Rum is back


January 16, 2022

Rum is back
On WF, after quite an assortment of brilliant old Cognacs and Armagnacs in the end of last year – we'll have more of them soon as well. Let's see what we have in the boxes and on the shelves… And perhaps start this from Cabo Verde with a grog/grogue!. Also, you may watch this.and listen to this.

Barbosa Amado & Vicente 'Grogue' (45%, OB, Cabo Verde, +/-2018)

We've had a 'Monte Negro' a few years back that was bearing the same label. It's been rather stunning, as these grogues are distilled in small pot stills using pure cane juice, as they do with Haitian clairin. Colour: white. Nose: terrific notes of rotten bananas, model glue, acetone, 'chemical' marshmallows, engine oil, metal polish and even antirust paint, then earthy olives and crushed pickled anchovies (on good bread and butter, yummy). Mouth: throat is okay, that's sorted. No taste distortions either, phew. So, more crushed anchovies, brine, olives and bananas 50/50 (something to try?), margarita, soju and baiju… Things like that. Very fermentary and right up my alley. Finish: really salty, with olives and just more pickled anchovies. The rotting bananas are back in the aftertaste, a little varnish as well. Comments: awesome spirit, even closer to clairin, and probably to Madeiran agricole rum than I remembered. Would that be the influence of the Atlantic Ocean?
SGP:462 - 87 points.

Arruco 'VSOP' (40%, OB, Spirit Drink, Spain, +/-2020)

This is an 'hybrid spirit' you understand, 70% rum plus 30% cognac, made in Spain. We've already tried their 'XO', which is rum plus armagnac, and thought it was actually pretty, pretty good (WF 80). Let's keep an open mind here (as Zappa used to say, minds are like parachutes, they only work when they're open). Colour: gold. Nose: a little light and 'matt', rather with some vanilla, cake and sawdust, rather reminiscent of the cheapo Scotch blends that you would find at the bar in ** hotels. You're right, when there's a bar. So, it's not off-putting, but there isn't much happening. Probably not an 'hybrid' aimed at nosers… Mouth: this rather works on the palate, there's a nice cane, some salty bits, olives, a little liquorice, now I don't think the cognac's got much to tell in this context. Finish: short, with a few sucrosey notes. A little flat. Comments: I believe the XO was more to my liking. This is largely acceptable, though, but it would need ice, as well as a few extra-% ABV.
SGP:352 - 76 points.

Let's talk.

Bielle 10 yo 2009/2019 (49.4%, Rasta Morris, Marie-Galante, bourbon cask, cask #RM020, 226 bottles)

Technically and administratively, Marie-Galante is Guadeloupe, but to many, it's different. We've tried a 2011/2019 by Rasta Morris that had been su-perb (WF 90), so there's no reason… Oh and I agree we should have tried this one earlier, but I seem to remember they only released it a few months ago. Colour: bronze. Nose: a lot of metal polish, you'd believe you're at a Harley-Davidson gathering. Then coffee, cedarwood, cane juice, sandalwood, a new box of small cigars, and whiffs of agave syrup, bizarrely. I'm also reminded of the best Cubans (rums this time, not cigars), which is bizarre as well, I agree, and of some triple-sec. A little intriguing, perhaps softer than expected, let's see… Mouth: it is extremely agricole, loaded with liquorice and varnishy tones, green bananas, teas, some caraway and ras-el-hanout, plus some very strong mint tea. Some green tannicity, not unpleasant at all, on the contrary. Finish: long and still full of liquorice, especially liquorice root. Some ginseng powder too. Comments: love this liquoricy earthiness. A little tough here and there but that's part of its charms.
SGP:462 - 88 points.

A Scotsman in The Tropics 2008/2021 (53.9%, Dramful!, Dominican Republic, 100 bottles)

We're always scared when we see rums from the DomRep (they're usually flat and sweetened-up to the eyes) but this time it's Dramful!, and second, they've done a 2-year finish in Laphroaig wood on it. Sounds a bit like adding foie gras to a Big Mac, but let's see… Colour: dark amber. Nose: haven't I already used the word 'intriguing' today? I'm finding eggplant gratin, artichoke liqueur, leaves, cactus, white asparagus (only four months of waiting…), chestnut burr, orange peel… And certainly something medicinal. With water: old ointments and coal tar! Mouth (neat): LOL. Laphroaig imposing its magic, with a deep earthiness, seaweed (wakame salad), a tarry smoke, and a wee rum that's just… the canvas of the whole painting. Aged gentian eau-de-vie. Spectacular, wondering how much 'L' was remaining in the cask. With water: eggplant and gentian. Some moussaka! Touches of candy sugar too, after all this is rum from the Dominican Republic. Finish: tarry caramel, liquorice root. Sriracha in the aftertaste. That's chilli. Comments: the spirit wasn't thick and the L cask may have done all the work. Well, it's possibly my favourite rum from the DomRep, ever. Good fun.
SGP:363 - 85 points.

Renaissance 2018/2021 (62%, OB, The Whisky Exchange, Taiwan, fino cask finish)

Taiwanese rum! Let's quote the very excellent TWE website: 'this traditional pot-still rum was distilled on 17 September 2018 and bottled in May 2021; it's made using molasses refined from local Taiwanese sugar cane, which was fermented with wine yeast for 15 days with dunder; it was distilled on the lees and matured in a new 225-litre American white-oak cask and finished in a fino sherry cask; and it was bottled at full cask strength with no added colour, sugar or flavourings.' Capeesh?! Colour: office coffee. Nose: of course we're wondering if this is 'the Kavalan of rum'. Everything's there, petrol, oils, liquorice, ferments, olives, rotting bananas, brine, eucalyptus wood… Well some may have tried to benchmark Caroni. With water: sour sauces, bull-dog, hoisin, some kind of mentholated satay, massage balm, eucalyptus… Mouth (neat): thick, rich, perfumy, with some kind of mentholated oranges, cough drops, rose bonbons… Watch it it's a tricky pony, because this profile could make you believe it's an easy drink. It's not, remember, 62%. With water: excellent. Minty woods, tar, salty fruits, salt-and-orange paste, terpenes, turpentine… Finish: very long, holds very well. Comments: not sure I got the fino. It's a big distillate, any finish may have been a little superfluous and redundant. I couldn't not admit that I'm finding this brilliant, some sides remind me of our crazy friends at Lost Spirits in the good old USA. Worth checking out.
SGP:472 - 87 points.

Who's mentioned Caroni?

Caroni 20 yo 1998 (54.2% C. Dully Selection, Trinidad, 280 bottles)

This is heavy Caroni. Colour: amber. Nose: luminous caramel, nougat, the exhaust of a… wait, say an AC Cobra, copper and cast iron, praline, roasted sesame… I have to say I'm rather a fan. With water: no changes. You may just add a few reheated French beans. Mouth (neat): superb earthy and coastal humus and sand, liquorice, petroly savours, green lemons, tar, over-stewed spices and mushrooms, perhaps some plastics and glues (branded 'IKEA'). There's some brutality to this, something that would feel like… Some 20 years old Port Ellen. Yep. With water: bingo, salt, lime concentrate, benzine, tar, concrete… This is well Port Ellen. I mean, heavy Caroni. Finish: long, even saltier. Come on, they must have added seawater. Comments: very heavy, brutal, hard to tame, but hey, there's nothing we can't pull off.
SGP:364 - 90 points.

Good, out of the frying pan and right into the fire…

Caroni 22 yo 1998/2021 (60%, Rum Sponge, Trinidad, 230 bottles)

The Sponge admits that this was 'heavy' Caroni too, and that they've bottled it 'with slight reduction'. Slight reduction at 60% vol. don't they sound like reverse headshrinkers? (I'll explain the concept later) Colour: light amber. Nose: 60% vol. is not a good nosing strength because the imperious taster may still believe he could overcome the challenge and find 'nuances' in such kerosene. No, don't try, you'll burn what Covid's left. With water: gets very dry. Miso and engine oil, new boots, blue cheese (hints). Mouth (neat): same as the C. Dully, really. Liquorice, petrol, glue, salty tar… With water: salty glue, vinegars, two-stroke petrol/oil mixture… Not that I've ever drunk any but I would have done anything to get one of those crazy new Kawasakis back in the early 1970s (later to become 'the widowmakers'). Finish: long, salty, briny, terpene-y. Comments: yeah, we could call these Caronis 'the widowmakers' too. No wonder this was 'early landed', many Kawa-riders have been 'early landed' too. Anyway, another great bottle by The Sponge.
SGP:355 - 90 points.

Eanie meenie…

Clarendon 14 yo 2006/2021 (63.2%, Sample X, Jamaica, refill bourbon, 283 bottles)

In other words, Monymusk. Colour: amber. Nose: it's always fun to have these heavy Jamaicans after some Caronis, or the other way 'round. The Jamaicans, including this one, are less tarry, and more briny. They're not exactly as thick, but they have this added minerality, this higher verticality, if I may. Anyway, white asparagus, chalk, peanut oil, petrol, graphite oil, Brussels sprouts, new books… With water: soap, Barbour grease, black olives, and perhaps marshmallows brochettes. A very regressive thing that we used to make when we were boy scouts. Mouth (neat): very extreme. I mean, extremely extreme, ultra-dry and mega-drying… Water may be needed. With water: I'm always having trouble with these extreme Monymusks. I mean, even the most extreme Ardbegs or Port Ellens were sweet and mellow in comparison. Did you see that I didn't say 'smooth'? Eating concrete, crunching chalk, drinking motor oil. Finish: long, totally drying. I think I need a drink. A cup of salt in the aftertaste. Comments: weren't they meant to use this as dressers? Seasoning agents?
SGP:276 - 83 points.

I think we need an 'easy' Jamaican now, so to speak…

HD-MJH3 2012/2021 (55.8%, The Whisky Jury, Jamaica, refill barrel, cask #TWJ-HA-03, 279 bottles)

With all these Hs, I would wager this is Hampden. Sure I deserve a medal. Colour: gold. Nose: fresh paint, barley water, pistachio oil, black nougat, stout, new Kia garage, Tesla batteries, gherkin brine. With water: carbon dust, Muscadet, new tyres, cucumbers, floorcloth… Mouth (neat): sublime, best-in-the-Caribbean, of Ardbeg 1972-1975 quality. Do they use purifiers at Hampden? High-precision smoky and briny unfolding, very coastal too, balanced, mildly tarry, with a few acidic fruits (star fruits, lemons, green gooseberries)… I'm trying very hard and yet I cannot find any flaws, this is perfect spirit. With water: a blade. Tarry and smoky olives, plus wild garlic (bear's) and smoked oysters. There's something irresistible in here. Finish: very long, salty, with the expected liquorice and then just kippers and sardines. Comments: this Jury sure isn't out. Holy Bob Marley, what a rum! By the way, one day someone will tell you the story about Bob Marley, the Wailers, snow, and Scotland. In the meantime…
SGP:365 - 91 points.

We found an utter winner, so see you and happy Sunday to you!

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