
February 2, 2020

Five more rums on a Sunday

Rummaging now, if you have a minute or two... There...…

Latino 5 yo (40%, Compagnie des Indes, blend, +/-2018)

Latino 5 yo (40%, Compagnie des Indes, blend, +/-2018)
The whole idea sounds a little fishy, but the company does not at all, so this is pretty intriguing. Latino style rum? Without any sugar? I’m game… Colour: straw. Nose: grasses and flowers, I would say. Raw tobacco leaves, mown lawn, hay, small berries (sorb, holly, elder)… This is all soft, complex and elegant. Exactly not what I was expecting, that is to say some boring molassy extravagance. I would add a wee feeling of Chablis. Mouth: right, this is thinner, and pretty sweet, honestly. But it is not horrendous, and there is some cane to talk to. But the feeling of Spanish orange liqueur isn’t quite my cup of tea. Mixed feelings, shall we say. Finish: medium, sugary, syrupy. Not the best part. Comments: rather loved the nose, but the palate was a little more difficult to this whisky drinker. We’re always having trouble with anything sugary, are we not? Unless poured over tons of crushed ice…
SGP: 730- 79 points.

Oh, perhaps this…

Havana Club ‘Anejo Especial’ (40%, OB, Cuba, +/-2005)

Not that we’re expecting much from this older baby (Santiago de Cuba over it anytime!) but there, we were having it in the stash and you just never know… Colour: gold. Nose: not much indeed, but at least it’s not pumped-up. Fine grasses, crushed canes (once the juice has been extracted), a little oil (sunflower?) and perhaps a little wax. Very humble, modest, and shy. But no one’s really nosing this, that would be just you and me ;-). Mouth: oh this is not too bad. Some ethanol for sure, sour honeys (mead), proper honey, then rather cardboard and a feeling of, well, ethanol indeed. White spirit. Finish: virtually none, but as a consequence, there are no foul notes whatsoever. Comments: nothing much ‘especial’ here, it’s a humble, cheap spirit that does its job, more or less. The opposite of a French rail worker, if you will. Do not drink neat.
SGP:230 - 50 points.

O Reizinho ‘Gold’ (57%, Latitudes, Madeira, agricole, +/-2019)

Indeed, Madeira’s got a proper appellation ‘agricole’. Well-deserved if you asked me, even if their rums are pretty different from the ‘mass’. Some anti-Don Papa, if you will. Colour: straw. Nose: got to love aniseed, fennel and wild carrots as much as I do, but then you’re in for a treat. Some funny bacterial notes too, something metallic, perhaps distant traces of durian, even something very faintly bretty, but other than that, it’s pretty perfect. Great personality. With water: mead, really, it’s artisanal mead flavoured with marijuana. Mouth (neat): love this. It’s got strictly nothing to do with Martiniquan agricoles, but anyone loving green oranges, aniseed, dried tropical fruits and the craziest meads in the world will love this. And perhaps sweet balsamic vinegar too. With water: wait, pisco? Really? Finish: long, whacky, fermentary, meady, with an aftertaste that’s a little more difficult. A tad dirty. Comments: crazy existential spirit, for old-school philosophers only. And us.
SGP:662 – 84 points.

Jamaican 12 yo 2007/2019 (46%, Cadenhead, Green Label, barrel, 2019)

This should work, even if Cadenhead usually rather have the lightest styles as far as Jamaican rums are concerned. Colour: gold. Nose: no quibblings, this works even if it’s no ester bomb. Gherkin brine, preserved pineapples, rotting guavas, liquorice, dried fish, fried small fish, and old magazines. Nah it’s pretty funky, in fact. Funky Monymusk? Mouth: ah yeah, this is good. Good funk, salt, olives, dried bananas, salted liquorice, and some unexpected raisins. Notes of cloves and turmeric, as well as a little peat. Indeed, some peatiness. Finish: long, dry, salty. Big fat olives in the aftertaste. Comments: aren’t they upping their game these days, as far as rums are concerned? Less Ardbeg, more Jamaican rum, not really sure we should complain. The price is ridiculously low. Like 40€. We never talk about prices since we find that rather vulgar and because we’re no buying guide, but in this case, we just couldn’t resist…
SGP:462 - 87 points.

We do them by five, so we need a #5… Perhaps this?...

Secret Jamaican 3 yo 2016/2019 (54.2%, eSpirits for Liquid Treasures, barrel, 149 bottles)

Oh, no! We already had all these very boring secret Speysiders (or Highlanders, or Orkney, or Islay, or Tennessee, whatever…) and now what, secret Jamaicans? What’s next, secret gin? Hold my gun… And my god, 2016, but that was yesterday! Colour: dark gold. Nose: yeah well, that’s the thing, there are brilliant rums that are just unaged, while that just doesn’t exist with barley spirits. In a way, this is an Anejo. And it’s very fine, cake-y and salty, with walnuts, almonds, drops of diesel oil (what shall we do when we all own Teslas and other fine examples of massacre design?) and gherkins. With water: indeed, gherkin brine. Mouth (neat): Worthy Park? With water: smoked anchovies in olive oil and lemon juice. Finish: long, but a little short s far as flavours are concerned. See what I mean? Comments: I’m wondering if they aren’t even better when just ‘white’, or ‘silver’ instead of aged for a short period of time. Yup, just like tequila. But don’t get me wrong, it’s great young rum.
SGP:462 - 84 points.

Check the index of all rums we've tasted so far

January 2020

Serge's favourite recent bottling this month:
Caol Ila 37 yo 1982/2019 (56.3%, Kingsbury for Club Qing Hong Kong, butt, cask #700) - WF91

Serge's favourite older bottling this month:
Caol Ila 16 yo 1969 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, Connoisseurs Choice, old brown label, +/-1985) - WF93

Serge's favourite bang for your buck this month:
Caol Ila 9 yo 2009/2019 (46%, James Eadie, 1100 bottles) - WF87

Serge's favourite malternative this month:
Port Mourant 13 yo 2005/2018 (48.5%, The Rum Mercenary) - WF90

Serge's Lemon Prize this month:
Espero ‘Reserva Especial’ (40%, OB, Dominican Republic, +/-2019) - WF67