The aromas kick off with an intense, grapey note, swiftly followed by oodles of cinnamon, clove, camphor, mint and a very unexpected iodine/ tcp note. Light, yet with an incredible depth of dried fruit and candied peel, sprinkled with a touch of demerara sugar. The complexity is added to with a smidge of tobacco leafy, smoke and walnut. The palate follows the same journey as the nose, latterly flowing through the flavours. The middle is hugely spicy and there’s that medicinal/ tcp note that is evident in the aromas. Very complex and exceedingly drinkable. So there you have it a Rhum for Laphroaig lovers!
Huge, aromatic and punch aromas opening with a touch of smoke and more than a dollop of peat. It now moves into American Bourbon territory with sumptuous vanilla oak and finally complex baked banana, fig, raisin, dried plum and pineapple aromas emerge all coated in an exotic, nutty syrup. The palate is delicately oily, unlike the nose it begins quiet delicately with the exotic dried fruit – banana, pineapple, raisns accentuated by a lime note on the middle. The oak cuts in to add a touch of bitterness and a bucket full of vanillins. Later a suggestion of peat arrives along with some molasses spices. Again great balance and length, definitely full of Jamaican character. It’s a case of the Caribbean meets Ardbeg in Kentucky!
A light and elegant nose. Quiet oily and distinctly Agricole in nature with slightly leafy dried fruit, cane syrup, light cinnamon spice, liquorice, earth and creamy wood vanillins. There’s also a crisp grain like botanical note from what I’m presuming is a from a continuous distilled proportion in the blend. Lovely balancing subtle sweetness and floral/ perfumed top notes.
The palate opens gently and subtly. Very oily with immediate dried sultanas and moist fruitcake notes, followed by some light toffee, banana and tropical peach. A Cognac-esque rancio underpins the fruit and it is balanced by the subtle wood vanillins. Like on the nose a herbally/ grain like note appears in the finish and is balanced by the subtle sweetness. Poised and elegant it is a lovely sipping rum.
Diplomatico Reserva 40% 50% Pot still and 50% Continuous still Aged for approximately 8 years.
Like the Anejo it is elegant but displaying a great deal more depth of oily dried fruits along with hints of caramelised sugar and petrol. Its quiet restrained to begin with but as it warms up, so the sweetness and the broadness increases, and now you get that sticky toffee pudding aroma!
Unlike the nose, it begins quite sweetly, with the dried fruit liberally coated in caramelised cane sugar. Big and full flavoured, and although quite sweet it still retains a lovely elegance. The gorgeous spices really build on the middle and the length is excellent, finishing with hints of liquorice, molasses, dark chocolate and coffee. It starts of quite quietly and builds to a serious crescendo!
A blend of spirits aged between 2 and 6 years old. Charcoal Filtered to remove the colour
Deep and aromatic with light died fruits, coconut and a hint of botanicals. Very soft and slightly creamy with vanilla and pure cocoa bean aromas.
The palate is a soft as the nose suggests, opening with more of the creamy vanilla oak before moving into the light died fruit and botanicals. Very smooth and well balanced. Lovely length with a cocoa bean finish
90%-ish Pot still Aged for approximately 12 years. In a mixture of Old Bourbon, Oloroso and old whisky casks supplied by Diageo.
Very deep in colour and the aromas are likewise. Deep that is! The ageing in ex-whisky casks is definitely noticeable on the nose. The complexity is stunning – Herbal toffee, burnt oak, dried fruit, light Oloroso notes and building vanillins. Finally, after some minutes a hint of floral orange appears and the nose suddenly becomes incredibly floral.
The palate is very sweet with crystalised orange fruit and confected Oloroso notes. It progresses into the customary dried fruit strata, but the sweetness hangs on in there. Some wonderfully soft vanillins appear in mid-palate as do toffee, cream soda and liquorice. Intriguing and almost liqueur like. It’s definitely a desert rum
[Nose] Scented start. Buddleia, prune, leather, cocoa, liquorice. Mellow and mysterious; black banana, damson jam Marsala and the iron bloodiness of molasses. Current leaf, geranium/ laurel. [Palate] Immediate complexity. Citrus, allspice, tamarind, taka. Slight balsamic concentration then the leathery notes. Rich, mouthfilling and complex. [Finish] Long. Cocoa. [Comments] A multiple award winner and you can see why. One of the great spirits made from a number of different stills including the legendary wooden pots. (DB)
A big, weighty, balanced nose, not overblown with herbal-sweet peat, a touch of coffee, dark chocolate coated raisins, burnt wood embers, spicy oak and toffee. An uncompromising nose with an almost medicinal edge. The palate is oily, opening with soft tannins, old chestnuts, raisin, fig and liquorice accentuated molasses syrup. Then comes the herbal-sweet peat and spicy oak adding a burnt bitterness. Mouthfilling and very long with a lovrly bitter/ sweet balance
Aged for 9 years in Bourbon casks, then blended and given a final year in Sherry casks.
Again a very big nose. Opening with charred/ toasted oak, light orange/ tangerine fruit before the dried fruits wade in. Hints of linseed oil and sherry cask, which develops a floral/ violet note. Lovely purity.
The palate is very whisky like, with a restrained sweetness. An absolute riot of dried fruit – dates, raisins and banana. Very complex with developing herbal/ vegetal notes on the middle. Superb intensity, and although only 40%, the alcohol seems top imbue it with more punch(?) and balances the sweetness well, leaving quiet a dry finish.
Bourbon/ Chateau Latour Limited Release of 1,260 bottles
A gorgeous nose. Clean and complex with light oil, coffee, herbs, dried fruit and a touch of menthol. Very elegant with syrup coated banana and coconut shell. The syrup moves into a more treacle character with time. The finishing cask is very well integrated adding a slight red fruit top note. Very good.
The palate is like the nose, lightly oiled with dried fruit, flambéed banana, cane sugar syrup and coconut. The oils keep on a’ rolling and it has a lovely bitter/sweet balance. Hints of red fruits emerge towards the end, mingling with the coffee, menthol/ peppermint and bog myrtle-ish medicinal notes. Superb complexity and intensity.
Bourbon/ Chateau Le Pin Limited Release of 1,380 bottles
Bold and rich (in a Jamaican stylie!!) Full on and quite peated with robust, dried fruits and a touch of dark chocolate. The finishing cask is extremely subtly applied and it allows a bucket full of creamy American oak aromas to let fly. Wow, this is starting to move into Rye territory now as some beautifully buzzy spices and violet notes emerge from the vanillins. This is a definite Caribbean/ American hybrid.
The palate, like the nose is broad, rich and bold. Subtle peat and leafy herbs begin the journey, followed by the American oak. Again it gives a convincing Rye performance, with a gorgeously grainy character and spiciness. Where is the wine cask in all of this? Who cares frankly! This is truly a world class spirit, and the length is amazing. The rum and raisin notes reappear on the finish, just to remind you that you’re not really in Kentucky Toto!
62.95
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