Premium Rums 2.0

 

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Premium Rums 2.0

Descriptions and tasting notes by Rum Blogger Josh Miller

Antigua

English Harbor 1981                       

Hailing from the island of Antigua, English Harbour is the premium line of rums made by Antigua Distillery, Limited. Open-fermented, distilled in a unique copper column still, and aged in American oak, this expression was distilled in 1981 and bottled in 2004. The bright citrus entry rides atop a wave of oaken caramel before yielding to baking spices and a long, tannic finish. One of the most sought-after rums in the world.

Australia             

Beenleigh Copper Pot                    

Located in Queensland near Australia’s Gold Coast, Beenleigh distillery makes artisanal rum in an old copper pot still from fresh molasses, and ages it up to five years in oak. This unique rum opens with equal amounts of green fruit and charred oak before the phenolic floor comes in with a suggestion of nori. From there it moves to a complex pepper mixture and hints of orange cream and cardamom.

Beenleigh Double Barrel               

Like the Beenleigh Copper Pot, this rum is aged up to five years, but it’s rested in both Bourbon and Australian brandy casks. The rum opens with a sweet combination of rum-soaked fruits and pipe tobacco before moving to orange zest and white pepper. The long, sweet finish is dominated by grape candy and rich tobacco notes.

Barbados            

Berry’s

Another spectacular selection from Berry Brother & Rudd, arguably London’s finest spirits merchants, this one is from a Barbados distillery that most agree is Foursquare. Typical of the Bajan style, it’s a blend of column and pot still rum that exhibits the best of both worlds. Opening with a kick of heat and spice, the initial flavors are cinnamon, red pepper and green apple. Soon enough, it moves to baked apple and pear combined with caramel, vanilla and toffee. The long finish exhibits cocoa notes that make the entire experience reminiscent of apple pie a la mode with ice cream and chocolate sauce.

Foursquare Port Cask Finish

This limited edition rum from Foursquare is the darling of the rum world. After three years in Bourbon barrels, Richard transferred the rum to Port casks for an additional six years. The resulting blend is nothing short of remarkable. Along with a tannic burst, the rum enters with caramel, chocolate and sugar cookie, before apple, pear and apricot make themselves known. Then comes spice represented by cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of red pepper. On subsequent sips, you’ll find a hint of raisins, plums and dates. The dry, tannic finish is long and utterly pleasant.

Foursquare Spiced                          

Made by Richard Seale at Foursquare Distillery on Barbados, this well-balanced spiced rum begins with ripe guava, vanilla, and nutmeg before shifting to bright red strawberries, cinnamon and citrus zest. The long finish dries out readily, which will leave you reaching for another sip.

Plantation 2001                

Take an already-delicious Barbados rum and ship it to Cognac, France for further aging in a variety of brandy and wine casks, and you have this glorious expression. Sweet and creamy upon entry, the flavors soon move to fresh citrus and melon before returning to vanilla, toffee and caramel. Throughout, there is an undercurrent of oak that grounds the various flavor strata.

Plantation 20th Anniversary                       

This rum was created to mark the 20th anniversary of Alexandre Gabriel’s leadership at Cognac Ferrand, maker of Plantation rums. It lies in Bourbon casks for ten years in Barbados before another one-and-a-half to two years in cognac casks back in France. The rum opens with a sweet salvo reminiscent of a tropical cocktail: vanilla, coconut, and pineapple combine with toffee and oak to delicious effect. Subsequent sips will show additional treats from the bakery including snickerdoodle cookies and candied fruit.

Brazil    

Avua Cachaca Amburana            

Distilled by one of Brazil’s only female distillers, Avua is an artisanal cane spirit made from organic sugar cane grown on a third generation farm. Whereas most spirits are aged oak, Brazil uses its own native hardwoods to create casks that impart exotic flavors unfamiliar to palates of all skill levels.  Two years in Amburana imparts a variety of sweet and savory notes including vanilla, basil, allspice, cinnamon and toasted almond. Saúde!

Velho Barreiro  

Produced in São Paolo at the IRB Tatuzhinho 3 Fazendas Distillery, this tradicional expression is double-distilled and aged in large oak vats prior to being filtered. It opens with a burst of black pepper, sugar cane honey, and wheat grass before moving to brine, rose water, roasted fennel bulb, and silky buttercream. The medium length finish shows an undercurrent of black pepper and a hint of fennel.

Columbia

Dictador Perpetual Solera

Distilled from pure sugar cane syrup on a copper alembic pot still, this rum rests in ex-Bourbon casks in a Solera system prior to blending. Dictador’s trademark nuttiness bursts forth from the glass, as toasted almonds are amplified by caramel, treacle and cocoa. At once bright and subdued, the finish (which is like drinking this rum in reverse) will have you reaching for another sip.

Dictador XO Insolent Solera        

Similar to the Perpetual, the Insolent expression exhibits Dictador’s rancio notes, but the fruit is more front-and-center, represented by mango, black cherry, and ripe plum. From here, you’ll find candied pecans, coffee, and cocoa, before the long, sweet finish fades away gracefully.

Joel Richard Esencia 25yr

Distilled by Destileria Columbiana in Cartagena and blended by Dictador’s Hernan Parra, this rum made from sugar cane syrup is a blend of 70% column still and 30% pot still rum aged in Bourbon, Jerez, and Port casks. The spicy entry (cinnamon, cardamom, and black pepper) is attenuated by a prominent caramel note. Sherry and hazelnut soon take over before giving way to dried fruit and citrus peel.

Costa Rica

Centenario 12yr

One of the younger solera-aged expressions from Centenario, the 12-year bears a few brighter notes than its older siblings, notably floral hints with mango and white pepper. True to form, however, sweet cane syrup and molasses soon take over along with baking spices, vanilla, caramel, and oak.

Centenario 20yr

Sweeter and even more floral than the 12-year, Centenario 20 shows rose petals and cedar along with the cane syrup. There is a hint of Sherry here along with molasses and cardamom. The sweet finish yields hints of pine and rose water.

Centenario 25yr

Solera-aged in Bourbon barrels, Centenario 25 is a sweet expression typical of the Central American style. Cane syrup and oak are followed by orange zest, butterscotch, toffee and pineapple. The long, sweet finish exhibits hints of spice.

Centenario 30yr

Centenario 30 washes over the palate with a wave of sweet cane syrup and oak buoyed by hints of black pepper, cardamom and rose petals. The tannic finish bears a nuttiness reminiscent of roasted walnuts.

Fiji

Samaroli

If it’s rum from Fiji, it was distilled at South Pacific Distilleries in Lautoka. Founded in 1980, the distillery uses local molasses and a combination of pot and continuous stills to create their blends. The rum enters with a big dose of smoke and char, which quickly turns to roasted vegetables and very ripe tropical fruit including pineapple and papaya. The smoky imagery then shifts to caramel and vanilla before fading out in a smoke-filled haze.

Berry’s 

The Berry’s Fiji selection is a familiar cousin to the Samaroli selection, but there is considerably less smoke in this barrel. Taking the place of the smoke are the phenols (sushi nori) and the fierier compounds Fiji rum is known for. Also here are fresh green guavas and hints of mango and coconut. The tannic finish will set your cheeks alight before fading into the sunset.

Guadeloupe

Samaroli

Distilled in 1998 from cane juice on the island of Guadeloupe in the French West Indies, this rhum was aged in the tropics and then again in Scotland. The vast climatic differences yield nuances of flavor unattainable by other means. An earthy, vegetal entry rides a puff of smoke before showing black pepper and a bit of candied fruit on the long, elegant finish.

Berry’s 

Aged twelve years in Guadeloupe, this Berry’s selection is a brilliant expression of the French style. A bright floral entry is supported by a charred earthen base that soon gives way to cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Candied fruits appear before fading into the long, dry finish.

Damoiseau XO                 

If you drink rhum on Guadeloupe, there’s a 50% chance the spirit in your glass is from Bellevue Distillery in the village of Le Moule. This expression is aged six years in Bourbon barrels to provide a refined taste that manages to preserve the excitement of a young agricole. You would be forgiven for thinking it unassuming as the rhum washes over your palate—the smooth, slightly sweet entry creating visions of sweet candies stored in oak. But press on and you’ll find a veritable spice rack with notes of cardamom, allspice, white pepper and nutmeg combined with sweet caramel, Chantilly cream and coffee.

Guyana

El Dorado Single Barrel EHP         

Located at the Diamond Distillery on the banks of Guyana’s Demerara River, the famous EHP wooden Coffey still has made an untold amount of delicious rum. Originally from the Enmore Sugar Estate founded by Edward Henry Porter (EHP) this wooden Coffey still was made in 1880, and continues to run regularly today. The EHP enters with oak, baking spices and toasted almonds before moving to Seville orange and lemon zest. The bright notes continue with cardamom and pepper before the adjusted palate detects vanilla, toffee and butterscotch with a slight undertone of roasted fennel.

Cadenhead 11yr

Distilled at the Diamond distillery along the banks of Guyana’s Demerara river for Cadenhead’s of Scotland, this eleven-year-old rum is more complex than string theory. Beginning with the supple, bright floral notes of a fine Cognac, it suddenly morphs into a chewy beast of a rum with ample cinnamon spice and barrel char. Subsequent passes reveal mango and guava on the intensely dry finish. A far cry from El Dorado 12.

Haiti

Cadenhead

Influenced by the French, but with a big dose of creole style, Haitian rhum is a unique expression all its own. Distilled by Barbancourt for Cadenhead’s of Scotland, this nine-year-old expression is pure and unadulterated. The silky entry belies the strength of this 46% spirit, but it soon announces itself with a bit of heat and spice. Intertwined with the spices, you’ll find ripe tropical fruits and a bit of crème brûlée before the ultra-long tannic finish takes hold.

India

Old Monk Rum 

One of the best-selling rum brands in the world, Old Monk is made in India by Mohan Meatin, Limited. The first thing you’ll taste is a bit of the raw material added back to the blend: molasses. From here, the rum moves to plum, raisin, and vanilla, mixed with a touch of coffee and caramel. The slightly bitter finish dominated by molasses is relatively short-lived.

Jamaica               

Duncan Taylor Moneymusk 2003              

Tie your shoes, because this rum will try and knock your socks off. Pure, uncut, and unfiltered, this rum is a perfectly funky and fruity representation of Jamaican rum distilled at Clarendon distillery. The fruit and ketones lead off before an oak support system back it up and provide structure. Spices including nutmeg and cardamom now come in along with subtle hints of caramel and vanilla. The long finish is dominated by the oak and spice, which now turns to red and white pepper.

Duncan Taylor Hampden 1990   

Hampden Estate takes Jamaican high ester rum to heights unseen. Natural fermentation, pot stills and a whole lot of dunder yield fabulously funky flavors that will make your mouth sing. Beginning with a heaping helpful of pineapple, this rum practically seems infused with the stuff. Other fruits in the basket include orange, mango and papaya, all simmered in rum with burnt sugar and allspice. Add a drop of water and watch this one open up.

Mauritius

Penny Blue #1   

South of the Seychelles and East of Madagascar lies the tiny island of Mauritius, home of the Medine distillery, founded in 1926. With local molasses and French column stills, they produce Penny Blue rum. The rum enters with a spicy kick of pepper and cinnamon, which is backed with oak and grapefruit zest. An undercurrent of sweet cream emerges along with caramel and cocoa. Give this one a few sips to allow your palate to adjust to it.

Penny Blue #2   

Aged in Scotch, Cognac, and Bourbon barrels, the second expression of the series is a bit more subtle than its older sibling. Beginning with balanced notes of toffee, caramel, coffee, cocoa and pepper, the entry is pretty delightful. Subsequent sips allow oak tannins to move forward along with some ripe pear and orange.

Pink Pidgeon     

A spiced rum like no other, Pink Pidgeon’s mid-sweet beginnings combine orange creamsicle and bubble gum along with vanilla and orange zest before exhibiting spices including cinnamon, nutmeg and a hint of bitter bark.

Panama               

Berry’s 

Sourced from an unnamed distillery in Panama, an educated guess would point to Hermanos Varela, makers of ron Abuelo. This expression holds a different allure than the typical Panamanian rum, with its dry, spicy entry, and burst of cooked fruits. Banana, pineapple and spiced pears burst forth from the glass before a heaping dose of vanilla and caramel come in to smooth things out. The long, dry finish fades elegantly into roasted plantains, burnt sugar, and cinnamon.

Panama Pacific 23yr

Distilled by Don Pancho for Haas Brothers of San Francisco, Panama Pacific celebrates the link established in 1915 by the Panama-Pacific Exposition. The sharp entry is quickly attenuated by ample cane syrup, dried plum, and oak. Sit with it for a spell, and discover sherry, Chantilly cream and citrus zest. 

Don Pancho 18yr                             

Another Don Pancho Fernandez creation, Origenes celebrates his 75th birthday and 50 years of making rum. The smooth entry washes over the palate with ample Sherry that leads to dried plum, raisin, and wet oak before transitioning to caramel, vanilla and toffee. The long, tannic finish is dominated by the Sherry note.

Peru     

Ron Cartavio XO                              

Sitting at the top of the Cartavio lineup, XO is a solera-aged blend of rums at least 18 years old.  The XO’s sweet entry is represented by honey and candied pecans, followed by raisins, plum, and oak. The sweet imagery continues with bananas Foster, chocolate croissant, and orange marmalade before we find grapefruit zest and cardamom, then nutmeg and cinnamon. The long, sweet finish is dominated by caramel and toffee, and after a time, one can detect a bit of leather and tobacco. Peru’s finest!

Philippines        

Tondeña                             

Second only to Tanduay, Tondeña is a wildly popular molasses-based rum in its Philippine homeland.  Its straightforward entry is dominated by hints of molasses and honey combined with pecans and tamarind. Subsequent sips reveal a bit of age by way of oaken tannins.

Puerto Rico       

Facundo Eximo                

Aged ten years, Eximo is possibly the best expression within Bacardi’s line of luxe sippers honoring their founder, Facundo Bacardi Masso. The incredibly smooth, sweet start is attenuated by notes of cedar and citrus before giving way to Sherry, caramel, and a pronounced nuttiness.

Don Q 2005                        

On the island of Puerto Rico, Bacardi makes the most rum, but among its residents, Don Q is the local rum of choice. This expression was distilled in 2005, and represents the company’s first single vintage, single barrel release. As the rum enters, bright fruit notes of pear and green apple give way to oaky tannins and dark cherries. Beyond the fruit, the charred oak provides a strong foundation upon which the bright flavors reside. Between the oak and the fruit, caramel and crème brûlée emerge, followed by a hint of nutmeg and cardamom.

Spain    

Navazos Palazzi               

The genteel nature of this 51% rum could easily lull you into thinking it much weaker. Aged in Bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks for Nicolas Palazzi, this unique rum enters gracefully with strong Sherry notes backed by dried plums and grapes before transitioning to hints of pine and cedar mixed with toffee. The Sherry combines with floral notes as the medium-long finish fades.

St. Lucia

Hamilton                            

Distilled by St. Lucia Distillers for Ministry of Rum founder Ed Hamilton, the rum from this pot still is incredibly unique. It begins with a burst of heat and spice with strong charred oak and phenolic undertones (think sushi nori). And yet for all its brashness, there are soft and sweet cane notes here as well, which along with a bit of vanilla and grapefruit zest, combine for a delightfully spicy finish.

Trinidad              

Angostura #1                    

Angostura’s new line of rare blends begins here with a Bourbon barrel finished, column-distilled rum. You are drinking from one of 9,600 bottles worldwide. The delicately sweet entry suggests vanilla, oak, and butter cream. Beyond that comes toffee and chocolate with hints of baking spices, before the medium-long finish fades away completely.

Angostura 1824               

Although they’re known more for their eponymous bitters, Angostura makes a pretty fabulous range of rums, too. Among them is the 12-year expression called 1824, so-named to commemorate the year the company began.  Beginning with a sweet oaken entry, spices including allspice and pepper soon appear, followed by vanilla and cream. A bit of rose water combines with orange and lemon on the medium-long finish.

A.D. Rattray Caroni 1997                              

Distilled in 1997 at Trinidad’s now-closed Caroni distillery, this rum was aged for a total of 16 years in both Trinidad and Scotland. The in-your-face style Caroni was known for is exhibited upon entry as delightful and confounding flavors combine to make you question your very existence. Bright citrus and green tropical fruit yield to peat smoke and ketones before being brought back to Earth by molasses and black tea.

UK         

Edward England Gunpowder Spiced Rum              

Resting in a replica of an old ceramic rum bottle fit for any pirate, Edward England Gunpowder rum’s opening salvo is filled with vanilla extract and orange cream, followed by ample cinnamon, and black pepper. Sit with it a while, and discover a host of other spices including nutmeg, allspice, white pepper, and ginger.

USA      

Stonewall Rum (Penn)                   

Just north of Pittsburgh, molasses is fermented and distilled into “Stonewall Rum” by Pennsylvania Pure Distillery. The rum begins with fruits and spices reminiscent of a punch bowl: orange zest, pineapple, and nutmeg. Oak is just barely noticeable, and the tannins present quickly fade as hints of cinnamon appear.

Prichard’s Spiced

Crafted from baking grade molasses by Phil Prichard in Kelso, Tennessee, Prichard’s Spiced rum is a far cry from the cloying versions you drank in college. This mélange of flavors begins with cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg before transitioning to bitter orange and grapefruit zest. Clove and allspice round out the spices while caramel and custard bring up the rear.

Berkshire Mountain (Mass)                        

Ragged Mountain rum is made in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts from molasses, triple-distilled and aged in Bourbon barrels. The rum opens with a peppery jolt that quickly fades into cinnamon and nutmeg with a dose of vanilla cream. The medium length finish brightens up a bit as it fades, exhibiting green apples and spiced pears.

Owney’s Original (NYC)                 

Owney’s rum is made in Brooklyn, New York at The Noble Experiment. The rum is distilled by Bridget Firtle, a former Wall Streeter and Brooklyn native who found distilling rum was a far better way to spend her days. Owney’s enters with a kick of heat and spice before it’s tempered by a roundness created by butter cream, molasses, and a bit of grass and vanilla. After some brine and black pepper, the fairly short finish displays a bit of nori and a small dose of baking chocolate.

Malahat Spiced Rum (Calif)                         

Malahat rum is made in San Diego on a small copper hybrid still. This spiced version combines twelve natural ingredients to make a unique spiced rum that’s miles away from anything named “Captain”. The mildly sweet rum begins with a combination at once fruity and floral—suggestive of bubble gum ice cream. Soon enough, it’s balanced out by ample cinnamon and nutmeg, with undertones of citrus zest.

Malahat Ginger Rum (Calif)                        

Ginger rum? Yes, and it’s darn tasty, too. A good balance of sweetness and spice, Malahat hand peels ginger roots and infuses it in their hybrid still rum. The sweet ginger entry brings just a little heat and quickly fades into citrus and a hint of vanilla.

Venezuela         

Diplomatico Single Vintage 2000                               

Take a step up from Diplomatico’s Reserva Exclusiva and experience one of the best rums Venezuela has to offer. The sweet entry is balanced by floral and wood notes before giving way to pepper, cardamom, and lemon zest. Woven into this tapestry are sherry, raisins, and rancio (nutty) notes. The pleasant finish fades gracefully with hints of cedar and rose petals.