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Rum & Cachaca
Supplying rums from all corners of the Carribean, Nicks Wine Merchants cover the islands and the South American mainland as well as lesser known countries. We also source rare stocks from closed or demolished distilleries. Limited edition collectables like Bundaberg rum releases and new expressions from Australia and beyond are included in the mix. In short, welcome to the largest online Rum selection in Australia! Subscribe to our Spirits and Liqueurs Email Newsletter to keep up to date with new arrivals, tastings, special rum offers and more.
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Rum Diary Bar Spiced Rum (700ml)Victoria, AUSTRALIA$84. 99Bottle$1019.88 DozenABV: 38%Tasting note: [Batch 8 tasted] Burnt sienna. Plush aromas feature moist fruit cake, brandy sauce and cola. Creamy, medium bodied delivery offers juicy dried fruits followed by cardamom, cinnamon, fruit mince pie, clove and late gingery warmth. Outstanding length. Ends with a cascade of sweet spices. Benchmark. 38% Alc./Vol. [Batch 01 tasted] A blend of 20 herbs and spices. Deep copper with some minor sediment evident. Fabulous purity, bursting with fresh raisin cake; think Christmas pudding and brandy cream. Accents cardamom and clove in later passes with hints of ginger. Creamy entry leads into a delicious off-dry gentian, smokey cardamom and clove profile plus late dried fruits. Finishes with a wave of smokey cardamom, clove and muted gingery warmth. Spiced rum meets India. Outstanding.
336 bottles produced. 94 points - Rusty Barrel Spiced Rum (700ml)Caribbean,$79. 99Bottle$959.88 DozenABV: 40%
Rusty Barrel Spiced expression is a seductive blend of premium 5-year-old Caribbean rums and rich spices including coffee, vanilla, cocoa, orange peel and cinnamon. It has a subtle and curious sweetness of cocoa accompanying the lingering flavours of coffee and vanilla on the finish. Tiki culture fans will love the Polynesian styled bottle. 40% Alc./Vol.
- Rusty Barrel Gold Rum (700ml)Caribbean,$89. 99Bottle$1079.88 DozenABV: 40%
An aged fusion of 5 & 8-year-old Caribbean gold rums developed in collaboration with an international Master Distiller. Created as a standalone sipper, it promises smooth vanilla & oak aromas as well as raisins and floral notes with a delicately sweet honeycomb and butter biscuit palate. Eye-catching packaging adds to the tasting experience. 40% Alc./Vol.
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Sagatiba Pura Cachaça (Cachaca) (700ml)Minas Gerais, BRAZIL$68. 99Bottle$827.88 DozenABV: 38%Chacaça is a spirit derived from the juice of sugar cane and is the basis of the Caipirinha (pronounced Kaay-peer-REEN-ya), which became one of the world's most popular cocktails towards the end of the millennium leading to a world Cachaça shortage. The spirit has been in demand in Australia for some time and many bars are now experimenting with its light, clean and versatile flavour. Sagatiba's Pura is a benchmark for the genre.
Tasting note: Clear, burnished silver appearance. Powerful scents include white pepper, green capsicum and dill. Medium dry, the palate bursts with mustard seed, white pepper and green capsicum flavours. Slightly oily mouthfeel. Spice and green capsicum persist into the long aftertaste. Finishes clean and dry with a spicy, minerally tingle. Reminiscent of a class Blanco Tequila. 38% Alc./vol.Other reviews... Clear. Vibrant baked banana, mineral, toasty meringue, and exotic peppery spice aromas. A round, smooth entry leads to a silky, dryish medium body of powdered sugar, banana puree, banana leaf, coconut milk, mineral ore, and white pepper flavors. Finishes with a smooth, lightly sweet and spicy, mineral oil accented fade. Very soft and sensuous. This is clean and versatile enough for almost any cocktail application and retains the distinctive mineral character of a very fine cachaça. 38% Alc./Vol. International Review of Spirits Award: Gold Medal 93 points (Exceptional) - tastings.com
Like any classic cocktail, the Caipirinha (roughly translated as 'little peasant girl') has a traditional method of mixing which requires a certain attention to detail. Cut a lime into eight pieces, place in a glass, add 1-2 tea spoons of granulated cane sugar to taste. The proportion of sugar can vary but its sweetness should balance the acidity of the limes.
A wooden muddler can be used to grind the sugar and lime in order to release the oils in the skin as well as the juice in the flesh of the limes. Fill the glass with crushed ice. Add 30-60ml of Cachaca, stir and it’s ready!
In recent years, some bartenders have developed the humble Caipirinha by adding fresh fruit such as blackberries during the muddling (crushing) stage to create new flavours, thus creating for example a 'Black berry Caipirinha.' Cachaça also lends a certain Brazilian exoticism to other drinks such as cola and orange juice. - Sailor Jerry Spiced Caribbean Rum (700ml)Virgin Islands, UNITED STATES MINOR OUTLYING ISLANDS$54. 99Bottle$659.88 DozenABV: 40%
‘Spiced’ is the generic name given to any rum to which a local herb or spice has been added and allowed to impart its particular flavour. Most commonly cinnamon, rosemary, aniseed and peppers are used. It's an acquired taste, however the best examples are deliciously different. Sailor Jerry is blended with Vanilla and Lime, and makes the claim "Strong, but goes down smooth"
Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum is a rum produced by Sailor Jerry Ltd. as a tribute to both the man, Norman 'Sailor Jerry' Collins and the style of Rum 'Jerry' concocted and consumed whilst serving in the US Navy. Collins lived quite an extraordinary life, heavily influenced by artwork he saw whilst sailing in the Navy, he turned his hand to tattoo artistry, thanks to his Eastern influences and strong bonds forged with Japanese tattoo masters - the same masters that were responsible for the training and development of artists to carry on Japan's ancient tattoo tradition. Jerry is regarded as the foremost American tattoo artist of his time, his influences are still prevalent, despite his passing in 1973. Lovers of ink, raise a glass to Jerry! 40.0% Alc./Vol.
Click here to read more about Rum.
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Santa Teresa 1796 Ron Antiguo de Solera Rum (700ml)VENEZUELAReduced from $119.99$109. 99Bottle$1319.88 DozenABV: 40%A new Venezuelan Beauty that's easily in the leading pack as one of the top rum values on our shelves.
Created to commemorate the distillery's 200th anniversary, this rum is matured in a French Limousin oak solera system for 8-12 years (a method borrowed from the Spanish sherry producers) and is the first premium anejo rum in the world to be aged using such a technique. With some portions reportedly in barrel for more than fifteen years, Santa Teresa delivers all the substance and style of Diplomatico's Reserva Exclusiva, only the profile is less sweet, the result is more elegant - even 'Cognac-esque'. Tasting notes: Deep copper. Sensuous bouquet offers a superb amalgam of vanilla, hazelnut chocolate, creme caramel and cream sponge cake. Fine tuned with perfect sweet-dry balance including flavours of bounty bar, mocha, caramel fudge finishing with a lingering white pepper, dried banana, buckwheat pancake and cocoa aftertaste. First class. 40% Alc./Vol. Other reviews... The first couple of whiffs pick up toasty notes of caramel, almond butter, cotton candy and very old oak; with aeration, more profound aromas develop including saddle leather, vanilla, Sherry and dark caramel. Palate entry is perfectly balanced and sweet; by midpalate the flavor profile is honeyed, slightly cocoa-like, buttery to the feel and utterly decadent. Finishes long, layered, creamy and dark chocolate bittersweet.
98 points - www.wineenthusiast.com Deep amber color with an olive cast. Elegant aromas and flavors of toasted nuts, coffee gelato, dried tropical fruits and pepper with a satiny, medium-to-full body and lots of toffee, vanilla bean, and sweet tobacco notes of the long finish. A delicious, smooth, and artfully balanced aged rum for sipping, cigars, or world-class cocktails.
International Review of Spirits Award: Gold Medal
RATING: 94 points (Exceptional) - www.tastings.com -
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Single Cane Estate Worthy Park Jamaica Rum (1000ml)JAMAICAReduced from $149.99$119. 99Bottle$1439.88 DozenABV: 40%Worthy Park is a locally-owned distillery as opposed to being a part of a multi-national corporation. While the estate dates to 1670, the current operation was built in 2005. Its single pot still makes a particularly recognisable Jamaican style that's found in many blends as well as the estate’s own brand. In this case, this is not an 'official' WP release. Instead, market giants, Bacardi are acting almost like an independent bottler. Their 'Single Cane Estate' label was introduced into the Travel Retail market in 2015. The rum here is reportedly aged between 2 and 5 years and promises a good introduction to the distillery's house style in a generous one litre format. 40% Alc./Vol.
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Chairman's Reserve Spiced Rum (700ml)Castries, SAINT LUCIA$84. 99Bottle$1019.88 DozenABV: 40%St Lucia Distillers Group of Companies is a small rum distillery situated in the scenically beautiful and agriculturally rich valley of Roseau on the Caribbean island of St Lucia. A passionate team of distillers and blenders work together to produce a range of over 25 rum and rum-related products, many of which have won honours at international competitions. This spiced version contains local spices and fruits including cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, coconut, all spice, lemon and orange. Also added is Richeria Grandis – known locally as “Bois Bande” – a bark renowned in the Caribbean as a potent aphrodisiac . The distiller's comment, "We have found Chairman’s Reserve Spice benefits from a combination of steeping certain spices and Bois Bande in the rum for up to a year while the other ingredients are added during the blending process. In this way we can bring out the flavour of the spices and fruits while preserving the complexity and harmony of the underlying rum." Considered by some the final word in the spiced rum genre and included in Wine Enthusiast's Top 50 spirits for 2011. Tasting note: Brillinat polished copper pot colour. Powerful and engaging opening aromas include bubble gum and ginger biscuit; more redolent of fruit cake in subsequent inspections. A creamy entry follows through to an off dry, stewed fruit, allspice and gingerbread profile with cinnamon, clove and gingerbread competing in the finish. Lovely balance and concentration with the mid palate sweetness nicely tempered in the fade. Up there with El Dorado as one of the best of its kind to hit the market to date. 40% Alc./Vol. Other reviews... So this is what all the bartenders have been talking about. Bright copper-penny color and a mulled-wine aroma rich with cloves, cassia bark, and sweet dried fruit notes. The flavor is delicately balanced, sweet and spiced but not too much of either. Ginger, cinnamon, and allspice take the leading role, not vanilla, from the first sip through to the lingering, lightly spicy finish. One of the few spiced rums worth sipping straight. 96 points - wineenthusiast.com Gold Medal. 2011 World Spirits Awards. -
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Chairman's Reserve Original Rum (700ml)Castries, SAINT LUCIA$84. 99Bottle$1019.88 DozenABV: 40%St Lucia Distillers Group of Companies is a small rum distillery situated in the scenically beautiful and agriculturally rich valley of Roseau on the Caribbean island of St Lucia. A passionate team of distillers and blenders work together to produce a range of over 25 rum and rum-related products, many of which have won honours at international competitions.
Tasting Notes: Pale gold colour. Generous aromas of raisin toast, polished boards, pine cone, nutmeg and cocoa. Follows with medium bodied, lengthy, off-dry flavours of spicy plum pudding, cocoa, raisin and spice. Excellent balance & persistence. Ends dry and long with dried fruits and hints of varnish through the aftertaste. 40% Alc./Vol.
- Stolen Smoked Rum (700ml)TRINIDAD$62. 99Bottle$755.88 DozenABV: 37.5%
Made in Trinidad from locally sourced sugar cane, this column-distilled rum is aged for at least two years in ex-bourbon barrels with additional ingredients including Arabica coffee beans from Colombia, fenugreek seeds from Morocco and vanilla beans from Madagascar. It's not disclosed how, but the liquid is smoked using American hardwood. Try it in any rum, rye or bourbon cocktail. 37.5% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... "Muted aromas of cola and smoke emerge slowly with some work - not heavily smoked but plainly so. Tastes like a strong after-dinner cocktail of coffee, honey, rum and cream. A curious confection." 78 points - distiller.com
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Stolen Gold Rum (700ml)Trinidad,$59. 99Bottle$719.88 DozenABV: 37.5%New Zealand’s newest rum company, 'Stolen Rum' has been honored with a Double Gold medal for its Gold variant and a bronze medal for its White rum at the prestigious 2010 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Born in the Caribbean and raised in New Zealand, Stolen Rum was created after Kiwis Jamie Duff and Roger Holmes, caught in the rum resurgence that was taking place worldwide, ditched their day jobs in favour of developing a world class rum. “Stolen Rum had only been in the market for three weeks when we entered the competition. We couldn’t have hoped for a better start.” Produced from a molasses ferment and a continuous distillation, maturation follows in Trinidad, the southernmost island of the Caribbean. It matures for a minimum of four years in individually chosen charred American oak bourbon barrels.
Tasting note: Bright brass / copper appearance. The aroma offers nice depth with suggestions of brown sugar and golden syrup, toffee apple and nougat. A light, soft entry leads into a medium bodied mocha and caramel mid palate supported by very gentle spices. Concludes with good persistence. Creme caramel aftertaste dovetails off into a lovely lean, dry fade. 40% Alc./Vol
Other reviews... A buttery nose with apple notes and cinnamon spice aromas leads to an equally buttery palate, with notes of butterscotch and toffee apple. Slight bitter, oily astringency, especially apparent in the finish which borrows toffee apple notes from the palate. 40% Alc./Vol. 4 STARS **** – Simon Difford, CLASS Magazine 2010
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Stolen White Rum (700ml)Trinidad,$56. 99Bottle$683.88 DozenABV: 37.5%New Zealand’s newest rum company, 'Stolen Rum' has been honored with a Double Gold medal for its Gold variant and a bronze medal for its White rum at the prestigious 2010 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Born in the Caribbean and raised in New Zealand, Stolen Rum was created after Kiwis Jamie Duff and Roger Holmes, caught in the rum resurgence that was taking place worldwide, ditched their day jobs in favour of developing a world class rum.“Stolen Rum had only been in the market for three weeks when we entered the competition. We couldn’t have hoped for a better start.”
Produced from a molasses ferment and a continuous distillation, maturation takes place in Trinidad, the southernmost island of the Caribbean, for a minimum of two years in individually chosen charred American oak bourbon barrels. The results are carefully blended by hand before being carbon filtered to remove any colour.
Tasting notes: Clear slightly viscous appearance. Offers a strong bouquet combining opening scents of molasses and spice (white pepper and vanilla), before turning more ripe fruit like - specifically very ripe cantaloupe or grapes. A super soft entry accumulates depth as a slow spice wave unfolds delivering excellent length. Medium bodied, semi sweet and mildly fruity-meringue like mid palate. Concludes clean, dry, vibrant and grassy with warming spices persisting. Subtle cocoa fade. Nicely done. 37.5% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... Colourless. Fresh, fruity nose with hints of melon and cocoa. Exotic characters. Smooth and well integrated in the mouth with slight sweet sensation. Good mouth feel. Slight fruity notes in sound, clean finish. 37.5% Alc./Vol.Silver Medal. Best in Class International Wine & Spirits Competition 2010
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Stone Pine Distillery Dead Man's Drop Black Spiced Rum (700ml)New South Wales, AUSTRALIA$79. 99Bottle$959.88 DozenABV: 40%A marriage of Stone Pine's rum with orange peel, vanilla and Australian native flavours of Ringwood and cinnamon myrtle. The label celebrates Bathurst's Bicentenary, and is inspired by infamous bushrangers, The Ribbon Gang. Ten of the gang were hung in 1830 in Bathurst's first public hanging. Tasting note: Deep sienna brown. Lifted aromas redolent of fresh-sliced fruit cake show no dimunition after ample exposure. Aeration accents glace cherry and hints of liquorice strap. Slightly let down by the delivery which echoes the purity of the aroma but comes across a little flat. The finish redeems the mid palate as liquorice bullet and mild ginger biscuit flavours add some vibrancy. Arguably more like a liqueur than a spiced rum - enjoyable nonetheless. 40% Alc./Vol. -
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1997 The Colours of Rum Clarendon 24 Year Old Edition No. 13 Cask Strength Jamaica Rum (700ml)JAMAICA$325. 00Bottle$3900.00 DozenABV: 49.2%Jamaica's Clarendon Distillery (est.1949 and initially owned by the Monymusk Sugar Factory) is a large plant, home to about 5-6 column still marques and about 20 pot still marques. Amongst these is Monymusk, named after one of the oldest sugar cane plantations in Jamaica, located in Lionel Town, Clarendon. To confuse matters, there's also a brand called 'Monymusk', but that has only been around since 2012. The historical connection remains, as Clarendon is located on six acres in the Monymusk Estate. About 90% of the total output goes to Diageo's Captain Morgan and Myers brands, which in total accounts for about 60% of all Jamaican bulk rum exports. In short, Clarendon is a hybrid set up - on the one hand churning out industrial column still distillate for global brands, while on the other creating various esoteric and highly-regarded light and heavy ester pot-distilled rums. Obviously, this selection falls into the latter category. The 'MMW' (Monymusk Wedderburn) marque means the ester count is between 290-300 g/hlpa. There are suggestions of raw sugar mingling with green woods, white pepper and distant wax on the nose, building with riper tropical fruits. It is sweeter in the mouth with bright, bristling spices, exotic fruit notes and pineapple pudding at the finish. There's a sense of freshness throughout, and the lower ABV makes for one of the most accessible of the current selections. Continentally aged in an x-rum cask with an outturn of 192 bottles. 49.2% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered. Tasted from a 20ml sample.
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2003 The Colours of Rum Diamond Distillery 18 Year Old Edition No. 5 Cask Strength Guyana Rum (700ml)GUYANA$299. 00Bottle$3588.00 DozenABV: 54.2%The Diamond Distillery sits on the east bank of the Demerara River near Georgetown and is home to Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL). Its history stretches back to the 1650s. We're told this was distilled in a single wooden pot still, which would have to be the Versailles still (Diamond have three in total). Versailles is key to El Dorado's 15 and 21 year old rums, producing a powerful, medium-bodied distillate with smokey, spicy and floral notes. The still was reconstructed in 2006 using the same Greenheart wood as the original - a native Guyanese lumber favoured in the construction of jetties due to its resistance to moisture. The wood is also said to add complexity and richness to the distillate. But it's not just the wood, it's the residue of previous distillations that gets ingrained into the wood, so as a pre-renovation distillation, this bottling will be noteworthy for rum mavens. Drawn from a single x-rum cask after full-term continental ageing, 242 bottles are on offer at a natural strength of 54.2% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Other reviews... Colour: white wine. Nose: high-ester rum, pretty pure, with 'a sense of' mezcal and olives, many fermentary smells, leaven, very distant whiffs of durian, anchovies, brine and all that. In short, it's rather brilliant. With water: some acidic fruitiness coming on top (lemons, rhubarb, gooseberries) and even notes of bandages and ointments. Mouth (neat): pretty massive, appropriately dirty, salty, perhaps in the style of Versailles, or of that of several Jamaicans. Or of raw Talisker. Bags of olives and anchovies. With water: similar, with also a dirtyish grassiness. Fresh compost and old hay, perhaps. Finish: rather long, on just the same kinds of notes. Dirty aftertaste – the kind of dirt we enjoy in rum. Comments: some very excellent salty rum. I've tried a wee blend with 50% this and 50% Talisker and I have to say I'm pretty proud as that pushed the citrus to the stratosphere. Sadly that also generated some soapiness. 89 points - whiskyfun.com
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1996 The Colours of Rum Clarendon 25 Year Old Edition No. 3 Cask Strength Jamaica Rum (700ml)JAMAICA$450. 00Bottle$5400.00 DozenABV: 67%From the south of Jamaica at St. Catherine’s Town - this is a big boy weighing in at a whopping 67%, so not ideal if you're new to rum. Matured for 22 years in the tropics before spending another three in the Old Continent. The outturn was 253 bottles from an x-rum cask. Non chill filtered.
Other reviews... You mean sixty-seven percent alcohol? May I call my lawyer? Colour: deep amber. Nose: the magic of European aging. While I fully understand the rationale behind 'keeping added value to location', in your glass, these old European ones are simply superior. Extraordinary ointments and embrocations, oils, precious woods, balsa.. and, right, sixty-seven percent. With water: varnishes. There isn't much you could do; it was a little extreme in the first place and will never quite become approachable. Mouth (neat): stop stop stop stop, this is way too strong, while we need our palate. Attempted murder on poor whisky blogger, this will cost you dearly, Mr Colour of Rum. With water: I think we got it right, by chance. Pencil shavings, kerosene, varnishes, tobacco, ultra-green green tea… It's just that water would make it even tighter, moe extreme, and dry. Dead end, no exit. Finish: very long, very extreme, totally dry and extremely huge. Comments: frankly, it was tough. Your brain would think it's great, but you heart (or belly) will preach patience and prudence. Seriously, it's a very tough and very dry drop. 86 points - whiskyfun.com
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1999 The Colours of Rum Foursquare 22 Year Old Edition No. 13 Cask Strength Barbados Rum (700ml)BARBADOS$350. 00Bottle$4200.00 DozenABV: 61.9%Edition No.13 was matured for eight years in the tropics before bottling in 2022 all-natural at 61.9% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. 228 bottles.
Other reviews... “Nose: less sweet than the other cask, more narrow as well. There are some dry wood shavings and leather. Spiced notes and a hint of polished metal. Again there is a whisky-like side. Mouth: meh. This seems narrow, rather woody and spirity. I’m getting a lighter style of spirit, overtaken by some alcohol burn, oak spice and liquorice. Cloves and mentholated freshness. Finish: long and drying, on oak spice. Some heat and pepper.” - whiskynotes.be
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2006 The Colours of Rum Foursquare 15 Year Old Edition No. 15 Cask Strength Barbados Rum (700ml)BARBADOS$299. 00Bottle$3588.00 DozenABV: 61.5%A fully tropically matured pot and column distilled rum from Foursquare. 276 bottles are available at 61.5% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Other reviews... More awesome single barrel Foursquare. We're seeing lots of these out there, but they're not all created equal. This lovely barrel offers a huge nose of fresh tropical fruit, coconut, orange oils and pungent vanilla bean. Big wood, big caramel, dark roasted coffee beans. On the palate its rich and textured with a brightness that's not expected, offering still tons of vanilla, powerful oak and bold numbing spice. The creamy texture and vibrant wood, for an altogether whisky drinkers rum in many ways. - David Othenin-Girard, K&L Wines
Notes from the bottlers... This is an intensely flavoured rum that offers up aromas of citrus, oranges in particular, toffee, with notes of milk chocolate and caramel.
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2010 The Colours of Rum Foursquare 11 Year Old Edition No. 17 Cask Strength Barbados Rum (700ml)BARBADOSReduced from $199.00$149. 99Bottle$1799.88 DozenABV: 59.3%Ex-bourbon cask matured for 11 years, including 5 years in the tropics. More settled and balanced than assertive and exotic, this has lovely soft vanilla, caramel and dried coconut accents to the nose but with an arresting, intense, herbal, sweet cedar, cut grass and bitter orange character to the palate. Heat from the alcohol and hints of rosewater enter at the finish. Distinctive, and at the price, one of the better values in the latest consignment. Column and pot distilled. 59.3% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. Tasted from a 20ml sample.
Other reviews... Aged for 5 years in the tropics and probably the usual self-blend of column and pot rums. Now I do vividly and fondly remember the 'pure pot' Foursquare I could try last year. I'm sure there will be more. Colour: gold. Nose: always this orangey lightness that's so seductive, these Jaffa cakes, marmalade, actually even more orange juice (freshly squeezed), orange blossom… Aren't oranges stealing the show here? But rum with Vitamin C, who would complain? With water: light earthiness, putty, marzipan, touch of linoleum perhaps… Mouth (neat): not the first time that I'm finding an agricole side to a Foursquare. Orange cake, cane honey, maple syrup, rosehip tea, these touches of varnish and lemon juice that we always enjoy… With water: stays the same, gets just easier – not that it was difficult before. Finish: medium, on orange blossom madeleines and scones, and indeed orange juice. Soft aftertaste. Comments: particularly excellent at just 11. Now since years in the tropics are tripled, that would actually be (3*5)+6 = 21 years. I liked this one better than No.18. 89 points - whiskyfun.com
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2006 The Colours of Rum Foursquare 15 Year Old Edition No. 16 Cask Strength Barbados Rum (700ml)BARBADOS$299. 00Bottle$3588.00 DozenABV: 61%More than a few rum afficionados consider Barbados an ideal introduction to the category. Bajan rum is enjoyable and “rummy” without veering into the bolder (and let’s face it) more polarising flavours found in funky Jamaicans, grassy agricoles or the wild fermentation-induced complexities of Haitian Clairin. The most popular exported Barbadian rums are typically blends of column and pot distilled spirits. Fans of additive-free styles will find many choices here. Three key distilleries are Foursquare, Mount Gay and The West Indies Distillery (which produces Cockspur rum). However, it's Foursquare that's fast becoming one of the brightest stars in the Caribbean firmament. For anyone seeking high quality 'malternatives' without breaking the bank, look no further. The fourth generation venture is headed by Richard Seale, one of the most vocal spokespersons for pure and unadulterated rums in the region. His talent and drive led noted spirits authority, Fred Minnick to describe Foursquare as "the Pappy of rum." No surprise then that Foursquare is the feature of this shipment.
This 2006 distillation was drawn from a single cask matured for 14 years in the tropics in an ex-Bourbon barrel. According to one report, it's very similar to Edition No. 15, "...with more coconut and a bit more pot still nuance on the nose with less wood. On the palate it's much more fruity and less spicy...definitely a top tier Foursquare..." Natural cask strength of 61% ABV. 264 bottles. Non chill filtered.
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1998 The Colours of Rum Montebello 23 Year Old Edition No. 1 Cask Strength Guadeloupe Rum (700ml)GUADELOUPE$599. 00Bottle$7188.00 DozenABV: 43.3%Martinique, Guadeloupe and the adjacent island, Marie-Galante represent the very heart of Rhum Agricole, although contrary to popular belief, not all rums from those islands are strictly agricole. Montebello is one that makes a bit of both. Originally called the Carrère Distillery, it was founded in 1930 on the western side of Guadeloupe and primarily produces column distilled agricole using only hand-harvested canes from the volcanic regions of Petit-Bourg, Goyave, Basse-Terre, Lamentin and Sainte-Rose. It is also one of the last distilleries in the Caribbean to employ steam engines, using dry bagasse (cane residue) as fuel to run the cane crushing presses. Since December 2011, Gregory and Dominique Marsolle have taken over the business. Mostly what gets exported are very, very young rums, so this continentally aged 23 year old ranks as a genuine novelty. Matured exclusively in used rum barrels, the outturn was just 155 bottles. 43.3% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Other reviews... The old Carrere distillery in Guadeloupe is agricole in all but name. Produced from hand harvest cane grown on volcanic soils, Montebello is one of the last distillers to use steam engines in the process. Founded in 1930, not a whole lot has changed there in the last 90 years. It's extremely unusual to see products of this age from here and even more so to be offered a single cask. Let's taste it! The color is light gold. Extremely unusual nose of wild flowers, fresh lavender, sweet fresh dill, honeysuckle, cured green olives and persimmon skins. On the palate it's medium bodied with a powerful exotic herbal character, fresh ground matcha, olive oil. The finish builds around the herbal and sundry driven flavors. A totally wild and gorgeous experience incomparable anything else... - David Othenin-Girard, K&L Wines.
Notes from the bottlers... Aromas of citrus, honey, and grass, with spices and wood in the mouth.
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The Kraken Black Spiced Rum (700ml)Indiana, UNITED STATES$69. 99Bottle$839.88 DozenABV: 40%A blend of Caribbean rums that should appeal to fans of rich, navy-style rum. Many years ago, in the Caribbean Islands, a ship carrying a large quantity of black spiced rum mysteriously disappeared. It is rumored that the ship was attacked by the Kraken, a legendary sea monster known for its deadly tentacles, razor sharp teeth, and insatiable appetite. Even though this story can't be proven, the stories still remain, along with a respectful fear of the sea. The lost barrels of rum were renamed after the Kraken, to both honour and appease him.
Tasting note: 47% ABV is standard for this elsewhere, however the Australian import is a lighter bottling. Pours sienna brown with copper edges and offers aromas of chico lollies, creamy soda, subdued vanilla and caramel with the spices otherwise indiscernible. Medium weighted and broad in the mouth with moderate sweetness including flavours of chico lollies, dilute maple syrup and creamy soda. Pleasant spicy warmth to finish. Not overtly spiced in the traditional sense. It would be more compelling at a higher proof. Easy drinking. 40% Alc./Vol.
- 2012 The Whisky Jury HD Single Cask 10 Year Old Cask Strength Jamaica Rum (700ml)JAMAICA$299. 00Bottle$3588.00 DozenABV: 58.4%
The 58th release from the renowned Belgian bottler sees a collaboration with the prestigious Jamaican rum producer, Hampden. Founded by a Scotsman named Archibald Sterling, the distillery hit troubled waters until the Jamaican government stepped in at the beginning of this century and then sold it on. It's quickly re-established itself as a Caribbean benchmark. Distilled in 2012 and bottled in 2023, this edition is described as a lower ester expression. 58.4% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.
- 1998 The Whisky Jury Bellevue Single Cask 24 Year Old Cask Strength Guadeloupe Rum (700ml)GUADELOUPE$450. 00Bottle$5400.00 DozenABV: 54.4%
Other reviews... There's a wee flag with fleur-de-lis on the label, what's that, Quebec? Remember there's a Bellevue in Guadeloupe and a Bellevue on Marie-Galante, while Marie-Galante is administratively part of Guadeloupe. Did you get it all? Colour: deep gold. Nose: kerosene and olive oil, plus brake pad dust and dried mackerels, that's what I'm getting. Also black-olive focaccia. It's true that Bellevue can get pretty extreme. With water: stunning heady flowers, wisteria, jasmine, honeysuckle… Plus this feeling of having just opened the Kardashians' own family-pack of liquorice allsorts. Mouth (neat): totally grand Bellevue, full of menthol, liquorice, salt, rotting bananas, acetone and varnish. What does the people want? With water: more, much more salty liquorice, Scandinavian-style. Finish: very long, salty and full of liquorice, with some kind of smoke in the aftertaste. Juniper wood? Also blood oranges and pineapples. Comments: sure this wee Bellevue doesn't go in for subtleties, but should you be a member of the Liquorice Maniacs, you'll just need this bottle. Love it while frankly, those 24 years don't really feel. Hurray. 90 points - whiskyfun.com
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2001 The Whisky Jury SPD Single Cask 20 Year Old Cask Strength Fiji Rum (700ml)FIJI$350. 00Bottle$4200.00 DozenABV: 55.2%As diverse as the descriptors sound, Serge Valentin from whiskyfun pretty much nails the notes found in this freaky Fijian that draws comparisons with high ester Jamaicans. Big on complexity, balance and tropical verve, it is a spirit that consolidates Fiji's place on the rum map. Our tasting was limited to a 15ml sample. Full review from Serge below.
Other reviews... We've tried an excellent one the other day, by The Rum Cask in Germany. Jamaica in the Pacific! Colour: gold. Nose: olives, anchovies, tar, seawater, new rubber, hand cream, a little 'good' soap. Superb. With water: soap gone, enter liquorice wood and engine grease. And more anchovies. Mouth (neat): textbook Jamaican. I mean, Fijian. Sublime bananas and pineapples, on top of tar, rubber, olives and sardines (perhaps, not too sure about those sardines). Stunning rum in any case. With water: fruity like an early-1960s Laphroaig. Finish: pink grapefruits all over the place, with an admirable salty aftertaste. Comments: Fiji amongst the best of the best. Have we ever heard them brag? 91 points - whiskyfun.com
- 1995 The Whisky Jury Clarendon MM Single Cask 25 Year Old Cask Strength Jamaica Rum (700ml)JAMAICA$550. 00Bottle$6600.00 DozenABV: 61.3%
Described by the bottlers as "A tropical fruit bomb", this limited edition was a run of 270 bottles from an American oak cask at 61.3% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Jamaica's Clarendon Distillery (est.1949 and initially owned by the Monymusk Sugar Factory) is a large plant, home to about 5-6 column still marques and about 20 pot still marques. Amongst these is Monymusk, named after one of the oldest sugar cane plantations in Jamaica, located in Lionel Town, Clarendon. To confuse matters, there's also a brand called 'Monymusk', but that has only been around since 2012. The historical connection remains, as Clarendon is located on six acres in the Monymusk Estate. About 90% of the total output goes to Diageo's Captain Morgan and Myers brands, which in total accounts for about 60% of all Jamaican bulk rum exports. In short, Clarendon is a hybrid set up - on the one hand churning out industrial column still distillate for global brands, while on the other creating various esoteric and highly-regarded light and heavy ester pot-distilled rums. The count should be around 270 gr/hpa for this marque. Reviews have praised its profile, boasting notes of tropical fruit, liquorice and menthol.
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Turquoise Bay Amber Rum (700ml)MAURITIUS$89. 99Bottle$1079.88 DozenABV: 40%Mauritius is home to six distilleries and remains one of the few countries to offer both traditional and agricole style rums, dark, light and spiced, the latter usually infused with the island's abundant crops. Turquoise Bay is unusual, having been produced from molasses, however, a dash of Agricole rum is added for freshness. The final result is finished in x Cognac barrels. Tasting note: Bright polished copper colour. Sweet scents of raw sugar, molasses, caramelised peach and light cinnamon. An elegant, silky, middle-weight rum with flavours of pineapple pudding, dilute golden syrup, liquorice bullets and sweet spice. Ends nicely balanced, medium dry and deceptively long. Sleek, feminine and very appealing. 40% Alc./Vol. -
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2011 Watt Whisky MDB2M 12 Year Old Cask Strength Guyana Rum (700ml)GUYANA$199. 99Bottle$2399.88 DozenABV: 57.1%Diamond is the only remaining rum distillery in Guyana, so this is from the same operation that makes the fabulous El Dorado range (amongst others). The barrel in question spent five years ageing in the tropics followed by seven years on the continent. We'd hazard to guess that the mix is majority pot still rums. Overripe tropical fruits melt into milk chocolate, liquorice bullets and molasses cake with grassy, caney notes adding appropriate freshness to the finish. Allow five minutes of air contact and this keeps on giving. The fact that it's unsweetened and carries high alcohol so effortlessly makes this seductive, integrated and perfectly balanced expression an epitome of elegance in the Guyanese category. 264 bottles from an x-whisky barrel. 57.1% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Notes from the bottlers... Thick and oily with aniseed, cloves, peppermint and green olives.
- Zuidam Flying Dutchman Dark Rum (700ml)NETHERLANDS$84. 99Bottle$1019.88 DozenABV: 40%The Flying Dutchman rum is the very first rum ever to be distilled on mainland Europe and adds to the incredible range of products on offer from this family distiller. Produced from sugar cane molasses, the spirit is aged for a minimum of 36 months in three different types of barrels: new American oak, first fill Oloroso Sherry casks and first fill Pedro Ximinez casks. 40% Alc./Vol.
- Ron Matusalem Solera 7 Rum (700ml)Santiago, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC$74. 99Bottle$899.88 DozenABV: 40%The Matusalem Rum company was started by the Camp brothers in 1872 as a family affair. The 'new' Cuban rum rapidly caught on in the world's markets. In the early 1940's the company experienced a period of tremendous growth and by the 1950s it had already captured 50% of the Cuban market, making it the leading rum sold in Cuba. Today, descendants of the founders produce Ron Matusalem in the Dominican Republic. Solera 7 is a new addition to the range, produced from molasses and drawn from the company's Solera system. Expect a fruity, medium bodied rum with plenty of sweet spice flavours. The brand “Matusalem” was named after the Biblical Patriarch, Methuselah who was said to have lived for 969 years, so symbolising the patient ageing and old world craftsmanship used to give Ron Matusalem Rum its exceptional flavour. 40% Alc./Vol.
- 2017 Habitation Velier Mhoba South Africa Pure Single Cask Strength Rum (700ml)SOUTH AFRICA$230. 00Bottle$2760.00 DozenABV: 64.6%
Something very unusual for rum lovers here. For those new to the series, the Habitation Velier selections represent the world’s only range of Pure Single Rums (think of them as the rum equivalent of single malt whiskies) - in other words, rums from a single distillery, distilled exclusively in pot stills. Every one is a reference point for each distillery’s unique pot still. The rums are entirely aged in the tropics, ensuring a natural, accelerated maturation compared to European or 'continental' ageing. The downside is a higher angel's share.
Continueing Velier's vision is this expression from Mhoba in South Africa, the result of a partnership between Luca Gargano and Robert Greaves, the founder of Mhoba. Nestled amongst the rolling hills of the Onderberg district of Mpumalanga, Mhoba harvests the Nkomazi variety of sugar cane from a farm adjacent to the distillery. The cane is hand cut and pressed by an in-house mill. The cane juice (not molasses) is fermented in part by a local baking yeast as well as wild yeasts. Distillation is conducted with a pot still designed by Greaves. The particularity of this still is to favour a maximum reflux in order to develop heavy and particularly aromatic distillates.
Aged for four years in ex-bourbon casks at the distillery in the tropical environment, the share the angels take is over 22%. As usual, Velier have bottled this without reduction, at 64.6% with 246.1 gr/HLPA of esters.
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23rd Street Distillery Signature Rum (700ml)Renmark, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$84. 99Bottle$1019.88 DozenABV: 40%Tasting note: Made from Australian sugar cane, this brass-gold coloured rum offers attractive aromas of raw sugar, date cake, banana bread and a light caney freshness. Medium bodied flavours hinting at molasses, liquorice root and plantain are followed by vanilla fudge, banana confectionary and a sprinkling of spice. Quality first fill ex-Bourbon casks and the Riverland climate make this a dead ringer for a young South American rum. 40% Alc./Vol. -
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Adelaide Hills Distillery Gunnery Spiced White Spirit (700ml)Adelaide Hills, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$84. 99Bottle$1019.88 DozenABV: 40%The intention here was to create a spiced style 'rum' that wasn't simply driven by vanilla sweetness. Gunnery uses pot distilled spirits derived from both sugar cane and molasses, blending Australian native ingredients with traditional rum spices. Botanicals include Riverland orange and lemon aspen, Cinnamon Myrtle, Bush Tomato, Native Pepper Berry, locally Roasted Coffee Beans, Vanilla and Bush Honey. Tasting note: Clear / very pale straw blush. Warming, semi sweet aromas. Vanilla, then fruity dark chocolate (orange / fig), faint peel freshness and muted cinnamon warmth. A silky, semi sweet delivery that repeats the bouquet with a delicious cinnamon flourish. Ends vanilla-heavy, but with enough spice and vibrancy to balance. 40% Alc./Vol. - 2010 Adelphi Diamond Single Cask 13 Year Old Cask Strength Guyana Rum (700ml)GUYANA$230. 00Bottle$2760.00 DozenABV: 61.3%
An all-natural expression from the famous Guyanese producer, The Diamond Distillery, also known as Demerara Distillers Ltd. They're the same company responsible for the stunning El Dorado range. It's believed that this was made using the Port Mourant wooden pot still before maturing in x-Bourbon casks and bottling in 2023 at 61.3% Alc./Vol. The outturn was 241 bottles. Non chill filtered.
- 2007 Adelphi Foursquare Single Cask 15 Year Old Cask Strength Rum (700ml)BARBADOS$250. 00Bottle$3000.00 DozenABV: 61%
If you routinely miss out on Foursquare's annual 'Exceptional cask' releases, you can make up for it here. Foursquare invariably produce fantastic rums but it's Bajan beauties like this that are sought-after by those in the know. The fourth generation venture is headed by Richard Seale, one of the most vocal spokespersons for pure and unadulterated rums in the region. 261 bottles from a single cask make up this all-natural Adelphi selection. 61% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. Very limited stocks.
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2008 Adelphi Clarendon Single Cask 12 Year Old Cask Strength Rum (700ml)JAMAICAReduced from $240.00$199. 99Bottle$2399.88 DozenABV: 56.8%Jamaica's Clarendon Distillery (est.1949 and initially owned by the Monymusk Sugar Factory) is a large plant, home to about 5-6 column still marques and about 20 pot still marques. Amongst these is Monymusk, named after one of the oldest sugar cane plantations in Jamaica, located in Lionel Town, Clarendon. To confuse matters, there's also a brand called 'Monymusk', but that has only been around since 2012. The historical connection remains, as Clarendon is located on six acres in the Monymusk Estate. About 90% of the total output goes to Diageo's Captain Morgan and Myers brands, which in total accounts for about 60% of all Jamaican bulk rum exports. In short, Clarendon is a hybrid set up - on the one hand churning out industrial column still distillate for global brands, while on the other creating various esoteric and highly-regarded light and heavy ester pot-distilled rums. Obviously, this selection falls into the latter category. Although Adelphi aren't giving much away, it's rumoured that this was fully matured in a refill Madeira cask. At a potent 56.8%, it promises to deliver an all-natural and truly evocative Jamaican experience. From a run of 402 bottles.
- 2000 Adelphi Hampden Single Cask 15 Year Old Cask Strength Rum (700ml)JAMAICA$220. 00Bottle$2640.00 DozenABV: 54.3%Like other independent bottlers, Adelphi are branching out to aged spirits categories besides whisky.
Built in 1750 and sought after for its powerful, estery, pot-distilled spirit, the Hampden estate is renowned for possessing the best cane lands in Jamaica producing the highest tonne sugar from tonne cane milled. This indie edition was bottled at 54.3% Alc./Vol. with an outturn of 346 bottles from cask JM1. Notes from Adelphi... Deep amber in hue; little beading. American oak. Banana bread, caramel toffees, with a vegetal (artichoke, linseed oil) base surrounded by tropical floral scents. The taste is sweet and fragrant, with burnt sugar, and pop-corn in the aftertaste. A drop of water increases the caramel and oiliness, with tropical fruit juice and a rummy aftertaste. -
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Admiral Rodney Officer's Release No.1 Port Barrel Finish 14 Year Old Rum (700ml)SAINT LUCIA$170. 00Bottle$2040.00 DozenTasting note: A tribute to Admiral George Brydges Rodney, a British naval officer who distinguished himself in 1782 during the Battle of the Saintes. Officer’s Release No.1 was column distilled in 2006 then tropically aged in ex-bourbon casks for thirteen years before nine-months in ex-port casks. Deep copper in colour, the aroma opens with hints of balsamic and spent Bourbon barrels, followed by richer notes of rum infused fruit cake, dried coconut and port soaked pipe tobacco. Soft, with semi-sweet flavours of plum pudding giving way to wood spice and drying tannins. Spiced plum, vanilla and caramel recover the sugars through the aftertaste. 45% Alc./Vol. 4200 bottles. - Admiral Rodney Officer's Release No.2 Irish Whiskey Barrel Finish 12 Year Old Rum (700ml)SAINT LUCIA$155. 00Bottle$1860.00 DozenABV: 45%The second entry in Admiral Rodney's Officer's Release series was distilled in 2009 and finished in ex-Irish whiskey casks for nine months. Expect notes of clove, allspice, baked honey, prunes and rapsberries with a fruity and spicy palate, combining cherry, blackcurrant, sweet chilli and Asian spices. 45% Alc./Vol.
- Agua Luca Cachaca (750ml)BRAZIL$59. 99Bottle$719.88 DozenABV: 38%
Distilled from quality, hand cut sugar cane within 24 hours of harvest and filtered 12 times.
Other reviews... Sooty/ash-like fragrances are underpinned by cane and creosote base aromas. The palate entry is zesty, semisweet, herbal and tar-like; the midpalate taste offers deeply herbal/vegetal flavors of vegetation, textile and light smoke. Ends up off-dry and piquant. 38% Alc./Vol. 85-89 points - www.wineenthusiast.com.ausize>
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Amrut Two Indies Rum (700ml)INDIA$69. 99Bottle$839.88 DozenABV: 42.8%This is a premium release for Amrut, blended with column and pot-distilled Caribbean and Indian rums, the latter made from Indian jaggery (an unrefined natural sweetener made by evaporating sugar cane juice that tastes like a cross between spicy molasses and buttery caramel). It comes labelled as a tribute to farmers of the two rum cultures – West Indies (Barbados, Guyana & Jamaica) and the East Indies. Tasting note: Deep amber gold. Bold, fruity aromas of dates and brandy sauce, cinnamon, clove and vanilla with a touch of paprika heat. Light entry builds medium-bodied flavours of caramel, vanilla and fruit cake; tannin and pepper warmth thinning out the finish. No artificial flavours. 42.8% Alc./Vol. Other reviews... 92 points Highly recommended, Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2014 -
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Amrut Old Port Rum (700ml)INDIA$59. 99Bottle$719.88 DozenABV: 40%A rum from Amrut Distillery in India, otherwise known for their world-class whiskies. Made using 100% Indian cane sugar. Tasting note: Deep amber gold. Slightly sweeter and richer than Amrut’s “Two Indies” with hints of stewed plum and raisin through the caramels. Supple, well rounded, medium bodied and vanilla-heavy; gentle heat livens the finish, fading on a molasses note. Straightforward mixer. 40% Alc./Vol. Other reviews... Sweet Vanilla aromas and flavours of pistachio brittle and spices; Silky dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body and a long, crystallized ginger, nutmeg and bubblegum spice accented finish.
90 points - Beverage Testing Institute Chicago. -
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Angostura 1787 15 Year Old Rum (700ml)TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO$150. 00Bottle$1800.00 DozenABV: 40%In 1776, Trinidad finally opened its shores to the French planters of the Eastern Caribbean islands. It was the beginning of the transformation of Trinidad from a Spanish backwater to the newest sugar plantation frontier. Angostura celebrates this landmark period when Trinidad’s very first sugar mill was established at the Lapeyrouse Estate. It marked the island's inevitable climb to the heights of rum production. 40% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... Very fruity and quite sweet with vanilla fudge, passion fruit, warming spice and faint funkiness. 4.5 stars - diffordsguide.com
Notes from the producers... COLOUR: Rich mahogany with bronze highlights. NOSE: A sweet bouquet of banana, dried fruit and oak with top notes of apples. TASTE: Well balanced, a medium bodied palate with hints of dried prunes and sweet rounded oak notes entwined with toffee nuances. FINISH: Long and crisp.
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Angostura 1824 12 Year Old Rum (700ml)TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 40%This rum from Trinidad is produced by the same company that manufactures Angostura aromatic bitters that originated in Angostura, Venezuela over 170 years ago. Angostura 1824 celebrates the tradition of excellence established by the house of Angostura almost two centuries ago. The rum is hand casked, hand blended and hand bottled after twelve years of maturation in high toast oak barrels. This is an extremely smooth yet rich spirit and a departure from the lighter rums Angostura is known for.
Tasting note: Bright copper colour with a pale copper hue. The multi layered nose reveals top notes of pistachio nuts, vanilla and spice, then more profound, heavier scents of stewed stone fruits, creme-caramel and a whiff of brandy sauce. A sumptuous palate delivers a combination of banana cake, vanilla / chocolate fudge and all spice, refreshed by some orange zest and pine notes. Superb balance and mouthfeel. Very long aftertaste of vanilla bean, raisins and spice. A powerful yet elegant Angostura expression. 40% Alc./Vol.
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- Clairin Ansyen Le Rocher Oaked Aged (700ml)HAITI$135. 00Bottle$1620.00 DozenABV: 47.7%This is the first aged Clairin to be released from Le Rocher distillery. Each batch is selected by one of the most influential bars on the planet (as noted on the front labels). It spent twenty one months in x-whisky barrels. Luca Gargano explains, “In our absolutely natural warehouse, built only with stone, wood and earth, we began to age Clairins. In October 2017 we took the Velier Stirrers, accompanied be me, Daniele Biondi and Lidwine Maro, and we got them to taste the Clairins from all the barrels in our stock; each of them chose his favourite”. Very limited stocks. 47.7% Alc./Vol.
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Appleton Estate White Rum (750ml)JAMAICA$59. 99Bottle$719.88 DozenABV: 40%Apart from a range of fabulous gold and dark rums, Appleton also offer an affordable white version composed of 1-4 year old molasses based distillates. Spirits from both pot and column still are used, with the final blend charcoal filtered for a clear appearance. It's described as "light and elegant, but with an almost creamy mouthfeel" by diffordsguide.com. 40% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... Caribbean fruit such as pineapple and papaya combine with powdered sugar to give a fresh, clean nose. In the mouth there is a fair amount of weight and a touch of vanilla leading to a great, dry finish. Excellent, Highly Recommended. 91 points - 2016 Ultimate Spirits Challenge
...A decent rum for the money, especially for the price/class. Most of the rum under this price will make you feel like you went blind sometime during the night – or wished you had - this is not one of them. One of the better economy white rums. Honest, straightforward, and better than Bacardi, for less money. A solid choice for a white rum. - spiritsreview.com
"This rum is fairly alcoholic tasting and a bit hot, with some chocolatey, coffee and fruity (mostly banana and coconut) flavors trying to punch their way to the surface. Herbal and tart notes of sage, rosemary and lime zest come through with syrupy sugar flavors. It's not meant to be a neat sipper anyway, but it could certainly hold its own in a mixed cocktail or rum and Coke." 78 points - distiller.com
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Appleton Estate 30 Year Old Rum (750ml)JAMAICA$799. 00Bottle$9588.00 DozenABV: 45%First launched in 2009, now is a good time to indulge in this Jamaican legend. It's only the second of its kind to be released in the distillery's 269 year history. Including liquid aged for more than 50 years, Master distiller, Joy Spence describes it as "one of my favourite rums" - a significant statement for an industry veteran of over twenty years. With a complex profile of vanilla, toasted oak, ginger, cinnamon and a smooth, long, spiced honey finish, it's guaranteed to impress serious rum aficionados. The age statement alone is staggering. Given the tropical maturation, Appleton started with 26 barrels and ended with just 13 due to the extreme evaporation rate. From those thirteen barrels just 4000 bottles have been released globally. Nothing has been added to the rum. Beautifully presented with a heavy 'decanter' style bottle and decorated stopper, we have less than a handful on offer. Other reviews... 5 Stars - diffordsguide.com ...On the nose there is orchard blossoms, golden apples stewed with maple, cinnamon, ginger, cedar and candied orange zest delicately buttressed by vanilla. The palate is much lighter than you may expect from the nosing, but the flavors are intricate iterations of the aromas— presented with flowers, oxidized fruit, dark wood tones, voluptuous baking spices and creamy caramel/vanilla. The finish clings, showing molasses, maple, soft spice and sumptuous oak nuances. 96 points - distiller.com Note: due to the long ageing, the liquid may contain some naturally occurring particles. This is not a production fault. -
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Appleton Estate 21 Year Old Rum (700ml)JAMAICA$230. 00Bottle$2760.00 DozenABV: 43%Now discontinued and superseded by the 'Nassau Valley Casks 21YO'.
Future shipments are not guaranteed.
While rum in general makes for a fantastic cocktail spirit, extra-old expressions like this really need to be appreciated straight. Master Blender, Joy Spence walks a tightrope with the 21 YO - the trick is adding extra layers of sensory excitement at the risk of becoming overly oaked, while at the same time, retaining some of the youthful, estery sweetness and vibrancy that's Appleton's house style. This gets the balance close to perfect. It's no wonder it was “Spirit of the Year” at the World Spirit Awards back in 2011. Just 12,000 bottles of this rare rum are produced annually, and Australia receives a special share in recognition of the growing group of consumers who have been passionately enjoying the aged blends of the Appleton Estate since the brand launched here in 2004.
Rooted in traditions that go past the American Revolution, not much has changed at Appleton since the 18th century: water is still sourced from a spring on the estate, small batch pot distillation remains the norm, done on-site using a proprietary yeast strain propagated from the estate-grown cane. The estate's versatile blends have been quietly changing the perception of rum, with homes and bars across the country embracing the rum renaissance. This bottling ups the ante to yet another level of sophistication that demands your attention, and at a price that's impossible to resist.
Tasting note: Perfectly polished copper colour dazzles in the glass. Whiffs of shellac, resin and orange zest in the opening pass, evolving aromas of hazelnut / pistachio, walnut slice, raw sugar, extra-aged muscat and cocoa. 3-4 minutes exposure accents clove, vanilla bean and draws out hints of wine-soaked pears. Outstanding. Two decades in barrel sees the sugars reigned in with spicy oak overlaying flavours of raisins, dates, light molasses; finishes drier than the mid palate stage with threads of muscat wine, rancio and all-spice woven through the aftertaste. Remarkable persistence. References to top shelf Armagnac. A very special bottling from a timeless distillery and one of the great age-statements in Jamaican Rum. 43% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... This gorgeous copper-hued rum seems to shift flavors with every sip, encouraging contemplation. It starts with dry notes of espresso and bittersweet chocolate, then morphs into dark, mouthwatering brown sugar, toffee and clove, before easing into a spiced finish reminiscent of chai tea with a hint of white peach. 98 points - wineenthusiast.com
...The bouquet is floral, bean-like and pleasantly nutty. The palate entry is acutely astringent; the midpalate is baked nut-like with bitter tastes of oak and molasses. The aftertaste is long, desert-dry, sugary and sap-like. Not as overly woody as many old rums are; delicious in an old-guard style. 43% Alc./Vol.
90-95 points. - winespectator.comDouble Gold Medal and honored as both “Best in Category” and “Spirit of the Year” at the 2011 World Spirit Awards.
Carribbean Class.
Besides whisky - possibly the only other wood-aged spirit capable of arousing the same passions comes from ‘the reed which brings forth honey’ (without the help of bees)– mainly because it’s capable of a similar dizzying complexity and diversity that whisky achieves. Rums are as diverse as whiskies, and much depends on how the distiller and blender create their product. Rum is also thought to be the world's oldest spirit with its cultural heritage centered in the Caribbean and its history inextricably intertwined with colonialism, slavery and the creation of capitalism. If you haven't been inspired to try the aged rums of the Caribbean then you’ve got a lot to look forward to. This applies not only to those who’ve never moved beyond Bundaberg and Coke since high school, but more so to those who are serious about wine, whisky and brandy - in short, those of us who are passionate about ‘flavour’. The Biggest Selection of Rums online in Australia. Quality Caribbean rum has as many permutations of aromas, tastes, textures and strengths as any group of wines or spirits. We now have access to many small and large producers who are vying for attention and the very reasonable prices mean rum is not just a passing fad. Aside from the familiar Caribbean island groups, more and more people are becoming aware of a ‘mainland’ rum tradition. Think Nicaragua, Gautemala, Panama or Venezuela. Then there's the rare Rum Agricoles, as well as emerging Australian Rum producers too! Buy Rum online and get it shipped to your door. You can probably tell we're a little 'rum mad'. In fact, Nicks Wine Merchants stock the biggest selection of Rum online in Australia. We also taste and rate many of the rums before you do, meaning we help take the guesswork out of your online purchase. Call us today on 1800 069 295 should you have any questions about our collection, or you can learn more about rum here.