Well had a great time at the rum fest got absolutely hammered didn't intend to but it just happened. Got to report on some great rums I tasted. First an update on what I bought:
Pussers 40%
Barbancourt 5 star
Ron de Jeremy spiced
Don Papa 7 year old
This Don Papa is good stuff. One of the best 7 year olds I've tasted.
I had some of Richard seale's rum from 1985 now that was good stuff but unfortunately didn't get to meet Richard. tried some Mezan Guyanan rum that is well worth a punt if you are looking for an nu-adulterated Guyanese rum at just under £40 unfortunately they have two Guyanese rums and I can't remember which one I tasted.
A special mention goes put to http://www.spirit-masters.com/
for there Glorious Revolution Rum. It's a white rum straight off the still but what a nice smooth rum for non aged rum on a par with the white rum from St Nicholas Abbey. Glorious revolution is not for sale just yet but when it does in UK at first as they are a micro distillery in England it will be worth getting bottle.
On to St Nicholas Abbey they have a five year old coming out I had a couple of samples from them. In the words of the prophet it's good shit. If this stuff is a good price I suggest picking up a bottle the best five year old I've ever tasted. Way better than Four Square.
Another honorable mention goes to Borgoe rum from Suriname
http://www.rumgallery.com/borgoe-8-year-old.html
A very nice rum they also have a 12 year old go to say the 12 was nice. Also got to give a mention to The Real McCoy rum only tasted there 12 year old and it's really good stuff.
Got to post on the dust up I had with El Dorado over sugar and Goslings both were very defensive and denied they used extra sugar but, told them they had to prove two governments wrong not me. Most others like The Real McCoy (Richard Seale's rum and bottling) agreed as did St Nicholas Abbey that added sugar is a real pain and is spoiling for the quality producers.
Aprt from the above don't remember to much as I got shit faced.
Rum Fest Update
Nice update. Since you mentioned brands being defensive about additives, didn't you find the Don Papa to be extremely sugared up? I like it just fine, but there's definitely some funny business going on with that one. I don't know the overall sugar content but did the old 1/4oz. rubbed between the palms trick and ended up with a sticky mess.
I did ask if they used added sugar they said no. Until someone comes up with proof of added sugar they will have to have the benefit of the doubt for now. This was one of the many conversations I had with various stalls is how do you tell who uses added sugar and who doesn't it's hard. I had a good conversation with the people from St Nicholas Abbey on this subject. Larry Warren from St Nic suggested getting a cheap refractometer to test various rums. I'm not saying Don Papa doesn't have any added sugar but, what I am saying is, I just don't know if it has. The way the rum industry is none of us really know all the rums that use additives and who doesn't and, it's a problem. All we can do is get more info so that we can make wiser choices in future.Kevin wrote:Nice update. Since you mentioned brands being defensive about additives, didn't you find the Don Papa to be extremely sugared up? I like it just fine, but there's definitely some funny business going on with that one. I don't know the overall sugar content but did the old 1/4oz. rubbed between the palms trick and ended up with a sticky mess.
start again my cat walked on the keyboard and destroyed my post.
Through the haze of my pickled brain cells these are some of the rums I tried and my recommendations.
I'm using masterofmalt site to jog my memory!
Just to qualify the worth a punt recommendation nothing bad about some of the rums it's just that for the price there may be others of a similar quality cheaper that represent better value for money. Take St Nicholas Abbey non aged white rum @ nearly £40 good rum don't get me wrong but £40 for a rum straight off the still as apposed to a 10 year old at the same price.
1 = must buy
2 = worth a punt
Westerhall Vintage Rum =1
Pusser's Spiced Rum Spirit Drink = 1
Pusser's 15 Year Old =1
Rum Sixty Six Family Reserve 12 Year Old = 1
St Nicholas Abbey White Rum = 2
Sunset Captain Bligh XO = 2
The Duppy Share Caribbean Rum = 2
Westerhall Plantation Rum = 2
Barbancourt 15 Year Old = 1
Doorly's 5 Year Old = 2
Doorly's XO Rum = 2
Foursquare Spiced Rum = 1
Gosling's Family Reserve = 2
Havana Club Seleccion de Maestros = 2
There is probably a few more that need to be added to the list but the fried brain cells have failed me.
As a side note for any one traveling to London I can recommend Miss Saigon if you want to take in a show. We did this on the Saturday night.
Through the haze of my pickled brain cells these are some of the rums I tried and my recommendations.
I'm using masterofmalt site to jog my memory!
Just to qualify the worth a punt recommendation nothing bad about some of the rums it's just that for the price there may be others of a similar quality cheaper that represent better value for money. Take St Nicholas Abbey non aged white rum @ nearly £40 good rum don't get me wrong but £40 for a rum straight off the still as apposed to a 10 year old at the same price.
1 = must buy
2 = worth a punt
Westerhall Vintage Rum =1
Pusser's Spiced Rum Spirit Drink = 1
Pusser's 15 Year Old =1
Rum Sixty Six Family Reserve 12 Year Old = 1
St Nicholas Abbey White Rum = 2
Sunset Captain Bligh XO = 2
The Duppy Share Caribbean Rum = 2
Westerhall Plantation Rum = 2
Barbancourt 15 Year Old = 1
Doorly's 5 Year Old = 2
Doorly's XO Rum = 2
Foursquare Spiced Rum = 1
Gosling's Family Reserve = 2
Havana Club Seleccion de Maestros = 2
There is probably a few more that need to be added to the list but the fried brain cells have failed me.
As a side note for any one traveling to London I can recommend Miss Saigon if you want to take in a show. We did this on the Saturday night.
correct Pusser's 15 = 40% ABVHassouni wrote:Thanks for the write-up. I might be in London in a couple months, and I believe either Gerry's or that other shop in the Middle of Soho has Mezan - might grab a bottle.
Re: the Pusser's 15, it was the 40% ABV, right?
They also have the new Pusser's @ 40% ABV
good write up on Mezan:Hassouni wrote:Thanks for the write-up. I might be in London in a couple months, and I believe either Gerry's or that other shop in the Middle of Soho has Mezan - might grab a bottle.
Re: the Pusser's 15, it was the 40% ABV, right?
http://rum.charlosa.com/blog/c/rumclub
What's new about it?Dai wrote:correct Pusser's 15 = 40% ABVHassouni wrote:Thanks for the write-up. I might be in London in a couple months, and I believe either Gerry's or that other shop in the Middle of Soho has Mezan - might grab a bottle.
Re: the Pusser's 15, it was the 40% ABV, right?
They also have the new Pusser's @ 40% ABV
Re: Rum Fest Update
The real question to all El Dorado people who say that their rum has no added sugar is this: Please explain how the heck does the rum end up containing more than 40 grams of sugar per litre by the time of bottling?!??? If THEY do not add it, I am worried - cause someone sure does add it there...! It does not come through from distillation, so...The lab tests prove sugar is there. Funny people.Dai wrote: Got to post on the dust up I had with El Dorado over sugar and Goslings both were very defensive and denied they used extra sugar but, told them they had to prove two governments wrong not me. Most others like The Real McCoy (Richard Seale's rum and bottling) agreed as did St Nicholas Abbey that added sugar is a real pain and is spoiling for the quality producers.
As far as I know they are keeping the original Just going to rename it and change the labels a bit or is change the label on the 40%. It's something to this effect according to the Pusser's rep.da'rum wrote:I hope Pussers don't stop the 54.5% and 75% bottlings. That would be a huge shame and extremely disappointing.
http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2014/ ... ract-navy/