Ultimatum Rum Guyana-Jamaica 6 Years Old Bowmore Finish

Bythefatrumpirate

Ultimatum Rum Guyana-Jamaica 6 Years Old Bowmore Finish Rum Review by the fat rum pirateUltimatum Rum Guyana-Jamaica 6 Years Old Bowmore Finish. Ultimatum Rum is a rum brand from the Netherlands. It is released under The Little Distiller label, which in turn is owned by the Ultimate Whisky Company.

Which is under the guidance of the Van Wees father and son team Han and Maurice who own a very successful Whisky shop based in Amersfoort. As well as selling Independently bottled whisky they also bottle their own whiskies and rums, under the brands noted above.

I have reviewed a few Ultimatum bottlings in the past. A blended Caribbean Rum, a Fijian single cask and a bottling from the Sanctii Spiritus Distillery in Cuba.

I have enjoyed these bottlings. It is worth noting that as far as Independent bottlings go they are very competitively priced.

Ultimatum Rum Guyana-Jamaica 6 Years Old Bowmore Finish is a blend of rum from Guyana and Jamaica (who would have guessed?). Now whilst I have a lot of details about this bottling, I don’t have a lot of information about the actual rums. In fact I have none other than they are from Guyana and Jamaica. I may be able to offer some ideas in the review but we’ll wait and see. I haven’t contacted anyone about this to try and find out. So it will be interesting to try the rum with no pre-conceptions. Perhaps other than the fact I’m not all that keen on Peated Whisky…..

First up this is a run of just 172 bottles my bottle is number 93. The rums in the blend are 6 years old and were distilled in 2013. The maturation prior to being put into the Bowmore Sherry Hogshead, was an ex-bourbon cask. It was re-casked in September 2016 and was bottled in September 2019. So the “finish” is definitely more of a maturation. It has spent 3 years in ex-bourbon barrels and 3 years in a Bowmore Sherry Hogshead. Cask no 2178 to be exact.

Ultimatum Rum Guyana-Jamaica 6 Years Old Bowmore Finish Rum Review by the fat rum pirateUltimatum Guyana-Jamaica 6 Years Old Bowmore Finish is un-chill filtered and un-coloured and bottled at 46% ABV (I can’t help but say that in a Ralfy voice in my head). It is currently still available in very limited quantities in a few European stores. I would suggest buying from Zeewijck, who have the best price of €29.50. This is a pretty good price nowadays for any aged rum. Let alone an “indie” bottling.

Presentation wise Ultimatum use very round, very “dumpy” bottles and synthetic cork stoppers. I quite like the presentation. Ultimatum have added a little flair to this one with a photo of a part of the Bowmore Sherry Hogshead.

So, I think I have said all I can about this rum, so we best get on with the tasting.

In the glass Ultimatum Rum Guyana-Jamaica 6 Years Old Bowmore Finish is a very light yellow colour a touch darker than straw, but not by much.

On the nose I am immediately overwhelmed by the whisky “finish”. Luckily it doesn’t smell hugely peaty to me but it does definitely smell more of whisky than rum.

Further nosing reveals a sweetness, underneath the smoky peat. A bit of Jamaican funk and maybe a bit of tarry aniseed led Port Mourant Demerara rum. I’m getting hints of raisin and a little banana. That said I am having to really dig deep for these aromas and some of it may be because I want them to be there…….

I’m not totally convinced, if I was asked to nose this blind I would recognise this as a rum. Unless, I had a feeling it was a “trick” of some sort. In fact I’m not convinced at all if I am being honest.  It smells to me kind of like a Peated Whisky mixed with a little Speyside. It’s savoury and “heavy” with a tarry note and lots of smoke and a fair bit of peat. It is not hugely unpleasant or particularly excessive but it’s not really what I look for in a spirit. It’s certainly not what I expect or perhaps want from a rum.

Sipped it is even more whisky like. It is very smoky and peaty with a lot of savoury notes. The rum tastes to me a little like the smell of scorched earth. Yes I know that makes little sense. It’s very dry and clean. It’s quite clinical and doesn’t really leave much behind in terms of flavour once the initial burst of smoke and peat dissipates. A few sips in and you do briefly get a nice warming toffee note on the entry. This, however quickly moves into smoke and peat. Too quickly to enjoy or savour.

A few sips in and I am getting a little hint of sweetness around the mid palate. Some very faint chewy toffee and maybe a tiny bit of banana. It’s a bit short overall, in its delivery and doesn’t leave all that much behind on the finish. It kind of just burns out. Leaving the taste of sooty ash and a kind of mineral/stone like quality in the mouth. Like sucking stones.

Overall as a drink it’s not totally off my radar. That said and as much as I am not a huge whisky fan, I would probably much rather go “all out” and have a glass of the Bowmore that was originally in this cask, than have a glass of this. It probably goes without saying that I would also have preferred this blend aged 6 years in just ex-bourbon.

These Scotch Whisky finished rums are interesting but I doubt this one would really win over a Scotch Whisky fan. Likewise, I’m not really sure what a rum fan would really get out of this.

It’s not bad and I’m pleased I tried it but I’m still not totally sure what to make of it! It’s a kind of non-binary rum.

 

 

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    Bythefatrumpirate

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    The rum comes in normal bar style bottle with a label which is old fashioned and in similar ilk to that of Skipper. The makers of these rum’s certainly don’t seem to be going for the younger sexy end of the market.

    As with a lot of imported dark Demerara rums this is quite readily available in UK supermarkets. It was in one such establishment (Morrisons this time) that I purchased a bottle for £18.99. Yes you’ve guessed it once I again I was seduced by the £5 discount. At around the £25 mark for a 70cl bottle this is quite expensive when you consider you can get a litre of OVD for around the same price and a litre of Lambs for about £20. Even Skipper is available for around £20 for a 70cl. However, the label on the Wood’s bottle reveals you are in fact getting an overproof rum for your money. At 57% ABV this is quite potent stuff. Stronger even than Pussers 54.5% ABV. Its actually pretty cheap for an Overproof rum.

    As mentioned already the rum is a thick dark almost treacly style of Demerara. It is a navy rum in the style of Lambs. However the extra potency gives the rum a bit more of a kick. The rum is still quite sweet and is very similar in taste to Skipper and Lambs. Its probably between the two in terms of sweetness. The extra alcohol does give it a little bitterness.

    The rum is a very “English” style of Demerara. El Dorado or Banks it certainly isn’t. Nor is it (in my opinion) a substitute for Pussers. It has little in common with these rums other than demographic.

    If you’re after a Lambs style navy rum with a bit extra oomph then Woods will fit the bill. However, if you are after a cheaper substitute for Pussers then I would look elsewhere (if you find one let me know!).

    Enjoyable stuff at a reasonable price. However go easy as it is strong stuff! I personally would buy this over Lambs or Skipper. Definitely worth having a bottle kicking around and I would imagine this would go well in tiki cocktails such as a Zombie.


    3 stars

  • Raising Glasses Clouded Leopard Renaissance Distillery Bordeaux Cask

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    Located in southern Taiwan, the distillery has built something of a cult reputation for producing bold, experimental pot-still rums using long fermentations, dunder and unusual maturation casks. Production numbers are tiny and most bottles rarely leave Taiwan, which only adds to the mystique surrounding the brand.

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    It was then aged entirely in Taiwan for around five years. Initially in new American oak before spending almost four years in a Saint-Julien Bordeaux wine cask from the Léoville-Poyferré estate.

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    The nose is immediately intense. This is not a gentle introduction. The first aromas that jump out are dark berries and stewed fruit plums, blackberries and something almost like raspberry compote. There’s also a darker edge lurking underneath. Cocoa powder, bitter dark chocolate and a slightly earthy note begins to appear.

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    Give Raising Glasses Clouded Leopard Renaissance Distillery Bordeaux Cask a minute in the glass and the nose becomes even more layered. There are hints of roasted sweet peppers and warm spice along with something that feels almost medicinal. It’s quite an unusual aromatic profile and certainly not your typical rum experience.

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    Dark fruit flavours dominate again, particularly plum, raspberry and cherry. At times it almost edges into cough syrup territory, which sounds strange but actually works surprisingly well with the darker chocolate notes running alongside it.

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  • Captain Morgan Black Spiced Premium Spirit Drink

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    Unlike the Spiced Gold this is not readily available in the United Kingdom as yet.  I find this a little strange as even the presentation suggests this is the Captain’s answer to The Kraken (see my review).  It also uses a predominantly black and white colour scheme and the bottle shape is very similar.  It omits the two rings on the neck and gains an upper hand by having a synthetic cork enclosure (pictured below).   The rum/spirit drink is 40% abv.  I have seen this available in the United States  at 47% abv.  I’m not totally sure why such regional difference apply, whether it is down to taste or politics, I really don’t know.  Often rums are stronger in the UK than their US counterparts so its a bit of a conundrum.

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  • Cargo Cult Navy Strength Rum

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Cargo Cult Navy Strength Rum review by the fat rum pirateCargo Cult Navy Strength Rum. Cargo Cult Navy Strength Rum. I last reviewed an offering from the Cargo Cult stable way back in 2018.

    At the time it was their only rum on the market. It was heralded as a “sugar free” Dry Spiced Rum. Fast forward to 2024 and they have a Banana flavoured rum but they have also released their first “straight” rum. This Navy Strength offering which I am reviewing today.

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    I have a bottle from Batch #1 to review today so why don’t we dive in?Cargo Cult Navy Strength Rum review by the fat rum pirate

    In the glass Cargo Cult Navy Strength Rum is a light to golden brown. It doesn’t shimmer and is slightly dull/hazy.

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    Familiar notes of varnish, shoe polish, a touch of creosote, some hot tar are immediate on the nose. Beneath this we get a herbal note and some cough mixture.

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    It is equal parts sweet and equal parts menacing with a nice woody/oaky note binding it all together.

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  • An Interview with Robert A Burr

    Bythefatrumpirate

    ROBERT A BURRToday 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?Clairin Casimir 2 rum review by the fat rum pirate

    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.

    ROBERTBURR8. 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.

    RUM WRECK DIVE BAR11. 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!

  • Ron Los Valientes Aged 15 Anos Anejo Especial

    Bythefatrumpirate

    Ron Los Valientes Aged 15 Anos Anejo Especial. Rum Review by the fat rum pirateRon Los Valientes Aged 15 Anos Anejo Especial. This is a rum hailing from Mexico. In Mexico rum is often referred to as Charanda. I’ve previously reviewed Mocambo which also hails from Mexico. I also have a few other samples of Charanda lurking about that I need toLico find time to write about.

    Ron Los Valientes is produced by Licores Veracruz who also produce the previously mentioned Mocambo. Ron Los Valientes is named after the fighter of the Mexican Revolution. They have rums aged for 10,15 and 20 years in the range. So this is the middle brother if you like.

    For some reason the Ron Los Valientes rums seem to be cheaper than the Mocambo range. This rum will set you back £33 which isn’t bad for a 15 year old rum. That said the tall “pistol” style bottle is only 50cl. Presentation wise the rums aren’t quite as striking as some of the Mocambo range but its nice enough. Sadly for me all the information on the bottle is in Spanish. Which isn’t terribly helpful.

    Ron Los Valientes Aged 15 Anos Anejo Especial is made up of a pot and column blend. The blend is 70/30. However the rums produced in the pot stills are made using freshly pressed sugar cane. The remaining 30% is produced from molasses and distilled on a multi column still. Licores Veracruz produce other spirits such as Mezcal and Tequila.

    The rum is then charcoal filtered before being aged for 15 years in ex-bourbon casks.

    In the glass Ron Los Valientes 15 is a very dark brown with red/orange flashes. The nose is quite sweet and very rich. It’s a very spicy with notes of Tumeric and Curry Powder. It’s got quite a lot of dark chocolate and fruity notres – hints of Cabernet Sauvignon and maybe even notes of Port.

    I’ve tried a few Mexican rums or Charanda as they call it and they all seem to have this very rich and very intense profile.

    On the sip Ron Los Valientes is very peppery. Again lots of hot spicy notes a bit like a spicy Chilli con Carne in a glass. I don’t mind the occasional sip of this but it is not a rum which you can drink a great deal of straight. Just too intense and OTT.

    It’s not a greatly balanced sipping rum – you don’t get many lighter notes such as vanilla or milk chocolate. It’s got a very spicy curry heavy finish with a lot of spice and oak and to be honest not a great deal else. Its pretty much just a very spicy rum with not a great deal else really going on. That said I don’t find it particularly offensive – although some of the people I have given this rum to have it to be completely repulsive.Ron Los Valientes Aged 15 Anos Anejo Especial. Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    It’s quite a strange rum all in all. It mixes reasonably well but it can be a bit overpowering even with something like cola. The finish is not particularly long but like the rest of the drink its very spicy.

    It’s a relatively inexpensive rum its strange taste makes me wonder what might have been added to it – its from the part of the world where it s likely to have some. I wouldn’t really recommened it but its not a terrible drink per say.

    I know of at least one rum enthusiast who really doesn’t like this.

    Me I don’t mind it, though it is a bit weird.