161 products

Overproof Rum

    2010 Adelphi Diamond Single Cask 13 Year Old Cask Strength Guyana Rum (700ml)
    GUYANA
    $230. 00
    Bottle
    $2760.00 Dozen
    ABV: 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.

    • 95
    Black Tot Master Blender's Reserve Cask Strength Rum (700ml) - 2021 Limited Edition
    $260. 00
    Bottle
    $3120.00 Dozen
    ABV: 54.5%

    Another first class blending achievement, this time with an Australian twist.

    While comparisons with the inaugural release are inevitable, the Master Blender's Reserve is not simply a slightly older version of last year's 50th Anniversary rum, but a different composition altogether. Different countries, still types and ages have contributed with Head Blender, Oliver Chilton opting for a 'fruitier' expression. It also celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the last rum ration given to the Australian Navy after separating from the Royal Navy, although Australians serving on British ships could still receive rum - in 1921 this was also forbidden. Adding substance to the sentiment, 6.7% of the blend is from Beenleigh Distillery (ten years aged in Queensland and four years continentally).

    At its heart is the 'perpetual' base spirit (14% of last year’s 50th Anniversary release), re-casked into ex-sherry butts and blended with rums between 9 and 24 years old from Guyana, Barbados, Trinidad, Jamaica. These make up the majority of the blend. Even from a 20ml sample they come through powerfully on the nose which has a drier, well-aged Demerara-like feel, developing dense aromas of fruit cake, bush honey and zesty peel matched by nutmeg, vanilla, ginger and cinnamon. Stay with it longer and you'll discover even more. The early palate stages are a little understated - call it elegant (this is anything but an overly-sweet contemporary style). Off-dry flavours of liquorice, roast nut, coffee, brown sugar, dried banana, leather and spice dovetail into a long, fanning flourish of intense, estery complexity. That sensational late burst seems to be Chilton's signature, and it unfolds in slow motion, drawn out with molasses cake, warming cinnamon and bittersweet dark chocolate as well as hints of exotic fruits. The alcohol is less and less discernible with each sip, inverse to the stunning persistence of flavour. 6000 bottles are available globally, however Australia's allocation will be closer to several hundred. Decanted from the casks with zero added sugar and no chill filtration, for full transparency, refer to the details and ratios of the blend below. 54.5% Alc./Vol.

    The Blend

     21.1% - 11YO Trinidad Distillers, Trinidad (Column Still)

    18.5% - 10YO Trinidad Distillers, Trinidad (Column Still)

    17.7% - 10YO Foursquare, Barbados (Pot / Column Still)

    14.1% - Black Tot 50th Anniversary (Perpetual Blend)

    13.5% - 17YO Demerara Distillers, Guyana (Column Still)

    6.7% - 14YO Beenleigh, Australia (Pot Still)

    5.3% - 9YO Hampden, Jamaica (Pot Still)

    2.8% - 24YO Trinidad Distillers, Trinidad (Column Still)

    0.3% - Original Royal Navy Blend (Perpetual Blend 1800 - 1970)

    Other reviews... I'm always finding it rather moving when very altruistic distillers and master blenders accept to part with their own reserves. By the way, for the first time distinguished Master Blender Oliver Chilton has added some Australian rum to the Black Tot composition; could that be Beenleigh? Other than that, it's all a 'British' rum with Guyana, Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad. Colour: gold. Nose: you would almost believe you could read through this one on the nose, finding the Jamaican(s), Trinidadian, Bajan… It's pretty estery, diesely, with some meatiness (bacon) and quite some liquorice and star anise, then overripe bananas and fermenting pineapples. Touches of olives, which I always find very Jamaican (although I've never checked if they were growing olives in Jamaica) and a handful of raisins. With water: gets drier, on many herbal teas and even more liquorice (sticks). Very fresh allspice mix. Mouth (neat): ultra-classic rich British-style rum, with heavy liquorice, petrol and rotting topical fruits, and a spiciness that may stem from the Australian. Just a very wild and silly guess. With water: very good, a notch lighter perhaps (Barbados?) with those raisins coming to the front and a few violet sweets in the background. But liquorice keeps running the show. Finish: rather long and quite salty. A little more pipe tobacco, molasses, prunes and raisins. Comments: excellently constructed and very 'British Navy' indeed.  Why not also do a French Marine Nationale rhum, one of these days? 87 points - whiskyfun.com

    ...The length on the finish is just right and the flavours linger for long after the liquid has evaporated. As mentioned already this is quite an intense rum so you will probably take time between each sip to savour the finish. I certainly have anyway. As is often the way my previous years bottling is long gone. So I can’t do a head to head comparison. I do know that this is definitely in the same league as the 50th Anniversary and I really have no hesitation in giving a rum as good as this full marks. Another great addition to the Black Tot cannon. Great stuff. 5 stars - thefatrumpirate.com

    Notes from the bottlers... Cinnamon sticks, cooking in brown butter, with nutmeg and cloves. Overripe mangoes and baked bananas, with dusty dark chocolate. More citrus notes build in the glass - satsumas and freshly squeezed navel oranges blend with juicy nectarine and cooked honey. In the background, a dense oily note complements the zesty flavours and merges with herbaceous notes of mint and lemon thyme. Taste: At first, a huge hit of concentrated orange and mango juice, with fresh mint and golden brown caster sugar. The sweetness evolves into milk chocolate and salted caramel, while the fruit seems to become denser, bringing in flavours of guava and passion fruit. Another sip brings orange blossom, balanced by runny honey. Finish: Clementine and mandarin make up a citrus salad, evolving with a pleasing dryness reminiscent of thyme and oregano. Right at the very end, a hint of diesel oil.

     

    • 95
    British Navy Pussers Rum 151 Overproof Navy Rum (700ml)
    GUYANA
    $130. 00
    Bottle
    $1560.00 Dozen
    ABV: 75.5%

    Note: the cork is susceptible to breaking when removing the stopper from this product. You may need a cork screw to remove the remaining cork from the neck of the bottle. Have a substitute cork or stopper on standby.

    Matured for three years in first-fill Bourbon barrels and released at an eye-watering strength - as it was traditionally shipped to the Royal Navy victualling yards in Deptford, Gosport, and Devonport for blending and dilution. The nose opens with pungent Indian spices and evolves to molasses-drenched fruit cake, papaya, peel-heavy marmalade, dates, coffee beans and dark chocolate in a punchy but classic Demerara whiff that's ultimately Armagnac-like. Tasted without dilution, the flavours are intense, alcohol-charged, bittersweet, tropical, estery, resiny and complex. Tactile and almost unctuous to finish, striking a deeply satisfying balance in spite of the extreme ABV, this high-octane, gorilla of a rum guarantees to blast tropical cocktails into the stratosphere. Nothing has been added before bottling. (We recommend tasting, but not drinking it straight). 75.5% Alc./Vol.

    • Nick's Import
    British Navy Pussers Gunpowder Proof Navy Strength Rum (700ml)
    GUYANA
    $105. 00
    Bottle
    $1260.00 Dozen
    ABV: 54.5%
    A classic British Navy style, inspired by the recipe used to produce the tot given to sailors as their daily ration until Black Tot Day, 31 July 1970. The reference to Gunpowder Proof is explained by the following history snippet: Prior to the invention of the hydrometer, the Royal Navy ship’s “Pusser” shutdown claims of watering down sailors’ daily tots by dousing a bit of gunpowder in the rum and attempting to light it. If the mixture ignited, the rum was “at proof.” If it didn’t, the Pusser might find himself tossed to sea.

    Amongst x-seamen, the consensus is that Pusser's is about as close to the authentic British Royal Navy edition as you can get. A true sailor's delight! 54.5% Alc./Vol.
    Bundaberg Overproof Rum (700ml)
    Queensland, AUSTRALIA
    $76. 99
    Bottle
    $923.88 Dozen
    ABV: 57.7%

    The polar bear may seem a curious emblem to originate in Bundaberg, the heart of sunny Queenslands sugar cane country. The designer of the distinctive square Bundaberg bottle believed it was the perfect symbol for a drink that would “ward off the wickedest cold.”

    The process followed in the production of Bundy O.P. (and indeed, most rum) is an intersesting one. At the factory in Bundaberg, the sugar cane (a tall, stout, perennial grass, Saccharum officinarum) is cut up and crushed between rollers, and the juice therefrom runs off into tanks. The water in the juice is evaporated and the remainder becomes a syrup which is boiled in a vacuum container. From this operation comes sugar and an uncrystallizable mass of a deep brown colour and treacly appearance, which is molasses. This is fermented and when distilled, rum is the result.At 57.7% alc/vol. Bundy O.P. is indeed perhaps best reserved for medicinal purposes. It delivers a deep, powerful spirit hit that warms the heart and rectifies the throat. Our recommendation: Turn the heater up, wrap yourself in blankets, pour an O.P. and sweat it out!

     Click here to learn more about Rum.

    Dead Reckoning Nelson's Dockyard Single Barrel Antigua Rum (700ml)
    ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
    $170. 00
    Bottle
    $2040.00 Dozen
    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.

    • 86
    Diamond Reserve 151 Overproof White Rum (750ml)
    GUYANA
    $125. 00
    Bottle
    $1500.00 Dozen
    ABV: 75.5%
    This is the updated label previously referred to as "El Dorado" 151.
    Use with caution and keep away from open flames. It may light up your cocktails, literally. Include in Mai Tais, Rum Runners and punches.

    Tasting note: Crystal clear with a silvery blush. Offers up notes of icing sugar, fairy floss and vanilla bean. A sweet entry is followed by a wild flare of spirit. Repeats the aromas with lip numbing intensity. Prickly mouthfeel, the finish is bittersweet, with more texture than overt flavour. Reserve for the punch bowl or dynamite cocktails. 75.5% Alc./Vol.
    2009 El Dorado Enmore Single Still 12 Year Old Cask Strength Demerara Rum (750ml)
    GUYANA
    $250. 00
    Bottle
    $3000.00 Dozen
    ABV: 54.3%

    Demerara Distillers actually operates nine different stills capable of producing a range of rum styles. Of particular significance are three heritage wooden stills relocated from their original estates: Enmore, with its wooden continuous Coffey still. Port Mourant, with its wooden double pot still and Versailles with its wooden single pot still. The aim of these bottlings is to reveal the individuality and diversity of flavours that each still contributes.

    The Enmore Wooden Continuous Coffey Still was constructed at the Enmore Estate in 1880 and based on an original design from its inventor, Irishman, Aeneas Coffey. Nickamed 'EHP' after the original owner of the Enmore Sugar Plantation, Edward Henry Porter, after the closure of the estate in 2000, the still was moved to Diamond Distillers Ltd. It's reported to be the last surviving wooden Coffey still operating in the world today. 54.3% Alc./Vol.

    • Nick's Import
    Goslings Black Seal 151 Proof Rum (700ml)
    BERMUDA
    $130. 00
    Bottle
    $1560.00 Dozen
    ABV: 75.5%

    A family business for over two centuries, Gosling's was founded in 1806 by James Gosling and is Bermuda's oldest business house and largest exporter of locally made product. Originally called 'Old Rum', the company's flagship 'Black Seal Rum' was not sold by the bottle until after World War One, when it was packaged in Champagne bottles (the most widely available bottle at the time) and sealed with black wax, hence the name which has stuck. Over the years, Black Seal Rum has become synonymous with the Bermuda region - it is an essential ingredient in the local fish chowder, adds the island flavour to the 'Bermuda Rum Swizzle', as well as being the tempest in Bermuda's favorite cocktail, the 'Dark 'n Stormy'.

    Goslings currently produce rums at three different proofs. Despite the 75.5% of Gosling's Black Seal 151, this is remarkably smooth.

    Other reviews... Don't be afraid of the 151 on the label. This is actually a delicious sipper, with the same chocolate and port wine flavors as its 80 proof sibling. It also works wonders in Zombies and Jet Pilots. - rumratings.com

    2021 Habitation Velier Papa Rouyo Rhum Agricole Guadeloupe Pure Single Rum (700ml)
    GUADELOUPE
    $199. 00
    Bottle
    $2388.00 Dozen
    ABV: 62%

    Martinique, Guadeloupe and the adjacent island, Marie-Galante represent the very heart of Rhum Agricole. While they may lack the global footprint of molasses-based rum, rigorous regulations and strict adherence to high-quality production standards make it hard to find anything less than stellar examples out of Martinique and the lesser known Guadeloupe. Velier's Luca Gargano selected this expression from Papa Rouyo distillery (established 2021) located in Goyave in Guadeloupe, and bearing the nickname of Charles Albert Ruscade. Born in 1900, he was the son of a cane planter and became a farmer himself from 1920 until his death in 1980. It's from this heritage that the idea of creating a micro-distillery in his name was born in the minds of three cane planters: Papa Rouyo's great-grandson, Joris Galli, as well as master growers Tim Synésius and Jean-Marie Gobardha.

    According to Velier's classification, this distillate is Pure Single Agricole - that is, from a single distillery, distilled exclusively in pot stills. An ester content of 67.9 g/hlap has been achieved using a variety of cane called Matos (B80.0689) grown on the distillery's original (and historic) four hectare plot named 'Le Moule', situated on the limestone-clay soil of eastern Grande-Terre plateau. Synésius, who is one of the distillery’s “maîtres-canniers”, ensures the canes are hand-harvested before being crushed on-site. A long fermentation and a double distillation allow a particularly intense aromatic extraction, resulting in a pungent and multi-faceted agricole with vegetal notes alongside lime, olive, dried herbs and brine that will add a vivaciousness to cocktails. Nothing was added before bottling, only a reduction was done with Saint-Claude spring water. Distilled in 2021. 62% Alc./Vol. Very limited stocks.

    • 94
    2014 Holmes Cay Clarendon EMB Single Cask 8 Year Old Cask Strength Jamaica Rum (750ml)
    JAMAICA
    $199. 00
    Bottle
    $2388.00 Dozen
    ABV: 61%

    The third Holmes Cay rum to be imported this year is an independent bottling of 2014 pure pot distillate from Clarendon Distillery in Lionel Town, Jamaica, tropically aged for eight years in ex-Bourbon casks before being transported to New York State for bottling without adulteration. Rum aficionados will note the EMB mark which indicates ester levels between 240-250 gr/HL AA. That's in the medium range of the distillery's output, yet tasting it you might think otherwise. Beyond the remarkably lifted aromatics, there's a dense core of over-ripe tropical fruit and funk that's all the more notable given that no dunder was used in the ferment. At a whopping 61% ABV in 750ml bottles, this well-balanced, characterful, all-natural beauty lands at a reasonable asking price that's guaranteed to tempt purists. 

    Notes from the importers... Nose: Lots of luscious, sweet, overripe tropical fruit salad at first, with bubblegum, maraschino cherry and vanilla notes bringing up the rear! Palate: Big and boisterous on the palate – the 61% is quite well behaved- but it’s still 61 frikkin percent! Unbelievably silky and viscous though, big waves of sweet fruit salad get matched with cloves, vanilla and other biscuit spices. Finish: For such a big rum, the finish definitely measures up – lot’s of oomph –but no ouch here. Lovely and warming, the various spices stand out as the sweetness dries. This is a BIG, boozelicious, funky rum that is incredibly (almost scarily) approachable for a 61% rum. A splash of water, or some ice will temper that some, but take care – the smooth integration of the alcohol is a trap! Lots of sweetness in this rum that is prevented from becoming sickly by a finish that dries out leaving your palate ready for another!

    • 89
    Inner Circle Black Dot 33 Cask Strength Rum 75.9% ABV (700ml)
    Queensland, AUSTRALIA
    $114. 99
    Bottle
    $1379.88 Dozen
    ABV: 75.9%

    The repackaged Inner Circle Black Dot is a new recipe, as well as new label and bottle shape. Deeper and darker than Green Dot, the high ABV is immediately apparent: prickly wafts carry aromas of cinnamon, vanilla wafer, sticky date and peppercorns. Tastes like more column still than pot still with a supernova of bittersweet flavours that's somehow light on its feet: Vanilla cream and dark chocolate on entry, the mid-palate is oily and mouth coating then finally estery through the finish. The aftertaste is fairly brisk for all its strength. 75.9% Alc./Vol. Pot distilled at Beenleigh distillery.

    • 92
    Inner Circle Green Dot Navy Strength Rum (700ml)
    Queensland, AUSTRALIA
    $94. 99
    Bottle
    $1139.88 Dozen
    ABV: 57.2%

    For a long time reserved for CSR's Board of Directors, this is the 'new formula' Green Dot, considered a significantly better rum than its predecessor. Rather than being distilled in Fiji, it's now produced at the Beenleigh distillery. The colour is amber gold. Attractive aromas hint at cream sponge cake, honey crackles, vanilla wafer and light molasses. Entry is gently bittersweet with near zero burn. Middle stage offers appealing coffee, raw sugar and vanilla flavours. Ends clean, delicate, warming and medium long. Very accessible at natural strength. 57.2% Alc./Vol.

    Mount Gay The Port Cask Expression Cask Strength Rum (700ml)
    BARBADOS
    $399. 00
    Bottle
    $4788.00 Dozen
    ABV: 55%

    It's good to see other Caribbean producers following the lead of bottlers like Velier with unadulterated, high strength rums. Mount Gay's 'The Port Cask Expression' is the third release in the Master Blender Collection that began in 2018 with an unusual Islay whisky cask-finished rum. Once again, Trudiann Branker is behind the composition and this time she’s employed Port casks, primarily because they're rarely used at the distillery. In fact, at least one report suggests that this is the first time in Mount Gay’s long history that they’ve used Port casks for aging. Specifically, the rum is a combination of Port-aged and Port-finished liquid, distilled on a traditional column still and aged for five years in Tawny Port casks, blended with pot still rums, aged for 14 years, and then finished in Tawny Port casks for a final twelve months. The exact percentages of each aren’t specified. Apart from having nothing added, it also comes non-chill filtered for maximum flavour and mouthfeel. 6570 bottles are available globally. If you like your rum neat, this is recommended with a piece of dark chocolate. 55% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews... The Port influence isn’t immediately evident on the nose. It’s rich with baking spice, some stewed orchard fruit, and plenty of classic rum esters from the pot still. As it opens, more dried red fruits emerge with a bit of marzipan in the mix, but on the whole, it’s not nearly as jammy or fruit forward as some other wine-finished rums I’ve encountered. The palate isn’t as restrained, but the Port is still not the only star of this show. The same sweet apple notes that dominated Trudiann’s first Master Blender release shine through with the Port overtaking some of the traditional vegetal sugarcane notes and injecting currants, juicy prunes, and black cherry in their stead. At cask strength, there’s still that classic Mount Gay dryness and spice, despite the syrupy and sweet Tawny addition. It’s a velvety and beautifully balanced rum that finishes as rich as it starts with the Port influence on full display in a lingering rinse of raisin and cherry juice. - drinkhacker.com

    Pere Labat 59 Rhum Agricole Guadeloupe Navy Strength White Rum (700ml)
    GUADELOUPE
    $109. 99
    Bottle
    $1319.88 Dozen
    ABV: 59%

    From the small island of Marie-Galante, a part of Guadeloupe, about one hour boat-ride from the mainland. Here the sugar cane fields, distilleries and warehouses sit in a pristine environment, employing indigenous sugarcane varieties and distilling exclusively from fresh pressed cane juice.

    Distillerie Poisson (est. c.1860) is the oldest operation of its kind on Marie-Galante and custodian of one of the most venerable stills in the Caribbean. Built in 1916, not much has changed in the last century, but in 2007, Guadeloupe native, Jean-Cedric Brot purchased the distillery and committed to reinvigorating the storied spirits that made it famous. He has named his brand after Père Labat (Father Labat), a multi-talented French Dominican missionary who introduced Charentaise distillation, the same method used to make Cognac. It made for a rum that was more "floral and round instead of sharp and burning". Today, four kinds of cane are used: red, white, blue, and gray. Some are grown on the estate, some are purchased from local growers. All are hand-cut and brought to the distillery by ox-drawn carts. 72 hour fermentations yield a vin de canne at 5% abv. Distillation takes place in one of two copper creole column stills which have eleven stripping plates and four rectifying/enriching plates. The spirit comes off the still between 69% and 71% abv. The Rhum blanc is placed in open top wooden foudres for 10-15 days and demineralized water is added to bring it down to proof. Pere Labat has several variants, but this edition is bottled at "Island Proof". Aside from being the ultimate choice for a Tiki Punch and a stunner in Daiquiris, it is considered by some as one of the best rhum agricoles in the world. The rums are bottled without chill filtration to maximise the raw fruitiness of the cane. 59% Alc./Vol.

    2008 Pintail XO 14 Year Old Single Origin Panama Rum (700ml)
    PANAMA
    $250. 00
    Bottle
    $3000.00 Dozen
    ABV: 54%

    The Pintail brand was originally established by Matthew Gloag and Sons in the 1930s and focussed on bottling dry sherries. After the trademark lapsed it was picked up by Keith Bonnington (Keeper of the Quaich and owner of The Whisky Cellars Independent Bottlers). He's now using it to market a range of hand picked spirits and wines. Whiskies are finished in rare (and often sweet) wine casks, but he has access to other categories too, such as this rum, composed of two barrels from a Single Origin Panamanian estate, matured for a full fourteen years in x-Bourbon casks. Bottled at 'overproof' strength for a full aroma, mouthfeel and flavour, vanilla, ginger biscuits, chocolate orange and charred oak are keynotes to look out for. 54% Alc./Vol.

    Sampan Overproof Vietnamese Rhum (700ml)
    VIETNAM
    $130. 00
    Bottle
    $1560.00 Dozen
    ABV: 54%

    A traditional 'French Rhum Agricole' from the tropical haven of Vietnam. Sampan Overproof has won a bunch of awards from various shows held around the world …Gold, Double Gold, Best of Region and many more. As a style, it's reported to be comparable to unaged Clairin or Paranubes.

    Other reviews... The Sampan Vietnamese Rhum is made by the Distillerie d’Indochine: and Antoine Pourcuitte, a long haired Frenchman who seems to be channelling Fabio and who lives in Vietnam, is the man who bootstrapped his desire to make good rums into a business that combines a small hotel and bar close to the beach with a distillery he pretty much built himself (officially it opened for business in late 2018). This newly constructed establishment, which produces one of those excellent white rhums which must be causing the French islands conniption fits, is his brainchild… and it can take its place proudly in the league of small and new fast moving ops who are taking a pure rhum approach to distillation in Asia.... it doesn’t sink on the taste, but follows smoothly on from what had been discerned on the nose. Here, we didn’t just have a few olives, but what seemed like a whole grove of them. Again it tasted dirty, loamy, and also pungent, with initially clear notes of sweet sugar cane juice and sweet yellow corn, to which are added some lemon sherbet, vanilla and aromatic light fruits (pears, watermelon, strawberries) plus herbs – dill and basil.  Soft and lightly sweet, and there’s a background hint of anise as well, or licorice, really nice. Throughout the tasting it stays firm and assertive on the tongue, with a near silky mouthfeel leading to an exit that is pleasantly long lasting and with closing notes of fruits, vanilla, coconut water, and breakfast spices. This is a really nice white rhum – it married the freshness of an agricole with the slight complexity of an entry level vieux and the balance between the various elements was very nicely handled. That pungent opening clearly makes the case that even with the resting period, it was an unaged rhum, something like the Sajous, the Paranubes, A1710, Toucan, Barbosa Grogue, HSE Parcellaire or others of that kind – I liked it a lot, and if it didn’t win any medals, I firmly believe it should at least win a few wallets. - thelonecaner.com

    ...Nose: Man, there is just SO MUCH going on in the nose. There’s a real fresh and lively quality to it as well. There’s cut grass and floral notes, there’s sweet candy floss and liquorice all sorts, but also salty olives. Freshly cut cane, earthy petrichor and even some citrus swirls by. Palate: Not as sweet as it smells, but certainly not dry, those fresh earthy notes are still there, I get some passionfruit, pineapple and pomegranate as well, and there’s also a sort of yeasty vibe going on (like fresh bread dough). What is surprising is how little pepper or heat there is at 54%. Finish: Oddly enough I get a bit of a ‘woody’ note in the finish, more of those earthy and sweet notes chase each other around, and there’s also some aniseed humbugs right at the last. - rumtribe.com.au

    • Reduced
    1998 The Colours of Rum Long Pond 23 Year Old Edition No. 12 Cask Strength Jamaica Rum (700ml) - DAMAGED GIFT BOX
    JAMAICA
    Reduced from $325.00
    $315. 00
    Bottle
    $3780.00 Dozen
    ABV: 52.7%

    Distilled in 1998 and drawn from a single x-rum cask for bottling in 2022. Older, yet showing more caney freshness and perhaps more prickle than No.8, this is also fuller, creamier with some oak sweetness entering the finish. Relaxed yet concentrated, it's slow to unfold in the mouth with the funky-fruity- bittersweet attack pushing through late and going long. Candlewax and bitter citrus peel aftertaste. 163 bottles at 52.7% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. Tasted from a 20ml sample.

    • Nick's Import
    1999 The Colours of Rum Foursquare 22 Year Old Edition No. 14 Cask Strength Barbados Rum (700ml)
    BARBADOS
    $350. 00
    Bottle
    $4200.00 Dozen
    ABV: 61%

    Foursquare Distillery is the feature of the current shipment. owned by the Seale family, longtime Barbados citizens. From the early 1900s, R.L. Seale & Co. purchased and aged rum to sell under its brand name. In the mid-1990s, Sir David Seale purchased the shuttered Foursquare sugar factory and converted it into a modern rum distillery to ensure a consistent rum supply. David’s son, Richard is now Foursquare’s Master Distiller and Master Blender, directing production via two double-retort pot stills and a column still. This edition was matured in ex-rum American oak casks for 22 years, eight of those in the tropics. 210 bottles are on offer. 61% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

    Other reviews... Nose: quite fruity (plums, baked pears) and relatively soft in comparison with the previous rums. A raisin sweetness behind it, as well as some toffee and brown sugar. Dark tea and wee herbal notes. Mouth: sweet bananas with honey and oak spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper). Then some yellow apple. Also caramelized popcorn, vanilla and leather. In fact this reminds me of grain whisky of similar age, maybe because there’s most column still spirit in here? Finish: medium, slightly spirity, with drier leafy notes and herbal touches as it fades. This Foursquare has a rather whisky-like profile – column still whisky. It’s rounded, not hugely complex, as well as influenced by plain American oak. - whiskynotes.be

    • 93
    • Nick's Import
    1997 The Colours of Rum Clarendon 24 Year Old Edition No. 13 Cask Strength Jamaica Rum (700ml)
    JAMAICA
    $325. 00
    Bottle
    $3900.00 Dozen
    ABV: 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.

    • Nick's Import
    2003 The Colours of Rum Diamond Distillery 18 Year Old Edition No. 5 Cask Strength Guyana Rum (700ml)
    GUYANA
    $299. 00
    Bottle
    $3588.00 Dozen
    ABV: 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

    • 95
    • Nick's Import
    1991 The Colours of Rum Uitvlugt 30 Year Old Edition No. 7 Cask Strength Guyana Rum (700ml)
    GUYANA
    $699. 00
    Bottle
    $8388.00 Dozen
    ABV: 68.7%

    These very old Uitvlugts can be as intimidating as they are rare. A contrast to the 24 year old Edition No.6, in this expression the focus is on banana cake and icing sugar with secondary notes of lime and fennel. It's a literal tsunami of flavour with a massive, mouthwatering attack that's oily, alcoholic and almost achingly intense in equal measure; there is a subtle sweet smokiness evident alongside baked citrus and tropical fruits, and while there's less of the industrial notes in this example, there is perhaps more grassiness. What's unmistakable is the lip-numbing, ultra-high ABV, so adding water is almost obligatory when it comes to broaching this behemoth. 68.7% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. Tasted from a 20ml sample. Collectable.

    Other reviews... A funny past here, this baby was all aged in Europe, first ten years in bourbon and the rest in French oak. Wine then, I would suppose? Remember Uitvlugt got closed in 1999. This is from the ex-Port Mourant double wooden pot still that later went to Diamond. Colour: light gold. Nose: the exact opposite. This is grassy and petroly where the Enmore was all on thick raisins. Some burnt woods, fresh paint and putty, 'a Saturday morning at Ikea's' (no meatballs!) some linoleum, engine oil, dry vegetables (eggplants)… And a lot of ethanol that burns your nose and makes your spectacles opaque. Mind you, 68.7% at 30 years! They must have filled at still strength, given that this was aged in a cool climate. With water: the expected anchovies and olives, lemongrass, pickled small artichokes.. Mouth (neat): don't. Like drinking half a bottle of Weak Knees sriracha sauce. With water: I'm happy to report that we got it. Pure, almost crystalline citron liqueur with some oysters and tar. Green peppercorns. Finish: very long and possibly the most vertical old rum I could try. Some lime juice and half a glass of Laphroaig C/S. Comments: they bottled a blade here. Loved this one too but it may give the casual taster a hard time. Oh and no live flames allowed! 89 points - whiskyfun.com

    • 93
    • Nick's Import
    2010 The Colours of Rum Foursquare 11 Year Old Edition No. 18 Cask Strength Barbados Rum (700ml)
    BARBADOS
    $199. 00
    Bottle
    $2388.00 Dozen
    ABV: 61.1%

    Distilled using pot and column stills and matured for five years in Barbados followed by another five in ex-whisky casks on the continent. Big on vanilla aromatics developing with exotic fruity depths and ripe citrus peels, this is potent and powerful with a slightly hot, unripe attack. Early bittersweetness and more oak and molasses-driven than a high-ester style, it covers the tongue with papaya, tingling alcohol and complex dried herb, liquorice root and tobacco-like flavours. Long and spiced-up, not exactly casual drinking, but where it lacks balance it makes up with an engaging individuality. 61.1% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. 259 bottles. Tasted from a 20ml sample.

    • Nick's Import
    1998 The Colours of Rum Caroni 24 Year Old Edition No. 3 Cask Strength Trinidad Rum (700ml)
    TRINIDAD
    $799. 00
    Bottle
    $9588.00 Dozen
    ABV: 62.9%

    The Colours of Rum is the newest creation from the famous bottler and luxury goods purveyor, Wealth Solutions in Warsaw, Poland. The team has been identifying and selling the world's most collectible products in almost every category, but their specialty is fine drinks. Entering the league of semi-mythical wood aged spirits, Caribbean rum doesn't come much rarer or more collectable than Caroni. Various bottlers have secured casks over the years and the last remaining stocks are slowly being released. To find a well aged expression is increasingly difficult. This 24-year-old weighing in at 62.9% is one of 251 bottles released as part of The Colours of Rum Edition #3. An obvious opportunity for spirits investors, Caroni's full flavoured, nutty, sweet and smokey molasses profile is now a relic of flavour history. When the distillery closed, it also marked the end to 'heavy' rum production in Trinidad. Non chill filtered. Collectable.

    • Nick's Import
    1999 The Colours of Rum Foursquare 22 Year Old Edition No. 13 Cask Strength Barbados Rum (700ml)
    BARBADOS
    $350. 00
    Bottle
    $4200.00 Dozen
    ABV: 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

    • Nick's Import
    2006 The Colours of Rum Foursquare 15 Year Old Edition No. 15 Cask Strength Barbados Rum (700ml)
    BARBADOS
    $299. 00
    Bottle
    $3588.00 Dozen
    ABV: 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.

    • 93
    • Nick's Import
    2010 The Colours of Rum Foursquare 11 Year Old Edition No. 17 Cask Strength Barbados Rum (700ml)
    BARBADOS
    $199. 00
    Bottle
    $2388.00 Dozen
    ABV: 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

    • 94
    • Nick's Import
    2006 The Colours of Rum WP 16 Year Old Edition No. 9 Cask Strength Jamaica Rum (700ml)
    JAMAICA
    $250. 00
    Bottle
    $3000.00 Dozen
    ABV: 59.3%

    Worthy Park is another locally-owned distillery. 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. This is a classically fruity, funky, full-on WP with aromatics that follow through in a super tasty attack; Ripe papaya comes framed by bittersweet spices and there are touches of something citrussy, like lemon and lime chutney. The profile creeps up on you and gets bigger, richer and more intense. Aged for one year in the tropics, then continentally aged for fifteen years in an ex-rum cask, this is pretty much everything you'd expect from this make. 59.3% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. 214 bottles. Tasted from a 20ml sample.

    Other reviews... These fine people have just unloaded another incredible set of rums, all from the very best origins. Colour: gold. Nose: love this make, always loved this make which, despite some very heavy esters, is always displaying something better chiselled, pretty lacey. Excuse me but this is really responding to my favourite Alsatian rieslings, which are all stemming from the Riquewihr-Hunawihr-Ribeauvillé region. Some delicate petroly smells, crushed limestone and gypsum, some olive brine and oil 'of course', paraffin, paint, gherkins… Is this some Jurassic rum? With water: oh chalk, plaster, Barbour grease, shoe polish, washing powder, also maracuja and oranges… Mouth (neat): mango, honey and parsley, really? Water is needed… With water: unusually liquoricy and on aniseed, and rather sweeter than usual, at that. Still utterly wonderful, just a tad 'sweet' and pastissy (?) Finish: long, fresh, rather richer than other worthy ones at this point, but great. Honeyed aftertaste, with even mirabelles. Comments: nose and palate were not 100% aligned, but we're splitting hairs once more. Superb rum, no question. 89 points - whiskyfun.com

    • Nick's Import
    2006 The Colours of Rum Foursquare 15 Year Old Edition No. 16 Cask Strength Barbados Rum (700ml)
    BARBADOS
    $299. 00
    Bottle
    $3588.00 Dozen
    ABV: 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.

    • Nick's Import
    1998 The Colours of Rum Montebello 23 Year Old Edition No. 1 Cask Strength Guadeloupe Rum (700ml)
    GUADELOUPE
    $599. 00
    Bottle
    $7188.00 Dozen
    ABV: 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.

    2012 The Whisky Jury HD Single Cask 10 Year Old Cask Strength Jamaica Rum (700ml)
    JAMAICA
    $299. 00
    Bottle
    $3588.00 Dozen
    ABV: 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.

    1990 The Whisky Jury Enmore Single Cask 32 Year Old Cask Strength Guyana Rum (700ml)
    GUYANA
    $899. 00
    Bottle
    $10788.00 Dozen
    ABV: 50.9%

    Just arrived from 'The Whisky Jury' - a well-aged rarity from Guyana's legendary wooden pot still yielding 222 bottles from a single re-fill barrel. All natural, cask strength and non chill filtered. 50.9% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews... Nose: elegant Versailles. It opens on a mix of dried herbs – oregano stands out, but also thyme and fennel seeds. Then hints of pencil shavings, green tea with lemon. Very subtle olives in brine. Also fabrics, dried flowers and the lightest whiff of glue and wax in the background. Lovely and unique. Mouth: quite assertive and thick, but again firmly un-fruity. It’s entirely on salty liquorice, a kitchen drawer full of dried herbs, pine needles, with hints of sea salt and camphory earth. Bitter almonds and some medicinal hints, like menthol. Later more pencil shavings. Then ink, black olive tapenade and faded hints of petrol. Not exactly easy sipping rum, but nicely complex. Finish: long and herbal. Slightly less special now, just a refreshing finale. Excellent Enmore, a good benchmark for this style and age. No ester bomb, not a fruity rum either, but a unique mix of herbs and this specific woody style. - whiskynotes.be

    1998 The Whisky Jury Bellevue Single Cask 24 Year Old Cask Strength Guadeloupe Rum (700ml)
    GUADELOUPE
    $450. 00
    Bottle
    $5400.00 Dozen
    ABV: 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

    • 95
    2001 The Whisky Jury SPD Single Cask 20 Year Old Cask Strength Fiji Rum (700ml)
    FIJI
    $350. 00
    Bottle
    $4200.00 Dozen
    ABV: 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. 00
    Bottle
    $6600.00 Dozen
    ABV: 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.

    • 96
    • Reduced
    2010 Velier National Rums Of Jamaica Long Pond Cambridge STCE Jamaica Cask Strength Pure Single Rum (700ml)
    JAMAICA
    Reduced from $350.00
    $275. 00
    Bottle
    $3300.00 Dozen
    ABV: 57%

    "Astounding...a brown bomber that showcases the island, the distillery, the marque and the ester-laden profile." - lonecaner.com

    A reproduction marque based on Cambridge Distillery, originally located in Trelawny Parish but closed in 1947 - hence this 'replica' was actually distilled at Long Pond in 2010. It's part of a quartet under Velier's National Rums of Jamaica series first issued in 2018. The intention is to capture Jamaica's key styles via four different expressions. It's not known if Velier obtained an antique bottle of Cambridge and attempted to reproduce the flavour profile, or if this is more about matching historical ester counts (the chemical compounds that smell and taste of fruit and flowers). Either way, this expression falls under the Jamaican classification of "Continental Flavored style" equating to rums with 700/1600 gr / hlpa of esters (the other three classifications are 'Common Clean 50-150 gr/hlpa', 'Plummer 150-200 gr/hlpa' and 'Wedderburn 200-300 gr/hlpa' - all probably derived from an earlier British classification). The counts refer to the esters after distillation (i.e.- before maturation), so they would differ after years of tropical ageing. It should also be noted that exceptionally high ester rums are generally not marketable (nor palatable), instead they're reserved as blending agents. Thus, in the grander scheme of things, Cambridge is a mid-level ester style, but most Jamaican rums are much, much lower. Further confusing matters, Velier's label carries a secondary marque: 'STCE' standing for 'Simon Thomsom Cambridge Estate' which is a reference to Long Pond's in-house measuring system, the title incorporating the name of one of Cambridge's historical owners. Whether this implies that Cambridge's stills had been brought over to Long Pond, or that the Cambridge style was being copied with Long Pond's existing stills is not clear.

    We received a 50ml sample. Overall the nose has a dry, unadulterated feel, the opening aromas of balsamic, nail varnish and shellac giving way to a core of poached fruits, vanilla, crushed papaya seeds, roasted almonds, muted raw sugar and coffee cake. The palate unfolds in stages: Entry accents 'industrial' notes evoking gunshot, acetone and pickled ginger; The mid-palate attack turns intensely estery, bittersweet and pleasingly astringent then breaks loose with a rush of ripe tropical fruits leaving banana bread, fruit cake, light treacle and plenty of residual funk. The length is just what you'd expect. Mouthfilling, idiosyncratic, intoxicating and 'out there', it's a clinic on extreme Jamaican styles; Some may find the industrial notes too quirky, or too much - or both, but if purity and provenance are important to you, there are few like this. Fifteen barrels equate to 4900 bottles globally. 100% tropically aged. 57% Alc./Vol.

    Other reviews... What makes the rum so astounding – and it is, you know, for all its off-the-wall wild madness – is the way it keeps developing.  In many rums what you get to smell is pretty much, with some minor variation, what you get to taste. Not here. Not even close. Oh the palate is forceful, it’s sharp, it’s as chiselled as a bodybuilder’s abs, and initially it began like the nose did, with glue, ammonia and sweet-clear acetone-perfume bolted on to a hot and full bodied rum.  But over time it became softer, slightly creamy, a bit yeasty, minty, and also oddly light, even sweet. Then came the parade of vanilla, peaches, ginger, cardamom, olives, brine, pimentos, salty caramel ice cream, freshly baked sourdough bread and a very sharp cheddar, and still it wasn’t done – it closed off in a long, dry finish laden with attar of roses, a cornucopia of sharp and unripe fleshy fruits (apricots, peaches, apples), rotting bananas, acetones, nail polish and lots and lots of flowers...Luca Gargano, if you strain your credulity to the limit, can conceivably make a boring rum…but he’s too skilled to make a bad one, and I think what he was gunning for here was a brown bomber that showcased the island, the distillery, the marque and the ester-laden profile.  He certainly succeeded at all of these things…though whether the rum is an unqualified success for the lay-drinker is a much harder question to answer. You see, there’s a reason such high ester superrums don’t get made very often. They simply overload the tasting circuits, and sometimes such a plethora of intense good things is simply too much.  I’m not saying that’s the case here because the balance and overall profile is quite good – just that the rum, for all its brilliantly choreographed taste gyrations, is not entirely to my taste, the ammonia-laden nose is overboard, and I think it’s likely to be a polarizing product – good for Jamaica-lovers, great for the geeks, not so much for Joe Harilall down the road. I asked for new and spectacular and I got both.  But a wonderful, amazing, must-have rum? The next Skeldon or 1970s PM, or 1980s Caroni? Not entirely. - the lonecaner.com

    ...The rum has a lot of esters for the nose and should be allowed to breathe for 15-30 minutes. I find typical ester notes like fermented tropical fruit, solvent and varnish. In addition, nice roasted aromas, vanilla, nuts and burnt sugar. A nice thick funky nose that is powerfully intense. On the palate, the rum appears light and fresh at first. Almost flowery. But then it quickly becomes more powerful and full-bodied. Overripe fruit, esters, a nice nutty spiciness with roasted aromas and a good portion of wood. It's all creamy and dry. The finish then becomes woodier with leather and bitterness, solvents and a slight astringency. What can I say. A great rum that has everything I expect from a high ester Jamaican. The tropical maturation is on point and the barrel influence is super successful. The rum doesn't quite have the complexity and depth of the TECA from 2007. Still, it's hits my taste and it's really fun. - rumratings.com

    ... A vatting of fifteen (15) bourbon barrels. That's almost as many as in a batch of Johnnie Walker Blue, no? Now, as for this little rum and as I understand it, the name Cambridge refers to an old distillery whose make they're replicating at Long Pond, the marque STCE meaning 'Simon Thomsom Cambridge Estate'. Good, and the name 'continental flavoured' refers to one of the four styles they're making altogether, namely a rather high-ester one (500 to 700 gr/hlpa). Good, hope I've got everything more or less right, let us proceed… Colour: full gold. Nose: varnishes, acetone, polishes and carbon dust (a Porsche after the Nürburgring, as they say). Gosh they'll cancel us too one day. Then the expected rotting (well, rotten) bananas, artichokes, black olives, and Scotch tape. With water: more of all that, with perhaps a different balance. More Scotch tape. Mouth (neat): massive loads of rotting tropical fruits, with a feeling of ammonia, and certainly more varnish, plus coal tar and just diesel oil (right, a feeling of diesel oil, or rather something reminiscent of diesel oil). With water: sorrel juice (yep) and guava juice taking over. Very unusual – well I'm not familiar with these makes anyway. Acidic and rather sour. Finish: long, with more tart fruits of all kinds. Sour, gherkiny aftertaste. More liquorice in the aftertaste. Comments: extreme. Quaffing dressers often comes with a challenge, this is an excellent (and actually excellent) example. 88 points - whiskyfun.com

    2007 Velier Isautier 15 Year Old Cask Strength Reunion Rum (700ml)
    FRANCE
    $299. 00
    Bottle
    $3588.00 Dozen
    ABV: 57%

    A traditional molasses-based rum from a little-known distillery: Generally categorised among ‘French-Indian rums', Isautier was founded in 1845 by brothers, Charles and Louis, who landed on La Réunion island in 1832. Located in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar, the island is a department of France. After the Isautier brothers died, Charles’ wife Antoinette took charge of the distillery in 1865. By 1878, they had presented their rum for the first time outside of La Réunion at the third Universal Exhibition in Paris and were awarded a medal. Real success didn’t kick in until Antoinette’s grandson, Alfred Isautier bought up his brother’s shares in 1910. He increased the product range, added a column still and started to distribute Isautier Rums around the world. Through the 1960s and '70s, Alfred diversified, using the sugar industry’s by-products to create goods such as chocolate, jam, vinegar, perfumes, wax polish, candles and more, opening the way for more than sixty new companies on the island. In 2011, the distillery was closed and moved to a new site in Saint-Pierre, where it was rebuilt in a more sustainable fashion, including a solar air conditioning system.

    Unlike the French island of Martinique, for example, La Reunion doesn't have its own AOC designation. Regardless, both molasses-based and Agricole / cane-juice distillates are produced via at least one steam-injected column still (more specifics on Isautier's equipment are not available). They occasionally mix and match their blends from both, as well as making a variety of flavoured punches. This 'small batch' edition was barrelled in May 2007 and bottled in March 2022. Three casks make up the composition, namely, ex-Isautier rum casks which held the liquid from 2007-2009, and ex-cognac casks which were employed for the period between 2009-2019. A final 'finishing' took place until 2021 when the rum was returned to the Isautier casks. Reviews are variable, but when Velier chooses to bottle anything to do with rum, it's worth paying attention. 991 bottles are on offer at 57% Alc./Vol.

    • Nick's Import
    Wray and Nephew White Overproof Rum (700ml)
    Kingston, JAMAICA
    $99. 99
    Bottle
    $1199.88 Dozen
    ABV: 63%

    Ask a native where you could sample J.Wray & Nephew over-proof rum, and they will tell you knock on the door of any household. Such is the legendary status of this spirit that it accounts for 90% of rum sales in Jamaica. Other brands produced under the J.Wray & Nephew name are Captain Morgan, Coruba and the highly renowned Appleton Estate range. Use this product in classic rum punches with tropical juices. Alternate with flavoured rums and liqueurs for something new. Also great in the traditional Mai Tai and Daiquiri.

    Other reviews... Pungent, fruity, estery... Although very potent, when used correctly Wray & Nephew's complex bouquet and unique flavour characteristics make it an excellent base for cocktails and punches. 5 Stars - disffordsguide.com

    Recipe: Jamaican Rum Punch

    1 cup J.Wray and Nephew Over-proof rum
    1/2 cup Myer's dark rum
    2 1/2 cups pineapple juice
    2 1/2 cups orange juice
    1/4 cup lime juice
    3 tbsp grenadine syrup
    Ice cubes

    2017 Habitation Velier Mhoba South Africa Pure Single Cask Strength Rum (700ml)
    SOUTH AFRICA
    $230. 00
    Bottle
    $2760.00 Dozen
    ABV: 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.

    2007 Adelphi Foursquare Single Cask 15 Year Old Cask Strength Rum (700ml)
    BARBADOS
    $250. 00
    Bottle
    $3000.00 Dozen
    ABV: 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.

    • Reduced
    2008 Adelphi Clarendon Single Cask 12 Year Old Cask Strength Rum (700ml)
    JAMAICA
    Reduced from $240.00
    $199. 99
    Bottle
    $2399.88 Dozen
    ABV: 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.

    • 91
    Balcones Cask Strength Texas Rum (750ml) - 58.5%
    Waco, Texas, UNITED STATES
    $160. 00
    Bottle
    $1920.00 Dozen
    ABV: 58.5%

    Balcones are better known for their sizeable single malts. Few are aware that they diversified into rum back in 2013. It's taken a while to get the formula right, but this is getting closer. Initially dense, woody and closed, the aroma needs time to pick up steam, developing with notes of dried mango, molasses cake, cinnamon and ginger bread. Bristling wood spices and nipping alcohol come with the territory, however classic Demerara flavours like fruit cake, cinnamon, bitter dark chocolate and dry molasses only gain definition at the last. While it shows impressive staying power, overall, this remains an understated, unadulterated style that could be mistaken for a rum-finished version of their single malt (perhaps they've matured this in x-single malt casks?) For that reason it should entertain malt whisky drinkers and rum enthusiasts in equal measure. 58.5% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered

    Balcones Cask Strength Texas Rum (750ml)
    Texas, UNITED STATES
    $160. 00
    Bottle
    $1920.00 Dozen
    ABV: 62%
    First offered in 2013, Balcones traditional double distilled rum is made from the finest molasses available. Combined with their in-house cooperage program, consisting of a variety of oak species and multiple toast profiles, the result is a bold and robust rum with rich deep fruit flavours and warming notes of vanilla and caramel. A rum to excite both the rum purist and committed whisky drinkers alike! 62% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
    Barrell Craft Spirits BCS Private Release J657 'Joe's Playlist Track #6 Whoosier Tiki' Cask Strength Jamaica Rum (750ml)
    JAMAICA
    $250. 00
    Bottle
    $3000.00 Dozen
    ABV: 65.82%
    The base rum for this blend is from Jamaica and makes up 65%. The marrying and finishing were done in an Indiana Rye Cask. Comes bottled at an atomic strength of 65.82% Alc./Vol.
    Barrell Craft Spirits BCS Rum 13 Year Old Cask Strength Rum (750ml) - Release 01
    Caribbean,
    $499. 00
    Bottle
    $5988.00 Dozen
    ABV: 62.1%

    The casks used for BCS release #1 rum were on an Atlantic voyage that spanned almost a year before they reached Kentucky. Rather than issuing them as single barrels, experiments with countless combinations came up with this outstanding blend of vintage rums from Barbados, Jamaica and Guyana. It looks to be a real gem from BCS. The bad news is, we have next to nothing from an outturn of 483 bottles. 62.1% Alc./Vol.

    Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Strong notes reminiscent of tepache, a Mexican fermented beverage made from pineapple rinds. Others emerge - fruity notes of green grapes and lime hull, earthy notes of oyster shell and potting soil, and very Jamaican vegetal notes of Kalamata olive, caper, pine needle tea, scallion, and pollen. Palate: Comparatively gentle, the Guyanese lending demerara syrup, purple plum, and crème de cassis, the Barbados bringing characteristic florals and spice: rosehip tea, cinnamon, and star anise. These notes are held together by a fresh maritime character -- seaweed, sea salt, and a little glycerine richness. Finish: The Jamaican hogo is back, as is the tepache, but it’s also spicy, with notes of ginger, turmeric, and catnip. Lychee makes an unexpected appearance.

    • Reduced
    Barrell Craft Spirits BCS Rum 14 Year Old Cask Strength Rum (750ml) - Release 02
    JAMAICA
    Reduced from $499.00
    $450. 00
    Bottle
    $5400.00 Dozen
    ABV: 64.7%

    Jamaican rums can be endlessly rewarding in their complexity but a challenge to blend. BCS have ensured each of the distinct aromas shine with a focus on berry fruits and peppers. Patience and a splash of water reward the drinker with boundless entertainment: innumerable tropical fruits, maritime minerals and heady florals. Extremely limited stocks. 64.7% Alc./Vol.

    Notes from the bottlers... Nose: The esters are so concentrated and varied that the aroma presents first with the unmistakable monolithic smell of funky Jamaican rum. Slowly, the Barbados and Demerara rums drive a wedge into the funk and focus the profile first around berries and flowers. There’s a fatty element at times reminiscent of tahini or browned butter. A kiss of wood spice, sauna and nutmeg is present. Palate: The alcohol keeps the sweetness in check, the tannins are modest and sandy. Tthe flavors mirror the nose: Blackberry, rosehip, nutmeg, tahini. The mineral side really shines and gives a maritime feel: crushed oyster shell, kelp, fried clams, dry vermouth. Finish: The tropical fruits pop, with lime zest, lychee, navel orange, and pineapple. Some soft resinous touches of mastic and pine pitch. A hint of savory enoki mushroom and sweet crab meat.

    Black Gate Single Cask Overproof Rum (700ml)
    New South Wales, AUSTRALIA
    $120. 00
    Bottle
    $1440.00 Dozen
    ABV: 51%
    A new high strength Black Gate, double distilled in a traditional all copper, direct fired pot still and matured for two years in a 100 litre re-coopered cask that previously held Australian Tawny Port. Expect an all-natural, big and bold molasses based rum with toffee and caramel flavours. 51% Alc./Vol.
    • 96
    Black Tot 50th Anniversary Cask Strength Rum (700ml)
    Caribbean,
    $240. 00
    Bottle
    $2880.00 Dozen
    ABV: 54.5%

    Stepping away from whisky for a moment - 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.
    Here's one that comes with a strong "buy now", and for more than one reason.

    This is the fourth instalment from Elixir Distillers under the Black Tot label and marks the 50th Anniversary of the abolition of the Royal Navy's daily rum ration. To commemorate “Black Tot Day”, Head Blender, Oliver Chilton together with co-founder Sukhinder Singhhas created a limited edition Caribbean rum and bottled it at navy strength. It includes some incredibly old and genuinely rare stocks, noted marques for the (majority) Guyanese rums, including distillates from a wooden pot still to a multi-column still with age statements from 9 to 42 years. A splash of the original Royal Navy rum, continuously blended in wooden vats from the early 1800s through to 1970 has been thrown in for good measure.
    Here's the full breakdown:

    28% 12 year Guyana – Demerara Distillers – Savalle still
    27% 9 year Guyana – Demerara Distillers – Savalle still
    15% 11 year Barbados – Foursquare – pot/column still
    11% 10 year Trinidad – Trinidad Distillers – column still
    8% 9 year Jamaica – Hampden – pot still
    6% 10 year Guyana – Demerara Distillers – Port Mourant still
    4% 23 year Trinidad – Caroni – column still. CLOSED DISTILLERY.
    0.5% 42 year Guyana – Uitvlugt – Port Mourant still. CLOSED DISTILLERY.
    0.5% Original Royal Navy Rum – world blend

    The vision wasn't to make a replica of the original navy rum or copy new Caribbean expressions, but to create something that sat in between. Also, Sukhinder prefers older and richer old-school navy style rums while Chilton likes fresher and funkier modern rum. They started with the four pillars of Royal Naval rum – the islands of Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana and Trinidad. Samples were then pulled from casks and rums were blended.

    Two thirds of the liquid went into glass – the rest went back into casks. This will be an ongoing project with a new rum each year, each starting from the previous year’s blend. But as much as we look forward to tasting those bottlings, deep down, the rum lover and collector in us knows this is the one to get (besides, it's not guaranteed you'll see the same proportions of now semi-mythical Caroni and Uitvlugt in later iterations). Flavour wise, it's streets away from industrial-scale saccharine rums. If you prefer 'adult' rums to 'drinkable' but overly-sweet and monotonous modern styles, this will be worth every cent. 5000 bottles are on offer globally. Get in before everyone else wakes up.

    Tasting note: Mahogany colour. Brooding depths to the layered nose: Molasses cake and liquorice strap. Plantain and drier vanillas. Fruit cake, cinnamon, nutmeg and bitter cocoa. The sugars are evenly matched against the funk and freshness. Unravels with stunning length as the alcohol pulsates the taste buds. Sweet and dry, old and new, wrangle together; liquorice strap meets grassier / fruitier notes. Raisin cake meets bitter dark chocolate. Rancio and resiny oak give an hors d'age Armagnac feel to the finish, followed by walnut slice, dried banana, cinnamon and ginger bread. Rebounds with mocha, dried fruits (raisin / date) and brandy cream sauce and lasts for minutes. A contemporary rum with an old soul that demonstrates Chilton and his blending team are at the top of their game. 54.5% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. Zero sugar added. 5000 bottles.

    Other reviews... I’ll be entirely honest and say this has ticked every box for me. Whether is it a faithful recreation of the rum drank pre-1970, I’m really not that bothered to be honest. It’s a fantastic blended rum. 5 Stars - thefatrumpirate.com

    Official tasting notes... Nose : We are greeted with cinnamon sticks, sprinkled with nutmeg, toasting in the oven. Then a deep richness, akin to caramel-glazed apple tart, with some citrus elements rolling in. There is also barbecued pineapple and grapefruit zest, balanced by notes of melting chocolate raisins and freshly ground Jamaican blue mountain coffee. With more time, a hint of well-aged spirit emerges, reminiscent of dusty books in a historic library. Palate : From the first sip, the palate is almost overrun with the combination of liquorice sticks and vanilla bean paste. As the flavours coat the mouth, lime juice married with 80% cocoa dark chocolate appears, which slowly deepens to brandy-poached pears. A backbone of dried mint and tarragon is married with natural sweetness and a touch of nuttiness, in the form of bananas and walnuts. Finish : Long and lingering, with flavours of mint chocolate chip ice cream and soft liquorice, dipped in sherbet. The rich flavours of a whole-milk latte topped with cream dissipate to leave a pleasant dryness, leading to another sip.

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