The return of the rums this June


June 22, 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!

The return of the rums this June

And to kick things off, we’re going to have some supposedly “WTF” rum, followed by great classics that have proven themselves time and again.

(One of those fake vintage advertising signs that are all over the internet. You do wonder, though, whether society doesn't need to be heavily sweetened too.)

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

We used to take the mickey out of Don Papa quite a bit, but if Diageo bought the brand, it must have been highly profitable. I’ll add that it seemed to me there have been a few improvements since then, honestly, I swear… This one spent 3 years in ex-bourbon, then was ‘finished’ in Rioja at high temperature, followed by a spell in ex-Islay casks. Lagavulin? Did they really dare? In any case, it’s said that this improbable thing pays homage to shamanic rituals practised on the island of Negros. As long as they haven’t added magic mushrooms or Pink Floyd, I’d say we can go for it… Colour: gold. Nose: to get something similar, try mixing some crème de cassis from LIDL with orange liqueur from ALDI. The difficulty lies in getting the ratio right. Mouth: now smoke is coming through, with a hint of pepper and tomato plant, but to be fair, it’s not bad. Clever work on the aromas, though it has absolutely nothing to do with a ‘natural’ spirit. Finish: medium in length and slightly sweet, but decent, with the cassis making a return. Comments: honestly, it’s pretty decent, and even interesting in places.
SGP:640 - 74 points.

Dictador 24 yo 1996/2020 ‘Capitulo I’ (44%, OB, Colombia, sherry cask, cask #ExSH-548, 900 bottles)

This certainly looks the part of a prestige rum, doesn’t it? We’ve always had a good laugh at Dictador’s marketing, including at the various fairs. Colour: dark amber. Nose: hey, not bad at all, nicely fermentary, not overly ‘sweet’, and above all, there’s a lovely sherry note which, in the end, gives us the impression of a Jerez brandy with a touch of Madeira rum. In short, it’s very Iberian—in the best sense of the word. Mouth: not bad! Plenty of coffee, walnut wine, tobacco, molasses, deeply roasted mixed nuts, with mild mustard, raisins and a pleasant salty edge. Finish: same again. The 44% vol. is clearly an advantage. Comments: I won’t surrender, I mean capitulate, I’d even say this Capitulo is now my favourite Dictador, though the sherry casks no doubt did most of the heavy lifting.
SGP:651 - 79 points.

Braud & Quennesson ‘Signature du Chai Double Essence’ (49%, OB, Martinique, agricole, +/-2025)

Newcomer from Martinique, matured for around a year in French and American oak. We’ve already tasted a B&Q before, and while it was genuinely good, it felt a tad light for an agricole. Colour: gold. Nose: indeed light, with a n aged cachaça-like note probably brought on by the rather active wood. But it’s a pleasant nose, with a charming herbal side, think fennel and celery stalks. Mouth: more body here, still obviously young but with some lovely spice, again that fennel, star anise and celery, all softened with honey and a touch of carrot. It works, it’s fun, it’s charming, and once again we find that little Madeira agricole rum accent. And we do like Madeira’s agricoles. Finish: medium length, a bit sweeter now, on pear liqueur and white pepper. Comments: charming and quite different from your typical Martinique agricole.
SGP:551 - 79 points.

Off to Jamaica we go…

Jamaican Rum 14 yo 2010/2025 (52.9%, Fadandel, refill barrel, cask #4, 254 bottles)

Colour: gold. Nose: new tyres, new tyres, and… new tyres. With water: salted anchovies and tapenade! Mouth (neat): smoked mangoes and bananas grilled over charcoal, then a hearty dose of salt and varnish, just as it should be. With water: it kicks a bit, becomes acetic, almost violent, packed with glues and varnish; and the worst part is, we love it. Finish: very long, still aggressive, almost chemical, almost unsettling. Comments: absolutely one for lovers of bold spirits only. Count me in, but they’re clearly a bit mad over at Fadandel, just imagine the Danish police stumbling upon this lot!
SGP:473 - 87 points.

Caroni 25 yo 1998/2024 (62.8%, The Whisky Blues, Trinidad, STR barrel, cask #2290, 202 bottles)

What’s quite notable here is that a cask from the legendary 1998 vintage has been transferred into a shaven-toasted-recharred (STR) barrel, for reasons that remain rather mysterious, to be honest. Colour: dark amber. Nose: rubber, new trainers, a parcel from Temu, brake pads… In short, the jury’s still out. With water: it’s like a new delivery from Ikea. Sawdust, glue and varnish galore. Mouth (neat): sharp, with heavy notes of petrol, tobacco, cannabis oil, propolis… But beware, it’s nearly 63% vol., which may explain a few things. With water: a little better, somewhat fruitier at least, but still incredibly extreme. Sadomasochistic rum let’s say. Finish: long, packed with rubber, green pepper and varnish. Comments: I’m not quite sure what to say, this is really very, very extreme and seriously unbalanced. I’d have loved to taste it before the STR-ification.
SGP:374 - 81 points.

Clarendon 22 yo 2000/2023 (44.3%, Rum Sponge, Jamaica, 146 bottles)

The Sponge’s Clarendon 1997 was superb, it must be said. Colour: white wine. Nose: ‘spongey’, meaning close to the distillate, with quirky sultanas, smoked and pickled, plus a touch of menthol tobacco and a few bay leaves. Sawn spruce. Mouth: this is practically a wine at this strength, you could absolutely serve it at the table, with a seafood platter or, quite the contrast, some firm cheeses like Comté, Gruyère, Fribourg and so on. I believe the art of serving spirits at the table deserves far more attention and promotion, just not in China, where it’s already rather customary. Finish: long, fresh, mentholated, rather spot on. A touch of rubber in the aftertaste. Comments: sheer beauty, this crisp and precise little Clarendon.
SGP:562 - 88 points.

Hampden Estate 'Pagos Batch 3' (52%, OB for LMDW and Velier, Jamaica, sherry, 2024)

I’ll give you the short version of the story, shall I. This one involved Fundador casks this time, which previously held Hampden HLCF. Colour: gold. Nose: yes indeed, formic acid, lemons, glue, linden blossom, green olives. It’s rather seductive, let’s be honest. With water: old varnishes, tiny hints of acetone, hair lacquer, nail polish… Mouth (neat): utterly Hampden, with liquorice ruling the whole thing, no contest, no regrets. With water: absolutely lovely, salty, maritime, lemony, but above all monstrously saline. The liquorice is still very much there, naturally. Finish: same story. Comments: it’s horribly excellent, and the worst part is we don’t even know the age of this baby.
SGP:463 - 89 points.

Caroni 1999/2024 (63.9%, Silver Seal, LMDW Foundations, Trinidad, cask #184, 150 bottles)

No two ways about it, those old ships on a rum label really pop, but of course, we’re well beyond mere ‘navy strength’ here. Colour: deep gold. Nose: metal polish, loads of metal polish, then something like an old library, waxes, floor polish, camphor, varnish, aged leathers, dusty papers… All very charming, even at nearly—wait for it—65% vol.! With a lot of water: if you give it just a moment, it takes you towards a rhubarb tart drizzled with eau-de-vie of wild berries, rowan, service tree, holly… Mouth (neat): it’s a bit like licking a glue stick, UHU-style. I think we’ll skip ahead and add plenty of water straight away. With water: a bit tricky to tame, as it changes completely depending on how much water you add. In theory, water softens it. In practice, it brings out the tannins and the resins. Good luck. Finish: very long and very, very resinous. But it’s from these extremes that redemption comes (just not in politics, right) … Comments: honestly, this isn’t just an old rum at a slightly high strength, it’s total warfare in your glass. One of the most extreme recent spirits around.
SGP:273 - 86 points.

A little Bajan bonus, enjoyed on its own…

Foursquare 20 yo 2004/2025 ‘Fidelitas’ (55%, La Maison & Velier, Barbados)

This ‘single blend’ (80/20?) was matured for 19 years in ex-bourbon and 1 year in ex-Marsala, all in the tropics. And straight away one starts dreaming of Marco de Bartoli, whom we visited in April, and their Vecchio Samperi… But let’s not digress into Bacchic musings, we’re here for the rum, aren’t we. Colour: amber. Nose: it’s uncanny how the brain works, suddenly I’m in Marsala, Sicily, and I’m certainly not complaining. The wine clearly bolstered the ‘pot still’ side—don’t ask me how—giving it a richer, almost oilier texture. Beautiful whiffs of fresh walnuts, plus tobacco, damp earth, morels (do they grow those in Barbados?), and hints of old wood, let’s say a vintage humidor filled with Cuban puros. With water: saline notes emerge, along with truffle broth and, again, cigars. A faint touch of tar adds even more dimension. Mouth (neat): orange liqueur and nocino running wild, molasses, toffee, and above all, some top-tier Sicilian rum-and-raisin gelato. With water: now we’re fully in rum territory, with sugarcane stepping forward confidently, a flurry of citrus zest, and always that little salty-tarry undertone, all presented with the utmost charm. Finish: same again, rather taut, yet rich at the same time. Peppers and Italian bitters come tumbling in at the end. Comments: a triumph, I was about to say a Roman triumph. Most of all, it’s supremely elegant, and could easily be sipped like a sherry. Or indeed a Marsala (from De Bartoli, naturally). Yu got it, I love it.
SGP:562 - 91 points.

We’ll have quite a few rums again next Sunday, if you’re up for it.

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