Time to taste some rum in 2024


January 7, 2024

Time to taste some rum in 2024

Here, a good illustration of why we don't taste blind. The first rum we're going to try is a Mocambo from Mexico at 40% ABV. We like Mocambo, but later we'll probably have one or more new Jamaican cask-strength rums, or perhaps a Caroni, for example. How would we do that blind? Would we choose randomly by masking the glasses or use black/blue ISO ones? And would we take the risk of tasting this agreeable Mocambo at 40% just after a Hampden DOK at 65% ABV? I don't think that would be a good idea… In fact, technically, it would be feasible, but then we would have to reserve a lot of time for the operations. At least 1 hour per spirit. And we don't have them…

Mocambo 20 yo (40%, OB, Mexico, Art Edition, +/-2023)

We've tried this expression several times over the years and just loved it last time, in 2016 (WF 88). Surprisingly enough, to tell you the truth. Let's revisit a newer batch, eight years later… Especially as the packaging, which I find very 'Addams Family', remains funnily terrifying. It's a blend of column and pot still rum, exclusively from molasses, of course. Colour: office coffee. Nose: but yes, it's nice, with indeed quite a bit of coffee, but also notes of tar, a lot of orange liqueur, damp earth, roasted pecan nuts and, especially, obvious notes of very old palo cortado from Jerez. A very old Barbadillo, in their famous carafes. Mouth: the thing that immediately surprises, given that it's a Spanish-style rum, is the (relative) near-absence of sugar as such. Basically, it doesn't at all feel 'tampered with like a stolen truck'. So, there are very nice liqueurs, of orange, coffee, chocolate, but also clove, cumin, saffron, paprika, and always this damp earth, which evokes when they water the floors in Jerez. Do they also do this in Mexico? The 40% ABV are never a problem. Finish: not very long but nicely spiced, always with molasses and orange liqueur. Comments: I think I was too enthusiastic in 2016, but still, it remains very much to my taste. That said, these are unique casks, so I imagine there could be variations. It seemed drier to me last time. Still by far my favourite 'Spanish' rum, I think.
SGP:661 - 86 points.

Isautier 15 yo 2006 'Audacieux' (72.8%, OB, La Réunion, Agricole, LMDW Edition, 125 bottles, 2023)

Isautier 15 yo 2006 'L'Audacieux' (72.8%, OB, La Réunion, Agricole, LMDW Edition, 125 bottles, 2023)

I utterly love it that at 72.8% vol., they would have felt the need to specify that it was bottled 'brut de fût' (at cask strength). Colour: golden amber. Nose: coconut, biscuits, vanilla, a little metal polish. I don't think one should expect much more expressiveness at these degrees, especially since we're not going to sniff too violently, right? With water: it's pretty, quite floral, with also notes of ham. Yeast with ham notes to be more specific, carnations, roasted hazelnuts, roasted peanuts, a bit of marzipan, cane syrup, maple syrup... Mouth (neat): it seems nice, there's a fair amount of liquorice and polish, like those competition bourbons that are bottled at similarly lethal strengths. With water: we're truly within the agricole style now. Sugarcane, cigarette tobacco, nutmeg, maple syrup, honeys, a few herbal touches... Finish: long, with very ripe banana, more roasted nuts, praline, cane sugar, oriental pastries, orange blossom, and liquorice and a bit of tar in the aftertaste... Comments: it's very good, it actually has quite a gentle personality. And indeed there is a bit of a bourbon side to it.
SGP:651 - 85 points.

Trinidad Distillers Limited 18 yo 2005/2023 (64.1%, Rhum Attitude, Trinidad, ex-bourbon, 255 bottles)

This baby spent 10 years in its country of origin, then 8 years in the UK. TDL (Trinidad Distillers Limited) is one of those names that has recently acquired an excellent reputation, and it's entirely thanks to the independents and the casks they've been able to find in Europe through brokers. Colour: dark yellow gold. Nose: polish, acetone, cut grass, hay in the barn, then much more classic notes of roasted peanuts, herbal teas, cigarettes, sweet mint, chlorophyll chewing-gum... With water: it's the vanilla and shortbread that stand out. Champagne biscuits, known as 'ladyfingers', and a bit of ripe papaya. Mouth (neat): soft and very fruity, on oranges and mangoes. It's really the mangoes that create the uniqueness of this rum which, apart from that, remained quite classic. With water: and there you have it, a lovely little bomb on fresh and well-ripened mangoes, with just a bit of brown sugar. Finish: long and, once diluted, adorably and tropically fresh. Comments: you almost want to add a bunch of ice cubes, to be able to drink two or three litres of it. As little Line would say, here at WF towers, 'it's far too good!'
SGP:651 - 89 points.

Foursquare 16 yo 2006/2023 (63.3%, Precious Liquors and Fine Spirits Club Poland, The Broken Trident, cask #18, 229 bottles)

I've heard this wee bottling was having nothing to do with the house Maserati. 8 years in Barbados and 8 years in the UK (Scotland, baby). Colour: gold. Nose: barbecued thyme, rosemary, parsley, pine needles and liquorice-flavoured marshmallows. With water: very pleasant whiffs of fresh mastic and plasticine (and new trainers), plus a formidable earthy side, mushrooms, moss, lichens... Mouth (neat): it's a bit strong, but it seems to be more classic Foursquare, with orange peel, a bit of mint, honey, sugarcane... With water: sweeter, orange juice, edible flowers, maple syrup, small hints of stout beer (even Guinness, imagine that). Finish: medium length, on honey, sugarcane and oranges. As I said, it's classic. There are even a few notes of little sugar Easter eggs in the aftertaste. We haven't cancelled that yet, have we? Comments: nothing to add.
SGP:641 - 89 points.

Here's something amusing, by the way...

Off-Road Rhum 'Series #02.1' (59%, Vagabond Spirits, blended rum, 2023)

A bit of a crazy rum. They blended 2/3 Barbados rum (wink), with 1/3 Jamaican rum, both very young, then aged the result in an ex-Beaumes-de-Venise cask, which, apparently, had previously held Australian rum. No joke. The cask was then secured on the deck of a sailing boat (not in the hold), which sailed from France to New York and then to the Dominican Republic for about four months. They call it dynamic 'High Sea' ageing. Very good! Colour: dark gold. Nose: oh yes, very good! There are these little extra esters that go so well with Barbados rum, those little petrol-like, tarry notes, olives, smoky touches, all very mellow, while the honey, cakes, and spiced bread, as well as this muscat side without excess, keep it all sweet and easy. And I swear there's some Highland Park in there. With water: superb. I don't know if everything was controlled, or if they could reproduce this little rum at will, but it is truly excellent. Mouth (neat): it's frankly excellent, indeed. To say it was worth all the effort, I don't know, but this blend of honey, tar, black olives, muscat-poached pears and sea water (inevitably) works perfectly. Accelerated ageing for sure. With water: it becomes dangerously drinkable. Luckily in this context, there were never more than 135 litres available. Finish: quite long and, above all, perfectly balanced. Liquorice, salt, sugarcane, sweet mint, honey... Comments: it's very impressive, beyond the amusing story. How do we go about ordering twelve pallets? Do we need to book the sailboats?
SGP:652 - 91 points.

Since we're on the subject of strange blends (but ones that work)...

The Duo LP & HD (56.9%, The Whisky Jury, blended Jamaican rum, 143 bottles, 2023)

As I understand it, this is 2/3 LP (right, not Laphroaig) from 1998, with 1/3 HD (right, not Harley-Davidson) from 2014. Let's see if this will be another rasta rocket from Jamaica. Colour: gold. Nose: but naturally. A blend of several green olives (Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Greece) with a few light acids, varnishes, glues and fibre coatings. Damp earth after a massive rain, in a pine forest by the Mediterranean. With water: it becomes very acetic and we quite like that. Lemon with apple vinegar and touches of caramel. In fact, it's superb. Mouth (neat): it's so good! Purely Jamaican but not extreme, with fruits (papayas, mangoes, bananas) that can express themselves without being stuck in wood glue, if you see what I mean. I know you see what I mean. Otherwise, benzene, motor oil, anti-rust paint and carbolineum. You see the thing. With water: ultra-classically Jamaican. Beautiful salinity, polish, glue, pickles in brine, bananas just a tad overripe, petrol (who's never had petrol in their mouth when siphoning a friend's tank at three in the morning, with their agreement of course, to try to avoid running on empty?) Finish: long, saline and acetic. Liquorice and olives in the aftertaste. Comments: damn, but it's so good!
SGP:562 - 91 points.

Ten Cane 10 yo 2012/2023 (53.4%, Whisky Picnic Bar, Trinidad, bourbon barrel, cask #77, 89 bottles)

That's a small outturn. We're in Taiwan once more. Ten Cane should be pure cane juice and not molasses. Yes, remember, Ten Cane was a distillery set up by LVMH with the goal of making premium pure cane juice rums, but it didn't work out and they quickly dismantled it. Some think, quite rightly if you ask me, that stubbornness is what sinks companies. Colour: gold. Nose: it's very soft, round, not too complex really, mainly on cakes, with a little bit of earth and roots, as well as a bit of mint tea. With water: legumes make an appearance, lentils, things like that. It's amusing. Like leek soup. Mouth (neat): it's very good, quite tight, a bit in the Foursquare style but with a little less depth. Nice citrus liqueurs. With water: yes it's good, slightly salty, with vegetables here again and some modelling clay. Finish: quite long, a bit sweet and salty, with a waxy texture. The aftertaste is magnificent, though, with a sumptuous olive oil such as Cuvée Paradis by Domaine Salvator, check l'Esperantine de Marseille <end of free publicity for friends>. Comments: it's very hard to know what to make of Ten Cane. The concept seemed ideal (pure juice, pot still, Trinidad) and yet… But could it be the Port Ellen of rum? Not so sure because the style remains quite, let's say 'undefined'. There's a bit of everything and not many, as they say, 'idiosyèncrasies'...
SGP:552 - 86 points.

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