There was a toy I saw advertised when I was a kid called ‘Lite-Brite’ (from back when anything meant for a child was spelled completely phonetically); essentially a big electronic pegboard, with little plastic coloured lightbulbs you could plug in and arrange to create images, like an easier to use Etch-A-Sketch. Yeah, the concept seemed pretty boring even when I was eight. Anyways, the rums from today’s selection should not just be ‘light’ in terms of alcohol by volume, but also in that they are each special and radiant in their own ways.
Remember, most countries define rum as anything derived from sugarcane, so cane juice, cane syrup/honey (juice that’s been boiled down), molasses, and even some forms of dry sugar are all fair game! The vast differences between these different forms of sugar are made even more unique by the cane varietals, local terroir, yeast, bacteria, and even still types and usage. This is what makes cane spirits the most diverse spirit category in existence.
I hope this little tasting will help paint a picture of how wildly unique unaged rums can be, even at low-proof.
Ninefolds Scottish Pure Single Rum – 40%
A new-ish Scottish distillery and according to The Fat Rum Pirate’s review, they do a ~four-day ferment with African and UK molasses (not sure what is meant by UK molasses, as I’m not sure that cane cane be grown in that part of the world) and then distil on pot still with built-in rectifier and condenser.
I remember trying this once before when Robin had given me a pour at a bar; I don’t recall much of that night other than thinking it wasn’t bad, let’s see if I’ll get a more memorable reaction today.
Now, this is different than expected. There’s almost a bit of grittiness on the nose, like sugar crystals in a breeze. We get some light molasses, a bit of hot porridge, or maybe even closer to hot grits with butter or hot buttered popcorn. There’s a bit of green lime peel and a mild evergreen note that, with some vanilla, help with the balance. Otherwise very little fruit, or much else at all.
Even at 40%, a very texturally pleasing fluid, creamy and…..well, buttery, if I do say so. The butter translates to the palate, for a mildly savoury product with a bit of sweetness and a warm finish, but there isn’t much else besides that. I’m a little disappointed that a spirit made in Scotland doesn’t have the level of complexity I might expect based on the whisky that comes from there, but then again, many Scottish whisky makers place more emphasis on their cask program, so as raw distillate, this might be qualitatively on par or even better. I’m intrigued to explore more of their portfolio, but I don’t think I would ever have reason to return to this base expression other than as a bar rail bottle.
(56pt)
Gannet White – 40%
A sip I’ve been looking forward to, this is made by Mathieu Caroll out in New Brunswick; this may be the first Canadian rum I’ve written about and only one of a handful I’ve tried. Funnily enough, as this has not been aged, it cannot be called ‘rum’ in Canada because it would require a minimum of one year of aging.
He really has a lot of detailed info on his site, but I will mention that he uses Crosby molasses and that his marque ‘IFV’ means ‘It’s f***ing vodka”, while ‘CF’ is “column flavour”; this bottle should be a blend of 60%/40% respectively (by the way, a marque is just a way to differentiate style of rum made at a single distillery).
Now that’s what I’m talking about! Right off the bat, a lovely, fruity chewing gum profile, very reminiscent of what Beenleigh is putting out these days over in the land of Oz. Yes, a little ethanol, but maybe that’s because I’m too eagerly trying to huff these bubble gum fumes. The sweetness grows more tart, transforming a little into those little candy discs (‘Rockets’); the week-long ferment has really done wonders here! Grapefruit oleo saccharum, ripe peach, a touch of banana cream pie, and a little marzipan. Really impressed with the nose on this.
Okay, now I’m very intrigued for a swig. On the palate, this feels closer to a cane juice spirit. The aromas from the nose are muted on the palate, but this is what a lot of water will do, like a bodybuilder in a straight jacket. The sweetness is there, but finishes with a bit of a light vegetal vibe, giving me some crisp celery and spicy radishes.
I will certainly be pestering Mr. Carrol for more of this! You can apparently buy it in a 750ml for $26.50 or a party-sized 6L for $250, but I don’t think he ships, so you might need a friend locally (no, I’m not your friend).
Definitely a more delicate rum, I think it would do well in a stirred cocktail with a nice dry vermouth, or even just with some coconut water; I’m quite impressed with the quality here and look forward to potential new expressions, perhaps some pot still and high ester stuff! Buy this instead of Bacardi and support a Canadian distiller!
(63pt)
Depaz Rhum Agricole Blanc – 45%
This one is listed as ‘Cuvee de la Montagne’ which alludes to the large volcano, Mt. Pelee, that watches over the distillery in Martinique. Actually, some decades ago, it erupted and killed the entire Depaz family except one young man who rebuilt it, a heartbreaking but powerful story.
This of course is an AOC agricole rhum, which follows the strict standards required by the French, such as the use of only a column still, maximum time between sugar cane being cut and pressed, ester levels, and much more. Think of it as buying real champagne; there are amazing sparkling wines out there, but you probably wouldn’t trust something labelled as ‘champagne’ that was made in Canada. If you’d like to learn more about the regulations, Matt Pietrek has an excellent write-up. By the way, Lance just reviewed this one as well, which is what pushed this review forward in the queue; full disclosure, I refrained from looking at his thoughts until I finished writing.
Anyways, less talking, more drinking! Well, sniffing first, I suppose. I must say, I love Depaz; their rums always have such a rich, fruity quality that plays a strong supporting role to the grassy characteristics of cane juice rum. This expression is no different; bright kiwi slices, green mangoes, some cantaloupe, fresh bell peppers, a little salty ocean air with green, unpitted olives, and oddly enough, some thin, hotel hand lotion. Some freshly cracked black pepper tops it off; man, I really would love to eat some of the cane they make this rum from!
What an explosion of creamy fruit on the palate! I really taste ripe papaya here, seeds and all…..this could easily be my summary of my tasting notes The sweetness comes and quickly dries out, it feels like a splash from an ocean wave and the sand drying as the water gets pulled back into the ocean. Elegant and as thicc as whipping cream, with a mild, peppery finish.
I’m astounded at the depth and complexity present in a spirit that is ‘only’ 45% ABV. It really is an exceptional example of how complex, yet surprisingly easy-going unaged spirits can be.
(85pt)
La Mauny “Ter Rouj” – 45%
The La Mauny distillery in Martinique also makes the rum from Trois Rivieries and Duquesne, however, they each use their own column stills for production. ‘Ter Rouj’ is creole for ‘red soil’, and is meant to be a tribute to the land their cane grows on. This expression is a special release that uses a different style of fermentation compared to the rest of their regular range of white rhums which otherwise seem to only vary by ABV. To be quite honest, I’m generally not a big fan of the few expressions I’ve tried from this distillery; the rhums simply do not shine as much for me as others in Martinique, but, we’ll see how this expression fares.
On the nose, not as much fruit as the last expression, comparatively almost industrial; interesting and unique, but perhaps a little less alluring. Freshly steamed artichokes and freshly peeled corn cobs, English tartar sauce, cumin, white pepper, some home-made sauerkraut, and a few chili flakes; perhaps this is from a more austere breed of cane. A touch of fruit, but in a more subtle way; cherry pits, avocado, dried pears, a little anise, cut sugar cane that’s been sitting in the heat of the sun. Really a lot of cooked notes. This is nice, but the missing fruit and cooked fruit/veggie aromas make me feel like the ferment might have been on the shorter side, but this is just my layman’s opinion. It gives me the impression of damp, mossy river stones sitting in the hot sun.
On the palate, we have a really lovely texture (if the last one was whipping cream, this is a high fat milk) and a really vegetal sweetness. This leads to a touch of dark green veggie bitterness, with a little bite on the finish. Really not bad, certainly one I would drink, but not one I would recommend seeking out specifically. Still, quite tasty and with a good level of quality.
(78pt)
Honestly, this was quite lovely; I really do enjoy sipping on unaged rums, sometimes even with a little squeeze of lime. I would be perfectly happy to revisit any of these again; perhaps I’ll save a few sips for my next round of whites as I still have a fair few to get through.
A great thanks to two well-known figures in the Canadian rum circles, Robin from Toronto and Steve from New Brunswick, for supplying me with a cache of beautiful samples, from which all but the Depaz were sourced from. I will continue to return the favour.