Today a few rums to celebrate the end of the heatwave


July 19, 2026

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!


Today a few rums to celebrate the end of the heatwave As though we needed an excuse… Anyway, let us simply pick a few at random from the ever-growing stash…

Belize ‘XO’ (40%, Fair, +/-2025)

No great powers of deduction are required to guess that this is a Travellers. They are generally very good indeed, if seldom especially distinctive, but that also means they tend to display a pleasingly classical profile. It had been quite a while since we last tasted a rum from Fair, all of which are Fair Trade, naturally. Colour: gold. Nose: lovely touches of dill, fennel and liquorice to start, followed by preserved citrus fruits and very ripe bananas. This is a thoroughly attractive nose. Mouth: we immediately rediscover the liquorice and candied oranges, followed by ripe bananas and a delicate mentholated note. The palate is almost a mirror image of the nose. Finish: not especially short, gently earthy and herbaceous at first, before becoming a little woodier. Comments: we rather like this cheerful little Belizean. The liquorice is particularly attractive, fresh and vibrant, while the whole reminds us of a little of young Doorly’s from Barbados.
SGP:541 - 82 points.

Demerara ‘Solera No.14’ (40%, Rum Nation, Guyana, +/-2024)

We have already tasted a few earlier batches of this ‘solera’, generally rather soft and sweet. Colour: reddish amber. Nose: cane syrup, honey, maple syrup, roasted peanuts, coffee liqueur, chocolate liqueur, Frappuccino… Well, you get the idea… I must admit I rather like this. Mouth: properly syrupy, very much on coffee liqueur (Tia Maria, Kahlua and the like). It has been a long time since we last tasted an El Dorado, but I seem to remember some of the younger versions being a little like this. A touch of liquorice and an amusing hint of radish bring a welcome little burst of liveliness. Finish: not especially long, very much on molasses and, once again, coffee liqueur. Comments: just as last time, and although it is not quite my favourite style, I do think this is very well made.
SGP:740 - 79 points.

Saint James 2005/2022 ‘Les Éphémères Lot n°5’ (51.8%, OB, Martinique, agricole, 5,006 bottles)

Here we are with a cask strength bottling. The 2007 Lot n°7 that followed had been very much to our liking (WF 89) but, as usual, we never do things in the right order… Colour: amber. Nose: glue, varnish, cane honey, blood orange, ylang-ylang and vetiver, followed by little wild mangoes at perfect ripeness. This is an aromatic yet elegant nose, utterly seductive at this stage. With water: fresh earth, faded flowers (rose) and delightfully unexpected touches of dry-cured ham, very much in the style of Parma. Hints of eucalyptus too. Mouth (neat): magnificent razor-sharp citrus, once again intertwined with slightly salty liquorice and a few notes of varnish, even a touch of Plasticine. A quite remarkable marriage of casks. With water: it becomes far more herbaceous, almost vegetal, with green beans, artichokes and even manioc, since we are over there after all. It loses a point along the way, dura lex sed lex. Finish: long, a little woody but also with the return of salmiak. And we do love salmiak. Or rather, those little Cachous, that venerable French speciality whose brand seems to be enjoying something of a revival at the moment. A touch of pine sap in the aftertaste. Comments: a magnificent small batch, warmly recommended.
SGP:651 - 89 points.

Pur Jus de Canne 2018/2023 ‘Rh07 Cuvée So Rhum’ (60.8%, Antilles Française, ex-bourbon, 328 bottles)

A few indiscreet remarks online suggest this would be a Martinican rum from Distillerie du Simon (HSE, Clément, J.Bally…). I must humbly admit that, for a while, I was convinced it was rather a Bielle from Marie-Galante, and I am slightly embarrassed about that... Colour: full gold. Nose: fresh cane juice in abundance, and it is hugely impressive. Behind that come vetiver, kumquat and, above all, dark honey. The darker the honey, the more flavour it tends to have, and the greater its health benefits, or so we are told. With water: we move closer to tropical rain, petrichor, mushrooms and roots… Mouth (neat): lovely fresh cane juice once again, combined with top-quality mead and plenty of apple mint (Mentha Suaveolens according to Wikipedia, let us remember to support Wikipedia!) Magnificent tension despite the very honeyed profile. Incidentally, the 60% vol. goes down as easily as posting a letter, which is almost rather alarming. With water: there we are, roots, fresh turmeric, wild carrots and citrons. Finish: long, close to the earth, humus and roots. Comments: this little thing is wonderful. I genuinely thought it was Bielle (S., shame on you!).
SGP:652 - 90 points.

Foursquare 19 yo 2005/2025 (58.2%, Dram-Addicts, for Oxhead Whisky & Lucky Choice, Barbados, bourbon barrel, cask #77A, 103 bottles)

A question between us, which we have probably already asked several times, can we really use the word ‘dram’ when talking about rum, or do we risk immediate and unanimous condemnation from the professional chatteratti? Incidentally, we remain on the lookout for a pure pot still Foursquare, perhaps this is the one? We shall know for certain in just a moment… Colour: gold. Nose: oranges in every conceivable form, liqueur, marmalade and fresh juice, with a gentle rooty side in the background once again (carrots) and an overall profile that feels pleasingly balanced. Not pure pot still. Vanilla. With water: plenty of tobacco now, cigars but also green tobacco, rather in the style of Indonesian cigars. Wafts of patchouli. Mouth (neat): ah, there is both more richness and more razor-sharpness here. Fresh ginseng, celeriac, oranges and pink peppercorns. With water: earthier notes emerge, together with liquorice, and we rather get the impression that the proportion of pot still is somewhat higher than usual. A faint Margarita side, lemon and salt… Finish: long and fairly fresh, although some honey comes along to round everything off in the end. And the ginseng returns, it cures everything, does it not? Comments: we remain at a very high level, which is splendid. You might say that, throughout this session, we have carefully avoided the monstrously sweetened yet commercially rewarding bottlings…
SGP:651 - 88 points.

TDL 16 yo 2009/2025 (57.5%, The Good Spirits & Anchor, Trinidad, barrel, cask #100)

A Hong Kong-Australian bottling, which is splendid, as it lets you travel in your glass, and not only to Trinidad & Tobago. The only question is which style of TDL we are dealing with… Colour: full gold. Nose: not quite the ultimate fruit bomb, yet there is a lovely combination of peaches and mangoes, complemented by mint and liquorice. Water should wake all this up a little… With water: it does not change all that much, although a little rubber and tar join the party. Mouth (neat): lively citrus wrapped in a little petrol and glue. In short, there are esters here, but we are not quite falling headfirst into a vat of acetone and olive brine. If you see what we mean… With water: once again, it does not evolve all that much, but it remains very good indeed. Green olives with lemon juice. Finish: oh, now it wakes up, perhaps a little late, but this combination of seawater, seaweed and lemon can only call for… oysters. Comments: apart from the first two aperitifs, we have remained firmly within the 88 <–> 90-point tunnel today, and we are very pleased about that.
SGP:652 - 89 points.

While we are in the mood for the big and the brutal, we have not yet tasted this baby…

Uitvlugt 32 yo 1989/2022 (64.1%, The Colours of Rum, Guyana, 222 bottles)

This is the venerable Double Wooden Pot Still from Port Mourant that has been called into service here, after having been moved to Uitvlugt following the closure of Port Mourant/Morant. And indeed, this baby came out in 2022, we are still running behind… Colour: deep amber. Nose: wood glue and fig jam in perfect symbiosis, together with a faint touch of smoke. Above all, though, plenty of ethanol… With water: superb fresh rubber, smoked almonds, toasted sesame and little pink olives. Mouth (neat): take no more than half a drop, or it will send you ad patres subito presto, with an utterly extreme vinegary side. I speak from experience (very, very, very recent experience, I almost collapsed because it just went the wrong way) … What a monster! With water: well played, we have tamed it, while it gains in texture, rather like salted butter caramel cream. Finish: almost endless, more on glues, acetone, chilli and concentrated lime juice… In short, the little rascal strikes back. Comments: this is not a tasting, it is a battle. They ought to print a warning on the label.
SGP:562 - 89 points.

Let us head back to Trinidad…

Caroni 28 yo 1998/2026 (58.1%, Oxhead Whisky, Lucky Choice & Bar Shelter, Trinidad, barrel, cask #37, 190 bottles)

Rarely has a label been quite so explicit about the aromas supposedly lurking inside the bottle, here we can make out mangoes, blackcurrants and then a few other things we cannot quite identify, although that is probably our fault. Colour: full gold. Nose: ski wax, paraffin, grilled aubergines, used engine oil and capers. Now that is what you call a distinctive profile! With water: formic acid, rather like when you disturb an anthill (quite unintentionally, of course), together with UHU glue. A few autumn leaves as well. Mouth (neat): these 1998 Caronis really are great rums, and here is yet another demonstration, but those notes of mature Gouda, paraffin, kirsch, extreme salmiak and Savoyard fondue (all right, Swiss if you insist) are truly astonishing. Then again, they do rather suit the skiing theme. With water: rather oddly, it loses a little of its sparkle with water, although that often happens with Caroni, in my admittedly limited experience. Water is precious, let us not waste it. Finish: long, noticeably more bitter and peppery, becoming almost a little tough. That said, the salinity in the very petrol-driven aftertaste is much more to our liking. Comments: I have no idea where those mangoes and blackcurrants have disappeared to, but this remains a magnificent Caroni. One more for the tally, it is simply a little… demanding on the taster.
SGP:563 - 90 points.

… And of course, we shall finish in Jamaica…

Clarendon 19 yo 2007/2026 (65.9%, Wu Dram Clan, bourbon barrel, 228 bottles)

Judging by the strength, here comes yet another attempted assassination, although they should be careful because we know where they live… That said, the Voodoo/Masai/Zulu label remains very handsome. You do remember the old Zulu warriors' motto, do you not? If you retreat, you die, if you advance, you die, so why retreat? That is very much our frame of mind at this precise moment… Colour: full gold. Nose: a veritable explosion of lavender flowers, most unexpected, followed by lime, oysters and finally petrol. We shall keep mentioning petrol for as long as it has not completely vanished from our daily lives. Right. With water: it moves towards wax and smoke… Wafts of twigs and aromatic herbs, especially thyme. Mouth (neat): utterly typical! Pepper, salt, tar, olives, varnish and petrol. Pronounced bitterness, but we rather like that. With water: it remains bitter, razor-sharp and fairly demanding. Nicely earthy too. Finish: long, dry, bitter, herbaceous and salty, although rescued in the end by a burst of lime, with a rather obvious Margarita effect. Comments: a very warlike Jamaican that does not hand out many favours. We absolutely love it while, I repeat, we know where they live.
SGP:363 - 89 points.

They was something of the World MMA Championships today, but we had great fun all the same. See you, peace, love and understanding (cheers, Nicks). And yes to bombs, but only when they explode in our glasses as notes of fruit, esters and phenols!

Check the index of all rums we've tasted