Around Christmas of last year I created a group tasting of some rums that I considered truly rare. That is, rums aged for at least a decade and a half in the tropics, released at (or near) cask strength, without any added flavouring from additives or from unique casks, aka my personal sweet spot. These cane spirits all come from different styles and traditions as my goal was that this tasting might have an aged rum for every palate. On to it.
Foursquare Shibboleth – (16 y.o., 56%)
At the time of release and even until now (well, until the new bottling ‘Isonomy’ is released), this is the oldest bottling released directly from Foursquare. While some independent bottlers have longer aged bottlings, none have the privilege of being liquid fully aged on-site. For comparison, this isn’t much older than the similar bottling, ‘Nobiliary’, but is quite a bit older than the yearly vintage releases which should offer a good comparison. Notably, there is a dip in proof, which can be credited to environmental factors causing a natural evaporation of alcohol.
The spirit is a deep, rich copper, as expected. The nose is of a medium intensity and quite expressive, rich with dark honey, raisins, and some maple syrup, fresh vanilla pods, a touch of cardamom, some grapefruit peel and juicy tangerine. There is nuttiness: hazelnuts, boiled peanuts, and coconut, but that is much more dialed back when compared to other expressions. A little licorice is apparent, which is a uncommon for a Foursquare, in my opinion. Some banana chips, a few figs, ginger powder and some cinnamon give a touch of seasoning.
Really quite aromatic and evident of extra aging on the nose due to the richness of honey and tangerine. Less toffee and more honey and dried plums.
The palate mirrors the nose fairly well, heavy honey and vanilla, with the finish focusing heavily on the baking spice characteristics. Oily and mouthfilling, the sweet richness surpasses the younger expressions while simultaneously trading some heat on the mid-palate for some spicy, lengthier flavours on the finish, including a bit of a charcoal note that is not as present in younger expressions. An elegant sip, but for most will likely have more value only in a side-by-side comparison to other expressions.
Finishes with a bit of spiciness that persists and dissipates into a light bitterness. I often recommend Foursquare to bourbon drinkers, and this bottling is no different, especially for those looking for something with longer aged characteristics. Interestingly enough, this does not feel as wood-driven as might be expected from the age, however, elements of long wood aging do show up elegantly on the finish.
Overall well balanced, it is very well-made, with a much sweeter profile compared to some very dry Foursquare offerings, which I think will appeal to most.
(91pt)
Chairman’s Reserve Master’s Selection: Selected for Tippins – (19 y.o., JD1, 63.9%, 257 bottles)
St. Lucia Distillers (SLD) is one of my favourite distilleries. Like Diamond in Guyana, they similarly are the only distillery exporting rum out of their respective country, they use an array of stills, and they make distinctive and delicious spirits. This is one of the oldest spirits I’ve had from them, bottled from a single cask of their John Dore 1 pot still rum.
Lots of minty freshness and very industrial/tarry, the smell of putty infused with sarsaparilla and baking spice. Behind these main notes are small, fruity touches of overripe banana peel, dried fig, some Brazil nut, nutmeg, some powdered ginger, some cedar, milk chocolate and earthy panela.
The palate is hot, but not as hot as you might expect. There is a lot of tannin and bitter astringency that is not as apparent on the nose. I don’t love this, but because the concentration of flavour is high, I decided to add about 8 drops of filtered water to the half-ounce I’ve poured. It definitely mutes the nose slightly, but the palate becomes much more enjoyable, the wood lending a lot of spice, but now complementing the spirit rather than taking it over. It really taste like a flat root beer, but where sweetness and carbonation are missing, depth of flavour and spicy intensity fill the gaps. A very unique spirit, that while lovely, proves that old and expensive isn’t the last word, and in this case, I think the spirit has lost some complexity due to overoaking. I think this would have been perfect if it had been bottled 3-5 years younger.
(85pt)
J. Bally Millisime 2000 – (17 y.o., 58.1%)
This Martinican rum brand doesn’t seem to release a cask strength vintage every year, nor are they always the same age, keeping us enthusiasts on our toes. This vintage was selected for La Maison Du Whisky.
This is elegant. It’s woody as hell, but polished and sharp as a whip. Dried grass, dried cherries, licorice root, medium nose, you really need to get in there and draw everything out. Dried orange peel, dried pear slices, dried apricots, pale raisins and prunes, lychee and honeydew melon; if you can think of a dried fruit, it makes an appearance here. A whiff of marzipan, ceylon cinnamon, and some grapefruit peel. Truly a potpourri bomb. Fennel seeds, aromatic and spicy, a second summer forest floor. This is everything I want out of a long-aged cane juice rum.
The palate is rich and juicy, which transitions into dried fruit and dried grass upon the swallow, leading to a touch of bitter and woody flavour, before finishing with an even heat; it is fairly astringent, leaving the tongue with a tingle of eucalyptus, black pepper, and a small reserve of dried fruit to keep it all in check. The rum really takes you on a trip, a journey of flavour, like watching a time-lapse of the fruits and grasses of a harvest go from freshly picked to desiccated, but via taste and texture rather than visually. This is an example of purpose and vision of the symbiosis between spirit and wood; although some of the heavy woody elements have me reserving a few extra points, I can appreciate how incredibly well-woven and flavorful it all is.
(92pt)
Caroni 2000 (17 y.o., 55%, 2,700 bottles)
Released back in 2017 when very few Americans were drinking premium cane spirits (let alone ones priced at ~$200), this was simply sitting on store shelves when a friend picked it up for me a year or so ago and there are sure to be a few still in hiding in a few shops off the beaten path. The first (and only) Velier Caroni released to the US and the only fully tropically aged one. From a stock of 7 barrels with >80% angel’s share, but a few extra bottles were available due to some reduction down from cask strength. The distillery ceased to exist in 2000, so the liquid is a real rarity.
I find that the produce of this distillery can sometimes be quite divisive, but I, for one, truly enjoy the profile.
The nose is medium plus and heavy, as rubbery as new tires in a mechanic’s garage. Behind this note is a lot of fruit aroma, such as black currant, raspberry jam, and some Welch’s grape jelly. a touch of cantaloupe, a handful of roasted almonds and hazelnuts. I also get a whiff of cut green bell pepper, and some menthol on the end. Over time much of the rubbery notes leave and we are left with more fruit, a little allspice and sandalwood.
The palate is thick and jammy, a perfect balance of sweetness and spiciness, with a peppery richness and a touch of umami that connects to the burning rubber on the nose. The connection being a thin layer of what I can only call tire-umami surrounding the experience. As the spice fades, a touch of bitter takes its place to complement the sweetness leaving me with a cooling sensation on the tongue. Overall flavorful and a joy to drink, truly an amazing rum.
(91pt)
El Dorado Rare: Skeldon 2000 – (18 y.o., 58.3%)
Skeldon is a marque from a long dead distillery, recreated here through the magic of marketing and science. Science being that Diamond has the recipe to create an approximation of this marque with their savalle still, marketing being that the Velier Skeldon 1978 is known as one of the greatest Demerara rums of all time, so, El Dorado has relied on this reputation of that bottling as well as the knowledge that this is the only bottle still available at retail that both bears the legendary ‘SWR’/Skeldon marque as well as being fully aged in the tropics.
Personally, I’ve never met the acquaintance of many Velier Demeraras (learn more here, but prepare for a rabbit hole); I can only describe this to you in the context of other Demerara rums. There is lots of chocolate and coffee, but the nose is quite hot, so it may be worth leaving in the glass for a few minutes to open up. We later perceive caramel, hazelnut, toasted coconut, digestive biscuit, vanilla, a little cinnamon. Still quite boozy on the nose, a drop of water may help. There is a touch of marzipan for sure as well.
Tasting it is a joy, molasses, chocolate, and baking spice, thick like hot cocoa, but making it fresh with dark baking chocolate and sweetening it with molasses the finish lingers with a balanced but fair amount of heat and spice. A perfect winter holiday sip, if perhaps just missing a little ‘oomph’ to make it great. My main criticism is that similar rum (from the same distillery even) can be purchased easily for a third of the cost and this bottle, while lovely, doesn’t give much reason for its price besides perceived scarcity.
(87pt)