Rum & Cachaca

• 1996 Caroni 23 Year Old 'The Last' Full Proof Heavy Trinidad Rum (700ml)

  TRINIDAD

  $650. 00

  Bottle

  $7800.00 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 61.9%

  In 2004, professional rum chaser Luca Gargano discovered a warehouse filled with barrels of Caroni's legendary heavy-ester rum. Since then, the last remaining stocks have been slowly released to global markets. This 39th bottling marks the culmination of Gargano's series, and the final Caroni from Velier. Distilled in 1996 and aged in Trinidad until 2008, then at Demerara Distillers Ltd in Guyana until 2019, the end compostion was made up from 24 barrels. 5522 bottles are on offer world wide. Australia has received a tiny allocation. Once these are gone, they're gone forever.

  Established on the site of the sugar factory for which it was named, Caroni was famously a key ingredient of British Navy rations. Its famous 'Heavy' rums help to make up the signature flavour. Sadly, with the decline of the local sugar industry, distillers became more dependent upon imported molasses, making distilling less economical. In 2001 the Trinidadian government sold a 49% share in the holding company to Angostura, then in 2003 Caroni was finally closed forever. 61.9% Alc./Vol.

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• • 94

  1998 Caroni 104 Proof 15 Year Old Rum (700ml)

  TRINIDAD

  $189. 99

  Bottle

  $2279.88 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 52%

  Tasting note: Brilliant brassy gold colour. Reticent at first, with shellac dominant; coaxing the aromas teases out ever-richer inhalations of dried banana, orange cake, brown sugar and cocoa; allow this 5 minutes to wake up. Fabulous purity with a gently bittersweet entry following through to a silky, rich and vibrant mid palate with dried banana, golden syrup and cocoa flavours and a peppery, grassy, fresh, energetic finish. Balance and staying power is one of the hallmarks of Caroni's full strength expressions. This bottling doesn't disappoint. 52% Alc./Vol.

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• • 95

  Caroni 110 Proof 17 Year Old Rum (700ml)

  TRINIDAD

  $199. 00

  Bottle

  $2388.00 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 55%

  On offer is a tiny allocation of extra aged, high proof rum from this long closed Trinidad distillery.
  While the Caribbean has a long history of rum, a significant part of this history has been irretrievably lost. Trinidad once boasted more than 50 distilleries. The number dwindled to eight by the 1950s and now only Angostura remains. The decline was mostly due to the demise of the local sugar industry (Trinidad now imports molasses for rum production).

  This increasingly rare bottling represents a small part of that era.
  The Caroni Estate Distillery (est. 1918), closed in 2003 and is now sadly, demolished. It was built on the site of an old sugar factory and for a period supplied rums to the British Navy. At the time, there were some eight to ten other sugar factories operating, each producing different types (and qualities) of rums, bought up by merchants and sold to rum shops all over the island.

  Caroni gradually increased the quality of its distilling process, moving on from its original cast iron still to a wooden coffey still, until 1945 when they acquired a copper still which was followed by a single column in 1957 and then a four column Gerb Herman still in 1980. Rums from the estate gained a reputation for being particularly flavoursome.

  After the 2003 closure, some Caroni casks made their way back to the U.K. We're pleased to be able to offer an allocation of what is unquestionably a true collector's and connoisseur's delight. Once these are gone, they're gone forever. This bottling, distilled in 1998 was matured for 15 years on the island with a loss of around 80% to evaporation. It was finally bottled in Scotland in 2015. We have secured a very small allocation.

  Tasting note: Deep brassy gold. Mild shellac blows off to reveal luxurious aromas of dried banana / mango, vanilla bean and milk chocolate. 2-3 minutes in the glass emphasises honey cornflake crackles, with hints of boiled confectionary and cut grass-like freshness. Concentrated, medium sweet delivery; Entry is lean and oak driven, filling out with a creamy vanilla, sponge cake and raw sugar profile; concludes delicately bittersweet, tingly, peppery with raw sugar and dried banana reverberating in the aftertaste. Deceptively long. A rare treat indeed! 55% Alc./Vol.

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• • 96

  2000 Caroni 100 Proof 12 Year Old Rum (700ml)

  TRINIDAD

  $140. 00

  Bottle

  $1680.00 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 50%

  All that's left of the Caroni Estate Distillery, a small piece of liquid Caribbean history.

   

  While the Caribbean has a long history of rum, a significant part of this history has been irretrievably lost.

  Trinidad once boasted more than 50 distilleries. The number dwindled to eight by the 1950s and now only Angostura remains. The decline was mostly due to the demise of the local sugar industry (Trinidad now imports molasses for rum production).

  This increasingly rare bottling represents a small part of that era. The Caroni Estate Distillery (est. 1918), closed in 2003 and is now sadly, demolished. It was built on the site of an old sugar factory and for a period supplied rums to the British Navy. At the time, there were some eight to ten other sugar factories operating, each producing different types (and qualities) of rums, bought up by merchants and sold to rum shops all over the island.

  Caroni gradually increased the quality of its distilling process, moving on from its original cast iron still to a wooden coffey still, until 1945 when they acquired a copper still which was followed by a single column in 1957 and then a four column Gerb Herman still in 1980. Rums from the estate gained a reputation for being particularly flavoursome. After the 2003 closure, some Caroni casks made their way back to the U.K. We're pleased to be able to offer an allocation of what is unquestionably a true collector's and connoisseur's delight. Once these are gone, they're gone forever.
  

  Tasting note: Brassy gold. Intense opening aromas of cup cake, golden syrup and liquorice bullets. Several minutes in the glass accents haystack, peppermint rock lolly and vanilla slice. Dryish, mildly bittersweet entry slowly unfolds across the tongue; mid palate builds in concentration and oily texture; creamier to finish with a sugary yet fresh cascade of citrus lozenge, cut grass, lemon tart and dried banana. Great length. Amazingly well controlled. Concludes elegant and prolonged. Serious rum. The label harks back to a traditional 1940s design.50% Alc./Vol.

  Other reviews... 4.5 Stars - www.diffordsguide.com

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• • 95

  1996 Caroni Extra Strong 21 Year Old Cask Strength Rum (700ml)

  TRINIDAD

  $350. 00

  Bottle

  $4200.00 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 57.18%

  While the Caribbean has a long history of rum, a significant part of this history has been irretrievably lost. Trinidad once boasted more than 50 distilleries. The number dwindled to eight by the 1950s and now only Angostura remains. The decline was mostly due to the demise of the local sugar industry (Trinidad now imports molasses for rum production).
  This increasingly rare bottling represents a small part of that era.

  The Caroni Estate Distillery (est. 1918), closed in 2003 and is now sadly, demolished. It was built on the site of an old sugar factory and for a period supplied rums to the British Navy. At the time, there were some eight to ten other sugar factories operating, each producing different types (and qualities) of rums, bought up by merchants and sold to rum shops all over the island.

  Caroni gradually increased the quality of its distilling process, moving on from its original cast iron still to a wooden coffey still, until 1945 when they acquired a copper still which was followed by a single column in 1957 and then a four column Gerb Herman still in 1980. Rums from the estate gained a reputation for being particularly flavoursome.

  After the 2003 closure, some Caroni casks made their way back to the U.K. We're pleased to be able to offer an allocation of what is unquestionably a true collector's and connoisseur's delight. Once these are gone, they're gone forever. It's also one of the oldest Caroni's to hit our shelves, bottled at natural strength.

  Tasting note: Polished copper. Wafts of alcohol give way to profound aromas of vanilla bean, raw sugar, molasses and sticky date. The massive attack manages to balance all of the above in a slow-motion cascade, the sugars weaving in and out of the encroaching oak in a sustained, bittersweet sensation. Another side of Caroni, demonstrating just how well its rums can age. 57.18% Alc./Vol.

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• Chairman's Reserve Legacy Rum (700ml)

  SAINT LUCIA

  $105. 00

  Bottle

  $1260.00 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 43%

  Saint Lucia Distillers (SLD) have been busy with new releases, and the latest installment is this tropically aged, 5-6 year old molasses-based rum labelled 'Legacy'. Rums from both the John Dore and Vendome Pot Stills and the Coffey Column Still are employed. If you're a bit of a rum maven, the exact breakdown is as follows: John Dore 2 -7.5 years old (16%); Pot Still Vendome 7 years old (4%); Coffey Column Still RR104 marque 5.5 years old (72%), plus a final addition of Pot Still John Dore 2-5 year old rums distilled from sugar cane juice (8%). The percentages represent their contribution to the overall blend. All the components were aged in ex-bourbon barrels.

  The addition of a little sugarcane juice distillate was a tradition of Laurie Barnard's since his first cane harvest from the plantation that he established around the distillery. That was also in order to isolate the signature proprietary yeast that Chairman’s Reserve is now famous for. It's an appropriate touch, given that 'Legacy' is a tribute to Barnard, the “Chairman” who created the iconic brand. He was known as an early innovator. While other distilleries were purchasing column stills to increase production, Barnard was investing in eclectic barrel types, small pot stills, a proprietary yeast strain and sugarcane. Legacy has been well recieved in the rum community and is considered one of the better values in SLD's portfolio.

  Other reviews... On the sip, it is reminiscent of Chairman’s Reserve Original but it has an extra layer of refinement and complexity. The entry has a spicy, slightly grassy/floral note which again reminds me of pine cones and a touch of pot pourri. The vanilla comes through afterward taking you through to a mid palate which has a note of spearmint. It’s very fresh with a spicy hit of oak and some tobacco notes. The fruity notes come more in the way of coconut and some banana. Baking spices and notes of sweet shortcrust pastry.... This is amazing value for money as an everyday sipper and a fantastic introduction to Saint Lucia Distillers output. I think Laurie Barnard would have absolutely loved this rum. I dare say you might quite like it as well. At this price and value for money it’s a real no-brainer for me. 4.5 stars - thefatrumpirate.com

  ...It’s a quite dry rum, a touch peppery on the nose, with a clear hogo edge and ample notes of dried tropical fruits. Some brown banana and a bit of spice make their presence known in time. The palate finds an enduring dryness interrupted modestly by notes of apple, brown sugar, and gingerbread. It isn’t until the finish where a light sweetness finally makes its presence felt, evoking banana bread and a spray of baking spices. Legacy may lack the effusive depth of, say, Chairman’s Forgotten Casks bottling, but it’s a solid, mixable, old-school rum no matter which way you look at it. - drinkhacker.com

  Notes from the producers... Mahogany hue in the glass. Pineapple, banana, and vanilla on the nose. Intense grilled tropical fruit and spice on the palate persist throughout a long wonderful finish.

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• • 95

  • ABV may vary

  Clairin Sonson (700ml)

  HAITI

  $119. 99

  Bottle

  $1439.88 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 51.1%

  This is the fifth single estate Clairin to be released under Velier’s “Spirit of Haiti” label. 'Sonson' is named after Stephan Kalil Saoud's distillery in the village of Cabaret. Here Clairin is produced using a single traditional open fired pot still and an indigenous sugar cane variety called 'Madame Meuze'. Bottled a natural proof, the nose is unlike any other rum: intense, sweet-yet-saline with white pepper and a grassy / tropical fruit accent that continues to evolve. Reminiscent of high-grade blanco tequila, but more like young agricole. Flavours of plantain, papaya seed, dill pickle, brine and struck match. A vivid and potent cross-genre spirit that almost defies descriptors. Fabulous! [2018 vintage 53.2% Alc./Vol. tasted]

  Other reviews... Clairin Sonson is equally at home in drinks that call for unaged agricole or Cachaca – it works great in a Ti Punch and it doesn’t make a bad Daiquiri either. In terms of flavour this is my favourite Clairin thus far and aside from the finish it’s really quite excellent when you consider the rustic nature of how it is produced. Well worth seeking out. - thefatrumpirate.com

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• • 96

  • Limit One per customer
  • ABV may vary

  Clairin Le Rocher (700ml)

  HAITI

  $119. 99

  Bottle

  $1439.88 Dozen

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  ABV: 47.2%

  Haiti is experiencing a rum renaissance, evidenced by the fact there are around 50 running distilleries in the rest of the Caribbean and no less than 532 in Haiti alone. Small craft operations are scattered throughout the country. Species of un-hybridised sugar cane, chemical-free farming, spontaneous fermentation with no yeasts, and archaic unfiltered distillations are common practice. Le Rocher is the latest Clairin from Romulus Bethel's distillery located in Pignon. Produced from syrup, rather than pure juice, the syrup is boiled in order to preserve all the aromas while retaining the character of three varieties of cane. A single pot still rum, this is bottled at ‘still proof’. The bouquet evokes candied pineapple, fruit pastries, toasted marshmallow with air contact adding grassy / caney scents and more. White rum meets blanco mezcal, with a seemingly impossible combination of smokey, citrusy, sappy, briney, fruity, fusel flavours that almost defies description. Exceptional. [2017 vintage 46.5% Alc./Vol. tasted]

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• • 95

  Clairin Communal Blend (700ml)

  HAITI

  $89. 99

  Bottle

  $1079.88 Dozen

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  ABV: 43%

  If you can't decide which Clairin to choose, 'Communal' resolves that with a blend of four Clairins: Sajous, Vaval, Casimir and Le Rochers. Pungent, fruity-yet-fresh openings turning briney, caney, grassy, evolving white pepper, candle wax and plantain-like scents over 2-3 minutes of swirling… Silky yet concentrated. Off-dry, bready, waxy, briney flavours are perfectly balanced by an invigorating, vibrant finish hinting at prunes, raisins and late marzipan. Another brilliant Clairin that pretty much clocks the white rum flavour wheel. 43% Alc./Vol.

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• • 95

  • ABV may vary

  Clairin Casimir (700ml)

  HAITI

  $99. 99

  Bottle

  $1199.88 Dozen

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  ABV: 53.3%

  Clairin Casimir from the village of Barraderes uses a heirloom variety of sugar cane called "Hawaii". The fresh cane juice was distilled at the Faubert Casimir distillery before being bottled at natural strength.

  Tasting note:[2016 vintage 48.3% Alc./Vol. tasted] Clear. Some fusel / varnish notes before the bouquet evolves an appealing grassy, caney aspect. Brief exposure evokes powerful scents of fruit cake / brine becoming more fresh and grassy after 3-4 minutes in the glass. Full bodied, but nicely poised with off-dry flavours suggesting dill pickle countered by waxy, yeasty notes. Hints of rubber, then gingery warmth and grassy freshness through the aftertaste. Complex, vibrant and delicious white rum.

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• 2017 Clairin World Championship Blend (700ml)

  HAITI

  $99. 99

  Bottle

  $1199.88 Dozen

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  ABV: 46%

  Created from a judicious blend of Clairin Vaval (40%), Clairin Sajous (30%), Clairin Le Rocher (20%) and Clairin Casimir (10%), produced in collaboration with Luca Gargano and eight international bartenders. 46% Alc./Vol.

  Haiti is experiencing a rum renaissance, evidenced by the fact there are around 50 running distilleries in the entire Caribbean and no less than 532 in Haiti alone. Small craft operations are scattered throughout the country. Species of un-hybridised sugar cane, chemical-free farming, spontaneous fermentation with no yeasts, and archaic unfiltered distillations are common practice.

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• Clairin Ansyen Communal Oaked Aged (700ml)

  HAITI

  $120. 00

  Bottle

  $1440.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 49.3%

  Clairin is better known in its un-aged form. This follow up from last year's 'Communal' bottling changes that. Blended from Velier's partners (Sajous, Vaval, Casimir and Le Rochers), it was matured for approximately two years in ex-rum casks from Bielle, Caroni and Mount Gay, as well as ex-whisky casks from Benriach, Widow Jane and Buffalo Trace distillieries. Bottled in Haiti for La Maison du Whisky, the result is fruity, floral, spicy, herbaceous and honeyed, so typically complex. 49.3% Alc./Vol. Very limited stocks.

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• • 96

  • Limit One per customer
  • ABV may vary

  Clairin Sajous (700ml)

  HAITI

  $119. 99

  Bottle

  $1439.88 Dozen

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  ABV: 56.5%

  Clairin Sajous is from the village of Saint Michel De L'Attalaye. Third generation member of the family Sajous, Michel Sajous built the small distillery in 2004, located in the middle of a 30 hectare plantation growing different varieties of sugar cane among which is the rediscovered Cristalline. The cane is harvested and then transported to be distilled at the Chelo distillery under the direction of Michel. Diverse yet surprisingly agreeable aromas are moderately caney, raw sugar-like then briney with yeasty scents evoking sour dough and fruit bread. Further air contact turns this grassy-sweet, finally leaning towards toasted marshmallow and beeswax. Amply spicy attack is oily, juicy, semi-sweet with a thrust of warming spirit and flavours of marzipan, dried herbs and white pepper. Ends salty, delectable, super long. Easily the most complex and remarkable white rum we've tasted to date. [2016 vintage 54.3% Alc./Vol. tasted]

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• • 95

  • ABV may vary

  Clairin Vaval (700ml)

  HAITI

  $119. 99

  Bottle

  $1439.88 Dozen

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  ABV: 49.3%

  From the village of Cavaillon, three hours drive from Port au Prince. Heirloom sugar cane called "Madame Meuze" is the focus, the cane juice distilled at the Arawaks distillery under the direction of Fritz Vaval. Founded after the war by Fritz’s father, the estate possesses 20 hectares of cane grown without fertilizers or artificial pesticides. In the glass the rum appears clear with thick legs; It's very pure on the nose with a whiff of herbal freshness and a lovely yeasty / bready / grassy character, air contact adding hints of varnish, pickle, brine, icing sugar, dilute molasses. Exceptionally soft, medium-bodied, dry and fresh with a herbal-bready entry, you also get sweet pickle flavours, brine and developing oiliness but it winds up bone dry, minerally, yeasty with anise / dill freshness lingering. Great stuff. Natural strength. [2016 vintage 48.8% Alc./Vol. tasted].

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• Clement Premiere Canne Rhum Blanc Agricole Rum (700ml)

  MARTINIQUE

  $69. 99

  Bottle

  $839.88 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 40%

  Martinique has long had the reputation of having the best terroir for sugarcane cultivation, long before Homère Clément had the idea to press sugarcane to produce 'Rhum Agricole'. Inspired by the enjoyment of great brandies while studying in his early years in Paris, Homère mimicked the distillers of the great Armagnac’s of southwestern France to perfect his method of rhum production known today as 'Rhum Agricole'. He made the necessary investments, transforming one of the island's most prestigious sugar plantations to extract first-pressed aromatic and flavourful sugarcane juice for top-notch rum production.

  Habitation Clément soon became the Mecca of Rhum Agricole. Today it receives an average of 160,000 spirit enthusiasts and rhum aficionados each year who visit the distillery and taste barrel samples in the cellars. Others come to wander the botanical gardens or tour the estate's house to take in the classic Créole antiques and architecture, as well as tour the museum of Rhum Agricole, which symbolizes the rich heritage of how Rhum Agricole came to be at Rhum Clément.

  Other reviews... Clear with a silvery cast. Interesting aromas of wet cement, meringue, nettles, grapefruit rind, and ironed linen with a soft, dryish medium body and a pillowy, peppery bamboo shoot, banana leaf, sweet cream, and sand accented finish. Will shine in cocktails.
  International Review of Spirits Award: Silver Medal
  RATING: 89 points (Highly Recommended) - www.tastings.com

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• • Nick's Import

  Clement VSOP Rhum Vieux 125th Anniversary Limited Edition Agricole Rum (700ml)

  MARTINIQUE

  $79. 99

  Bottle

  $959.88 Dozen

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  ABV: 40%

  A run of 30,000 limited edition bottles have been created to commemorate this Martinique distillery’s 125th anniversary, celebrated in 2012. New York-born graffiti artist, JonOne, of Dominican origin, was commissioned to decorate the new limited edition Rhum Clément VSOP bottle with his eye-catching street art.

  Martinique has long had the reputation of having the best terroir for sugarcane cultivation, long before Homère Clément had the idea to press sugarcane to produce 'Rhum Agricole'. Inspired by the enjoyment of great brandies while studying in his early years in Paris, Homère mimicked the distillers of the great Armagnac’s of southwestern France to perfect his method of rhum production known today as 'Rhum Agricole'. He made the necessary investments, transforming one of the island's most prestigious sugar plantations to extract first-pressed aromatic and flavourful sugarcane juice for top-notch rum production.

  Habitation Clément soon became the Mecca of Rhum Agricole. Today it receives an average of 160,000 spirit enthusiasts and rhum aficionados each year who visit the distillery and taste barrel samples in the cellars. Others come to wander the botanical gardens or tour the estate's house to take in the classic Créole antiques and architecture, as well as tour the museum of Rhum Agricole, which symbolizes the rich heritage of how Rhum Agricole came to be at Rhum Clément.

  Other reviews... This bright mahogany spirit has a playful, slightly boozy scent, mixing cherry and pineapple with caramel. Meanwhile, the flavor has lots of oak, leather, cigar and dark chocolate, with a lingering finish that plays on and on. Clement recommends this in a rum “Old Fashioned”—with those fruity notes in the aroma, you already have a head start. 92 points - www.wineenthusiast.com

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• Cockspur Fine Rum (700ml)

  BARBADOS

  $69. 99

  Bottle

  $839.88 Dozen

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  ABV: 37.5%

  Cockspur is a blended rum brand created by Valdemar Hanschell who in 1884 settled in Barbados and founded a chandlery which supplied ships traveling the Caribbean with rope, sails, salt, fruit, meat and rum.

  Today, Cockspur is produced from Barbadian molasses, a unique yeast culture and water sourced from an underwater spring, each said to contribute to it's distinctive character. The 'mash' is distilled in two types of still, the 'continuous' or column still and the traditional copper pot still. Both stills are employed to add complexity, as the column still produces a fine, light, elegant rum whilst copper pot stills produce a 'heartier' spirit. Maturation takes place in small ex-bourbon American oak barrels.

  Other reviews... The color of apple juice, this rum has a warm, fruity scent and a light smokiness. Although boozy up front, that fades out to a pleasing tropical fruit and sweet vanilla finish. Glug the bottle into a punch to smooth out the rough edges.Tasted 2011.
  87 points - www.wineenthusiast.com

  ...Golden amber color. Fruity and lightly floral tropical aromas of coconut, banana, and dried pineapple have a buttery toffee note and follow through on a supple entry to a dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body with great depth and balance. Finishes with a long,peppery and spicy oak, mocha, coconut, and limestone accented fade. A delicious and vibrant dark rum.
  International Review of Spirits Award: Silver Medal
  RATING: 89 points (Highly Recommended) - www.tastings.com

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• Cockspur 12 Handcrafted Bajan Rum (700ml)

  Bridgetown, BARBADOS

  $89. 99

  Bottle

  $1079.88 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 40%

  Cockspur Rum is a blended rum created by Valdemar Hanschell who in 1884 settled in Barbados and founded a ship chandlery which supplied ships traveling the Caribbean with rope, sails, salt, fruit, meat and rum. 
  
  Cockspur is produced from Barbadian molasses, a unique yeast culture and water sourced from an underwater spring. This unique yeast strain and water source is said to give Cockspur it's distinctive character. The 'mash' is distilled in two types of still, the 'continuous' or column still and the traditional copper pot still. Both stills are employed to add complexity, as the column still produces a fine, light, elegant rum whilst copper pot stills produce a 'heartier' spirit. Once distilled, Cockspur is matured in small ex-bourbon American oak barrels. Cockspur 12 is a blend of rums at least twelve years of age.
  
  Tasting Note: Rich amber color. Robust sweet toffee, roasted nut, and brown spice aromas. A rich entry leads to a dry-yet fruity full-bodied palate with buttery caramel, roasted nuts, dried fruit and spice flavors. Finishes with a very long, toffee, brown spice, and cigar box fade with a touch of limestone. Superb. 40.0% Alc./Vol. Rated: 93 points (Exceptional) - www.tastings.com

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• Compagnie Des Indes Leviathan Rum (700ml)

  $675. 00

  Bottle

  $8100.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 46%

  A blend of two amazing casks from Guadeloupe and Panama balancing complexity and smoothness. Florent Beuchet's composition of 56.1% 1973 agricole rum from Guadeloupe and 43.9% molasses-based rum from Panama (distilled in 1996) is a numbered limited edition of 500 bottles worldwide. Comes beautifully finished in a timber presentation box. 46% Alc./Vol.

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• 2010 Compagnie des Indes Mauritius (Secret Distillery) 9 Year Old Rum (700ml)

  MAURITIUS

  $165. 00

  Bottle

  $1980.00 Dozen

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  ABV: 42%

  Mauritian rums are slowly making their way to our shores. This one's from a single cask yielding 455 bottles at 43% Alc./Vol. The distillery is not disclosed.

  Located off the coast of Madagascar, the island of Mauritius is a relative newcomer to the global rum scene. Sugar cane was introduced from Java during the Dutch period (1598-1710), mainly to produce an alcoholic drink. During his service in the 18th century, the French Governor, Bertrand-François Mahé de Labourdonnais, was the first to support the development of the rum industry in Mauritius. From 1810, the country became a British colony and gradually transformed itself into a plantation economy with sugarcane as the primary crop. Later, in 1852, Dr Pierre Charles François Harel saw opportunities to create quality rums on the island. Today, it's home to six distilleries and remains one of the few countries to offer both Traditional and Agricultural style rums, dark, light and spiced, the latter usually infused with the island's abundant local crops of spices and coffee.

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• 1998 Compagnie des Indes Trinidad (Caroni) 22 Year Old Cask Strength Rum (700ml)

  TRINIDAD

  $699. 00

  Bottle

  $8388.00 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 57.5%

  Carribbean rum doesn't come much rarer or more collectable than Caroni. Various companies have secured casks over the years and the last remaining stocks are slowly being released. This very old expression from French bottler, 'Compagnie des Indes' is a single barrel that yielded 287 bottles at natural strength. 57.5% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

  The Caroni Estate Distillery (est. 1918), closed in 2003 and is now sadly, demolished. It was built on the site of an old sugar factory and for a period supplied rums to the British Navy. At the time, there were some eight to ten other sugar factories operating, each producing different types (and qualities) of rums, bought up by merchants and sold to rum shops all over the island. Caroni gradually increased the quality of its distilling process, moving on from its original cast iron still to a wooden coffey still, until 1945 when they acquired a copper still which was followed by a single column in 1957 and then a four column Gerb Herman still in 1980. Rums from the estate gained a reputation for being particularly flavoursome.

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• • Reduced

  2007 Compagnie des Indes Belize (Travellers Distillery) 13 Year Old Cask Strength Rum (700ml)

  BELIZE

  Reduced from $260.00

  $220. 00

  Bottle

  $2640.00 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 62.1%

  Located on the eastern coast of Central America, Rum is the national drink in Belize - no surprise, as the country's sugar cane is of the highest standard, representing a considerable volume of exports.The local rum industry is dominated by 'Travellers Liquor' (est. 1953), a distillery based in Belize City. Specializing in molasses based rums and mainly supplying independent bottlers, the company gained its name from the success it achieved in serving travellers along the main route to and from Belize City. This natural strength release from French independent "Compagnie des Indes was drawn from a single cask at natural strength.

  Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Sandalwood, cinnamon, and a symphony of sweet spices. A floral touch of elderflower, the prelude of an intense mouth. Mouth: Powerful with still both the spicy and floral notes. It is a very well- balanced rum, its high abv makes for a contained powerfulness. Finish: Long and expressive, roasted subtle notes of 75% cacao. 62.1% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

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• • 89

  Compagnie des Indes West Indies 8 Year Old Rum (700ml)

  $119. 99

  Bottle

  $1439.88 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 40%

  Tasting note: An all-natural eight year old blend composed of pot still rums from Barbados and column still components sourced from Dominican Republic, Panama and British Guyana. Appealing aromas of caramel, vanilla wafer biscuit and light molasses follow in a silky, well-rounded rum with a gently spicy finish. Deliciously accessible. 40% Alc./Vol.

  Delivery Information
• • 90

  • Reduced

  Compagnie des Indes (Ten Cane Distillery) Trinidad 11 Year Old Rum (700ml)

  TRINIDAD

  Reduced from $220.00

  $180. 00

  Bottle

  $2160.00 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 43%

  Tasting note: The Ten Cane distillery was created by LVMH in 2005 to produce cane juice pot still rums for the US market. When the brand struggled to find an audience, Moët Hennessy closed the venture in 2015. Distilled in May 2008, this topaz brown rum, drawn from a single cask has a distinctive agricole lift to the nose with hints of poached pears, raisin slice and sarsaparilla. Medium bodied with restrained sweetness, the palate is reminiscent of wine soaked pears, with agricole's typical caney freshness. Ends drying, spicy and medium long. 80% tropical ageing. 43% Alc./Vol. 363 bottles. Very limited stocks.

  Delivery Information
• • 89

  Compagnie des Indes Florida 17 Year Old Rum (700ml)

  UNITED STATES

  $169. 99

  Bottle

  $2039.88 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 44%

  Tasting note: Sourced from an undisclosed distillery in Florida, USA, then finished for sixteen months in a French whisky cask. Deep gold. Fairly sedate with attractive semi sweet scents of fairy floss, café cremes, creamy soda and vanilla wafer. Medium sweet showing low definition raw sugar and molasses cake flavours. Warming spices close the drying finish. A silky, well made rum that doesn’t stand out in any particular way. Non chill filtered. 44% Alc./Vol.

  Delivery Information
• • 96

  Compagnie des Indes Trinidad 16 Year Old Cask Strength Rum (700ml)

  $299. 00

  Bottle

  $3588.00 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 63.5%

  Tasting note: Sourced from Trinidad Distillers Limited. Here's an arresting rum bouquet; reticent at first, but builds in an astonishing, eye-watering development of feijoa, peach, elderflower and papaya-like aromas. Air time adds hints of plantain, crushed pine buds and rock’n’rye liqueur. Fabulous bitter-sweet attack is intense, resiny and piney with a crisp alcohol bite. Mid palate showcases a Trinidadian bomb: fresh-yet-fruity with peach and feijoa tart, elderflower and estery green grassy notes. Plantain and bitter dark chocolate round off a raw and punchy combination of unadulterated fruit, heat and tropical intensity. Wow! Non chill filtered. 63.5% Alc./Vol.

  Delivery Information
• • 92

  Compagnie des Indes Venezuela 14 Year Old Rum (700ml)

  VENEZUELA

  $194. 99

  Bottle

  $2339.88 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 43%

  Tasting note: From the 'Corporation Alcoolés del Caribe' distillery, located between the coastal range and the valleys of Aragua in Venezuela, this typically elegant, light to medium bodied Venezuelan style suggests a fair proportion of column still rums in the mix. Amber gold in colour, the sugars are nicely restrained with borderline buttery aromas and flavours of date cake, maple drizzled flap jacks and milk chocolate. It manages a fine line between sweet and dry and shows solid staying power with coffee cake, then fresher caney / grassy notes entering late. 43% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. 385 bottles.

  Delivery Information
• • 92

  Compagnie des Indes Guyana 8 Year Old Rum (700ml)

  GUYANA

  $130. 00

  Bottle

  $1560.00 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 43%

  Tasting note: From DDL's Port Mourant still, this pale gold coloured rum opens with an intense grassy-caney aspect that reminds you of quality agricole. Brief air contact accents plantain, banana bread and hints of curry leaf, following with medium bodied, silky flavours of semi ripe banana, fruity dark chocolate and cola. Remains fresh and vibrant to the last. 387 bottles. Non chill filtered. 43% Alc./Vol.

  Compagnie des Indes is a French bottler, based in Beaune and managed by Florent Beuchet. Rums are selected for their typicity and regional distinction, then bought back to France for maturation. Most are bottled without the addition of caramel colour or sugars.

  Delivery Information
• • 93

  Compagnie des Indes Australia 11 Year Old Rum (700ml)

  AUSTRALIA

  $165. 00

  Bottle

  $1980.00 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 43%

  Tasting note: A single cask rum from a 'secret' source in Australia. Amber gold. Heavy on the nose with molasses, barley sugar and peppermint rock lollies. Air contact accents estery notes as well as banana chips, coconut butter and hints of Indian spices. A soft, creamy, flavoursome rum with the sugars checked. Pure and very accessible. The word is this is Beenliegh not Bundy - which makes sense given the quality. Non chill filtered. 43% Alc./Vol. 444 bottles.

  Delivery Information
• Compagnie des Indes Kaiman Rum (700ml)

  $699. 00

  Bottle

  $8388.00 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 46%

  As part of a five year celebration of the Anniversary of Compagnie des Indies, the team wanted to showcase their blending skills with a very special limited edition of 500 bottles. The concept was to marry two of the company's most prized casks. The result combines three different components: Firstly, a Guadeloupean rum distilled in 1973, which makes up 72.2%. The second portion is a Guyanese rum made from three unusual stills; Savalle from the Diamond distillery and Enmore and Port Mourant from Uitvlugt distillery. A Jamaican portion of pot still rum in the Wedderburn style was sourced from an undisclosed distillery. Both the Guyanese and Jamaican rums were distilled in 1993. The final blend was aged in an ex rum cask. Comes beautifully presented in a solid oak case and wax sealed bottle. One bottle available. 46% Alc./Vol.

  Delivery Information
• • Nick's Import

  Coruba Overproof Rum (700ml)

  JAMAICA

  $99. 99

  Bottle

  $1199.88 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 74%

  Remarkable for their palate power and lifted aromatics, overproof rums like this popular expression from Coruba are generally reserved for Tiki cocktails and punch bowls where the spirit will contribute tropical fruit and Jamaican 'funk'. It's bottled at a formidable 74% ABV, so don't try drinking it without dilution!

  Delivery Information
• Coruba Rum (700ml)

  Kingston, JAMAICA

  $49. 99

  Bottle

  $599.88 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 37.2%

  Jamaica is one of the most important rum-making islands of the West Indies and the first to produce it commercially. The capital is Kingston in the south of the island, and it is here, along a 40-mile narrow strip, that are to be found the best sugar estates which have been in production ever since the early eighteenth century. Local to Kingston is the Coruba distillery.

  In the past, Coruba, as with most Jamaican Rum, was one of the most full-bodied and highly flavoured of all rums (achieved by distilling at a comparatively low strength to allow a large amount of esters to come over in the distillation.) Now, however, as more and more is used in cocktails and mixing, a lighter, paler and less erotic article is preferred. While Coruba is not a weak spirit, it is also not a traditional dark, full flavoured rum. Oaky, well rounded and mellow with a clean and dry spirit finish, Coruba offers a warm sensation of the tropics. It is aged for a minimum of three years. Below are some mixing ideas:

  “Muddy Waters” Pour a generous serving of Coruba into a glass filled with ice. Top up with fresh orange juice and stir.

  “Do Da Dry”- Add Coruba to a hearty sized tumbler stacked with chunks of ice. Fill to the brim with Dry Ginger Ale. Classic Cocktail: The Mai Tai
  Invented in 1944 by Victor 'Trader Vic' Bergeron. He recounts it was served to some friends from Tahiti, who promptly proclaimed 'Mai Tai, Roa Ae!', which in Tahitian means 'Out of this world, the best!'. Mr. Bergeron was so put out by all of the various lounges that claimed to be the birthplace of the Mai Tai, that he contacted the friends he originally made his concoction for, and had them sign an affidavit attesting to it origins. The drink can also include Pinapple, Orange Juice, and other fruity additives to increase its tropical flair.

  Delivery Information
• • 90

  Crusoe Organic Spiced Molasses Spirit (750ml)

  California, UNITED STATES

  $79. 99

  Bottle

  $959.88 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 35%

  This spiced specialty is made from fair trade organic molasses, micro-oxygenated to bring out the flavour of the sugar cane. Additions include whole allspice, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and vanilla, hand sliced and crushed, as well as hand zested fresh California oranges.

  Readers should note, in any other country, this would be labelled as Rum. The reasoning behind the 'Molasses Spirit' labelling, is that in Australia for a product to be called a rum it must be aged in barrels for 2 years. With this product, the producers, "Greenbar Collective", skip the entire barrel aging and charcoal filtering process, as the filtering process removes a significant amount of the cane profile. Australia is the only country that defines rum this way.

  Visitors to the Bacardi plant have noted that batches are matured differently for different markets, and Australia has its own giant vat for just this reason. Any colour imparted by the mandatory two years in oak is stripped out before bottling.

  Tasting note: Bright polished copper. Ideal clarity. Compelling scents of ginger bread, baklava, cinnamon and clove leap from the glass offering an authentic Spiced Rum bouquet. The palate contrasts the aroma - keenly dry throughout with a breezy opening preluding a convincing cinnamon / clove / ginger flourish that packs some genuine heat. Concludes bone dry, with a prolonged ginger and cinnamon aftertaste. Consider this when you’re next shopping for spiced rum. 35% Alc./Vol.

  Delivery Information
• Cubaney Centenario Rum (700ml)

  DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

  $299. 00

  Bottle

  $3588.00 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 41%

  Just arrived from the Dominican Republic, Cubaney rums are produced by one of the most well-known of rum families (the Oliver’s) who began making rum in the early 19th century in Cuba, earning a place amongst the world’s best by the late 1860s. The Cuban revolution halted production and the family fled the country. It was not until the 1980s that the original formulas were re discovered and the family began reproducing rum with the help of Cuban Maestros Roneros in the Dominican Republic. Highly regarded amongst the region's distilleries, Cubaney's rums have been internationally acclaimed.

   

  Other reviews... Rich mahogany color. Dense aromas and flavors of banana creme brulee, chocolate covered cherry, sandalwood incense, and toasted pistachio with a supple, oily fruity medium body and a long root beer, dried fruit, and polished wood accented finish. A nice fruity sweet, aged sipping rum.
  International Review of Spirits Award: Gold Medal
  RATING: 94 points (Exceptional) - www.tastings.com

  Delivery Information
• • 91

  • Nick's Import

  Damoiseau 5 Year Old Agricole Rum (700ml)

  GUADELOUPE

  $74. 99

  Bottle

  $899.88 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 42%

  Tasting note: Matured in x Bourbon casks. Very deep copper colour with a burnished copper hue. Offers up scents of cherry cola and raw sugar in the opening sniffs with further air contact shifting the aromatic focus towards banana cake and vanilla. A light to medium bodied, dryish profile initially features dilute golden syrup then hints of icing sugar and orange cake at mid palate. Concludes lean, very dry and with subtle notes of marzipan and fruit cake into the aftertaste. So much happening in this delicious young rum.42% Alc./Vol.

  Delivery Information
• • 94

  • Nick's Import

  2001 Damoiseau Rhum Vieux 10 Year Old Agricole Rum (700ml)

  GUADELOUPE

  $120. 00

  Bottle

  $1440.00 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 42%

  This superb rum was matured for 10 years in x Bourbon barrels then bottled in 2011.

  Tasting note: Attractive deep gold ochre appearance. Varnish in the opening sniff blows off to reveal gorgeous and pure scents of buttered toast, sweet tobacco, old books and vanillin oak; several minutes of air contact releases chocolate covered cherries, old leather and dilute maple syrup. Final inspection finds creamy soda alongside hints of dried grass. Outstanding aromatic complexity. Fuller and richer than Damoiseau’s younger bottlings, yet with no compromise on the freshness or purity, it features nougat and dried banana flavours infused through a mildly grassy base note, all brilliantly balanced with restrained sugars and banana peel returning late into the aftertaste. Buy this terrific effort for the nose alone. Bravo! 42% Alc./Vol.

  Delivery Information
• • 94

  • Nick's Import

  Damoiseau XO Agricole Rum (700ml)

  GUADELOUPE

  $79. 99

  Bottle

  $959.88 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 42%

  Damoiseau's XO has been matured for six years in ex-Bourbon casks.

  Tasting note: Bright amber / polished brass appearance shows traces of minor sediment. Wow! Captivates with its powerful scents of mango lahsi then apricot jam, followed by icing sugar and cut grass after further exposure. No loss of focus in this impressive bouquet that maintains its freshness and purity after five minutes in the glass. Mild, almost water like entry carries through to a concentrated, fine tuned and pure delivery; medium dry flavours of coffee, leather and more marzipan towards the finish closing with spicy banana cake and hints of mango in the aftertaste. Perfect balance. Elegantly styled and deftly poised XO rum. Love it! 42% Alc./Vol.

  Delivery Information
• • 96

  • Nick's Import

  1995 Damoiseau Rhum Vieux 15 Year Old Cask Strength Agricole Rum (500ml)

  GUADELOUPE

  $99. 99

  Bottle

  $1199.88 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 66.9%

  Argicole Rum is not easily come by and even less widely known, although that's changing fast.
  It's represented by a handful of traditionalists who persist with free run sugarcane juice ("vin de canne", or 'sugarcane wine' as the French call it), rather than the way 99% of rum is made - from a waste product of sugar manufacturing we know as molasses. Agricole rums tend to be drier, more complex and diverse in flavour, rather than exuding overt sweetness, typified by subtle grassy / cane-like overtones and fresh, elegant profiles.

  Clement and Rhum J.M. have become the most sought after names of Martinique. A little further north, the gold standard is Damoiseau - presently the only rum producer on the eastern side of Guadeloupe's Butterfly islands. Their Bellevue au Moule Estate and distillery was established at the end of the 19th century by Mr.Rimbaud from Martinique. Roger Damoiseau senior acquired the site in 1942 and since then it has remained within the Damoiseau family. Some of the cane processed here is still cut by hand from the surrounding fields, just as it has been for centuries. The rest is trucked in from all over the island.

  In our last shipment from Damoiseau, the cask strength bottlings were the most exciting of the collection - and not necessarily the most expensive.
  This 1995 distilled, cask strength beauty bottled in 2010 is sure to thrill.

  Tasting note: Beautiful deep copper penny colour shows medium viscosity. Varnishy openings blow off revealing powerful aromas of sarsaparilla, dried mango, semi-ripe banana, papaya and dried coconut. Slightly hollow entry. Builds into an intense, gently bittersweet, peppery profile featuring dried banana, sarsaparilla, dried grass, liquorice root and a salivating brown sugar, marzipan and tropical fruit aftertaste that seemingly never ends. A robust but never-too-sweet dark rum that really rallies towards the finish. Fantastic complexity and power. 66.9% Alc./Vol.

  Delivery Information
• • 96

  1989 Damoiseau Rhum Vieux 21 Year Old Cask Strength Agricole Rum (500ml)

  GUADELOUPE

  $199. 00

  Bottle

  $2388.00 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 58.4%

  Rhum Agricole: Grown, not manufactured - the purest expression of rum on earth.

   

  As one of the last "hidden gems" in the world of spirits, this is a product faraway from the marketing ploys and bill boards of multinational brands.
  Not easily come by and even less widely known, although that's changing fast, it's represented by a handful of traditionalists who persist with free run sugarcane juice ("vin de canne", or 'sugarcane wine' as the French call it), rather than the way 99% of rum is made - from a waste product of sugar manufacturing we know as molasses. Agricole rums tend to be drier, more complex and diverse in flavour, rather than exuding overt sweetness, typified by subtle grassy / cane-like overtones and fresh, elegant profiles.

  Ben Jones, North American regional director and spokesman for Martinique-based Rhum Clement, explains. “It’s a very dry and earthy, vegetal flavor profile, very different from the sort of medium-sweet, heavier, stickier profile that you get with the molasses foundation,” says Jones. “Fresh-pressed sugar cane juice is dry, not sweet. What makes molasses sweet is reducing it to super-concentrated sugar used for alcohol. Actual sugar, while it’s sweet, is not as sweet as people would perceive. It’s fruity and grassy, and the distillate of rhum agricole is really, truly the cleanest form of that distillate. The pun is horrible, but it’s like grass to glass.”

  You could consider Agricoles as the Caribbean’s equivalent to Bordeaux, not only because they taste more "European", but because Rum Agricole is the only rum to be governed by an AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controllee, the French official label of origin). Just as with French wine and food, this AOC dictates how the spirit can be made, including the mandate to harvest sugar cane only in the dry season, the prevention of burning of the cane fields and a requirement to press sugar cane into cane juice within three days of harvest.

  Smaller scale production combined with these regulations makes for a winemaker's approach to rum. As they usually manage their own plantations, agricole distillers can harvest at the optimum time, rather than rely on the whim of private growers. They can also crush and begin fermentation immediately (sometimes with indigenous yeasts), a key factor in the category's style. Put simply, these rums taste fresher, not only for what they're made from, but because they are.

  Because agricole's distinctive and diverse characteristics make even entry level expressions of considerable interest, cocktail geeks in the U.S. have been hooked on them for some time. Cask strength, vintage dated and ultra-aged bottlings are frequently nothing short of extraordinary, drawing comparisons with the very best Cognacs or Whiskies on the planet.

  The total production of Rum Agricole combined make up about 1% of the Caribbean's total rum output, yet their influence is disproportionate. If you ignore the cynical trend towards luxury rums and super premium soleras, it's the agricoles that have injected added excitement into a category that was, six or seven years ago, wavering with a monotony of styles and mass marketed brands.

  Clement and Rhum J.M. have become the most sought after names of Martinique. A little further north, the gold standard is Damoiseau - presently the only rum producer on the eastern side of Guadeloupe's Butterfly islands. Their Bellevue au Moule Estate and distillery was established at the end of the 19th century by Mr.Rimbaud from Martinique. Roger Damoiseau senior acquired the site in 1942 and since then it has remained within the Damoiseau family. Some of the cane processed here is still cut by hand from the surrounding fields, just as it has been for centuries. The rest is trucked in from all over the island.

  Damoiseau employs a single, copper and stainless steel column still. Stainless steel is used in the lower sections of the column to help reduce the maintenance associated with a copper column, while the copper top reduces the presence of sulphur compounds formed during fermentation. These can contribute the 'off' flavours familiar to some whiskies, in particular, rubbery, struck match-like characteristics.

  For those planning a holiday to the region, the Damoiseau distillery also remains a popular tourist destination. Current proprietors, Jean Luc and Evre Damoiseau endeavour to make a memorable experience for everyone who takes the time to visit.

  All rums on offer have been matured for a minimum of three years in 180 litre x-bourbon casks. This is a rare opportunity to take advantage of some unique rum experiences while extending your support to the plight of cane workers and artisans as opposed to the standardised sway of mega-farms, industrial scale stills and ad men. It's a win-win scenario that makes for a refreshing change.
  
  

  Tasting note: Bright gold / brass appearance. A plush bouquet yields enticing scents of brown sugar, vanilla, clove and banana cake. The palate is immediately much leaner and drier than the nose suggests and shows no indication of the high ABV with amazing balance throughout. Mid palate builds slowly in concentration towards an intense burst of old liquorice strap, leather, dried grass and green peppercorn. Ends poised and clean as delicate spices linger into the lengthy dried banana, golden syrup fade. Superb. 58.4% Alc./Vol.

  Delivery Information
• • 90

  • Nick's Import

  Damoiseau VSOP Agricole Rum (700ml)

  GUADELOUPE

  $69. 99

  Bottle

  $839.88 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 42%

  Tasting note: Bright brassy gold appearance; shows some fine sediment in the glass. Opening sniffs detect dilute golden syrup alongside hints of liquorice bullets. Several minutes of air contact lifts the intensity a notch and teases out attractive milk chocolate, vanilla bean and brown sugar notes. Light entry builds into an off-dry, vibrant, brown sugar and dried grass profile with the sweetness in check. A mild cafe-creme surge at the finish is followed by a subtle, drying aftertaste of nougat and vanilla. The gentle spiciness persists into the fade. 42% Alc./Vol.

  Delivery Information
• • 96

  1991 Damoiseau Rhum Vieux 19 Year Old Cask Strength Agricole Rum (500ml)

  GUADELOUPE

  $185. 00

  Bottle

  $2220.00 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 54.4%

  Rhum Agricole: Grown, not manufactured - the purest expression of rum on earth.

   

  As one of the last "hidden gems" in the world of spirits, this is a product faraway from the marketing ploys and bill boards of multinational brands.
  Not easily come by and even less widely known, although that's changing fast, it's represented by a handful of traditionalists who persist with free run sugarcane juice ("vin de canne", or 'sugarcane wine' as the French call it), rather than the way 99% of rum is made - from a waste product of sugar manufacturing we know as molasses. Agricole rums tend to be drier, more complex and diverse in flavour, rather than exuding overt sweetness, typified by subtle grassy / cane-like overtones and fresh, elegant profiles.

  Ben Jones, North American regional director and spokesman for Martinique-based Rhum Clement, explains. “It’s a very dry and earthy, vegetal flavor profile, very different from the sort of medium-sweet, heavier, stickier profile that you get with the molasses foundation,” says Jones. “Fresh-pressed sugar cane juice is dry, not sweet. What makes molasses sweet is reducing it to super-concentrated sugar used for alcohol. Actual sugar, while it’s sweet, is not as sweet as people would perceive. It’s fruity and grassy, and the distillate of rhum agricole is really, truly the cleanest form of that distillate. The pun is horrible, but it’s like grass to glass.”

  You could consider Agricoles as the Caribbean’s equivalent to Bordeaux, not only because they taste more "European", but because Rum Agricole is the only rum to be governed by an AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controllee, the French official label of origin). Just as with French wine and food, this AOC dictates how the spirit can be made, including the mandate to harvest sugar cane only in the dry season, the prevention of burning of the cane fields and a requirement to press sugar cane into cane juice within three days of harvest.

  Smaller scale production combined with these regulations makes for a winemaker's approach to rum. As they usually manage their own plantations, agricole distillers can harvest at the optimum time, rather than rely on the whim of private growers. They can also crush and begin fermentation immediately (sometimes with indigenous yeasts), a key factor in the category's style. Put simply, these rums taste fresher, not only for what they're made from, but because they are.

  Because agricole's distinctive and diverse characteristics make even entry level expressions of considerable interest, cocktail geeks in the U.S. have been hooked on them for some time. Cask strength, vintage dated and ultra-aged bottlings are frequently nothing short of extraordinary, drawing comparisons with the very best Cognacs or Whiskies on the planet.

  The total production of Rum Agricole combined make up about 1% of the Caribbean's total rum output, yet their influence is disproportionate. If you ignore the cynical trend towards luxury rums and super premium soleras, it's the agricoles that have injected added excitement into a category that was, six or seven years ago, wavering with a monotony of styles and mass marketed brands.

  Clement and Rhum J.M. have become the most sought after names of Martinique. A little further north, the gold standard is Damoiseau - presently the only rum producer on the eastern side of Guadeloupe's Butterfly islands. Their Bellevue au Moule Estate and distillery was established at the end of the 19th century by Mr.Rimbaud from Martinique. Roger Damoiseau senior acquired the site in 1942 and since then it has remained within the Damoiseau family. Some of the cane processed here is still cut by hand from the surrounding fields, just as it has been for centuries. The rest is trucked in from all over the island.

  Damoiseau employs a single, copper and stainless steel column still. Stainless steel is used in the lower sections of the column to help reduce the maintenance associated with a copper column, while the copper top reduces the presence of sulphur compounds formed during fermentation. These can contribute the 'off' flavours familiar to some whiskies, in particular, rubbery, struck match-like characteristics.

  For those planning a holiday to the region, the Damoiseau distillery also remains a popular tourist destination. Current proprietors, Jean Luc and Evre Damoiseau endeavour to make a memorable experience for everyone who takes the time to visit.

  All rums on offer have been matured for a minimum of three years in 180 litre x-bourbon casks. This is a rare opportunity to take advantage of some unique rum experiences while extending your support to the plight of cane workers and artisans as opposed to the standardised sway of mega-farms, industrial scale stills and ad men. It's a win-win scenario that makes for a refreshing change.
  
  

  Tasting note: Impresses from the outset with its formidable mahogany / sienna brown colour. Opens with deep yet understated tones redolent of top notch oloroso sherry that once past the initial stage of air contact develop big-time taking on molasses, vanilla, rich fruit cake, marzipan, cherry pipe tobacco, old liquorice strap and more. A terrific rum bouquet. A creamy, soft entry crescendos into a bitter sweet yet impeccably balanced, gently warming profile featuring roasted nuts, vanilla, fruit cake and liquorice strap ending pleasantly woody, gently bittersweet with hints of unripe banana, liquorice bullets and almond cake mingling in the long spicy fade. Sensational! 54.4 Alc./Vol.

  Delivery Information
• • 93

  • Nick's Import

  Damoiseau Rhum Vieux 8 Year Old Agricole Rum (700ml)

  GUADELOUPE

  $99. 99

  Bottle

  $1199.88 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 42%

  Tasting note: Matured for 8 years in x Bourbon casks. Deep brassy gold colour with some fine sediment evident. A sumptuous bouquet opens with suggestions of coconut cream and mocha. Second pass is almost oloroso sherry-like with scents of roasted nuts, melted butter and vanilla bean, while still further exposure releases a pure and refreshing butter menthol top note. The palate delivers a compelling grassy/cane-like profile that’s counterpointed by restrained sugars with the finish fantastically cane-like, fresh and vibrant with butter menthol lozenge rounding off a beautiful balancing act. Delicate and elegantly styled. Very debonair. 42% Alc./Vol.

  Delivery Information
• Damoiseau Agricole Guadeloupe Reserve Speciale Rum (700ml)

  Caribbean, MARTINIQUE

  $140. 00

  Bottle

  $1680.00 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 42%

  This dark rum is produced from a harmonious blend of spirits aged for a minimum of 4 years in oak casks. Bestowed with a beautiful warm and ambree dress it is characterised by the plenitutde of its bouquet and by aromas of roasted dry fruit citrus fruits and spices. 42% Alc./Vol.

  No tasting notes available.

  
  
   Click here to learn more about Rum

  Delivery Information
• • 94

  Dead Reckoning Barbados PX 10 Year Old Single Blended Barbados Rum (700ml)

  BARBADOS

  $154. 99

  Bottle

  $1859.88 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 50%

  "Dead Reckoning is perhaps producing rums that are the closest in terms of profile as Foursquare’s own Exceptional Cask Series... Another absolute belter..." - thefatrumpirate.com

  A serious ‘malternative’ from one of the finest producers in the Carribean, this single cask, nine and a half year old mix of Foursquare pot and column distilled spirit was tropically aged in Barbados for eight years then transported to Adelaide for a twelve month spell in a forty year old Pedro Ximenez Sherry cask (usually associated with single malt maturations). Bottler, Justin Boseley decided it needed further tweaking to temper the sugars, so it saw a final year in a high-char x-Maker's Mark bourbon barrel. Foursquare's cognac-like elegance is retained, with a little funk and fruit on the nose followed by a flavour range that evokes orange chocolates, ripe papaya, molasses cake, vanilla malt, liquorice and dried fruits. Gingerbread, pepper and cinnamon warmth lift the finish. Medium sweet instead of cloying, the sherry is deftly handled; Tasted blind you might even mistake it for a single malt or Fine Champagne cognac. 370 bottles at 50% ABV make up the final outturn.

  Other reviews... In terms of a comparison this drinks more like Foursquare’s 2004-2011 series than anything which they have matured in ex-Sherry, Madeira etc. As a result the finish is drier and less sweet than you might have expected from the initial sip. The difference between the initial sip and the finish is quite noticeable and its almost as if you are getting two rums for the price of one! The finish is almost like a bourbon. Which if you like bourbon as i do is far from being a problem. Dead Reckoning PX Barbados has a really long and really nice mellow finish which I really appreciate. The spiciness of the mid palate/early finish really fade out and mellow leading to a very nice ending. Touches of leather, toffee and cigar smoke. I will say (and this is without trying every Indie bottling)_ that I do think Justin at Dead Reckoning rum is perhaps producing rums that are the closest in terms of profile as Foursquare’s own Exceptional Cask Series. Most bottlers tend to stick with tried and trusted ex-bourbon casks only. Another absolute belter of a rum! - thefatrumpirate.com

  Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Butterscotch, caramel, toffee, apple plums, raisins, and figs. Palate: Unmistakable, foursquare flavour, butterscotch, toffee, apple pan melted Demerara sugar, topped with ripe and ready, raisins and figs, a hint of walnut. Finish: Nice and bold. Easily long enough to chat about it with your drinking buddy. Lots of stewed fruit, caramel, vanilla and a lingering spice that really warms.

   

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• • 94

  Dead Reckoning Three Continents Blended Rum (700ml)

  Adelaide, South Australia, AUSTRALIA

  $139. 99

  Bottle

  $1679.88 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 50.3%

  Dead Reckoning call this their 'hot house' rum – otherwise known as Dead reckoning TCB. Justin Boseley wanted to create a blend using three rums from three distilleries from three different continents. He also wanted to use cane juice as well as molasses based rums. The final blend is a trifecta of rums: 8% Guyanese (Diamond distillery), 56% South African (Mhoba) and 36% Vietnamese (Sampan distillery) created from three different stills - a Port Mourant double wooden vat single retort, an Enmore Coffee twin column and a Diamond Versailles single wooden vat single retort.

  The final twist in this bottling was when Justin decided to age the barrel in his steel-sided garage in Adelaide. The vessel of choice was a level three char 200L x-Makers Mark bourbon barrel. He made a rack and wheeled the barrel into the afternoon sun for the 18 month period, also agitating the liquid and sloshing it around. Overnight it was brought inside where it naturally cooled, opening and contracting the internal grain, helping the spirit to cycle in and out of the wood. The rum's temperature reached a maximum of 52° and a minimum of 2° over the aging period and experienced a huge 7.8% increase in ABV and a 27% loss to the angel's share. The end result feels well beyond its true age; Intense and viscous with layers of funk, super ripe tropical fruit and a lipsmacking caney freshness; it tastes like a wild Jamaican with more pot still than column in the mix. Given the diverse components and the punishment the cask was subject to, you can't help but be impressed by just how well this experiment turned out. 185 bottles are on offer. 50.3% Alc./Vol.

  Other reviews... Palate: The mix of still types gives this a creamy mouthfeel, but still a sense of ‘crispness’ of the column still. A medium pepper hit – but that tames very quickly and is much subdued by the second sip. There’s more funky tropical fruit here, but also liquorice, sweet caramel and even some very tame leather notes. Finish: That big sweet funky ester train just keeps on a-rollin’. The pot still percentage keeps the oilyness going well into the finish – real chewy stuff. So many sweet fruits and lolly-memories tumble and spin and dash in and out. This is a big, juicy and utterly delightful rum that is also a bit of a chameleon on your palate. Just when you think you’ve got it pegged, you pour another glass and find a new note that reminds you of something almost-forgotten from your childhood. In the subsequent drams since first penning these notes I’ve also picked up milk-bottle lollies, honey-jumble biscuits, tinned pineapple, sherbet and even a bubble gum from my very early days as a kindy kid in Switzerland who’s name I’ve forgotten – but I certainly remember that taste. It’s a rum you’re going to want another of to see if you did taste that… and another just to be sure. - rumtribe.com.au
  

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• • 92

  Dead Reckoning MV Krait/Operation Jaywick 9 Year Old Australian Rum (500ml)

  Queensland, AUSTRALIA

  $140. 00

  Bottle

  $1680.00 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 55%

  A rum celebrating the legendary ‘Operation Jaywick’ with half the proceeds going to the Commando Welfare Trust. Operation Jaywick was a raid on shipping in Japanese-occupied Singapore harbour between September and October 1943. The raid was carried out by members of Special Operations Australia (SOA) from Z Special Unit. The team comprised of four British soldiers and 11 AIF and Royal Australian Navy personnel, commanded by a British officer, Major Ivan Lyon.

  Disguised as Malay fishermen, Lyon’s team travelled from Exmouth in Western Australia to Subor Island, 11 kilometres from Singapore, in a captured boat, renamed the MV Krait. The Krait was a slow-moving, wooden-hulled vessel about twenty metres long and sporadically suffered engine trouble for the duration of the voyage. On reaching the island three-and-a-half weeks after leaving Australia, the team launched three two-man collapsible canoes (folboats). Lyon and five others then paddled into Singapore harbour. Arriving at night they split up and slipped from ship to ship attaching limpet mines, paddling another 80 kilometres to rendezvous with Krait six days later on 2 October. When the mines exploded, seven ships were sank or badly damaged. The Krait recovered its intrepid but exhausted canoeists and travelled back to Australia, arriving at Exmouth on 19 October 1943.

  This 9 year old rum also has an amazing ‘origin story’ itself. Initially created at the legendary Beenleigh Distillery (a blend of pot and column still) and tropically aged on-site for 4 years in ex-bourbon casks, it was then sold to a ‘European rum buyer’ and sat in a bond-store in Amsterdam for 5 more years of continental ageing. Fortuitously, the importer Justin Boseley, whilst on a "European rum buying trip" came across the said barrels of Beenleigh and scooped them all up to take back home and bottle. Some of this rum was then bottled as ‘Australia 9 Year Old’ for the European market (back on a boat to whence it came!) but a portion was set aside for this special tribute bottling to a special group of Aussies - all of it going into glass at 55% ABV. The aromas are soft yet deep with a spicy lift. Medium dry, the palate builds into intense, juicy flavours of ripe papaya flesh, mango, dried banana and molasses with cinnamon / pepper warmth budding at the finish. This fresh and slightly leaner, estery style could be mistaken for a lighter bodied Jamaican. Tasted from a 50ml sample.

  Other reviews... On the nose (and even before its near my nose) I am getting wafts of vanilla and oak spice. Some walnuts and peanut brittle. It is many ways very typical of an English Style of rum. Think of Foursquare or (non pun intended) English Harbour in particular. There is a lot to be said for a well blended Pot/Column rum. Something which I feel is often overlooked by some rum enthusiasts. Having said that this isn’t a particularly gentle rum. We are not talking about English Harbour 5 Year Old or Doorly’s XO. No the extra ABV certainly gives this more of a punch. So we are more in keeping with a Foursquare ECS or the Velier Antigua bottlings. Another thing which gives this rum a little more “oomph” is the unmistakable hit of molasses which carries over the nose. There is a really nice “treacly” note which I really enjoy. SIpped, initially the rum is quite fiery with the molasses and oak spice taking centre stage. A few sips in and as the palate and throat acclimatise to the rum – we begin to get more of the softer bourbon influenced notes. So the suggested flavours from the nose begin to shine through. Vanilla, light caramel and peanuts all appear. As we move into the mid palate I begin to get the molasses coming back along with a very nice hit of oak and spice. I’m also getting notes of corn flakes and I keep thinking about freshly buttered toast and golden syrup. There is a hint of smokiness. The finish is dry but very long. The molasses and caramel notes stick around for a long time after the sip. As your mouth dries out the oak and spice come out to play again giving a very more-ish feel to this spirit. This is the first time I have sat down properly with a distillate from Beenleigh. I have to say I am highly impressed. This is great stuff. 4.5 stars - thefatrumpirate.com

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• • 95

  Dead Reckoning Port Broadside Single Blended Jamaica Rum (700ml)

  JAMAICA

  $130. 00

  Bottle

  $1560.00 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 50%

  Dead Reckoning is offering their first edition of 'Port Broadside', a funky but mellow blend of three low-ester Jamaican rums (Hampden, Worthy Park and New Yarmouth; pot stills and a column still respectively). Born, bred and married in the tropics for three years, it was then honeymooned in the heat of Adelaide in a Seppeltsfield Tawny Cask that had held port continuously for 120 years. There was so much port infused into the grain that the cask was said to be almost 'gooey' inside. Specifically blended to exhibit the funk that Jamaican rums are famous for, it includes low ester ‘marques’ as stated on the label – all of them amongst the lowest of their distillery. The upshot is that this is ester-forward rum (it is Jamaican, after all!) but not overstated or over-the-top hogo, yet it's evocative enough to transport you to the Caribbean in a way that only all-natural Jamaican rum can. Overripe tropical fruit, moist fruit cake, dilute molasses, sarsaparilla and liquorice bullets slowly gather definition on the nose. In the mouth, it errs on the bittersweet-dry side rather than being sugary and fat; the flavour concentration is impressive at 50% delivering a slow-motion surge of papaya, semi-ripe banana and raisin slice with hints of muscat as the sugars gain ground at the finish. Skilfully balanced and with fabulous persistence, the value for money is high (taste this against Velier's bottlings and it compares more than favourably). There's also ample funk giving it an emphatically Jamaican character. As with other Dead Reckoning releases, nothing has been added and the rum comes with zero chill filtration. 360 bottles were decanted in September 2023. For the non-sailors out there, a Broadside is a firing of all the guns from one side of a warship. 50% Alc./Vol.

  Notes from the importers... Nose: The nose on this really evolves over time. There’s waves of mashed banana, juicy fruit chewing gum, creaming soda and a sultana-laden bread and butter (or is it rice?) pudding and custard! Palate: Masses of firepower with a rich and syrupy mouthfeel yet there’s also a crisp and dry backbone that makes itself known with just a touch of astringency that balances out the sweetness. [The column still component plus the tawny barrel at work there I’m sure!] Masses of fruit salad, lots of sweet and fragrant spices and stewed fruit to boot! Finish: Lovely, long and utterly divine. Burnt liquorice, sarsaparilla-spider, caramel and sweet banana custard. Another amazing release from the master of the dry-aged finish. Sweet and slightly funky on the nose, but takes a port tack to the dry side on the palate before rolling back to round sweetness in the finish. Mellow and funky like a groovy summer breeze, carrying the rhythm of a laid-back Funkadelic tune. Complex as quadratics, but easy as 1, 2, 3.

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• Dead Reckoning Nelson's Dockyard Single Barrel Antigua Rum (700ml)

  ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

  $170. 00

  Bottle

  $2040.00 Dozen

  Sold Out

  ABV: 50%

  Dead Reckoning's latest offering features 'rum royalty' from the legendary Antigua Distillery. Located in English Harbour (home of the ‘English Harbour Rum’ brand), the rum is copper pot distilled from a molasses wash, matured for two years in x-Bourbon wood, then finished in Australia for two years in a first-fill Apera cask before bottlling at 50%. 355 bottles are available.

  Little-known to rum lovers, Antigua Distillers Limited was formed in 1932 by eight local businessmen and by 1933 they had established their own distillery on Rat Island (named because of its shape – the authorities didn’t want a distillery on the mainland due to the potential smell and noise). Originally equipped with a multi-column Savalle still, it was replaced in 1991 with a three-column still from John Dore & Co. made entirely out of copper – bolts included. That was subsequently modified into a five-column still making it shorter, apparently due to the danger of tropical storms in the area. While the distillery's website does talk about a yeast and fermentation process that “adds a level of flavour to the liquid in the tank, and it also produces a number of compounds that contribute directly to the complex flavours and aromas of the final product”, the wash is distilled to 95% ABV making it pretty much neutral in taste. Most of the flavours are said to come from the maturation process which typically employs charred 200 litre ex-Bourbon casks, so this bottling adds a bit of a twist. Reportedly, nothing has been added.

  Other reviews... Nose: A sweet cacophony of chewy dried figs, juicy lunchbox sultanas, toffee apples, dried banana chips and desiccated coconut. Palate: Crisp, clean and dry on the pallet with granny smith apples and vanilla custard chased around by stewed fruits and ginger-y spices. Finish: Not a lot of length to the finish, but it’s a fun ride whilst its there!  – espresso coffee, dark chocolate and more sultanas with a mild white pepper salute right on the tail. Wow – this is quite a textbook mix of bourbon and sherry (ok, ok… Apera) cask characteristics – floral apple and vanilla notes from the bourbon and the dark stewed fruit and pepper from the Apera cask. The characteristic column still ‘crispness’ is also there to complete the lesson. - rumtribe.com.au

  Notes from the bottlers... Toffee, caramel, roasted coffee, chestnut & a hint of black pepper. Whilst working in the mega yacht industry, I was fortunate to spend several months a year living in English harbour in Antigua. Nelson’s dockyard was the location of many a party with fellow crew members.  It is also place where Lord Horatio Nelson spent time. This is where my love for this Rum developed as it was a daily staple for all yachting crew. In the past English Harbour rums did have slight adulteration, but I believe they have now changed their formula so no longer will you see sugar added to any of their rums.

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