Malternative spirits: plenty of rums at an Olympic level


August 11, 2024

Malternative spirits: plenty of rums at an Olympic level

We initially wanted to taste cognacs and/or armagnacs this Sunday as part of our friendly little Olympics, but then we thought it would somewhat favour the French in the medal rankings. We have ethics, after all (oh, stop it, S.). So, we switched to rums from many very worthy small countries, starting with a little aperitif.

Grammy Award for Best Latin Recording in 1980

The Arcane 'Extraroma' (40%, OB, Mauritius, +/-2022)

Every time a brand adds a ‘The’ to their name, it gives us a good chuckle. Last year, we tried an Arcane 'Délicatissime' which turned out to be far too sweet for me (WF 64). Let's see if, at 40%, there truly is an extra aroma here, though we're not dreaming of anything extraordinary. Colour: gold. Nose: a pure blend of acacia honey, maple syrup, and cane syrup, with a hint of pineapple liqueur and young sweet muscat (like Frontignan). On paper and on the nose, it seems pleasant and, indeed, very aromatic. But we all know where the devil hides... Mouth: glycerine texture. A mix of the aforementioned syrups and liqueurs, with a slightly bitter caramel and vanillin base. Very sweet. Finish: short, sweet. Comments: to think this is pure cane juice at its core. Truth be told, it's not too bad, just far too sweet for my liking. Pass the ice bucket, please.
SGP: 730 - 70 points.

Sodade 'Cana Rocca Ouro Blanco' (43.1%, OB, Cape Verde, grogue, +/-2023)

Pure red cane juice, wild yeasts, very long fermentations, local pot still... We tried a Sodade 'Botanic Joao' last summer and it was fantastic (WF 88). This Ouro Blanco, which means white gold, has only aged for 6 months in barrels. Colour: pale gold (not white at all!). Nose: superb distillate, somewhat straddling the line between a fine light mezcal and a true rhum agricole. Plenty of dried leaves, a fair bit of tobacco, light earth, some little pink olives, a bit of seaweed, tiny citrus fruits (finger lemons), sea water. Superb nose, superb distillate. When’s the next boat to Cape Verde? Mouth: excuse me, but this is delicious! Lively yet civilised, salty, slightly smoky, mezcal-like again (there must be agaves in Cape Verde) and still with plenty of citrus, a touch of cucumber and gherkin, very light hints of compost and even peat. A bit like a light Talisker from the South if you will. Finish: not very long, ashier, slightly drying but not at all unpleasant. Comments: you don't see these grogues often, which is all the more reason to pounce when you do. I love this one as much as the 'Botanic', even though it's very different. Bang, a medal for Cape Verde.
SGP:552 - 88 points.

William Hinton 6 yo ‘Madeira Cask’ (42%, OB, Madeira, single cask, cask #313)

Here we are in Portugal. Proper agricole rhum distilled at Engenho Novo da Madeira, finished in local wine wood. It is said to contain a bit of 25-year-old rhum still produced in the old distillery. Colour: dark gold. Nose: quite a typical slightly metallic nose (metal polish, old copper) coupled with green walnut and light healthy mustardy touches, a bit in the manzanilla style. Hints of old leather. I get the impression this was a dry Madeira wine cask, at least, the nose is very successful. Mouth: a bit more dissonant, but not in an unpleasant way, quite the contrary. Still plenty of green walnut and very mild mustard, a touch earthy, then some raisins and a bit of black olive tapenade. A bit of grey pepper and mild tobacco. Touch of caramel and café latte. Finish: not eternal, but perhaps that's due to the 42% ABV. Same profile, a bit of bitter orange in the aftertaste. Comments: a fine achievement, very characterful, a rhum with a story to tell. A version at 46% would be top-notch.
SGP:462 - 86 points.

Foursquare 20 yo 2002/2023 (49%, The Colours of Rhum, Barbados, N°19, cask #4, 208 bottles)

Continental aging here, so probably fewer tropical fruits (makes sense, no? Course not). Colour: white wine. Nose: it’s beautiful! One gets the impression there's quite a bit of pot still, with a touch of tar, charcoal, even rubber and patching glue. Some tiny overripe bananas in the background, then a brand-new iPhone (which does nothing more than the previous one) just delivered by Amazon. iPhone unboxing, there’s a new descriptor, but I think we've used it before. Anyway, it’s not grand arôme, but it’s more grand arôme than most usual Foursquares. Mouth: magnificent lemon and lime, still a bit of tar, brine, liquorice, gentian, I almost mentioned olives but let’s not exaggerate. Very saline, in any case. Finish: long, still on the same saline and tarry notes. A touch of ink. Very fine Foursquare. Comments: so, pure pot still? Or at least a significantly higher proportion of pot still than usual? It almost seems like a low-marque HMPDN.
SGP:463 - 90 points.

Chairman’s Reserve 15 yo 2005/2022 (61.5%, OB, St. Lucia, GotA & RumX, bourbon, cask #06012000, 232 bottles)

Who are GotA and RumX? DJs? Rappers? Robots? Joking, they are all great people. GotA = Grape of the Art. A blend of 50% ex-John Dore and 50% ex-Vendôme pot stills. Colour: deep gold. Nose: these Chairman’s Reserves are really quite beautiful on the nose (we’ve finally figured out that Mister Chairman doesn’t keep anything for himself, really), with a rather sublime black olive nougat side. Do you know black olive nougat? Water should make it explode. With water: old cellar, carbon, old paint pots, pickled fruit, and even a curious little touch of black garlic. I adore black garlic. Mouth (neat): it's funny how we’re quite close to that Foursquare at this stage, but this Chairman’s Reserve bites and even slaps you in the face. Ultra-powerful, but otherwise glue, varnish, carbon, olives. With water: the same but even more saline. Anchovies in brine. Finish: long, softer than one would think now, in any case very balanced between the esters and the gentler fruits. Comments: strictly at the same very high level as the Foursquare, just a tad harsher at the end of the finish. I also think this is a real rum for malt enthusiasts.
SGP:462 - 90 points.

Cuban Rum 50 yo 1973/2024 (52%, Spheric Spirits, cask #2314302, 258 bottles)

There are some very lovely old independent Cubans around at the moment, best enjoyed while listening to old LPs of Irakere; by the way, this famous band was founded by the brilliant Chucho Valdés in… 1973. How curious. Colour: dark red amber. Nose: delicate, on polish, chocolate and ripe banana, touches of old tin box, a bit of brown sugar, very ripe apple... With water: rather new tyres, old wood and geranium flowers. An unlikely combo, but it works, believe it or not. Mouth (neat): a bit of orange liqueur and coffee at first, it might have been slightly boosted along the way, then some molasses, Jaffa cakes, fruitwood, pipe tobacco, some brandied cherries… With water: the rum still stands up to the wood, it’s superb. The pipe tobacco side, however, is becoming more prominent. I avoid mentioning Havana puros, that would be too obvious (too late, there it is). Finish: medium length, starting on coffee, roasted pecans and molasses. The chocolate and pecans truly take over in the aftertaste, but without any bitterness. Comments: you mustn't be afraid of a bit of slight bitterness from wood in your very old spirits. Especially if the cask spent 50 years in Cuba, but is that even possible? Anyway, here’s a strike of 90.
SGP:361 - 90 points.

Trinidad Distillers Limited 15 yo 2008/2024 (64.4%, Spiritori #1, Trinidad, cask #243, 335 bottles)

Will this little TDL, aka Trinidad Distillers Limited, snag another gold medal? It spent 11 years in the tropics, the rest in Europe. Colour: dark gold. Nose: a bit blocked by the high ABV, but you can detect putty and fresh paint. I’m sure everything will change once we add some water. With water: not really the explosion of exotic fruits we were expecting, rather new pinewood, varnishes, brand new rubber boots, pine needles, and only in the background, the proverbial very ripe mangoes, bananas, and strawberries. Mouth (neat): very powerful. Alas, our lawyer is on the golf course again and his iPhone seems to be off or out of battery. Menthol, pine resin, terpenes, paints… With water: here come the fruits, but also quite a bit of green pepper. Certainly not a TDL for the drawing-room that would instantly please everyone. Finish: very long, woody, on quite extreme menthol, extreme salmiak, and equally extreme pine resin. Comments: an extreme TDL that shakes you up a bit. For lovers of strong sensations. I mean extreme sensations.
SGP:472 - 87 points.

Since we are in Trinidad & Tobago...

Caroni 25 yo 1999/2024 (57.2%, Jean Boyer, Rum Bullion, Trinidad, cask #198)

Caroni 25 yo 1999/2024 (57.2%, Jean Boyer, Rum Bullion, Trinidad, cask #198)
Jean Boyer, that venerable French house, a true pioneer of world spirits, and a favourite of Whiskyfun. Jean Marie in the heavens, you are always remembered! Colour: deep gold. Nose: immediately curry, soot, rubber, paint, strong liquorice, and thuja wood. Extremely Caroni, no literature needed (literature, S.??). With water: sublime now! Turpentine, linseed oil, artist's studio, modelling clay, drawing gum, cut cactus, newspapers of the day... Mouth (neat): like pliers grabbing your tongue, between ultimate liquorice and oak extracts. Overripe bananas and mangoes are laughing in the background. With water: much better, as expected. Ripe bananas, prickly pears, blackcurrants, liquorice, spruce, absinthe... Swiss absinthe from Val de Travers, of course. Finish: very long, ultra-dry. Do you love salty liquorice as much as I do? You can't find it here, luckily I pass through Schiphol now and then to stock up. Comments: superb Caroni, certainly ultra-dry, but not overly woody. A blade.
SGP:262 - 90 points.

Right, one last Trinidadian...

Caroni 24 yo 1998/2023 ‘Mars’ (61.1%, Jack Tar, Cosmic Series, cask #2185, 195 bottles)

Caroni 24 yo 1998/2023 ‘Mars’ (61.1%, Jack Tar, Cosmic Series, cask #2185, 195 bottles)
Said to be ‘extra-terrestrial’, and so be it. Also mentioned as a ‘truly men’s strong spirit’, which isn’t quite in the spirit of the Paris Olympics, is it? Jolly good fun, nonetheless, and our hopes are as high as the Olympic flame. All right then… Colour: deep gold. Nose: classic heavy Caroni, apparently, no deviations, no variations, no excessive wood intervention, it seems to be pure and precise Caroni. Linseed oil, mango and peach peelings, mastic, hairspray, three dozen apples, two olives, pine branches (feels like Christmas already) and a marrow bone... With water: the famous Islay rum side. They say they're making rum at Port Ellen now, and apparently, it’s very good. We'll see about that soon... Mouth (neat): taut as a bow string, lemony and resinous, with cedar and thuja wood, plus a few drops of superb kirsch. Kirsch is the seminal spirit that can be either orgasmic or miserable, did you know? With water: ah, perfect. Everything falls into place, and although the wood shows its presence after all these years, there's no real imbalance. Lemon, olives, smoke, oysters, green apples, green pepper. Hats off. Finish: very long but woodier. A tad harsh, but that’s nit-picking. Comments: it narrowly misses 91 points, due to the very coniferous wood starting to interfere between the sublime distillate and you. But no worries.
SGP:462 - 90 points.

Well, we'd still like to snag a 91, wouldn't we? Maybe through an Uitvlugt?

Uitvlugt 31 yo 1990/2022 (56.2%, Silver Seal, Guyana)

Well, I don’t reckon we need to go over the whole history of Uitvlugt again, do we? As for the stills, it’s a bit tricky since they were having several at that time. Without specific details or marques, I suppose we can’t really know, so we’ll just have to taste this old baby without any preconceptions... Colour: gold. Nose: perfect, ultra-precise, greatly simple, with notes of hay and bagasse. In the background, there’s very ripe pineapple, banana skins, dried jujube, and a few whelks. Frankly, it’s brilliant. I also get the impression that these old Demeraras, whether aged in the tropics or on the continent, mature much better than the Caronis, but please don’t quote me on that. With water: oh, old varnishes, anti-rust paint, anchovies in their tin, olive rings and... hang on, it’s a pizza. A real one, an Italian pizza. Mouth (neat): superlatively grand. Salted lemon, ashes, paraffin, capers, ink, carbon, bitter and salted almonds... I love it. Gold medal, just saying. With water: the anchovies are back, with lemon, tobacco ashes and olive oil. Unbeatable. Finish: long and elegant. Smoked oysters and grapefruit. Comments: I think for this bottle and a few others, the bottlers (are you listening?) should change their brand from Silver Seal to Golden Seal. Apologies, relating to what we said at the beginning of this modest session, it should be The Golden Seal. No, platinum is too much. You might say there are also those rare metals used in Tesla batteries and others. The Lithium Seal?
SGP:562 - 91 points.

(Merci Rob)

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

Current Medal Standing
After Day 13

92 - Gold
	TTO Trinidad Distillers Limited 14 yo 2009/2024 'Edition N°1' (62.9%, The Colours of Rum, Up Spirits Club, bourbon cask, cask #106, 259 bottles)
91 - Gold
	JPN Shizuoka 2019/2023 (65.2%, Asta Morris, Japan, peated, pot still K, bourbon barrel, cask #1222, 302 bottles) JPN Shizuoka ‘United S - Summer Edition 2023’ (50.5%, OB, Japan, first-fill bourbon) JPN Yamazaki 18 yo ’Suntory 100th Anniversary’ (48%, OB, Japan, Mizunara, 2023) GUI Uitvlugt 31 yo 1990/2022 (56.2%, Silver Seal, Guyana) FIJ South Pacific Distillery 11 yo 2012/2023 (57.5%, The Whisky Jury, Fiji, refill barrel, cask #12, 292 bottles)
90 - Silver
	JPN Hakushu 18 yo ‘Suntory 100th Anniversary’ (48%, OB, Japan, 2023) NED Millstone 26 yo 1996/2022 (47.7%, OB for The Whisky Exchange, Netherlands, American oak, cask #1372, 264 bottles) JPN Shizuoka 2018/2024 (46.6%, OB, Sushi + Soul Munich, Japan, KS+WS, bourbon, cask #939) TTO Caroni 25-year-old 1998/2023 (60.1%, Impressions by The Colours of Rum, Trinidad, cask #8, 120 bottles) TTO Caroni 25 yo 1999/2024 (57.2%, Jean Boyer, Rum Bullion, Trinidad, cask #198) TTO Caroni 24 yo 1998/2023 ‘Mars’ (61.1%, Jack Tar, Cosmic Series, cask #2185, 195 bottles) LCA Chairman’s Reserve 15 yo 2005/2022 (61.5%, OB, St. Lucia, GotA & RumX, bourbon, cask #06012000, 232 bottles) CUB Cuban Rum 50 yo 1973/2024 (52%, Spheric Spirits, cask #2314302, 258 bottles) BAR Foursquare 20 yo 2002/2023 (49%, The Colours of Rhum, Barbados, N°19, cask #4, 208 bottles)
89 - Silver
	FRA Alfred Giraud ‘Une Odyssée’ (52.9%, OB, France, Collection Singulière, cognac cask, 459 bottles) GBR Bimber ‘Stratford’ (58.5%, OB, England, The Spirit of the Underground, Fino cask, cask #267/16, 325 bottles, 2024) KOR Kimshangsoo Single Cask (52.1%, OB, Korea, Artist Edition, 1st fill European oloroso hogshead, 312 bottles, 2023) AIN Caribbean Rum 30 yo 1993/2024 (60.5%, eSpirit, Liquid Treasures, 15th anniversary, barrel, 282 bottles)
88 - Bronze
	GBR Bimber ‘Wimbledon’ (56.6%, OB, England, The Spirit of the Underground, Vino de Naranja cask, cask #310/5, 298 bottles, 2024) JPN Chichibu 2017/2023 (65%, OB for ePower, 1st fill bourbon barrel, cask #8279, 176 bottles) USA Copperworks 3 yo 2018/2022 (56.8%, Whisky-Facile, USA, Black Cat Series, virgin oak, cask #287, 239 bottles) ITA Exmu ‘Spirit of Sardinia’ (45.5%, OB, Italy, bourbon, +/-2024) JPN Kanosuke 2019/2023 (61%, OB, for ePower, Japan, oloroso sherry, cask #19421, 281 bottles) JPN Mars Tsunuki 6 yo 2017/2024 ‘Yakushima Aging’ (58%, OB, Japan, for Tiffany’s New York Bar and AF Trade, sherry hogshead, cask #2094, 252 bottles) GBR Penderyn 13 yo 2010/2023 (59.5%, OB, Wales, LMDW New Vibrations, second fill bourbon, cask #313/2010) JPN Shizuoka ‘Pot Still W Japanese barley First Edition’ (55.5%, OB, Japan, Japan exclusive, 2,500 bottles, 2023) JPN Yoichi 10 yo (45%, OB, Japan, Edition 2022) GUY Diamond 20 yo 2003/2024 'SVL' (51.6%, The Roots, Guyana, bourbon cask, cask #23, 174 bottles) CVD Sodade 'Cana Rocca Ouro Blanco' (43.1%, OB, Cape Verde, grogue, +/-2023)
87 - Bronze
	GBR Bimber ‘Germany Edition 2023’ (59.2%, OB, Kirsch Import, sherry, cask #456, 280 bottles) GBR Filey Bay 2016/2021 (63.1%, OB, England, oloroso sherry hogshead, cask #146, 271 bottles) NED Kalkwijck 2019/2023 ‘Higgledy Piggledy Rye’ (44%, OB, The Netherlands, American oak, 480 bottles, +/-2023) TPE Kavalan 2014/2024 (61%, OB for Malt, Grain & Cane, Port, cask #O140201019A, 186 bottles) FIN Kyrö 'Malt Rye' (47.2%, OB, Finland, +/-2023) NED Millstone 2019/2024 (57.3%, OB for The Whisky Jury, refill PX hogshead, cask #2547, 319 bottles) ESP Sherishor 12 yo (45%, OB, Spain, ‘pure malt whisky’, +/-2024) GER The Westfalian ‘Masterpiece Peated’ (64.1%, OB, Germany, ex-Macallan sherry hogshead, cask #TW74, 238 bottles) GER The Westfalian 2012/2024 'Single Grain' (62.5%, OB, Germany, ex-Ben Nevis sherry hogshead, cask #TW8, 266 bottles) USA Westward ‘Cask Strength 125 Proof’ (62.5%, OB, USA, +/-2023) AIN Ron Colon ‘Salvadoreno High Proof’ (55.5%, OB, blend, +/-2022) TTO Trinidad Distillers Limited 15 yo 2008/2024 (64.4%, Spiritori #1, Trinidad, cask #243, 335 bottles)