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| Hello, that is one in every of our (virtually) each day tastings. Santé! |
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April 28, 2024
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A phrase of warning
Let me please remind you that my humble assessments of any spirits are accomplished from the standpoint of a malt whisky fanatic who, what’s extra, is aboslutely not an skilled in rum, brandy, tequila, vodka, gin or another spirits. Thanks – and peace! |
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Rums, aperitifs, and the whole thing
As standard, are you going to inform me…
(Unique, discontinued bottle of 10 Cane/Ten Cane, produced in Trinidad from 2005 to 2015, juice now to be discovered solely at some indies’.)
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Naga ‘Anggur Version’ (40%, OB, Batavia Arrack, Indonesia, +/-2022) 
It is throughout, humanity will not final for much longer; they’re now doing purple wine finishes on absolutely anything! They’ve used Saint-Emilion for this specific one. The Nagas we have already tried had been first rate, simply too candy for my style. Color: purple copper. Nostril: it is uncommon to come across such a pronounced purple wine aroma in a spirit. It actually provides a really pre-mixed vibe, fairly amusing however miles away from the realm of rum. Actually, it reeks of merlot a lot, one may virtually assume they’re in “Sideways”. It is fairly humorous, actually, and never even that dangerous. Mouth: that is difficult. Bell pepper, prune, crushed strawberry, molasses, caramel, Schweppes, blood orange, grenadine… Fortuitously, all of this stays gentle and never too overpowering. End: pretty quick. Merlot, hints of fragrance and cleaning soap… Feedback: a type of post-modern insanity, with a comical nostril. The snort’s a bit much less on the palate, briefly, it was a daring transfer.
SGP:840 – 40 factors. |
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Cihuatàn 8 yo ‘Indigo’ (40%, OB, El Salvador, bourbon, +/-2022) 
Actually, we have at all times discovered the labels of Cihuatan, which appear to be Maya-inspired, fairly beautiful. There is no ending and no added ‘stuff’ on this one; it is genuine rum. Color: straw. Nostril: it is all in on pistachio nougat, popcorn, white chocolate, coconut balls, vanilla cream… It is really delicately lovely and it feels just like the bourbon barrels had been used ‘good’. Mouth: sure, it is fairly good, gentle, a bit extra on the hay facet and with a touch of coconut liqueur on the palate. Had the palate really mirrored the nostril, it will have been an outstanding rum. End: quick, extra natural, with a barely greener woodiness but additionally fairly a little bit of sugar within the aftertaste. That appears a bit ‘added’. Feedback: some good features, however the palate is tougher for me. The 40% ABV does not assist a lot, for instance that. However we’ll hold watching Cihuatàn.
SGP:750 – 77 factors. |
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Windfall 3 yo 2020/2023 (52%, Velier, Distillerie de Port-au-Prince, Haiti) 
A really younger Windfall from Haiti, oddly aged in ex-Caroni barrels, which has undoubtedly left its mark on this nascent spirit. It’s kind of like when sure Scottish distilleries, which we cannot identify out of Christian charity, age or end their very first 3-year-old spirit in ex-Laphroaig barrels; it might probably make sense organoleptically, however the message despatched is sort of pejorative to me. Particularly if it is not acknowledged, which isn’t in any respect the case with this Windfall. However sufficient of the chatter… Color: gold. Nostril: properly, let’s neglect that, it is not Caroni-driven. They know what they’re doing. Then, I actually discover a number of citron and mandarin, then a little bit of thyme honey giving it a medicinal facet, a contact of camphor or tiger balm, and only a drop of motor oil. Delicate, fairly. With water: it stays mushy. Some notes of copper, outdated instruments, cash… Mouth (neat): a salty facet and plenty of fermenting fruit. A lighter facet of compost and bagasse. It requires water… With water: these citrus notes return but additionally the natural facet. Not too certain about these gentle saline and petrol notes, is it from Windfall or is it from Caroni? End: medium size. Pressed cane, hay, orange peel. Feedback: my easy thoughts may want a bit extra readability and definition. I am a primary taster, everybody is aware of it. We hope issues are going pretty properly in Port-au-Prince.
SGP:452 – 82 factors. |
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Wait, let’s have a white one. No less than it will not have seen any Caroni…
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Distillerie de Port-au-Prince 2021 (59%, Habitation Velier, Haiti) 
289 gr ester/HLPA. Color: white. Nostril: oh how I like this higher. Stupendous notes of white chocolate (big white Easter rabbit) in all places, plus simply ripe apples and jujubes. Easy and efficient. With water: you will get the fermenting cane, this can be a bit like visiting the distillery. A beautiful freshness, fairly lemony. Nonetheless, the esters are fairly faint. Mouth (neat): sure quite excellent, a bit heat and ‘unsure’, herbaceous and even veering in the direction of greens, however it has depth. White asparagus and yellow peaches. With water: all the things comes out, excellent. Lemon zest, cane juice, dill, a little bit of fennel… That stated, the nonetheless(s) appear to purify fairly a bit. End: medium size, cane syrup, these yellow peaches, lemon zest… Feedback: the primary time I heard about this younger distillery, I assumed they had been going to make clairin, or one thing of that sort. Nicely, in no way, it is far more ‘civilised’ (a considerably silly phrase given the political context of Haiti, I have to admit).
SGP:451 – 85 factors. |
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TDL 2008 ‘Heavy’ (64.9%, Swell de Spirits, That is The Spirit 0.1, Trinidad, 351 bottles)
Generally there are considerably cryptic issues on the labels of Swell de Spirits, however a minimum of it is entertaining. The contents aren’t dangerous both, particularly since TDL has been a significant discovery for me over the previous 12 months. In any case, some TDL (that’s, Angostura, think about). Color: amber. Nostril: it is a bit like while you refill at a petroleum station, you already know the smells? However there’s additionally a rare fruitiness, with overripe tropical fruits, particularly mangoes and guavas. Additionally, there’s ink and oil from a fondue – after the fondue. With water: you virtually discover peat, in addition to actual gentian spirit (fermented, not macerated) and roasted (hojicha) and smoked (lapsang souchong) teas. Mouth (neat): be careful! Rose water, walnut stain, teak oil, selfmade myrtle liqueur, Iberian ham… All that is fairly excessive and admittedly, for instance artistic. With water: nonetheless loopy, it looks as if somebody has smoked lemons and ham with conifer wooden – collectively. End: lengthy and, as a buddy as soon as stated a couple of very nice Pauillac, ‘conquering’. Feedback: that stated, all this isn’t very balanced, it is largely very spectacular. Very tough to attain. Nicely, let’s not get too excited.
SGP:663 – 89 factors. |
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Ten Cane Distillery 13 yo 2008/2021 (64.4%, The Duchess, Tropical Reef Sequence, Trinidad, cask #18, 259 bottles)
You keep in mind, it is the well-known distillery in Trinidad constructed after which rapidly closed down after ten years by Pernod-Ricard – or wasn’t it LVMH? I believe so. It is gratifying to see barrels surfacing due to the independents. Color: American espresso. Nostril: one more very uncommon rum, this time beginning off with outdated, considerably oxidised or rusty metallic, however tomato jam rapidly takes over, adopted by prunes and currants keen to realize management, together with some rubbery notes. With water: very, very good wafts of grilled herbs (thyme) and cured meats, salty liquorice, umami sauce, miso… Mouth (neat): it is actually huge, loaded with varnish and armagnac, tyres and burnt truffles, bitter chocolate… However we’re almost at 65% ABV, in case you hadn’t seen. With water: gentler, extra on chocolate and liquorice. Are you able to think about the merciless, virtually philosophical dilemma at this power, to dilute or to not dilute? End: very lengthy, with extra burnt rubber and salty liquorice. The aftertaste turns into civilised once more, with toffee and marmalade. Feedback: one other considerably mad rum.
SGP:462 – 87 factors. |
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Alright, seeing as we’re in Trinidad, let’s end with a Trinidadian.
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Caroni 1994/2019/2023 (52.8%, La Maison & Velier, Paradise #3, cask #6132, dame-jeanne #2, 215 bottles)
Aged in demijohns in Cognac, since 2019. You see! The costs of those bottles are, in our personal phrases, ‘typo-y’. A second-hand little Toyota. Nicely, however, in January we discovered the 1996 Paradise #4 simply chic (WF 92). Color: darkish gold. Nostril: sure, shoe polish, exhaust fumes, boat varnish, black olives, these tarry ropes additionally well-known on Islay… With water: new rubber boots and that well-known petrol station, in addition to the brand new merchandise part at IKEA. Not the meals. Mouth (neat): in fact it is magical. There’s a number of wooden spices, as in lots of of those outdated rums aged within the tropics (the true debate is there, for my part), then this very marked saline facet from every kind of hydrocarbons, a facet of ashes and charcoal… With water: would bend slightly bit and change into barely astringent. Possibly it is higher to savour it on the authentic power, which is not so excessive. End: fairly lengthy, dry, missing only a tad in oomph. Feedback: maybe not fully on the extent of the opposite ‘Paradise’, however nonetheless completely wonderful, in fact. As standard, only one man’s opinion.
SGP:453 – 89 factors. |
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Oops, it has been a very long time since we had a rum session with none 90+. It is true we have had neither Jamaicans, nor outdated Demeraras, nor nice agricoles. We’ll make up for it subsequent time, that is a promise…
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 Verify the index of all rums we have tasted to date
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