with Top Beverages Spiced Rum.

9. Which rum producers/brands do you think are currently flying under the radar? Name 3 rums people may not have tried but really should give a go

I will punt on this answer but will say that people should just go and exp

eriment and try different things with the understanding that what they are consuming could be artificially coloured, flavoured or loaded with excess sugar.

10. Finally, what is your idea of the perfect rum and/or rum drink/cocktail?

Give me a dark and stormy all day.

So there we have it. Some really interesting answers and some really great work being done by Top Beverages Limited, donating profits to the NHS at this time is a wonderful gesture.

Also it’s nice to hear the perspective of some of the smaller, newer producers. You can buy products from Top Beverages Limited here.

Related

Read More An Interview with Nicholas Pullen – Top Beverages Limited
Wood's Old Navy Rum

Wood’s Old Navy Rum
Bythefatrumpirate July 19, 2018July 19, 2018

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.

You will probably find a number of “old timers” proclaiming the joys of Rum and Pep (Peppermint cordial) or Rum and Black (Blackcurrant cordial) they will likely know all about Woods Navy Rum or Wood’s 100.

Which is one of the reasons why the brand has been given a new appearance. Wood’s Old Navy Rum has been given an overhaul – without losing the very essence of what the brand is all about. It is the only Navy rum that you will find in UK supermarkets, that comes in at Navy Strength. Wood’s Old Navy Rum is bottled at 57% ABV.

Woods Old Navy rum is a blend of 3 Demerara rums. I took part in a Twitter Tasting back in 2016. That tasting involved trying the three marques used in Wood’s Old Navy Rum. So I will give you a quick run down on each marque used to compose this blend

SVW – Which is distilled to 92.9% ABV. This is produced on the French Savalle column still. This is the rum in the blend comprising the largest part.

SV – Which is distlled to 82.4% ABV . This is the second largest part of the blend again it comes from the Savalle Column still.

REV – 69.7% ABV. Produced on the Wooden Versailles Pot Still. Although this is the smallest portion of the blend it is the rum which contributes most to the overall flavour of the final blend.

The marques are then blended together, before being diluted down to 57% ABV. Prior to Wood’s being re-packaged the old 100 proof was still a part of the tag line, though not as dominant as it had been previously. As the 100 referred to the old style “English Proof” it has now been removed. The more standard “double” to ABV US measurement is now used more commonly. Woods 114 isn’t as catchy.

In the UK we don’t really use proof much – though ABV is often referred to as “proof” mistakenly. On the new packaging the 100 has been removed completely.

You can still buy the old style bottling in 1 litre bottles. This is mainly found at UK Airports. I don’t know if they plan on re-packaging the 1 litre bottles and are just waiting for the current stock to dwindle. I haven’t seen a 1 litre bottle with the new branding as yet.

So back to the packaging. Wm Grant & Sons as owners of the brand decided to try to make Wood’s appeal to a younger audience. They are also pressing to try and get Wood’s more widely available globally. Currently it is very much a UK brand. The new stubby style bottle and the cleaner more modern appearance, certainly makes the brand more approachable and look more “Premium”.

I think we all expect a certain level of “tackiness” with a Navy rum blend – ships, sailors etc but this has been dialled back a great deal with the new look Wood’s. As you can see from the photo’s it is now a much more contemporary, clean and modern design.

The website has also been overhauled to also give it a more contemporary look, in keeping with the new packaging. Though they still play heavily on its Naval heritage – a blend unchanged since 1887 they proclaim. However, they do have a section on Cocktails which offers serving suggestions way beyond a dash of Blackcurrant cordial or Pep.

Despite the re-packaging Wood’s Old Navy Rum is still very competitively priced. I can usually pick this up in my local supermarket for £23 – frequently it is discounted to just £20. For a 57% ABV rum this is a very good price. Especially when you consider taxation in this country – which increases the higher the ABV of an alcoholic beverage.

It is worth noting at this point that the rums in the blend aren’t particularly “old”. It is a young blend of rums aged up to 3 years – but likely a lot of the rum is much younger. The colour of the rum is provided by our good friend E150 and possibly some molasses. DDL are known to coat the inside of the barrels with molasses. It is not a natural colour. If you wish to see what a naturally coloured blend similar to this might look like, then take a look at my Walter Hick’s Navy Rum review.

Well I have waffled enough now so let’s get down to business and see how I find this rum nowadays.

As mentioned already Woods Old Navy Rum is a dark “traditional” navy rum colour. It is almost black with dark brown around the edges. It clings slightly to the glass giving it a slight coating.

On the nose you are struck by intense notes of raisin, coffee, dark chocolate and molasses. Really Black Treacle and even some sweeter Golden Syrup. If you are wondering what such things as Golden Syrup look like type Tate & Lyle Treacle into Google. It’s sweet and not hugely complex but what notes you do get, are warm and inviting. This is rum for a cold winters night without doubt. It’s a very British style of rum which suits our less than Tropical climate.

A sipper I’ve never really seen Wood’s as. Even the old timers mix it with just a dash of blackcurrant or peppermint cordial. It is pretty fiery but not ridiculously so. It’s still very sweet. A lot of raisin mixed with licorice and some bitter almost tannic red wine like notes. I’m getting chocolate raisins and plump sultanas. Water makes it less fiery but also dulls the sweeter notes. The finish isn’t big and is mainly just burnt caramel and a little bit of spiciness. I’m not sure beneath the bitterness whether it is oak or just the young alcohol in the blend. I suspect it’s the alcohol just giving it a bit of a bitter bite. Trying saying that fast after you’ve had a few.

Since my last review of Wood’s I have bought probably around 10 bottles of this. I kept meaning to review it but I kept drinking it. As we are coming towards the end of the review, I may as well reveal that I rank Wood’s as one of the best “rum and coke” rums.

I also think it works very well whenever strong Demerara rums are called for in cocktails . Though, I confess I am not really a student of such things. Having tried the likes of Wood’s, Lemon Hart 151 and other “overproof” or “Navy Strength” dark rums such as O.F.T.D. and Gosling’s Black Seal 151, I do think Wood’s more than holds its own.

I’m not sure quite what went wrong with my last review to be honest. It really baffles me how I originally found Wood’s just a few years back.

Wood’s Old Navy Rum is one of those Demerara rums which “react” with cola giving a frothy “head” on a rum and coke a bit like in an ice cream float. It’s a fantastically rich and sweet rum to combine with cola. Rich raisin and sultana flavour cuts beautifully across the drink. It also delivers a nice spiciness and a certain “menace”. Wood’s is pretty boozy but all the better for it in my opinion.

Sipping Premium rum is all well and good but we need rums like this. We are lucky the UK market has this rum. It is not widely available elsewhere despite William Grant’s best efforts to upgrade it and get it more widely available.

The best sub £25 Demerara rum around – easy. Just go canny with it.

Related

Read More Wood’s Old Navy Rum
House of Rum Jamaica Rum 2013

House of Rum Jamaica Rum 2013
Bythefatrumpirate March 24, 2026

House of Rum Jamaica Rum 2013. House of Rum are a UK‑based independent bottler specialising in single cask releases.

Their approach is straightforward they source characterful barrels, bottle them without additives. Then present the rum at or near cask strength. Each release comes from a single numbered cask. With a relatively small outturn, and the emphasis is firmly on transparency and letting the spirit speak for itself.

Their Jamaica 2013 bottling follows that formula. It’s a single cask of Worthy Park distillate, produced in 2013 and bottled in 2023 at a hefty 63.4% ABV. No finishing experiments, no sweetening, no filtration theatrics just a pot still Jamaican rum drawn from one barrel #1, yielding 265 bottles.

Worthy Park itself is one of Jamaica’s longest‑running estates, with cane cultivation dating back to 1720 and rum production beginning in 1741.

They remain a true single‑estate operation, using their own cane, molasses, and proprietary yeast, and distilling exclusively on traditional pot stills. Their spirit typically balances bright fruit with a measured level of funk, rarely straying into the more chaotic territory associated with some other Jamaican marques. It’s a style that’s recognisable, consistent, and widely respected.

This cask spent its early years ageing in ex‑bourbon barrels in Jamaica before being moved to the UK for further maturation in ex‑rum casks. The rum is still available here in the UK and a 70cl bottle will set you back £129.99.

Presentation wise the House of Rum really do present their bottles in a much more modern style than most Indie bottlers.

Maybe they are too flashy for some enthusiasts who prefer the more DIY ethos of other Indie bottlers? I’m not sure but aside from my reviews I have heard little about House of Rum to date.

Anyway I digress lets move on to the fun part.

In the glass we have a dark amber coloured liquid with a reddish hue.

The nose is very much in line with Worthy Park’s profile. There’s an earthy base, a touch of almond and some raisin‑like dried fruit, lifted by brighter notes of citrus. There is the familiar Worthy Park “tea” notes as well. The aromas though feel slightly darker and less punchy. The continental ageing seems to have pulled the fruityness in a little. Its more dark chocolate and cocoa led more stewed dark fruits rather than Tropical.

On the palate, the 63.4% ABV makes itself known immediately. The opening is rich and warm, with caramel and vanilla showing clearly the ex‑bourbon influence. Once the initial heat settles, the distillate steps forward: citrus, a hint of leather and a drying edge. English Breakfast Tea shows up as the signature style.

On the mid palate the sweetness softens, more dried fruit appears and the citrus becomes more pronounced. It becomes drier with a smoky note and some cocoa powder.

The finish is long as expected at this strength. Dry caramel, vanilla, and a dusty leather note linger.

Taken as a whole, this is a well‑selected Worthy Park cask that shows the distillery’s character without exaggeration. The tropical‑plus‑continental ageing gives it a balanced profile. It doesn’t aim for extreme funk or high‑ester theatrics. Worthy Park rarely does.

It presents the refined side of Worthy Park while still delivering the power expected from a cask strength Jamaican rum.

It’s a confident, straightforward single cask that lets the distillate and the maturation do the talking.

Drinkers looking for something more eccentric or aggressively funky may find it a touch too disciplined but for most rum enthusiasts, it’s a solid and very drinkable example of what Worthy Park can offer.

Related

Read More House of Rum Jamaica Rum 2013

Share this:

Related

Similar Posts

Related

Related

Related

Related

Related

Related