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| Hello, that is one in every of our (nearly) every day tastings. Santé! |
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October 6, 2024
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Listed below are a couple of extra random rums
You by no means get bored with them—they’re so diversified, these rums (and people spirits which are offered as rum however aren’t fairly the identical, although nobody actually cares as a result of they’re extremely worthwhile for everybody, together with gastroenterologists).
A Bellini, champagne with peach purée (Vacation spot Cocktails)
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Naga ‘Full Proof’ 10 yo 2011 (62.3%, OB, Royaume de Siam, charred American oak, 2,752 bottles, 2022) 
The reference to ‘Royaume de Siam’ on the label lends a barely colonial air, as Siam turned Thailand in 1939, so we’re a bit behind the occasions right here. That mentioned, we did strive the Naga at 40%, and it wasn’t half unhealthy (WF 76). Since this 2011 Full Proof, they’ve additionally launched a 2012, so it should be working! It’s additionally good to see that Thailand now appears to permit greater strengths, which wasn’t the case up to now. Color: amber. Nostril: lots of bicycle restore glue and contemporary varnish at first, then orange liqueur, coconut, and banana, possible from the American oak. These oranges are fairly good. With water: softer, extra on toast, pancakes, corn syrup, and vanilla cake… principally a breakfast rum, ha. Mouth (neat): highly effective and really syrupy, all about issues made with oranges and mandarins, plus an excellent little bit of cedarwood. With water: extra cane, some fir wooden, and even unique wooden like amburana. However the citrus nonetheless takes the lead. The feel is gentle behind the alcohol. End: not very lengthy, nonetheless on orange liqueur and a contact of cane. A faint Cuban notice right here and there. Feedback: we’re removed from the top-tier Thai rums like Issan or Chalong Bay, however that is fairly drinkable, ideally over ice.
SGP:630 – 77 factors. |
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Distillerie du Galion 3 yo ‘Straightforward Peasy’ (56.3%, Swell de Spirit, Martinique, agricole, bourbon barrel, 600 bottles, 2024) 
A younger rhum vieux that’s ‘Grand Arôme’, that means it is excessive in esters. Le Galion additionally produce rhum traditionnel (column nonetheless, molasses-based), however this appears to be pure cane juice. (Replace, it’s molasses – I doubt you are able to do Grand Arôme with cane juice). Color: gold. Nostril: as if somebody by chance spilled a canister of pineapple juice blended with wooden varnish in a barely run-down petrol station. You get the image. With water: motor oil, mashed bananas, and linoleum. Mouth (neat): a trustworthy continuation of the nostril, so petrol and pineapple, with a hearty dose of salty liquorice. With water: add some seawater and people well-known olives we love. End: lengthy, with tar exhibiting up and a briny rigidity that’s all the time most welcome. Feedback: after all age issues, however maybe much less in rum than in whisky. A superb younger bottle.
SGP:563 – 87 factors. |
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Rhum Brun Vieilli 2023 (56.4%, Distillerie de Lyon, Cuvée Collaborative, molasses, +/-2024)
A collaborative cuvée, produced in mainland France by an meeting together with Distillerie de Lyon (who additionally, imagine it or not, make cucumber liqueur), together with Caves Gilles Granger and BIM. Relaxation assured, I doubt it smells of cucumber… Color: gold. Nostril: this jogs my memory of some artisanal American malts we’ve sampled lately. Pine bud liqueur, sandalwood, wild peppermint, a family-sized pack of salty Scandinavian liquorice, and above all, heaps of camphor. I’ve received a little bit of a sore shoulder – I’m certain this incomparable potion (on the nostril no less than) will kind that out. With water: a fairly pretty varnish – let’s say image varnish and rubber tree sap. Mouth (neat): barely bonkers, within the vein of an outdated natural liqueur made lengthy earlier than the battle in some forgotten Central European nation. You realize the kind (perhaps). Nonetheless filled with resin, camphor, clove, and cumin, but in addition bitter orange and, oh sure, cane sugar! With water: continues alongside the identical strains, with a contact of violet liquorice as nicely. End: lengthy, staying the course. Feedback: it appears like being on an island, however to be truthful, Lyon has a kind of peninsula at its coronary heart, between the Saône and Rhône rivers. Although I’m unsure that’s the place the distillery is situated. In any case, this unbelievable rum is supremely wonderful. Actually!
SGP:472 – 87 factors. |
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Single Property French West Indies Rhum 2017/2023 (58.3%, L’Esprit, cask #BB7, 240 bottles) 
We’re hoping this would possibly resemble a Saint James from Martinique. Color: golden amber. Nostril: very floral and fairly tender, leaving little doubt. Rose petals, jasmine, and lily of the valley, alongside cane honey and acacia honey. Within the outdated days, one might need mentioned it was delightfully female. With water: hints of shoe polish emerge, and even a bit of recent Tupperware. Poor Tupperware! Mouth (neat): magnificent blood oranges with Timut pepper and an amusing little hoppy aspect. The rose is again, and so are Turkish delights and lychees. A faint woody/earthy notice too. With water: that is its finest section. Cedarwood, incense, citrus zests, and once more some rose, together with barely overripe apple… End: not immensely lengthy, fairly tender, nonetheless very aromatic and floral. A gently earthy aftertaste. Feedback: slightly magnificence, to this point but so shut ‘in spirit’ to the ester bombs which are all the fashion lately.
SGP:551 – 88 factors. |
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Fiji 22 yo 2001/2022 (59%, Rock & Rhum, 244 bottles) 
Vive les Fiji! It is value noting that this dram has been introduced all the way down to 59% with water. One can solely surprise what it should have been like earlier than, after 22 years, for the esteemed bottlers to make such a choice. Color: gold. Nostril: simple, direct, and trustworthy. Petrol, olives, charcoal, tobacco, and liquorice wooden. With water: pickled gherkins and candy liquorice. Mouth (neat): we love these Fiji rums, and this one much more so, because it’s ventured into barely fruitier territory than common, with guavas, mangoes, and the ever-present bananas. The remainder is dominated by olives and tar. With water: hints of tomatoes, rooibos, frivolously smoked tea, and marjoram… End: lengthy, related, much less fruity, saline, extra matte, nearly acrid. Not a hint of sweetness within the aftertaste. Feedback: there is a faint ecclesiastical contact in direction of the tip. Amen.
SGP:463 – 90 factors. |
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Nicely then, the subsequent one we’ll style out of Christian charity… Assist, extra PX once more!
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Hampden 2023/2024 ‘Pedro Ximenez’ (62.9%, The Colors of Rum, Jamaica, cask #28, 329 bottles)
This would possibly nicely be one thing unlawful—1500 to 1600 gr ester/HLPA, they are saying. Ah, that may be DOK. ‘Aged in Europe’, they add, however I doubt that makes the slightest distinction after only one 12 months. Proper then, let’s maintain tight and dive in rapidly… Color: amber. Nostril: if all ex-PX casks have been like this… Crayola crayons, tar, incense, cedarwood, black olives, and brake pads. That mentioned, it’s attainable the PX has barely tamed this little monster, however we’ll want water to essentially choose. With water: hmm, unsure it’s helped a lot—nonetheless these basic Hampden markers of tar, tarmac, carbon, inexperienced olives, smoked fish, and sauna oils. Mouth (neat): carbon, tar, pepper, and rubber dissolved in turpentine. You get the image. With water: ah, there it’s, a tiny little bit of sweetness creeping in… However no, we’re joking, it’s nonetheless splendidly brutal. Maybe that trace of dried apricot and the 2 little raisins duelling within the background do come from the PX. Who is aware of. End: very lengthy, but by some means not that lengthy (?). Beautiful smoky brine. Feedback: between us, if there’s one distillery that’s magnificent each in its youth and in its aged variations, it’s this blessed Hampden, which we nonetheless can’t appear to fault.
SGP:563 – 89 factors. |
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We’ll end off with some older Jamaican music then…
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Clarendon 24 yo 1997/2022 (49.2%, The Colors of Rhum, #13, cask #28, 192 bottles)
That is an MMW (Monymusk Wedderburn), so we’re taking a look at round 300 gr ester/hlpa. Color: white wine. Nostril: utterly totally different from what you would possibly anticipate, nearly gentle, with early morning rosebuds and an abundance of winery peaches, adopted by an increasing number of mango. It appears like there is a transmutation of the esters, akin to how peat can evolve in outdated Laphroaigs. Completely pleasant, with an incredible delicacy. However let’s not name it ‘female’—no want for that! Mouth: magnificent. As soon as once more, these winery peaches shine by way of, alongside Sauternes, pinot gris, white raspberries, all laid on a mattress of quince, sesame oil and a touch of smoked fish. The mango lurks within the background, ever current. End: not immensely lengthy however completely balanced with its fruity tones. There is a trace of Bellini, so champagne and puréed peach. Feedback: every so often, slightly bottle like this slips by nearly unnoticed, solely to whisper magnificent tales in your ear.
SGP:652 – 91 factors. |
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Since we have been at Clarendon…
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Clarendon 40 yo 1984/2024 (64.2%, The Nectar of the Each day Drams, Famille Ricci, Jamaica, 90 bottles)
Clarendon 40 years outdated, are you able to imagine it! The opposite 1984s we have had the pleasure of tasting have been from the ‘MMW’ marque, so this one could be related (200-300 grams ester per HLPA). Color: darkish amber. Nostril: nicely, right here we’re—heaps of varnish and wooden glue, petrol too, then we transfer into black olives and darkish tobacco, walnut stain, loads of charred issues (bread, wooden, cake), and at last, fermenting fruits like prunes and different near-rotten fruits (these splendidly overripe bananas we love a lot on the nostril). With water: lashings of gasoline oil, greater than sufficient to warmth you thru the winter, and brine (olives and anchovies). Mouth (neat): elegant bitterness, it’s as if you’re tasting a mixture of walnut stain certainly, with pine resin, pipe tobacco, and a few very excessive salmiak. As they are saying within the Scottish isles, this one blows your hat off. With water: we’re nearing extra civilised territory, but it surely’s nonetheless very acetic, salty, tarry, with oysters and even stewed Belgian mussels. End: very lengthy, with notes of black garlic and contemporary varnish. Nonetheless that excessive salmiak on the very finish, together with fermented darkish tobacco (Italian Toscano cigar). Artichoke, and really, very darkish tea. Feedback: it appears that evidently even 40 years is not fairly the age of cause for some rums, and all the higher for it, in the event you ask me.
SGP:383 – 91 factors.
PS: there’s a contact of oak, thoughts you. |
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Hampden 41 yo 1983/2024 (53.5%, The Nectar of the Each day Drams, Famille Ricci, Jamaica, 90 bottles)
A really high-ester ‘HGML’ marque, standing for ‘Hampden George MacFarquhar Lawson’ (1000-1100 grams ester per HLPA). I am fairly sure that is the oldest Hampden I’ve knowingly tried. Color: pure gold. Nostril: these rums appear everlasting. Whereas the elegant Clarendon was formed by the wooden, this Hampden feels as contemporary as a daisy, adorned with all its pure traits—plasticine, new tyres, seaweed, diesel gasoline, grapefruit, bitter almonds, carbon mud, and seawater, with only a trace of roasted pineapple and French dressing. With water: a contact of chlorine, municipal swimming pool, and a brand-new wetsuit whereas we’re at it. Ha! Mouth (neat): essentially the most elegant salty liquorice, with a little bit of tobacco, olives, pure rubber, and yuzu. That’s it for now, and it’s already a lot. With water: grandiose, a lot punchier now, with a manzanilla-mezcal hybrid really feel, as if aged in a burnt rubber barrel. You realize what I imply. The varnish and acetone develop into extra distinguished, together with seawater. A little bit of pepper and ashes begin to prickle, however even that, we love. End: lengthy, on gasoline oil, carbon, lemon, seawater, inexperienced pepper, black pepper, and salty liquorice. Feedback: not really easy, ultimately. However the one actual flaw with this drop is you can’t down a pint of it identical to that—it calls for your full consideration. Then once more, maybe that’s for one of the best. All in all, a little bit of a troublemaker.
SGP:464 – 93 factors. |
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 Test the index of all rum we have tasted to this point
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