Eight rums for this lovely first Sunday in June


June 1, 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!

Eight rums for this lovely first Sunday in June

Just a few rums, chosen a little at random, with a free spirit and the wind in your face. After all, summer is nearly here…

(Poster: most sadly only AI slop)

J.Bally 7 yo (45%, OB, Martinique, agricole, +/-2024)

The famous triangular bottle, or rather pyramidal, which we had tasted—and adored (WF 88)—last time from a 2018 batch. Since 1996, Bally has been produced at Saint James. Colour: gold. Nose: this is a rum with tension, an earthy mentholated edge, somewhat austere but to us that's a virtue. A little leather, undergrowth, black tea, tobacco, fresh sugarcane, and a generous bundle of salted liquorice straight from Schiphol. Mouth: the palate is very coherent, always marked by that salted liquorice, with a fairly thick texture, then evolving into kirsch and bitter orange, walnut, and a mere droplet of pastis. The 45% works flawlessly. A faint touch of cane honey. Finish: long, slightly more oaky, with dark honey, liquorice, and mint. Aftertaste once more rather austere, more on dry wood. Comments: still magnificent. We always greatly enjoy what comes out of Saint James.
SGP:462 - 88 points.

Dominican Republic 11 yo (55%, Jean Boyer, Rum Bullion, 2025)

The Dominican rum on its natural side, without a massive dose of added sugar or other slightly dubious concoctions. We tasted a rather good one from Bristol the other day. Colour: gold. Nose: this is very close to sugarcane, even straw and hay, with a slightly alcoholic edge but also a lovely elegance, just a little diaphanous. A tiny note of Nutella (sorry). With water: little change. Mouth (neat): it’s gentler now but all of this feels natural, with orange liqueur, banana, aniseed, tea and even some praline, though it keeps a slightly alcoholic, high-column side. With water: a hint of coconut liqueur joins in. Finish: fairly long, a touch of fruit brandy and wood. Comments: for something from the Dominican Republic, I find this great despite the lightness of structure that’s inherent in this very rectified style of rum.
SGP:631 - 82 points.

El Salvador 17 yo 2006/2024 (54.9%, Valinch & Mallet, The Spirit of Art)

Probably from Cihuatán. We’ve had very mixed results with these juices, so let’s see… Colour: deep gold. Nose: we’re in a world extremely close to that of the Dominican, with a light texture even on the nose, though featuring some lovely honeyed touches, cane, banana and coconut, though never overdone. A slight note of maple syrup aged in oak casks. With water: the expected vanilla turns up, otherwise not much change. Mouth (neat): very fruity, reminiscent of candyfloss, again maple syrup, coconut liqueur, and roasted peanuts coated in caramel. With water: it’s almost the same rum as the Dominican, just a tad sweeter. Finish: a touch more complex, with a lovely note of pink pepper. Comments: a rather amusing arrival of pepper on the finish, with something of an Indonesian side, whatever that means. In short, very good considering the profile, though not quite a darling at WF HQ.
SGP:740 - 83 points.

, Isautier 16 yo 2005/2022 (65%, Velier, La Réunion, rhum traditionnel, 546 bottles)

Isautier 16 yo 2005/2022 (65%, Velier, La Réunion, rhum traditionnel, 546 bottles)

Traditional, so molasses-based. We tried its agricole counterpart last year and rather loved it (WF 87). Colour: reddish amber. Nose: this is incredibly agricole for something traditional, loaded with liquorice, fresh sawdust, varnish… and ethanol. So, with water: it doesn’t budge an inch, virtually immovable, though some praline and roasted hazelnuts do manage to show up. Mouth (neat): very thick, sweet, full of varnish and fruit-flavoured liquorice, plus a note of incense liqueur—if such a thing existed. With water: it retains all that, but a little pineapple eau-de-vie, black soap and clove appear as well. The oak is pronounced. Old-style genever. Finish: long, still thick, slightly medicinal but one gets the impression that all of this comes from the wood. Comments: not so easy, this little monster. I believe we preferred the agricole version, which will probably surprise no one.
SGP:461 - 84 points.

Very Fine Old Caribbean Rum distilled in Cuba 56 yo 1968/2024 (49.7%, The Whisky Agency, Cuba, barrel, 145 bottles)

This little beauty was of course distilled, but also aged in Cuba, most likely in one of the distilleries nationalised by Fidel, perhaps at Bacardi’s, who had begun producing… Havana Club after 1960. Oh, it’s complicated. The 1967 we tasted not long ago was superb (WF 93). Colour: red amber. Nose: sublime mocha, roasted hazelnuts, orange zest, pistachio praline and, above all, maple syrup reigning supreme. Nothing to add. Mouth: oh, how beautiful this is! More praline, but now bathed in honey and maple syrup, rose liqueur and 19th century Grand Marnier. Okay, early 20th. If anything, it’s a little simple, but in the most perfect way. Finish: long, slightly sweet but, as so often, led by liquorice. Soft liquorice and gentle pepper. Comments: it’s hard to tell whether there haven’t been a few ‘additions’ over time—something like honey, perhaps—but it hardly matters, this is magnificent, a true ode to the… revolution.
SGP:751 - 92 points.

Let’s stay in Cuba, since we were just talking about Havana Club…

Cuban Rum 76 yo 1948/2025 (48.9%, Chapter 7 Ltd, Spirit Library for Figee Fine Goods Switzerland, 108 bottles)

The original Havana Club distillery, aka Vizcaya, was located in Cárdenas, close to Varadero on the north coast. Following the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro's government nationalised it, closed the distillery in 1960, and moved the production to ex-Bacardi facilities that had just been nationalised too, before transferring it to a new plant in Santa Cruz del Norte in 1977. Worth noting, the Vizcaya brand is now produced in the Dominican Republic, where it is marketed as a ‘Cuban Formula’, but what we’ve tasted hasn’t convinced us. Bear in mind, what I’m telling you here is purely anecdotal, it absolutely does not mean that what we are about to taste now is necessarily from the original Vizcaya or Havana Club, of course not. Even if, oddly enough, the dates line up… Colour: dark amber. Nose: what a surprise to find olive oil and even black olives, very old balsamic from Modena (inevitably), the most precious old varnishes and the most exquisite oil paintings, then an incredible array of glacé cherries, pipe tobacco and chocolate truffles. Totally mind-blowing, with a varnish-and-olive tandem that’s truly superlative and absolutely no fatigue on the nose whatsoever, despite the 76 years. Mouth: are we absolutely sure this isn’t a very old amontillado instead? That striking character really highlights the Spanish influence on old Cuban rums, which were often in the hands of families of Spanish origin, such as, in this particular case, the Arechabala family. Or so we assume. So then, we’ve got ancient walnuts from an old hessian bag, liquorice, dark tobacco, coffee, olives, a touch of seawater, sherry vinegar, and even a faintly mustardy note. Quite extraordinary, let’s say it plainly, and once again, not a jot of tiredness in any of it. Bonkers. Finish: unbelievably fresh, as interminable as one of Fidel’s speeches, salty, still on amontillado, walnut wine, morels, rare vinegars, then a very faint trace of wood glue. Comments: this splendour leaves you speechless, and that’s probably not the least of its virtues. And let’s be honest, what a coup from Chapter 7! I tip my hat to them.
SGP:462 - 95 points.

Right then, just as a nightcap, let’s find the exact opposite of that incredible aged Cuban…

Worthy Park 8 yo 2015/2023 (64%, OB for the Whisky Exchange, Jamaica, calvados finish)

To be honest, one isn’t quite sure what a Calvados cask is doing in Jamaica, but then again, Willie Nelson did release a reggae album too (Countryman, 2005). Right, fair enough, all comparisons have their limits… Colour: gold. Nose: well bravo, here comes that vinegary tang of old Cuban rum, with seawater, and yes, cider vinegar too. And quite a lot of ethanol to boot. With water: this rather goes off-piste now, with notes of scallops flambéed in calvados, some possible king scallops as well, and even a most unlikely hint of Noilly Prat. But we do adore Noilly. Mouth (neat): I find it rather worrying that I like this, especially the sharpness of the apple slicing right through the young rum. Surprising stuff. With water: it’s doing windscreen-wiper things between petrol and sharp apple, a curious feeling, not unpleasant but enough to send your taste buds into a bit of a flap. Finish: similar and lasting rather a good while. Comments: I’m not quite sure what to make of this. But of course, we love Worthy Park, The Whisky Exchange, and Calvados in general. Just perhaps not all together…
SGP:663 - 84 points.

So, let’s quickly find something else to wrap things up — we’re never going to top that old Cuban anyway…

Jamaican Rum 18 yo 2007/2025 ‘WP’ (56%, Liquid Treasures, Love & Peace Series)

Let’s see if this wee Worthy Park leans more, shall we say, orthodox. They do state, after all, that ‘The new bottling series is dedicated to more peace, love, awareness, more together and against dictators, haters, populists, splitters and warmongers.’ One can hardly disagree, especially if that includes anyone harming children, regardless of their 'excuses',. Colour: gold. Nose: this is a rounder WP, more civilised, more peaceable in a word, with some very pretty maritime notes, smoked anchovies, oysters, a hint of diesel and a lovely vanilla that gently smooths it all out. With water: here come the olives in full force, with seawater and a touch of carbon. Mouth (neat): ah, very good, with that typical WP clarity, grilled sesame, citron and lemons, smoked fish, a touch of camphor… With water: marvellous maritime and tarry purity. Finish: similar, with some rather bitter lemon peel that neatly ties everything together. Comments: a true blade, utterly beautiful. We’re wholeheartedly behind this most peaceful series; if you agree with them as much as we do, you simply must support them and buy up all their stock im-me-di-ate-ly.
SGP:363 - 90 points.

They are bl**dy right, let’s make Peace & Love!

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