
August 23, 2020

Solid rums from the best boxes

We’ll carefully avoid any uncertain liquids and unlikely liqueurs this time, and rather focus on well-reputed, truly un-sauced-up rums. Let’s see what we’ll find, eenie meenie…

Foursquare 10 yo ‘Premise’ (46%, OB, Barbados, 2018)

Three years in bourbon then seven years in sherry, that’s a set-up that’s not unseen in malt whisky, although the Scots would be more into flash-finishing. Okay, okay, into fast-finishing. Colour: gold. Nose: not the first time I’m finding Foursquare’s having something ‘agricole-y’, this is pretty much the case here, with some banana cake, touches of liquorice wood, hints of black olives, echoes of tarmac (sounds like the name of a prog-rock band, doesn’t it), a dollop of sesame oil, then rather coffee toffee and only moderate amounts of cinnamon. Cinnamon rolls. Very nice and fulfilling, perfectly balanced. Mouth: wee touches of raspberry eau-de-vie for little while, then the expected cane-y flavours as well as these notes of banana cake yet again. Some raisins too – probably from the sherry – and a little tar. Really good, pretty easy, perfectly dry. Finish: rather long, saltier, with these olives again and a slightly tarry and varnishy aftertaste. Comments: these Foursquare often synthetize several main styles of rums in my opinion. That’s part of their numerous charms.
SGP:552 - 87 points.

Since we were talking agricole…

Bielle 8 yo 2011/2019 (52.8%, Rasta Morris, Marie-Galante, cask #RM021, 258 bottles)

Bielle 8 yo 2011/2019 (52.8%, Rasta Morris, Marie-Galante, cask #RM021, 258 bottles)
Bielle is one of the grands crus of rum, to me that’s crystal-clear. Colour: dark amber. Nose: oh perfect, almost Neissony if I may. Touches of pencil shavings and fresh paint at first, then fantastic notes of dried figs, bananas flambéed (flambéed with Bielle, naturally), cane juice, a drop of agave syrup, and some flowers. Ylang-ylang, gorse, dandelions… Very impeccable. With water: superb church incense and balsa wood, cedar wood, a box of small cigars... Fantastic nose, with all the charms of a Cohiba, without any of the downsides. Mouth (neat): pretty hot at first but creamy and rich, with an unexpected earthiness, a little varnish, roots (or Jerusalem artichokes), and some curious notes of cigarette ashes this time. Orange skin. With water: more small berries, eaux-de-vie, liqueurs, touches of juniper… And always quite a lot of (unlit) tobacco. Finish: medium, earthy and tobacco-y indeed. Roots in the aftertaste. Comments: what a great young Bielle. Not sure it needs a lot of water, a drop’s enough, actually.
SGP:461 - 90 points.

Fly to Guyana?

Uitvlugt 22 yo 1997/2019 (51.4%, Silent Ambassador, Guyana, 226 bottles)

Uitvlugt 22 yo 1997/2019 (51.4%, Silent Ambassador, Guyana, 226 bottles)
Remember Uitvlugt is pot-still. This should be very good yet again, but a silent ambassador? That couldn’t be a brand ambassador, don’t you agree? (heartfelt apologies, friends). Colour: gold. Nose: bingo, green olives, brine, capers, tar, camphor, Thai basil, eucalyptus, mercurochrome… It’s simply hard to beat this. With water: amazing, patchouli, hashish and old books. It’s got a wee hippy side, no? Mouth: love all these Uitvlugts 1997. They’re all perfectly petroly, olive-y, brine-y, salty, earthy, with bags of liquorice and touches of seashells. You’d be forbidden for wondering whether someone’s not poured a few litres of Laphroaig into this cask. With water: ink and tar, then olives and resins. Not obligatorily hashish, mind you. Finish: long, salty and tarry, with rather some kinds of earthy olives in the aftertaste. Small piccholines. Comments: why don’t the owners issue such casks? We’ve got a whole stash of newish OBs yet to taste but I have to confess I keep procrastinating.
SGP:472 - 90 points.

Let’s stay in Demerara…

Diamond 12 yo 2008/2020 (60.3%, Liquid Treasures - e-spirits, Guyana, barrel)

Diamond 12 yo 2008/2020 (60.3%, Liquid Treasures - e-spirits, Guyana, barrel)
This wee baby from Port Mourant’s famous double wooden pot still. Looks like there’s the esc… I mean the wife of the POTUS on the label, no? Colour: white wine. Nose: great to have this after an Uitvlugt. This one’s rather fruitier, with pears for example, but that may be both the younger age and the higher strength. Other than that and so far, clams, oysters, rollmops and kimchi. With water: very dry and salty, we’re almost nosing a plate of oysters. Some nail polish too. Mouth (neat): absolutely excellent, but very strong. Williams pears spirit mixed with ashes and seawater. With water: same feelings, but hold on, did someone pour some young Lagavulin this time? Finish: long, rather waxier this time. Some kind of very salty Clynelish? Gritty olive oil in the aftertaste. Comments: this one was a little more challenging, or less ‘evident’, but it’s still a high-flyer.
SGP:462 - 86 points.

Monymusk 9 yo 2010/2019 ‘EMB’ (62%, Habitation Velier, Jamaica)

No comments. Colour: light amber. Nose: quite some butterscotch, toasted oak, caramel and fudge, let’s add water right away if you don’t mind. With water: it’s not a high-ester Jamaican, as it seems. Cakes and toasted wood, drops of brine, whiffs of shampoo too. Mouth (neat): huge varnish and caper brine, plus some vanillin, once again water may be needed (of course it is). With water: better to me, with ashes, limes, olives and, well, salted limoncello, but who would do that? Cakes. Finish: long, relatively simple, but it does the job. Good grapefruit and peppered olives. Comments: I believe I should have had this little Monymusk before that Port Mourant. Nobody’s perfect, as says Donald J.
SGP:452 - 85 points.

(Thank you mucho, Robert)

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