More rums, with thoughts for Jamaica


November 2, 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!

More rums, with thoughts for Jamaica (and the other islands affected by Melissa)

Ariège (Ariège Tourisme)

Let’s start with a little aperitif…

Naga 12 yo ‘Siam Edition’ (40%, OB, Thailand, +/-2024)

Naga 12 yo ‘Kingdom of Siam Edition’ (40%, OB, Thailand, +/-2024)

We had tried a rather good 10-year-old some years back, so here comes its elder sibling. The Thai rum landscape has evolved markedly over the past dozen years or so, back from the days when the thoroughly unconvincing SangSom still held sway. That said, while Siam was indeed Thailand’s former name before WWII, the label here simply states ‘Asian Rum’, although if you were to consult a globe, you’d quickly realise that Asia, well, that’s fairly broad, isn’t it. Ha. Colour: amber. Nose: loads of very ripe banana, along with some poached williams pear in sweet white wine and a few hints of ‘oriental’ herbal tea. Lovely! The real question will be whether the palate leans heavily towards sweetness or not. Mouth: no, no sugary avalanche here, quite the contrary in fact, more on sugarcane with touches of bay leaf and nutmeg. A little orange and a drop of Earl Grey. Finish: a tad short but rather likeable, close to the cane, with a little molasses, liquorice and honey lingering in the aftertaste. Comments: really quite nice, I’m sure this would sit a notch higher at 43 or 46% vol.
SGP:541 - 79 points.

Since we’re in Thailand…

Thailand 8 yo 2016/2025 (61%, La Maison du Whisky, Flag Series, Itinéraires, 253 bottles)

A column still rum aged for 4 years in situ, then another 4 years on the continent (which in this context means Europe). LMDW also inform us that Thailand is the second largest exporter of cane sugar in the world, did you know that? Colour: dark amber. Nose: all in on furniture polish, natural rubber and milk chocolate, then assorted and sundry buds. Still a touch strong and perhaps slightly closed. With water: it shifts towards herbal teas and banana leaf. Mouth (neat): like cask strength triple sec! Oranges are clearly taking centre stage for now, with a sprinkling of coriander seed over the top. With water: it becomes a little more refreshing, livelier, and amusingly, we’re finding that same williams pear as in the previous one. Do they grow williams pears in Thailand? Also a few roasted and very lightly salted peanuts. Finish: not very long but very clean and gentle, slightly chocolaty, faintly spiced. Comments: excellent, and it’s not one of those petroly ones like Chalong Bay and the rest.
SGP:541 - 85 points.

Since we’re on the topic of flags…

Saint Lucia 21 yo 2004/2025 (58.3%, La Maison du Whisky, Flag Series, Itinéraires, 199 bottles)

Hailing from a Vendôme still and naturally from the only active distillery in Saint Lucia, the one behind those Chairman’s Reserve bottlings we’re so fond of, St Lucia Distillers. Colour: straw. Nose: magnificent. First you’re topping up your Ferrari or your Golf at some old petrol station, then snipping a bit of dill and spring onion from the garden, and finally unwrapping the latest parcel of utterly useless and highly questionable electrical gadgets you ordered from Temu three weeks ago during a moment of weakness. Tsk tsk. Superb. With water: it retreats marvellously towards fresh herbs and petrol. Mouth (neat): a pure cocktail of lime, oil paint and varnish. With water: but how good is this! Entirely distillate-driven, so presumably continentally aged. Finish: long, precise, vibrant yet fat. Eau de vie of tiny berries, lime zest, and three drops of iodine tincture. Comments: we jest a little, but this is a marvellous bottle, with pitch-perfect liveliness.
SGP:362 - 90 points.

Time to hop over to France…

Montebello (52.7%, Les Frères de la Côte, Guadeloupe, agricole, ex-bourbon, 730 bottles)

Aged 1 year on site, then 4 months at sea aboard a sailing cargo ship, followed by a further year in mainland France. We've always found Montebello rather singular, so as they say, we can hardly wait… Colour: pale gold. Nose: glorious rotting fruits (yep) and olive oil, plus that little plant one always finds in Montebello but which I've never managed to identify. Not terribly helpful, is it? Perhaps a cactus of some sort? In style, we’re close to the finest agricole rums of Madeira, unless it’s the other way around. With water: waxed paper, ink, a little caraway… Mouth: same remarks, word for word. The olive oil stands out even more, and there’s also a touch of unrefined cane sugar. With water: unchanged, it doesn’t budge an inch after dilution. Or perhaps just a hint of banana skin. Finish: long and more earthy, more saline, leaning further towards olives. Comments: it’s really very distinctive! That alone is worth a couple of extra points…
SGP:462 - 87 points.

Let’s take a little detour to Guyana…

Port Mourant 21 yo 2003/2024 (44.6%, C’Rhum by Corman Collins, Guyana)

Full maturation took place at Bristol in England, hence the very pale and rather seductive colour. Colour: chardonnay. Nose: it perfumes the room instantly, all on balsamic, bleach and olives. The worst part is that it’s fantastic—closer to the distillate than this and you may as well give up, as they say. Then come a few anecdotal additions, such as overripe apple and surgical bandages. Mouth: very amusing, very unusual, all on charcoal, mutton suet, white ham, a touch of graphite, and above all, peated smoked lemons. Though I rather doubt anyone has ever actually tried to peat-smoke lemons. Finish: not immensely long, but bursting with seawater, tar and carbon dust. A bit of burnt matter in the aftertaste. Comments: strictly for fans of naked distillate, with cask influence as restrained as you-know-who’s vocabulary in D.C..
SGP:363 - 91 points.

Here you go, for a little contrast in terms of strength…

T.D.L. 14 yo 2010/2025 (67.3%, The Colours of Rum, LMDW Itinéraires, Trinidad)

Probably one of the highest strength Angosturas we've ever tasted. The only question left—while we ring our solicitors—is whether this ultimate bomb leans towards fruitiness or petroleum. Colour: amber. Nose: petroleum-led and packed with acetone and varnish, with some ultra-ripe mango lurking in the background. So, a bit of both, really… With water: moves closer to fermenting cane. Mouth (neat): good grief, it burns! And the solicitor’s not picking up, probably still on the golf course… Concentrated lemon juice and biofuel. One to approach with caution—and I speak from bitter experience—beware the wrong pipe. Aaaargh… With water: there we are, passion fruits and mangos come storming in like one man. Finish: long, like a tightrope walker over a pit filled with tropical fruit and every petroleum by-product imaginable. Comments: fed up with these solicitors…
SGP:653 - 90 points.

Just wait, we’re going even ‘higher’…

Travellers 2008/2023 (68.1%, Swell de Spirits, Belize, Private Garden #5, for Caves Deymier)

11 years in the tropics, the rest on the continent, and a bottling for an excellent house in Ariège—a splendid region I warmly recommend next time you’re roaming about the south of France. And 68% vol.! And the solicitor still won’t pick up… Colour: amber. Nose: very gentle, rather ‘bourbony’, though it’s likely the high strength is numbing things a bit. With water: copious amounts of Vittel are required (but Nestlé, where the hell is that blasted cheque?) to bring this baby down to the level of fine praline and delicate black tea with a dash of milk. Aww… Mouth (neat): coconut, vanilla, oranges, honey, and above all, a lot of alcohol. With water: it turns very pastry-like, with a Cuban touch as well, a bit of coconut milk, milk chocolate, cappuccino… Finish: fairly long, though not particularly full-bodied, in keeping with Travellers’ lighter style. Comments: one of the finest Travellers I’ve tasted in recent months—or years—even if it’s not entirely ‘my style’.
SGP:441 - 87 points.

Jamaican Blend #13 (64.7%, Swell de Spirits & Rums of Anarchy, 100 bottles, 2024)

A blend of Hampden 2007 C<>H (40%), Hampden 2013 <>H (40%), New Yarmouth 2009 (20%) and a dash of madness (100%). Colour: white wine. Nose: it reeks of terpenes even before you’ve uncorked the bottle. Then come the green olives, black olives, diesel fuel, pitch and lime juice. I forgot the customary acetone. With water: slightly ‘aged’ shellfish, though still edible (very light ammonia), and peated smoked lime. That’s the second time today! Mouth (neat): splendid, ultra-tight, fizzy, still full of varnish and olives, with an impressively saline edge. The high strength goes down like cream, as they say. With water: smoky green freshness, tarry, lemony and olive-y. That about sums it up. Finish: very long, impressively precise for something that’s supposedly ‘just’ a blend. Very salty aftertaste. Comments: after Melissa, let’s support Jamaica as much as we can, and not only by knocking back their marvels as if there were no tomorrow.
SGP:473 - 91 points.

We all know it, Hampden is the only rum that can follow Hampden in a lineup…

Hampden 2013/2025 ‘<>H’ (59%, The Roots x The Antelope, 205 bottles)

5 years tropical ageing, 6 years continental, so presumably the best of both worlds. Colour: gold. Nose: incredibly gentle and medicinal to start with, but as we know in these cases, it’s like the opening to La Traviata—it’s all about anticipation… Gorgeous seaweed, bandages, ointments, a surprising salted fudge, a refined touch of tar, a drop of wild strawberry eau-de-vie (I swear!), and the ever-present green olives. With water: what’s this now, aniseed and liquorice? Mouth (neat): forget it, this is just pure Hampden, with glorious salinity. With water: how utterly charming, some mildly sweet lemons appear to rebalance things and make it almost approachable. Almost. Finish: long, varnished, lemony, salty, tarry, rather medicinal, yet fresh. Comments: these Hampdens are becoming borderline problematic—they’re just so overwhelmingly dominant.
SGP:563 - 92 points.

Hang on, there’s still a small spot available…

Hampden 'Great House Distillery Edition 2025' (57%, OB, Jamaica)

We have the honour and privilege of tasting this splendid edition each year. That said, it’s almost unthinkable that this youngster could climb above the incredible 2013 by The Roots, but we know it’s going to be very, very, very, very good… Unless… Colour: gold. Nose: what’s remarkable here is the absence of any extreme barrage (acetone and such), allowing the very ripe tropical fruits to shine through. Bananas and pineapples of course, sharp apples, guavas… But a few little shellfish pop in quickly. It’s utterly charming. With water: Hampden is like Mick Jagger’s voice, completely idiosyncratic no matter the situation or setting. Mouth (neat): nope, it’s loaded with carbon, tar, varnish, olive oil, samphire, and above all, seawater. With water: oh, it softens up a little, slightly oily, without the jaw-clenching character of some of the more extreme expressions, and quite astonishingly, there’s a touch of wild strawberry in here. Yes, I swear. Finish: long, with more brine. Comments: alternately heavyweight and welterweight, wild and civilised, biting and fruity. This baby might just be toying with us…
SGP:563 - 90 points.

Stay strong, Jamaica! And to the other affected islands, stay strong too!

Check the index of all rums we've tasted