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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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February 3, 2019 |
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Let’s try to find bigger ones today. Well, that shouldn’t be too difficult to do… |
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New Grove 2007/2017 (59.7%, OB for Salon du Rhum Belgique, Mauritius, cask # 428-17, 167 bottles) 
We’ve only ever tried some New Grove at 40% vol. yet thought it was pretty good (around WF 80-82). This is molasses-based rhum traditionnel made by the Grays distillery in Beau Plan. Colour: copper gold. Nose: extremely fruity, full of pink bananas, sweeter mangos, cane syrup, peaches and apricots, pineapples, all those rather as preserved fruits than as fresh ones. With water: more toasted oak, vanilla, brioche… This is all seductive and perfectly made, rather modern in fact, not unlike some contemporary cognacs that are also keeping an eye on malt whisky. Mouth (neat): an extravagant fruit bomb, which, bizarrely, makes it rather more malternative, the Irish way. You cannot not think of Bushmills’ single malt. More bananas, pineapples, papayas, plus some chocolaty oak wrapping all that. With water: yes indeed, Bushmills, or Cooley’s fruitiest, really. Now not sure bananas and pineapples don’t rather belong to rum, having said that. Finish: medium, bright, always extremely fruity, but rather on citrus this time. Big juicy oranges. Comments: I have to say I’m impressed. Perfect engineering and wood technology here, just with a different accent…
SGP:741 - 88 points. |
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Four Square 10 yo 2007/2018 (62.9%, Compagnie des Indes for Salon du Rhum Belgique, Barbados, cask #BF019, 246 bottles) 
I believe, but I’m not totally sure, that this is some single blended continental-aged Foursquare, so both ex-pot and ex-column. Oh and indeed it’s labelled as Four Square. Colour: dark gold. Nose: rather column content, it seems. A little varnish over Danish pastries, banana cake, barbecued marshmallows, some cellulose, and then a little strawberry liqueur. Certainly not some higher-ester Foursquare. With water: something Cuban, I would say. Foursquare’s lighter side. Cakes, pack of sweets, cane syrup, coconut… Mouth (neat): varnish, coconut balls, sawdust, vanilla, raspberry eau-de-vie, ginger… Very strong! With water: same, more or less, plus a little earth, which is welcome. Finish: long, getting a little bitter. Comments: really not a huge fan of these ones, I believe all OBs, including the youngest Doorly’s, are playing in a higher league. But again and again and again, only one man’s opinion. Some superb new pot-stilly Foursquare soon on WF!
SGP:631 - 78 points. |
Look, why not have three crazy Hampdens now?... |
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Hampden 17 yo 2000/2018 (57.2%, Berry Bros & Rudd for The Whisky Barrel, Jamaica, cask #27, 194 bottles) 
Oh well, these are all good anyway, why bother… (perhaps because they’re all good, precisely?) Colour: straw. Nose: UHU glue, rotting turnips and bananas, ink, brake fluid, new leatherette, Barbour grease, linoleum, diesel oil… What’s not to like? With water: typical shoe polish, peat, cedar shavings, castor oil… Mouth (neat): perfection made rum. Gritty fruit peels, fresh walnut skins, brine, olives, crazy guavas, saltpetre, capers, Indonesian cigars, ink… With water: perfect. Love these notes of new plastic and tobacco pouch (I know, I know). Finish: long but not eternal. Slightly gentler than others at this stage. Comments: there was actually something ‘easier’ to this one. Brilliant rum anyway and nonetheless.
SGP:462 - 90 points. |
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Hampden 17 yo 2000/2018 (58.1%, Berry Bros & Rudd for The Whisky Barrel, Jamaica, cask #54, 189 bottles)
In theory, this should be quick. Colour: straw. Nose: rather less on brine and olives, and rather more on vegetables and oils. Asparagus, sesame oil, vanilla… Looks like this cask has been a little more active. The cores are totally similar, having said that. With water: indeed, more vegetables. Artichokes, tinned chickpeas, samphires… Also some kind of mentholy earth. Or Kools (not Kool-Aid mind you). Mouth (neat): we’re even closer to the previous one, with perhaps a little more fruits this time, and rather less diesely touches. Shall we call it ‘gentler’? In a way, yes… With water: a little more polished, I would say. One that you could actually bring to a family reunion. Finish: long and saltier. Comments: flying high again on Air Jamaica. Peace.
SGP:462 - 89 points. |
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Hampden 16 yo 2001/2018 (61.2%, Hunter Laing, Kill Devil for The Whisky Barrel, Jamaica, 156 bottles)
I totally hate all these homicidal continental Hampdens by H. Laing. I hate them because they’re so predictably great… Colour: gold. Nose: as the colour suggested, this has a little more oak influence, and that was American oak, with its attendant vanilla and coconut. Having said that coconut, capers and diesel oil seem to get along pretty well. Rotting bananas and vegetal ink, new electronics, etcetera. With water: we’re at Home Depot’s now. Formica board, plywood, various glues and varnishes, lineoleum… and also ripe bananas and papayas, we’re not savages. Mouth (neat): get-out-of-here, this one’s quicker off the line than a Jack Russell on caffeine. Murder attempt, that’ll cost you! With water: hugely diesely (I know, not good for our little planet), salty, and chock-full of olives and liquorice. A little vanilla behind all that, reminding us that, well, that the cask also wanted to tell us something. Finish: long, with, wait, maracujas? Some vanilla too, okay. Comments: I was having it at WF 91, but thought the finish was a little less, how shall I put it, idiosyncratic? Focussed?
SGP:562 - 90 points. |
 Check the index of all rums we've tasted so far
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