Source: Sample provided by friend.
Stats: Blend of John Dore 1 and Vendome pot stills aged 13 years in ex-Bourbon barrels in the tropics, bottled at 56.3% ABV.
Nose: Butterscotch, clove, black pepper, tire shop, rubber raft, soy sauce, seaweed
Mouth: Cinnamon, band-aid, cough syrup, brown sugar, prune, wet soil, menthol, spearmint. Has a very long petrol/burnt tire finish. The mouthfeel is a bit oily. It doesn’t seem as hot as 56%.
Thoughts: I keep trying to love St Lucian rum but I think it’s just not for me. My first exposure to it was the 5 year Hamilton which had a very soapy taste to me. Then I had the pink label bottling of 1931 which I loved. Then I tried some Bounty which seems solely intended for mixing, Chairman’s Forgotten cask which seemed too sweet, a few Admiral Rodney’s that seem they would benefit from higher proof, and an indie bottling from Faultline and a couple other high proof Hamilton’s. Those last ones which were all pure pot still had that same “off” soapy note as the Hamilton 5 year. So there’s something that doesn’t agree with me coming off those pot stills and the column or blend releases for the most part seem lacking in either complexity or proof. I’m glad I got to sample this one, More glad I didn’t shell out to buy it.
Rating: 3
My scale:
1 – I don’t want this in my mouth ever again
2 – Best used for mixing
3 – Decent sipper
4 – Very enjoyable
5 – I’m buying a back up bottle
Austin Rum Society 