Planteray Mister Fogg Navy Proof Rum (700ml) - Sail No.2

One in a limited-edition series by Planteray Rum (formerly Plantation Rum), created in collaboration with rum historian Matt Pietrek (Cocktail Wonk) and inspired by historical British Royal Navy blending, maritime transport, and open-vat aging practices. While the production methods echo the processes used to make those historic rums, the mission wasn’t to give drinkers a precise snapshot of how naval rum from a particular time period would’ve tasted, but rather to capture the essence of the style as a whole. The label honours Michael Fogg, a Navy veteran and historian who researched historical navy rum records. At the time of writing, there are two iterations in the series. The main reason for that is that the two open vats used to make Mister Fogg hold enough rum to make around 35,000 bottles. Because the rum continuously flows between the two vats for many months, only one batch can be made at a time.

We have 'Sail No.2' (as noted on the bottle's neck label), a column & pot still blend of molasses and cane juice with an ester count of 62 g/hL. Following tropical maturation in x-bourbon casks, continental ageing took place in used oak barrels and extensive oxygenation in large open wooden vats for up to three years. The largest component of the blend (35%) comes from Trinidad Distillers Limited (TDL), a distillery owned by House of Angostura - best known for its aromatic bitters in addition to its eponymous rum brand. A 34% slice of the blend is Barbadian, coming from Planteray rum stocks. A 20% share of the volume, the third-largest, is sourced from an undisclosed producer in Guyana. (It’s very likely Demerara Distillers LTD, producer of the popular El Dorado label and the last of Guyana’s big rum estates still standing.) The blend is rounded out with 6% coming from the Mauritius-based Saint Aubin and 5% from National Rums of Jamaica (NRJ) which produces labels including Monymusk, Clarendon, and Long Pond. According to one taster, compared to Sail No.1, "Sail N° 2 is less spicy with less emphasis on dried fruit, and significantly closer in flavour profile to actual Royal Navy rum and rums". Balanced spirit heat and low dosage mean it's arguably more of a sipping rum than one you'd use for cocktails, though that said, it's reported to work fabulously in rum-forward cocktails like the Mai Tai. 55.7% Alc./Vol.

Other reviews... It kicks things off with a sweet and darkly fruity nose of vanilla, cherrywood, blueberry pie, cinnamon bun, banana pudding, and sugared berries. It’s a bit drier on the palate, with oak, barrel char, more cherries, cocoa nibs, and just a bit of overripe fruits. The fruits return in force for a generally brighter and more vibrant finish, including orangeade, lime zest, vanilla, cherry, and soft spices. - whiskyadvocate.com