Malternative Sundays, more rums today


December 6, 2020

Malternative Sundays, more rums today

Starting with a little aperitif from the old days…

Duquesne 5 yo ‘Rhum Vieux’ (40%, OB, Martinique, 5cl, +/-1990)

An old miniature from an hotel room. I couldn’t tell you which hotel, but it was about time we sacrificed it. Duquesne seems to stem from Trois Rivières, which now belongs to Campari. This is probably agricole, although it wouldn’t say so. Colour: straw. Nose: a little kirschy, almondy, spirity at first, with this feeling of white rum plus vanilla, but it tends to improve quite a lot over time, becoming cane-y and even a little petroly. Probably not meant to be sipped like this, but it’s not an obligation to drown it in soda or pineapple juice, whether in an hotel room or not. Mouth: a lot of hay and liquorice, with something a little unnatural. Petrol again? A touch of salt too, a bit of green olive, chewing rubber…Not quite, I would say. Finish: rather long, salty, but the rubber’s a tad too loud. Comments: for the record and for what it’s worth. Oh well, I suppose a proper bottle would have pulled better results. Anecdotal, because of the rubber.
SGP:362 - 68 points.

Foursquare 12 yo ‘Sagacity’ (48%, OB, Barbados, 2019)

Foursquare 12 yo ‘Sagacity’ (48%, OB, Barbados, 2019)
Indeed we’re a little late again, but remember we haven’t got much space for rum in these pages. This baby’s seen Madeira casks, but Madeira can work with whisky, so it should work with proper rum too. Aren’t Madeira casks the Ronaldos of wood? (subtle nudge, isn’t it). Colour: amber. Nose: yes, the combination works very well, as expected. Walnut cake covered with some gewurztraminer icing, and filled with bitter marmalade and, naturally, ‘rum’. Lovely touches of gingerbread too. This Sagacity seems to be pretty smart (S., pff). Mouth: rather nervous and tight at first, which are assets, then rounder and cake-ier, with some peanut oil. More gingerbread, honey cookies, then the expected walnuts and mustard, from the Madeira I suppose. Everything works in sync here, it’s an excellent rum. Finish: rather long, with some spicy cookies, perhaps. Cloves… Comments: firm and probably appealing both to newcomers and to seasoned rum enthusiasts. BTW, bual, malmsey, sercial or verdelho? We’ll soon publish a Benrinnes session that may tell you more about those very different varietals… in the meantime, let me have a wee glass of this awesome little Sagacity before we go on… (of course we should never do that, but there).
SGP:551 - 90 points.

Caroni 22 yo 1998/2020 (57.5%, Compagnie des Indes, Trinidad, 287 bottles)

Caroni 22 yo 1998/2020 (57.5%, Compagnie des Indes, Trinidad, 287 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: diesel oil everywhere, then coal tar and Dutch liquorice. Then exhausts and embrocations. Vick Vaporub and tiger balm. With water: a lovely dustiness. Old attic, wine cellar… Quite some caraway too. Mouth (neat): drinking some very peppery olive oil blended with engine oil and something like ras el hanout (usually cardamom, cumin, clove, cinnamon, fenugreek, nutmeg, mace, allspice, ginger, chili, coriander seeds, peppercorn, paprika, and turmeric). I agree that’s not very Trinidadian. With water: some very old riesling and even more petrol. Really, it’s like drinking petrol and varnish, but quaffing this little Caroni instead will be safer. Finish: very long and really very petroly, with an acetic, almost bacterial side too. Salted liquorice in the aftertaste. Comments: rather the thing, I would say. Some Ardbeg from the Caribbean, well done Compagnie des Indes (occidentales)! Luved it.
SGP:373 - 91 points.

Hampden ‘Great House Distillery Edition 2020’ (59%, OB, Jamaica)

Hampden ‘Great House Distillery Edition 2020’ (59%, OB, Jamaica)
We’re late, once again, but remember, few slots for rum etc. This is a blend of 80% Hampden OWH (80-120 gr esters/hlpa) distilled in 2013 and 20% DOK (1,500-1,600 gr esters/hlpa) distilled in 2017. Ooh my head. So technically, it’s a 3 years old. Colour: gold. Nose: naturally. Immediate, kind of easy, instant phenolic, tarry and briny pleasure, ridden with olives, tarmac, carbon dust, model glue and seawater. Right. With water: olives and gravel amalgamated with tarmac. More or less that. Mouth (neat): it’s like Ardbeg, whether it’s fully there or only as a fraction of a blend, the end result will be the same. So, we’ve got everything that was in the nose, plus some fruity notes that are extremely lovely. Mangos, papayas and crushed ripe bananas. A bit tight, in fact, but the tongue sees no flaws. With water: olive brine and liquorice! You may try to make it at home, just put some stick of liquorice wood in a jar of olive brine (eat the olives first) and keep it for a few weeks. Comments on a postcard please. Finish: long, on similar flavours. No changes, except for this wee fruit that you’d sometimes find in heavy peaters or high-ester rums: wild strawberries! I’m serious – but that’s pretty close to varnish, actually. Comments: impressed but not surprised. Great young Hampden.
SGP:473 - 91 points.

Great session, no?

Uitvlugt-Port Mourant 22 yo 1998/2020 (61.1%, Tamosi Karaya, Guyana)

Uitvlugt-Port Mourant 22 yo 1998/2020 (61.1%, Tamosi Karaya, Guyana)
Let me explain, this was distilled with the Port Mourant double wooden still while it was still at Uitvlugt, so before it was moved to Diamond in Georgetown. But yeah, it’s a good question, label it as Uitvlugt or as Port Mourant? I believe they chose the best solution, kudos to them. Colour: light gold. Nose: sure it’s hot, but I’m managing to find some Italian hazelnut liqueur and some lady’s face cream. Perhaps stewed salsify? But let’s not try any harder an push our luck… With water: it’s amazing that we would be this close to the style of the Hampden, although this PM would be a tad more aromatic and floral. Jasmine tea, wisteria, honeysuckle, spearmint… It is truly beautiful and charming. Mouth (neat): I seem to detect some earthy liquorice and some kind of blend of mango and tangerine fruit juices. But indeed it is hot… With water: wonderful top-dresser, peppery, tarry and fruity, with a mentholy and pine-y side. Some juniper and aniseeds, liquorice, and high-end grappa. Impressive spirit that spent a large part of its life in Europe (probably in Holland) and that would display rather ‘time’ than ‘wood’. Finish: long and fresh. Peppermint. Comments: almost as refreshing as Perrier, in fact, minus the bubbles. Another brilliant rum that, in my book, is worth more than those boring 90 points. I mean, 90%.
SGP:562 - 91 points.

A last one…

Black Tot ‘50th Anniversary’ (54.5%, Elixir Distillers, 2020)

I’ll say it, these ‘black tot’ things do not ring many bells to these French ears. What’s more, the one thing we’ve never been too keen on, beyond their food of course, is the British Navy. But we love all the rest, especially the jokes ;-). So yeah, this is some kind of no-age-stated British-style rum. OH and I agree I’m being a little tough on it, after the glories we’ve just had. Colour: deep amber. Nose: it does, indeed, kind of synthesise some of the rums we’ve just had. The petrol, the ripe bananas, the olives, the gravel, the earth, the soft spices (that ras el hanout)… It does lose you a wee bit, especially since this is not the style of rum the French are used to (at all), but I do applaud the petroly liquorice for sure. With water: muchas improvements and a totally liquorice-led cavalcade. Do you enjoy liquorice as much as I do? Mouth (neat): heavy liquid liquorice, heavy molasses, heavy caramel, a drop of violet liqueur… Parfait Amour indeed. I hope that will give you a good idea. With water: same, just easier. This very molasses-y profile just works – again, we’re not used to this at all. Finish: long. Molasses, liquorice, caramel. Comments: I’m starting to understand what the French, cough, ‘navy’ did wrong. Seriously, the black tot sure was a secret weapon.
SGP:562 - 87 points.

Check the index of all rums we've tasted so far