RUM FEST PART ONE
Part One of the RumFest review.....
This is the stuff I had a good lug of, but a bit more detail about the show in the next post..
The Botran family have been making rum in Guatemala for more than six decades and were showing their two rums, Reserva, a blend of ages from 5 to 14 years and the Solera 1893 with a blend aged from 5 to 18 years. Made from first press sugar cane, both are aged in a unique Solera system that includes movement from Bourbon barrels to Re-charred Bourbon then split to maturation in Port Pipes or Sherry Casks before final blending with different aged rums. Both rums are clean and fruity with the oak present. The Solera 1893 slightly lighter in colour than the deeper copper coloured Reserva. The Reserva was robust, fruity, toffee, with vanilla and hints of coffee. The Solera 1893 had more wood and spice with hints of nutmeg and finishing on an orangey citrus note. Accomplished.
Don Q is a family owned distillery, founded in Puerto Rico in 1865. It features a 5 column still built around 1934 after the repeal of Prohibition. It is now in the hands of 5th generation Roberto Serralles and is the best selling rum in it's home country
The Cristal is made from all 5 stills and is a clear, dry smooth rum. Charcoal filtered after aged in American White oak barrels from between 1 to 3 years. Primarily designed to be a mixing rum. The theme continues with the Anejo, aged in White Oak again for between 4 to 8 years. It has toffee and caramel notes, smooth and mouth-coating. The Gran Reserva is a blend of 3 to 12 years (although I was told some of the rums may be up to 20 years) from American White Oak and sherry barrels. Again smooth, elegant and complex, touches of honey and pronounced vanilla. The distillery profile is consistent throughout each rum. Good, solid and highly enjoyable.
Onto Elements 8 which, according to the blurb are "a range of super premium rums that far surpass the quality, purity, smoothness and flavour of conventional rum brands." (So say you). All of the Elements range are made from a blend of 10 different rums that have been aged in first fill Bourbon barrels, using three different yeast strains in the fermentation process and are distilled in St Lucia. Now all that sounds fairly interesting to me. However, the literature that accompanies the rums also states that the rums are "tropically aged", a marketing phrase I find somewhat unnecessary, that they use "three artisan distillation techniques" (not sure what makes a distillation "artisan") and that they use "naturally filtered virgin rainforest water" (virgin water!?!). Hmmm well that's always going to put me off a bit.
As it stands I remember trying the Platinum some time back and thinking it was worth a punt - possibly in the same session as 10 Cane - the bottle shapes are fairly similar. I sampled the Gold, which is aged for 6 years. It has ginger and spice on the nose which continues on the palate with citrus and vanilla. Fairly complex and rich.
The Spiced rum is infused with 10 fruits and spices including Nutmeg, Ginger, Star Anise, Coconut, Lemon, Orange and Honey and creates a very unique tasting rum. In my book, all those flavours take away the essential heart and character of the rum and leave it feeling kind of over-done and tasting slightly fake. It might well claim to be "the most complex spiced rum available" but that doesn't always translate to it being the best. I wasn't convinced at the show but I'll keep an open mind and try them again in a more neutral context. Good, but perhaps over showy when refinement and restraint may be a better way.
The next rum that failed to convince me was Ron de Jeremy. A 7 year aged rum from Panama that is marketed by a tie-in with Ron "the Hedgehog" Jeremy. I didn't know but he's a famous porn star. You could have your picture taken with him and he'd sign your bottle. The nose was fruity with banana sweet aromas leading on to a spicy palate with prominent toffee and caramel. The finish, much like the actor I presume, was neither elegant or long lasting.
Next rum stand was New Grove from Mauritius, founded in the mid 1800s by Dr Pierre Charles Francois Harel. I've drank and been highly impressed with the Plantation rum, which uses a 3 column still distillation, and all of the range use this as base for their aged rums. Being a French speaking Island they are Rhum Agricole, using only virgin cane juice as opposed to molasses. On top of that the rums are aged in French Limousin Oak, the main casks for ageing Cognac, Armagnac and other French brandy. The Oak Aged is a 3 year old rum that is then finished in Port Pipes for 6 months. With the Old Traditional aged for an extra 2 years creating a rum deeper in colour, unmistakably oily, rich and with lots of depth and complexity. Exceptionally good, highly unique and completely different. Crisp, clean and one of my highlights of the show. I'll definitely be obtaining more of this to taste at a later date.
A short trot next door to where Pussers and Pyrat were displaying. Having drank more bottles of Pussers, both Blue and Red label than am proud of it was Craig Chapman from Cellar Trends who was showing Pyrat that caught my attention. Pyrat is no longer made in Anguilla - the distillery has been closed there for some time - but it is bottled there - all done by hand too. The XO and Pistol are fairly common but it was the Pyrat Cask 1623 which was the one from the range I've never encountered. The oldest rums that go into the 1623 are claimed to be around 40 years old and the bottle itself was retailing at the show for £219. That's a fair amount for a rum, considering what that amount of money could buy you from Kentucky or any of the Scottish Isles. The nose had the trademark orange liquor of all the Pyrat range but with a touch of saltiness that is not present on the others. The orange continues on the palate but then dries and is taken up by liquorice notes which again is unlike any of the others. The finish is long, mouth-coating, warm and well balanced. If you like the Pyrat style, and it is one that is distinctive, then this is a great rum. However, for the money, is this not a bit of a one-trick pony and wouldn't you want to see some greater complexity and maybe a few sweeps and swoons? This is, after all, the rum that is owned by Patron - the more fashionable and marketed of tequilas.
Onto El Dorado. Guyana powerhouse Demerara distillers. Owners of some of the greatest and rarest original stills in history. Makers of some of the finest rum available. And the stall manned by one of the greatest spirits writer, Dave Broom. With the exception of some of the single still releases from El Dorado I've pretty much drunk all of the core range. But it's always nice to get reaquainted with the under-represented El Dorado 8 YO.
RUM FEST PART TWO
RUM FEST PART TWO
There were cocktails and rum punch flying out from all corners from the boys and girls from Trailer Happiness but they were equally keen to show off a few samples of the Plantation range. Plantation is from Cognac producers Cognac Ferrand (they make extremely tasty Cognac). They pick out the best casks from rum producing countries and bring them back to France and then finish them in their cellars for up to a year in various casks. A bit of whisky double maturation applied to the rum world if you will. They were showcasing 5 from their range. I had a go on a Barbados - which was a vatting of 2 rums from Mount Gay and FourSquare (unofficially) and ten finished in one of their Cognac casks for 6 months. Very smooth, great balance and weight with a lovely medium finish. Liked a lot. The other was a single Guatemala rum with a 3 wood finish - a PX and Oloroso Sherry then finally onto a Ferrand Cognac (not to mention the Bourbon barrel the rum had probably been originally in!). Very sweet, sherry influence with a definite coconut and tropical notes. Possibly a little overdone but overdone very, very well.
Quick skip to Trois Rivieries from Martinique. Martinique is a French speaking island which means that they are distillers of rhum agricole - instead of using molasses (the by-product of sugar) they use the fresh sugar cane juice - freshly cut and freshly squeezed - and it makes for a really interesting rum. Martinique rum really speaks of the place - if you are looking for sweet, caramel with a dose of alcohol then forget it. These are interesting and individual rums, displaying earthiness and pungency.
The first sample was of the 5 Year Old. Hugely distinctive, dry, earthy, malt with cigar tobacco. Aged in an Missouri American Oak Cask (Jim Beam - Ozark Mountains?) and then, I believe, finished in a French Oak cask (but I may have got that wrong). The Fut Unique is a single cask bottling. Spending 10 years in a high quality Missouri Oak cask. The cask it came from is outstanding. A long, smooth, spice laden finish. Absolutely incredible and one of the biggest highlights of my drinking year. For me the star of RumFest. Finally a quick snack on the Ambre which has 18 months in open top oak vats. Smooth agricole, slightly lopsided but rich and naturally sweet. Overall great, great rum.
After the excitement of Martinique where else could you go? Well the rums next door from St Barth in French West Indies were of no disappointment. Currently not available in the U.K. Created by international footballer Mikael Silvestre ( I know as much about football as I do about porn actors apparently - but I'm told he played for France and Manchester United and from the promo I got he looks and writes like a really nice guy!). Anyway the rum is top notch, all bottles are handcrafted and finished, the white spends 12 months in stainless steel and bottled at 50%. Spice, vanilla, fruity and round. The 4 year old spends it's life in a bourbon barrel and is bottled at 40%. Golden, subtle, vanilla and cane syrup. The 12 year old is a step above, with the medicinal hit you expect from rhum agricole - that almost single malt vibe. Dark, coffee, cigar, almost peaty, strong, vibrant and full bodied. This is class. So well made and limited to 2000 numbered bottles.The whole production itself is limited to 30,000 bottles a year globally. According to Alison who took me through the rums they should be rolled out in December if everything goes to plan and I can't wait to try these all again properly.
Brugal from the Domincan Republic. The Blanco had only hit the shores 6 weeks ago. Aged for 3 years and then double filtered to make it clear. The 1888 is also a new release with a blend of rums from a first fill Sherry cask (aged from 5 - 14 years) and an American oak aged cask (6 to 8 years). An average of 9 years aging in total.
Mount Gilboa from Barbados is one of oldest distilleries in the world having being founded in 1703. It comes from the hillier north of Barbados in the beautiful St Lucy district from the original Mount Gay distillery. Using the original pot stills,
Mount Gilboa is triple distilled and aged in American oak for 4 years. Depth and balance is the name of the game here - it's not dissimilar to Mount Gay but bigger, oilier, and deeper in flavour. Classic old school Barbados rum, all about balance and complexity.
Continuing with Barbados with St Nicholas Abbey. I first tried this at Rumfest 2009 and did a piece to camera about how much I liked it. Having visited the house and distillery and chatted with owners the Warrens I feel a slight connection with this rum. Originally the rum was made for them at Richard Seale's FourSquare distillery and then taken up to the house to be be aged. However, the year I went they had built their own still and were crushing the cane and making their own rum. In fact making St Nicholas possibly the only boutique single estate rum in the world? So it was a great opportunity to say hello to Simon and his father Larry again. They were both in the thick of it signing bottles straight out of the cask they had brought with them but what I wasn't expecting was to be able to drink some of the matured "new make" I had actually seen being made when I was there! Jenny kindly allowed me to sample some of the "new make" and some that had been aged for 30 months and oh wow! what quality they have managed to wrangle out of those little stills. Sweet natural toffee, fruity plums, poking tropical fruit and unbelievable smoothness. For something so young you would think it was at least 3-4years plus worth of aging. Mature and rounded. I somewhat over-enthusiastically implored that they at least small batch bottle this stuff. And I hope they really do.
Talking of Richard Seale it was on to a 1998 vintage release of a 10 year from that marvelous technological wonder distillery that had been bottled in July 2008. Actually taking some time out to taste it properly I got a sweet, vanilla spiced nose. A mouth coating oiliness that dried to a cocnout, nutty spice and finshed with a slight fudge taste both rounded and filling.
Next stand was from F & G who were touting the Pichinchua range of 15 year old single barrels from Ecuador. I'd like to give you a bit more information about it but there were no tasters. Or any literature. Or actually anything. The guy on the stand was more shit-faced than I was and couldn't really help apart from being superbly good at dribbling and slurring. The only bit of sense I got was the word "mombachu" - I'll goggle it if I can be bothered. In the meantime here's a photo....
Moving on to Ron Santafe next door. A Colombian rum founded in 1904 and started distilling in 1990. Showing for the first time in the U.K. The rums ae aged in the Andes, 9000ft up which gives it a slower maturation rate. There was a 4 and a 8 year old on show. Both showing the ubiquitious caramel and vanilla flavours wrapped up in a hank of spice. Quite feminine, soft and luxourious. Good but not particularly exciting or edgy. The 8 YO displayed a very thin palate but this may have had something to do with the fact they were showing it at 35% as opposed to the 40% bottling that will be available in the UK. After the Martinque and Barbados big hitters this wasn't doing it for me.
Bermuda means Goslings. And Goslings means "Dark and Stormy". It;s the only drink you can use to make it authentic. Some very nice D&S coming from this stand. The 151 in isolation is still as full on as I remember it. A quick Kraken and Skipper too. Nice to see Marblehead out of Glasgow giving both brands a run out. I remember singing the praises of the mainly Guyana Skipper from Rumfest 2009 - but it seems that Kraken have come from nowhere to take out the crown of Sailor Jerry. To be fair this is lovely stuff - commercial spiced rum with that American cream-soda edge to be sure - but some days you just want a cola and this is just the ticket. I hope that Skipper works out as I love the labelling and it looks great on the back bar.
Declan was showing the Diplomatico range. It's a rum I've drunk a fair few times. There's 3 in the range - the Blanco, Anejo and Reserva. They all have a characteristic shortbread biscuity quality that featurw throughout all of them with a good dose of sweeteness and orange, citrus and tropical notes. But it's that orange, chocolate digestive that singles out Diplomatico as a quality and very easy drinking rum. It's possible you may get something a bit more exciting for your money than the Reserva but you wouldn't kick it out of bed either.
Last call before the cloakroom was the Amathus stand. Bringing Flor da Cana and Clement to the party. Clement is the other Martinique rhum agricole at the show. I love this stuff. If you said it was a Speyside Single Malt (or maybe a new European whisky) I wouldn't have questioned it , fruity smooth, bite, rounded and full bodied - a bit tangy - everything but the malt element itself in the V.S.O.P. The blanco wouldn't be out of place in an American line up - green pepper =, vegetal, and corn all the way, Oily, sweet corn finish. The extra dry is not as explosive, curly and subtle, more cat-like. Finishing with the Flor da Cana from Nicaragua. There's an 8 YO, a 12 and a 21. Voted amongst rum lovers as one of the best rums in the world - and it's hard to see why not.
That was the end of my Rumfest 2011. After missing out on the 2010 show due to work commitments it was great to see how much the show has developed, how the bigger brands have come to see it as a great promotional activity, how the smaller producers are able to stand shoulder to shoulder to get their product noticed and most importantly how the public have embraced the idea and diversity of rum. If anything what the show said to me was the diversity of product - how the big brands tried to outsell each other from secret Havana Club tiki-bars to Captain Morgan pirate ships, flashy Sailor Jerry party wagons to Bacardi show and tell zones and on the other hand the determination and insistency of quality from the smaller, less showy exhibitors - letting the product speak - from the El Dorado, New Grove, Trois Riveries, Don Q and Clement. A great day - here's to 2012.
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