Twin Fin Barrel Aged Rum
Twin Fin Barrel Aged Rum. From the outset it seems that Twin Fin is one of those brands that seems to have arrived with a very clear idea of who it’s for, and just as importantly, who it isn’t.
There’s no attempt to muscle in on the hardcore enthusiast space, no claims of ancient recipes or secret fermentation techniques. Instead, Twin Fin leans into a relaxed, lifestyle-led identity that suggests surfboards, sunsets and uncomplicated enjoyment.
It comes from the Southwestern Distillery in Cornwall which is best known for Tarquin’s Gin. So none of this should come as much of a surprise.
Twin Fin Barrel Aged Rum represents their take on “straight” Caribbean rum blended and bottled in the UK. They do, of course have a Spiced variant and other flavours but we aren’t reviewing those today. If ever………..
The Barrel Aged expression is where Twin Fin makes its most convincing case for being more than just a branding exercise.
This is molasses-based Caribbean rum, it pairs a 5 year old rum from Guyana with a 6 year old Panama rum, which were matured in ex-bourbon barrels before being blended and bottled in Cornwall.
There’s no age statement and no real attempt to play on the origins of the blend. Caribbean which immediately tells you this is not a transparency-first release aimed at hardcore rum enthusiasts.
Bottled at 40% ABV and typically priced between £30 and £35 in the UK, it should sit comfortably in that middle ground between casual mixer and entry-level sipper.
This is a rum designed to be neat-friendly, without demanding your full attention. It will also play nicely in cocktails or simply mixed with cola.
In the glass, Twin Fin Barrel Aged Rum is a amber colour, golden brown with a light copper tint.
Nothing here suggests extended maturation, but it looks clean and well put together. It hasn’t been radically dosed with E150.
The nose is soft and approachable and “pleasant”. Vanilla and caramel arrive first, soft and rounded rather than sharp or sugary. There’s plenty of ex-bourbon cask character: toffee, light brown sugar, and some oak spice.
Beneath that sits a mild tropical fruit layer banana, a touch of pineapple and a hint of orange peel. The spice profile is restrained offering cinnamon and nutmeg rather than clove or allspice and there’s a faint buttery almost shortbread-like note that adds to the overall softness. It’s not complex, but it is well balanced and there’s nothing off-putting or awkward in the mix.
On the palate, the rum does largely what the nose suggested. Sweetness first with vanilla ice cream, caramel and milk chocolate forming the core flavour profile.
Mid-palate, some gentle fruit notes emerge. Banana remains the most prominent, joined by a touch of tropical fruit and dried fruits, perhaps sultanas. The spice remains firmly in the background, with cinnamon and a mild white pepper lift adding just enough contrast to stop things becoming flat. Oak influence becomes a little more noticeable here, gently drying the palate and keeping the sweetness in check without introducing bitterness.
The finish is medium in length and is perfectly pleasant rather than mid blowing. Caramel and vanilla fade first, followed by a light oak dryness. It doesn’t linger for long, but it also doesn’t vanish instantly.
The aftertaste is clean and inoffensive, making it easy to return for another sip.
Taken as a whole, Twin Fin Barrel Aged Rum is pretty good rather than memorable. It’s well balanced, neat and clearly designed with broad appeal in mind.
It won’t thrill high-ester devotees or cask-strength hunters and it doesn’t offer much to more hardcore rum enthusiasts.
A solid, approachable barrel-aged rum that does most things right without pushing boundaries. Not exciting, but well made, easy to enjoy, and entirely comfortable in its own skin.
Rum 970 Agricola de Maderia Reserva Ans 6 Anos. This Agricole style rum was produced at the Engenhos do Norte (North Milling Company) Distillery, on the Portuguese island of Madeira. Which is (unsurprisingly) more famous for being the home of Madeira wine.
The aromas on the nose are best described as fortified – huge wafts of port, sherry and tannic red wine. It’s pretty intense stuff. Despite the port and sherry notes it isn’t overly sweet. There is quite a lot of oak which combines with more familiar aged agricole notes to balance the overall experience.
Plantation have become multi award winners in recent times and this entry level rum has been one of the companies success stories. The Original Dark is a blend of rums from Trinidad given the unmistakable Plantation treatment. Double ageing and “dosage”.
That Boutique-y Rum Company Monymusk Distillery Aged 13 Years. I’ve a “Zoom Tasting” of Rum and Whisk(e)y later today, so I thought I would dig through my sample boxes and see if I had anything outstanding to review from That Boutique-y Rum Company.
getting some notes of what I can only really describe as beer. It smells a bit like the bottom of a pint of bitter. Quite hoppy and malty. Nice though!
rming oak. As the rum begins to fade out into the finish you get a lot of fruitiness again with the pineapple and apricot leading the way.
Kill Devil are and ever increasing range of Independently bottled rums from Whisky bottler Hunter Laing. Unsurprisingly perhaps Whisky based online retailers such as The Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt have been stocking their rums from the outset.
Foursquare 2006. The first collaboration between Velier and Foursquare Distillery, Barbados. This will certainly not be the last. With Velier no longer issuing their acclaimed aged Demerara rums from DDL, Luca Gargano has began sourcing rum from other distilleries to release under the Velier banner.
A few drops of water should calm things down and allow the more subtle notes of a Bajan rum to shine more. It’s not an easy going Bajan style rum. It’s a bit more challenging especially in comparison to the Zinfandel cask blend. You’ll be surprised to find liquorice makes an appearance.
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.