First rum session of the year, from 1876 to 2021


January 5, 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!

First rum session of the year,
from 1876 to 2021

Goodness, that’s a hundred and forty-five years apart. I can’t think of any other non-artistic product that takes you on such a journey through time. Of course, one might argue that fine spirits are a form of art as well, but when you visit the distilleries, you quickly realise that they’re all factories—whether small or large. So, in the end, long live factories!

Early label for Old Medford Rum
(Medford Historical Society & Museum)

Romero ‘Amber Rum’ (40%, OB, Canada, sherry cask finish, +/-2024)

Oops! I thought this was one of those Romero & Sons from Ecuador, whose rather charming expressions we’ve sampled before. These Romero, hailing from Alberta, rather conjure images of glacial waters (well there is snow on the highest Ecuadorian mountains as well), ex-Woodford Reserve barrels, and oloroso casks shipped directly from Jerez, although we found no details regarding the sourcing of the molasses or the types of stills used. Well then, let’s taste this baby… Colour: light gold. Nose: very, very light, with a touch of orange, a hint of honey, and the faintest whiff of tar. I’d say it leans slightly Cuban in style. Mouth: a little boozy, not much character, though not unpleasant. I reckon it needs a bit of ice to tone down the alcoholic edge. On the other hand, it doesn’t seem overly doctored. The sherry influence remains discreet. Finish: very short, with a splash of cane juice followed by a herbal note. Comments: it’s fairly decent. Well then, Canadian rum!
SGP:340 - 70 points.

Nicaragua 19 yo 2004/2024 (60%, Rum Sponge, for LMDW Foundations, refill barrel, 230 bottles)

Ex-pot still, most certainly from the makers of Flor de Cana. 3 years on location, then some ‘early landing’ in the UK (I suppose it was not the Netherlands). Colour: rich gold. Nose: it begins with notes of hairspray and pear, somewhat amylaceous, followed by buttercream, orgeat, and very fresh white nougat. At 60%, it is exceedingly soft and thus quite dangerous. With water: praline, hazelnut cream, almond croissant, then a touch of old cedarwood (Chinese temple) and incense, with subtle hints of dried fruits. Mouth (neat): similar impression of varnish, then pears and pineapples, followed by citrus fruits. It’s a little sharper than on the nose but remains a very smooth rum, laden with almond milk. With water: orange liqueur and white peach purée (Bellini-ready). Seriously, if you don’t have fresh peaches to hand, you could pour a splash of this Nicaraguan into your champagne instead. Do note, you’ll be raising rather than lowering the alcohol level (de nada, happy to help). Finish: medium in length, very soft and elegant. A hint of avocado, coconut, and papaya juice. Comments: the pot-still character isn’t particularly evident, but all this delicacy is really quite charming. Undoubtedly one of the finest Nicaraguans, with an infinitely gentle softness.
SGP:540 - 87 points.

Well, it’s now or never to taste this very old, historic rum. We have a small 'semi-official' bottle produced by Wealth Solutions two or three years ago to mark their 15th anniversary. So let’s not wait, because there's no way we’re tasting this ancient glory after some funky, high-energy Jamaicans!

Fine Old Medford Rum 1876 (M.E. Bellows’ & Son, USA, 15 Years of Wealth Solutions)

From the Daniel Lawrence Distillery in Medford, New England, closed in 1905. It appears, however, that the ‘Old Medford Rum’ brand continued to be used, though perhaps only from stocks of the former distillery, and it still is today, now produced in Boston, although the name is just ' Medrum Rum' these days. This version was sold by wine and spirits importers and merchants M.E. Bellows, 50 Broad St. in New York, but we could not find any online photos of this bottle with its label. We had previously sampled an admirable ‘Scotch Whiskey’ from Bellows (see 1 February 2024). Colour: coffee. Nose: it’s lovely, delicate, and far better than I had feared, not weak at all, leaning instead towards plum juice with a hint of tar and molasses, along with subtle notes of beef broth. Excellent presence and aromatic depth, with not the slightest trace of cardboard or mustiness on the nose. In this respect, it’s quite impressive, almost reminiscent of a fine old Navy blend from before WWII. Mouth: it’s sweet and highly ‘arranged’, likely with quite a few additives, perhaps molasses honey, which makes it very sugary yet still offers some delightful notes of brown sugar and cane sugar, far removed from those heavily doctored contemporary ‘rums’ that reek of vanillin and pineapple liqueur from fifty paces. You know what I mean. It continues with hints of coffee liqueur before fading gently. Finish: rather short but clean, with a faint woody bitterness and genuine honey lingering in the aftertaste, in very subtle touches. Comments: I suspect the sugar preserved this charming rum, somewhat like a very old port, Madeira, or sweet sherry, to which it ultimately bears some resemblance. Just think—1876! We might also have enjoyed this alongside very old cognacs, but alas, it’s too late. Mea culpa, we are undoubtedly too rational.
SGP:720 - 85 points (a partly symbolic score).

Providence 3 yo 2021/2024 (52%, OB, Haiti, 1,900 bottles)

Love it that they would add that it is ‘handmade’ and ‘robot free’. Ex-1,500l pot still fitted with a water bath (we use roughly the same technology when we distill at WF HQ, but ours is only a 100l). Pure cane honey. Matured in ex-bourbon and rum casks. Colour: full gold. Nose: this, I enjoy, fresh beets, celeriac and carrots, plus a double-magnum of cane juice and a handful of small wild strawberries. Very elegant nose, soft and complex. With water: orange-flavoured marzipan, with flying colours, plus a small oliveness that may stem from some cask’s previous contents. Tiny touch of paprika and nutmeg, pretty distinctive. Mouth (neat): very soft at first, then liquorice and lime that just keep growing. The highly distinctive rooty notes remain, along with a certain acidity, even a slightly vinegary touch that I quite like, adding pep. With water: were there ex-Caroni casks? It feels like it now. As with Hampden or Ardbeg, there’s a real homeopathic effect in any blend that includes any drops of them (in-cask blend or not), as even the tiniest molecule leaves its mark. Finish: medium in length, with orange marzipan mingling with hints of olives, brine, and tar. Comments: a lovely 3-year-old. And besides, we must support Haiti, beyond its fantastic clairins.
SGP:542 - 86 points.

Monymusk 12 yo 2010/2023 ‘MMW’ (66.9%, The Whisky Blues, Jamaica, barrel, cask #433029, 250 bottles)

Good heavens, I hadn’t noticed the alcohol strength! MMW is the mark for Wedderburn from Monymusk, meaning this is a rum with a very high ester content, 200-300 gr/hlpa, though Monymusk does produce even higher levels. Colour: gold. Nose: typical, varnish, glue, acetone, and white vinegar, over extremely ripe bananas. With water: notes of damp cement, caraway, tarragon, capers, and salmiak, along with a hint of toasted bread. Mouth (neat): oily, ultra-powerful, yet very, very beautiful citrus fruits emerge amidst all the varnish. Quickly now… With water: perfect, banana and mango liqueurs, plus plenty of varnish and liquorice. The balance, in fact, is spot on. Finish: long, fruity, yet still unmistakably ‘high-ester’, without veering into burnt tyre territory. Comments: a slight Trinidadian touch in this very, very fine Jamaican, perhaps. Fruity esters turned up to eleven.
SGP:652 - 88 points.

Jamaica 5 yo 2017/2023 ‘Single Cask’ (58.32%, Rum Nation, New Vibrations, 642 bottles)

Single-domaine pot still rum and 5 years in a PX cask on our continent. Colour: golden amber. Nose: a more classic Jamaican profile, rounder and softer, with seeded bread and, once again, plenty of marzipan, along with cherry liqueur and perhaps even a drop of maraschino. Also some curious yet pleasant smoky notes, as well as a handful of dried muscat grapes. With water: much the same. Mouth (neat): truly a soft Jamaican, almost sweet, but the rum has enough body to support this sweetness. In short, a touch of ‘cooking’—or rather patisserie here but that’s high-quality patisserie. Fine banana liqueur (unlike the dreadful stuff often found in supermarkets). With water: it’s sweet, it’s good, and it remains just within the limits. Finish: long, now drier. Hints of grape pips. Comments: I really do like this one, though I wouldn’t rule out enjoying it with two ice cubes. The less sweet regular Jamaica 5 yo ‘Single Domaine Rum’ from 2023 was tremendous in my book (WF 89).
SGP:652 - 84 points.

I’ve got an idea—how about we finish with two from 1998?

Long Pond 23 yo 1998/2022 (52.7%, The Colours of Rum, Jamaica, refill cask, N°12, cask #1, 163 bottles)

Full continental aging. A silly question—does this description consider the UK part of the continent, or did the rum necessarily age in the Netherlands? Anyway, you know what I mean. Colour: gold. Nose: very much on fresh tar, warm candle wax, then tinned sardines and pickled anchovies. Splendid notes of citrus liqueurs and late-harvest Riesling (almost the same thing—no, I exaggerate). With water: old ship ropes and a slight Islay touch, followed by plenty of exotic fruits, all perfectly ripe. Mouth (neat): once again, a rather perfect balance of varnish and fruits, not far removed from the Monymusk. Oysters, olives, bananas, peaches, paraffin, tar, and nail varnish (yes, nail varnish). With water: superb rum, with hints of salinity emerging. Finish: rather long and now much more saline and liquorice-led. Curious touches of chervil, verbena, and honey right at the end. Comments: simply excellent, as expected.
SGP:652 - 89 points.

Caroni 25 yo 1998/2024 (59.6%, Bedford Park, North Coast Distillers, cask #2159, 208 bottles)

Rum selected by the distillers of the new North Point Distillery in Forss near Thurso, West Caithness. They have just begun producing Dalclagie malt but are already offering gin and even rum, along with a range of independent whisky and rum bottlings under the ‘Bedford Park’ label. Colour: amber. Nose: this feels like ‘heavy to semi-heavy’ Caroni, with plenty of new tyres and engine oil, as well as a lovely earthy side, plus black truffles and green olives. We’re perfectly happy so far. With water: not much change, except that it leans even more towards coal tar. Mouth (neat): almost like drinking a mix of tar, lime juice, salted liquorice paste, and very peppery brine. Deliciously brutal. With water: seawater, more tar, oysters, and black olives. Finish: very long, following the same profile. Peppery lemon in the aftertaste with a hint of chilli. Comments: it’s said to be ex-column Caroni, but I must say it feels remarkably ‘pot still’. You’d want to sip this on the terrace of a small bistro overlooking an industrial harbour, watching the ships come and go—with a few olives on the table, naturally. Well, you get the idea.
SGP:463 - 90 points.

Between this Caroni and the Old Medford, it was quite the contrast today! Wishing you a happy Sunday.

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

		Regarding temperatures
		This is important for certain rums—at different temperatures, we perceive tastes differently, such as sweetness. For example, a sweet rum will taste even sweeter if consumed at room temperature, as we often do. However, it’s important to keep in mind that these sweet rums are designed to be served over ice or in cocktails that are served chilled—conditions under which they will taste less sweet, or even much less sweet. Distillers and blenders naturally take these factors into account when developing their recipes. In general, it is said that sweet and salty flavours are most noticeable at room temperature, whereas bitter and sour/acid flavours tend to stand out more when served cold or chilled.