A few rums to make summer last a little longer


August 31, 2025

A word of caution
Let me please remind you that my humble assessments of any spirits are done from the point of view of a malt whisky enthusiast who, what's more, is aboslutely not an expert in rum, brandy, tequila, vodka, gin or any other spirits. Thank you – and peace!

A few rums to make summer last a little longer

A harmless headline, really.

(The saucy marketing strategy of Dictador at trade shows and expos used to be very much aligned with current global political trends. Now we'll have a good expression today...)

Oliver’s Exquisito 1995 (40%, OB, Dominican Republic, +/-2025)

Evidently, at 40% vol. this feels cheap and rather 'inflated' from a marketing perspective. It's a solera, so the vintage is pure nonsense in normal situations. In short, little hope here, and that's precisely why we relegated it to apéritif duty. The good news, such as it is, is that it's 'small batch'. Colour: deep gold. Nose: not too dreadful, actually—some aubergines, furniture polish, and a medley of cane and maple syrups. But as we all know with these heavily 'doctored' rums, it's really the palate that tells the tale… Mouth: alright, not monstrously sweet, but still unbalanced, caramelised, and fairly vulgar. Finish: short, sugary, unpleasant. Comments: as a rule, when you see such a rum in a decanter, walk away. In fact, this stuff is rather awful - than 'exquisito'.
SGP:630 – 25 points.

Don Papa ‘Alon’ (40%, OB, Philippines, +/-2025)

The brand once languished in the lower dungeons of WF, but I must admit the Diageo takeover did manage to lift it somewhat, particularly with the 'Sherry Cask Finish' version, which wasn’t half bad at all (WF 81). Of course, purely personal opinions. This Alon is labelled as 'single island', which is rather amusing, and you'll definitely need a sturdy pair of sunglasses to admire the label in full blazing glory. But mind you, this isn't rum, it's a 'spirit drink', as discreetly stated in the tiniest possible font on a far-flung corner of the aforementioned label. If only we’d noticed that sooner! Colour: gold. Nose: a touch putrid at first, with notes of boiled leeks, stale pepper, last week's open ginger tonic, and a whole lot of nutmeg. Very strange, very deviant. Mouth: let’s not linger—this is a sort of spiced liqueur you might conceivably consume with 60% prosecco, 30% Perrier, and an Everest of crushed ice. Finish: not overly long but long enough to let all that sugar come blaring through. Comments: makes the little Exquisito seem almost brilliant in comparison. As for this Alon, one would do well to leave it… alone (that’s dreadful, S.) That said, even this is a matter of personal taste, and I’m sure there are passionate advocates of this concoction. And they’re absolutely right.
SGP:860 – 9 points.

Havana Club (48%, OB for The Whisky Exchange, Cuba, barrel no.111968, 165 bottles)

Common owners Pernod Ricard at the helm here, one expects a rather handsome Cuban rum. Colour: deep gold. Nose: there’s something subtle about great Cuban rums that reappears here—a delicate floral edge, discreet yet present sugarcane, soft elements akin to nougat and coconut balls, and inevitably, wafts of cigar box, with a touch of aniseed and cedarwood à la Romeo & Julietta. Mouth: sweet but not cloying, sugary but far from syrupy, more on orange liqueurs at first, then increasingly dominated by maple syrup. Maple is often cited, but here it truly reigns supreme. Do note, however, that the last time we were in Cuba, we didn’t spot a single maple tree. Finish: a tad short but soft and pleasant, with a charming liquorice-laced aftertaste and a bit more tannic grip. Comments: this is really very good indeed, within this style.
SGP:651 – 86 points.

Dictador 22 yo 1999/2021 ‘Episodio 1’ (43%, OB, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Port cask, 903 bottles)

Right, rumour has it that it's currently the favourite brand of a certain someone in D.C., even though they're supposed to be teetotal.… Colour: deep red amber. Nose: lovely! Coffee and praline, maple syrup, cigar box, beef stock… It’s truly a delightful nose, and quite unexpected, truth be told. A touch of mentholated tar on top, hooray. Mouth: and it doesn’t collapse in the slightest, it’s simply crammed full of all sorts of dried raisins, liquorice, and tar. The whole thing comes together rather well and even veers towards smoky bacon and American-style BBQ sauce. Finish: fairly long, smoky, nicely on rubber and tar, with a salty aftertaste. Comments: the brand once had a habit of parading scantily clad hostesses at festivals, which may have been eye-catching but did the juice no favours. At any rate, this one is very charming indeed—we’re frankly surprised. The smoky bacon touch is quite spectacular.
SGP:652 – 83 points.

Jamaica Single Cask Rum 9 yo 2015/2024 '<>H' (65%, Dr Whisky, Hong Kong, 90 bottles)

According to the label, cats seem to continue their reign over the Asian spirits scene, which is excellent news, as we’ve got five of them at WF Towers. Colour: gold. Nose: but of course—inner tube, acetone, varnish, seawater, cider vinegar, nail polish… With water: varnish, vinegar and tar racing in at full tilt. Mouth (neat): this will scorch and strip your throat if you’re not careful, but otherwise, it’s rather beautiful. Honestly, this stuff ought to be illegal. With water: rather in the WP style, though I wouldn’t bet my hand on it as the marque clearly suggests this is Hampden. Still pretty brutal and extreme, even with generous dilution. Hints of leek. Finish: long, very salty, tarry, extreme. Comments: this baby is properly mad, we’re likely brushing up against the limits of civilisation here.
SGP:273 – 87 points.

Isautier 2011/2024 (59.4%, Swell de Spirits, Wild Series, Réunion, agricole, ‘RVA’, 316 bottles)

Pure cane juice, aged on-site in a former Cognac cask. We’ve tasted some superb official agricole Isautiers in the past. Colour: amber. Nose: a touch strong at first, but reveals a lovely blend of fresh tar and yellow flowers, even lilies, all rather splendid. With water: beautiful humid earth and hints of cardamom with flickers of acetone. Mouth (neat): very strong, which almost lends it a young Willett rye kind of vibe. Varnish, fermented coconut, salted liquorice, and heaps of ethanol. With water: the rumness takes charge—sugarcane, esters, cacao, and a pronounced nocino note… Finish: long, with the liquorice taking centre stage, followed by hints of aniseed. Comments: it absolutely needs water, they ought to bundle it with a 1.5l bottle of Vittel (so, where’s that famous cheque, Nestlé?)
SGP:462 – 87 points.

Clarendon 2009/2024 (58.9%, The Wild Parrot, Jamaica, LMDW Foundations, Bog Estate mark)

Bog Estate is the EMB marque, so around 150 g/hlpa of esters, which is fairly light, though nothing is ever linear in this domain. Yes, it’s just like peat. Colour: gold. Nose: as the saying goes, when it’s there, it’s there. The esters are indeed very present—acetone, carbon, and a basaltic side, almost like scorched volcanic slag after a first rainfall. Then come olives and ultra-ripe fruits. With water: more carbon, fresh concrete, and seawater… Mouth (neat): oh, this is good, loaded with glue, indeed, but also mentholated salty liquorice. 150g? You don’t say. With water: superbly dry and salty. Black olive tapenade packed with anchovies and, naturally, loads of black olives, lifted by a squeeze of lemon. Finish: same story, very precise, fantastically dry and bitter. We love this. Comments: a real beast, truly, love at first sniff. But only 150g? Really?
SGP:462 – 90 points.

We’re staying at Clarendon…

Monymusk 17 yo 2007/2024 (52.3%, Art Malts, MariGold Series, Jamaica)

Colour: white wine. That suggests likely ageing in Europe. Nose: we’re in similar territory to the previous one in terms of profile, though this feels like a more stripped-back version, almost austere, on seawater, diesel and lemon. That said, the citrus, and even vineyard peaches, begin to push their way to the fore. A very elegant nose. With water: Riesling is often cited, but here we’re squarely in ultra-mineral Riesling territory, with fresh fruits in support. Mouth (neat): incredible balance between solvent tension, liquorice, and ultra-ripe yellow fruits. Razor-sharp precision. With water: this gets dangerous, it’s that good. We weren’t surprised, but… well, we are surprised. Finish: long, pinpoint, very mineral and solvent-led, with most of the fruit stripped away. Magnificent purity. Comments: I won’t start speculating on the benefits of European ageing—I wouldn’t want four shady blokes in a black Mercedes S-Class turning up at WF Towers…
SGP:463 – 91 points.

Jamaica Single Cask Rum 10 yo 2014/2024 ‘<>H’ (66.4%, Dr. Whisky, Jamaica, 114 bottles)

A bottling for a group of bars and other rather distinguished establishments in Hong Kong, much like the previous version we tasted just moments ago. The ‘<>H’ mark suggests Hampden’s <H>, so around 1,000 g/hlpa of esters if that’s indeed the case. Colour: gold. Nose: a blast of UHU and Pattex glues, 50/50, followed by olives and dried seaweed of the nori variety. And, well, 66%+ alc/vol. With water: papier mâché, tar, plasticine, fresh plaster and seawater, along with a few crabs and shellfish. Mouth (neat): a cracking little salty monster, lemony and petrol-laced. Water isn’t optional in cases like this. With water: not much change, truth be told, just more manageable on the intake. Finish: very long, very salty, very solventy, and once again the trademark olives ride to the rescue. Comments: it really does give that full-on Ardbeg-of-rum feeling. Cracking bottle—they’re lucky in Hong Kong.
SGP:463 – 91 points.

The Clarendon was more elegant, the Hampden more powerful and imposing, but in my view, both are firmly in the same top tier. Right, we'll leave it there, until next time.

Check the index of all rums we've tasted