Watt Rum Jamaican Rum Distilled at Clarendon Estate Aged 16 Years. A new independent bottler of rum is on the scene.

They seem to hail in the main either from Scotland or Italy (in most instances the rum bottled by Italians is aged in Scotland/England). This time we have a new bottler but not an entirely new face.

Or rather two faces as Watt Whisky/Rum is husband and wife team Mark and Kate Watt. Both have years of experience in the Whisky and Independent bottling scene.

Mark Watt has worked at both Duncan Taylor and Cadenheads. Whilst Kate is well known for her marketing work at Speyside distilleries such as Glenfarcas and Springbank.

Watt Whisky/Rum is the Independent bottling arm of the Campbeltown Whisky Company Ltd of whom Kate and Mark are the directors. Their ethos is as follows ” good, honest whisky, priced for drinking rather than collecting”.

To be honest they’ve pretty much got me at that. It’s nice to here something like that in the current market of “investments” and “ballots”. As the two are both well known in Whisky circles there has been quite a buzz around the Watt Whisky brand.

Maybe not so much in the Rum world however. They have released three rums so far. Of the three – Jamaica, Barbados and Belize, only one has sold out. If I said the Barbados offering was from Foursquare I am sure you can guess which one! That said its has been on sale the longest.

Now I do have some further information on Watt Whisky/Rum from the various Whisky sites, which have covered the brand already. It’s interesting that a number of whisky commentators have sampled the first bottlings of Watt Rum upon release last year. It’s something I might ask about in the Whisky world.

It seems the Rum world takes a lot more interest in the Whisky world than Whisky does in Rum. I’m sure most of you can name a few notable Whisky bloggers. I’m not so sure many in the Whisky world could do the same for Rum.

In saying this I accept that it can be dangerous to be relying on reviews written on the basis of free industry samples. Which is something the Whisky world does very regularly. It’s a much bigger scene than the rum scene. There are literally hundreds of Whisky Blogs, websites etc for every one which is focused on rum. Hey I’m not complaining no one would probably read this shit, if there was a decent alternative.

So lets see what exactly we have up for review this fine Summer’s Day………

We already know we have a 16 Year Old Jamaican Rum which was distilled at Clarendon Estate. Which is home of the Monymusk Estate. For their sins they are responsible for a lot of the output which is used by Diageo in their Captain Morgan range. They also produce the rum used in Myers’s.

It’s a big operation with the largest Pot Still (possibly) in the Caribbean and a “new” Column Still, which was introduced in 2010, which accounts for 75% of its total output. Oh yes the Captain doesn’t have much Pot Still in his Spiced Gold………..

This rum however I am assured is 100% Pot Still Rum aged for 15 years in the Tropics before being aged for a further year in Scotland. It was bottled at over 16 Years Old at 57.1% ABV. It was distilled in 2004 and bottled in 2021. The rum has been aged in an ex-bourbon cask. It is currently available over at The Whisky Ballot, sorry Exchange for £115. Bottle size your standard 70cl.

Presentation wise – it’s a massive step up from Cadenhead’s I can tell you that. Gone is the seventies colour scheme replaced by a much clearer more modern style. The bottle design is simple and uncluttered and the black cardboard sleeve, for storage purposes is equally stylish. It is simple but not as “DIY” looking as some Independents. It looks like something a marketing team have

had their mitts on. In this instance I’d say a good Marketing team!

The bottle is a standard 3/4 style bar bottle with a bulbous neck and a cork stopper keeps the rum nicely sealed. All in all its a good package and befitting the outlay.

But presentation isn’t what we are here for – its the liquid in the bottle that’s in important. So lets get on to the fun part. I’m 700 words in and I haven’t so much as had a sniff. What a bloody waffler.

In the glass Watt Rum Jamaican Rum Clarendon Estate Aged 16 Years is a medium/dark brown colour with a yellow/orange hue.

The nose is instantly Jamaican. Sweet, funky and familiar. It’s bursting with Tropical Fruits, sweet Pineapple, Cola Cubes, Black over-ripe Banana and Passion Fruit. At full strength it gives the nostrils a bit of a tickle as the more solvent like aromas come through as well. Paper Glue, Wallpaper Paste and some Nail Varnish.

Further nosing reveals some lighter baking spices and some sweet buttery pastry notes. Something slightly herbal and a touch of oak and tobacco.

Despite everything going on it has a lovely balance and is a very “more-ish” noser! I’ve found a few Monymusk/Clarendon Estate rums to be a little “musty” and just have something taking away the vibrancy from the initial fruity and “gluey” notes.

Sipped at full strength it is more woody and oaked than the nose suggests. The initial sip is more savoury and less fruity. The time in the barrel shows a lot more than I was expecting. That said it is not a criticism as the rum is warming with a lot of spicy oak and some bitter almost tannic like notes.

It’s a drier less funky profile than the nose led me to believe. A drop or two of water gives some the fruitier flavours a chance to show themselves however. The sweetness is carried by a note of Strawberries and some slightly bitter orange zest.

You get more of the fruitiness and some of the funk back on the mid palate. Notes of Banana Bread and some almost savoury pastry and buttery-ness. The pineapple notes are dialled back a bit but they do return as you move into the finish.

The finish is long and has notes of tobacco and liquorice. The wood ageing runs through to the finish with quite a bit of a dry oak and woodiness but it never feels old or stale.

If I am being honest, the nose is a little deceiving with this rum. I really thought I was in for a very funky, sweet, solventy rum. Regular readers probably know how much I like those type of Jamaican Rums.

High hopes were dashed a little for me, but its still a more than respectable bottle of rum. I certainly wouldn’t refuse another glass (or eight)