Rum shop in Berlin?
Rum shop in Berlin?
I will be in Berlin for a couple days in a few weeks. It seems like a lot of unaltered and/or indie-bottled rums are available in Germany. Does anyone have any recommendations for shops?
There are a few good rum bars but as for outlets that sell the good stuff I'm not sure. You could pick up decent rum/whisky at most drink outlets though.
What I would recommend is go to one or all of these online order before you leave to come here
http://www.rumundco.de/Rum
http://www.spirituosen-online.de/rum
http://www.drinkology.de/rum
http://www.spirituosentheke.de/rum.html
http://www.whisky.de/shop/
and get them to deliver to your hotel/lean to/ flat/ house or prison cell when you arrive.
That way you're guaranteed of getting what you want. I've shopped at all the links above and have never waited longer than three days for delivery.
Cheers
What I would recommend is go to one or all of these online order before you leave to come here
http://www.rumundco.de/Rum
http://www.spirituosen-online.de/rum
http://www.drinkology.de/rum
http://www.spirituosentheke.de/rum.html
http://www.whisky.de/shop/
and get them to deliver to your hotel/lean to/ flat/ house or prison cell when you arrive.
That way you're guaranteed of getting what you want. I've shopped at all the links above and have never waited longer than three days for delivery.
Cheers
in goes your eye out
Cheers to you! Amazing selection.
This is grossly unfair. How will I ever decide? The indie bottlings aren't even that expensive! And US customs only allows in 1 bottle without paying duty.....
I wish Germany granted residency to people of German descent
...surely I supported die Mannschaft enough to warrant it 
This is grossly unfair. How will I ever decide? The indie bottlings aren't even that expensive! And US customs only allows in 1 bottle without paying duty.....
I wish Germany granted residency to people of German descent
...surely I supported die Mannschaft enough to warrant it Americans can get dual citizenship with Germany it was part of the capitulation deal I think. You better hurry though because the NSA have just been busted again for spying on Germany (3rd time in about twelve months.) So the mood is starting to turn sour here. Amurica might have to find some other stooge to store their nuclear rockets.
Something about 'don't shit where you eat'
Oh, and you're welcome.
Something about 'don't shit where you eat'
Oh, and you're welcome.
in goes your eye out
Sadly, my grandfather never bothered to get German citizenship, and having died 17 years ago, I (and my father) have missed the boat.
Having no familiarity with the various indie offerings besides Berry's, how come some of them, even with age statements in the same range, are in the €30-50 range, and others well over €100?
Having no familiarity with the various indie offerings besides Berry's, how come some of them, even with age statements in the same range, are in the €30-50 range, and others well over €100?
While you are there go for some Cuban rum:
http://www.spirituosen-online.de/havana ... liter.html
Since the USA boycot anything Cuban it maybe your only opportunity to try some.
http://www.spirituosen-online.de/havana ... liter.html
Since the USA boycot anything Cuban it maybe your only opportunity to try some.
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Capn Jimbo
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An EXTREMELY rare rum...
Is a rum verschnitt - this is legally considered rum, and is a long held tradition in Germany, perhaps the largest buyer of extremely high ester Jamaican rum in the world. Think 1500 esters or more, blended, aged and bottled. Perhaps the most famous is Sönnichsen Jamaica Rum Verschnitt 1951. It is based on four 30+ year old Jamaican pot-stilled, high ester rums. The few reviews on it are impressive.
If you are so lucky as to find one (they do exist), you will have a real piece of history, and an allegedly very fine product.
Perhaps someone else is aware of other respected German Rum Verschnitt's...
Is a rum verschnitt - this is legally considered rum, and is a long held tradition in Germany, perhaps the largest buyer of extremely high ester Jamaican rum in the world. Think 1500 esters or more, blended, aged and bottled. Perhaps the most famous is Sönnichsen Jamaica Rum Verschnitt 1951. It is based on four 30+ year old Jamaican pot-stilled, high ester rums. The few reviews on it are impressive.
If you are so lucky as to find one (they do exist), you will have a real piece of history, and an allegedly very fine product.
(Credit Tatu Kaarlas)"In 1956, Hans A. Sönnichsen bought 4 carefully selected pure pot still rums at 67% abv, which at the time of the purchase had already spent 5 years in oak casks. He blended these 4 high ester Jamaican pure rums and put them to rest in the same oak barrels until 1984 when it reached its optimal maturity.
After being pressured through a filter with 20 layers to a stainless steel tank, Sönnichsen Rum has been produced on demand until 2 years ago when the last portion of the 1951 Rum Verschnitt was made in Flensburg.
The remaining 7000 bottles of Rum Verschnitt 1951, bottled in memory of Hans A. Sönnichsen who passed away in the year 2000, may be one of the last of its kind."
Perhaps someone else is aware of other respected German Rum Verschnitt's...
Last edited by Capn Jimbo on Fri Jul 18, 2014 2:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Rum verschnitt is actually not a "pure rum" - it is what I'd call a "cut rum".
Longt ago, Germans were importing a lot of Jamaican rum in, and the Kaiser's government was not amused, since the product was that of an old adversary, the British empire. As is, an extremely high import tax was slapped on the rum.
Germans then started wanting precisely high ester rum - concentrated, intense flavours, since they could import a caskful of rum, and then blend it with locally made, neutral spirits, diluted with water, and presto - they had 3 casks worth of "rum verschnitt" to sell. Laws of economics... The proportion of original rum must be at least 5 percent. The alcohol content must not be less than 37.5 percent.
Longt ago, Germans were importing a lot of Jamaican rum in, and the Kaiser's
government was not amused, since the product was that of an old adversary, the British empire. As is, an extremely high import tax was slapped on the rum. Germans then started wanting precisely high ester rum - concentrated, intense flavours, since they could import a caskful of rum, and then blend it with locally made, neutral spirits, diluted with water, and presto - they had 3 casks worth of "rum verschnitt" to sell. Laws of economics... The proportion of original rum must be at least 5 percent. The alcohol content must not be less than 37.5 percent.
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Capn Jimbo
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Holy verschnitt!
J, I too was aware that the verschnitt must be "at least 5%" extremely high ester Jamaican rum (think 1500 esters instead of the usual 40 or 50), but what I can't find is what actual percentage (beyond the minimum) was actually used.
Does anyone know of an actual example for sale, in terms of the label?
The verschnitt I noted above is still available I believe, and I've seen at least one review that was remarkable, as this one was allegedly a blend of four 30 year olds. I suppose the quality of these varied, but the German's attention to purity and quality would certainly entice me to find one if still available.
J, I too was aware that the verschnitt must be "at least 5%" extremely high ester Jamaican rum (think 1500 esters instead of the usual 40 or 50), but what I can't find is what actual percentage (beyond the minimum) was actually used.
Does anyone know of an actual example for sale, in terms of the label?
The verschnitt I noted above is still available I believe, and I've seen at least one review that was remarkable, as this one was allegedly a blend of four 30 year olds. I suppose the quality of these varied, but the German's attention to purity and quality would certainly entice me to find one if still available.
Like this?Capn Jimbo wrote:Holy verschnitt!
J, I too was aware that the verschnitt must be "at least 5%" extremely high ester Jamaican rum (think 1500 esters instead of the usual 40 or 50), but what I can't find is what actual percentage (beyond the minimum) was actually used.
Does anyone know of an actual example for sale, in terms of the label?
The verschnitt I noted above is still available I believe, and I've seen at least one review that was remarkable, as this one was allegedly a blend of four 30 year olds. I suppose the quality of these varied, but the German's attention to purity and quality would certainly entice me to find one if still available.
4cl for 15,90€:
http://www.rumcompany.de/Rum-aus-aller- ... :1165.html
I have no idea if this is the Rumverschnitt in question, because there is something written with 1200 esters in the original rum.
I now I'm the cask strength maniac but 42%abv? That does not sound good.
And yes I think this baby will sit there for a while.
Oh and another reason for this nice tax was the alleged reason "to protect the home distillers in Germany".
Obstler (a spirit gained from fruits like Apples, Cherrys etc) may have a reason to exist but to be honest, who the f*** needs Korn?
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Capn Jimbo
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Nekandor, an amazing find...
Hass, I couldn't possibly urge you more to buy and to taste this well reviewed piece of history, containing Jamaican rums distilled and barreled in 1956, and 33 years old at bottling. Much cheaper (and older) than Black Tot, and a true piece of history.
Check this review out:
Available per Nekkandor's link, above.
Hass, I couldn't possibly urge you more to buy and to taste this well reviewed piece of history, containing Jamaican rums distilled and barreled in 1956, and 33 years old at bottling. Much cheaper (and older) than Black Tot, and a true piece of history.
Check this review out:
(Full review at: http://www.refinedvices.com/soennichsen ... hnitt-1951)"Appearance
The colour in the bottle is a beautiful deep amber that resembles glowing coals in a fireplace as you move the bottle in the light. In the glass, however, the liquid is brightly golden and when swirled it first forms thin strands that quickly run down, after which small droplets appear all over the glass occasionally forming a thin strand of liquid here and there.
Nose
Once the wooden cork was removed an incredibly intense, dark, mysterious fruit aroma wafted out of the bottle nose with softly sweet, creamy caramel aromas. In the glass the aromas of vanilla and fruit are just as intense with the ever so slight woody floral note creeping up from the midst of the heavy aromas that you could almost imagine cutting with scissors. There is also a rather strong presence of alcohol that once puffed out of the glass gives space for a copper and toffee note. In the empty glass there is a strong smell of raisins.
Taste
The taste comprises of sweet, very warm and rich flavours with some woody bitterness, lots of vanilla and intense dark fruits. It has a bite to it but once you get past that it feels quite smooth.
Aftertaste
The spirit leaves an oily coating in the palate once swallowed. There is vanilla, intense flavour of preserved prunes, coffee, light and dry bitterness with alcohol. It leaves a dry, dusty and somewhat fruity aftertaste that lasts very long occasionally giving weak hints of banana.
Final thoughts
Though Rum Verschnitt 1951 only has a 5% pure rum content it does taste like an aged Jamaican rum and has Jamaican character to it, though I think the primaspirt slightly but only slightly pushes through. I am really pleased to have been able to taste this historical and rather unique spirit from Flensburg and must thank the Sönnichsen family for providing a sample to me.
Country: Flensburg, Germany
Pure Rum Age: 33 Years. Blend of 4 high ester Jamaican pure pot-still rums.
Bottle No: 044"
Available per Nekkandor's link, above.
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Capn Jimbo
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"But it's only 5% rum, WTF?"
First of all, did you read that review? Very nice. But to be fair, when I first heard of "verschnitt" that was also my reaction, and perhaps Hass' as well. Which is "I'm not about to spend good money on a spirit that only has 5% rum in it!". And especially with the rest being GNS (grain neutral spirits). Sounds more like a flavored vodka, nicht vahr, but is it really? I decided to run the numbers...
First of all the second spirit may not be GNS, but to be fair, let's assume it is. Most GNS is distilled to about 95%, which for all practical purposes is devoid of aroma or taste. Let's compare to a typical rum that may be distilled to 88 or 90% and which probably has 35 to 50 esters present. So examining rum to it's best advantage, we'll assume it was distilled to 88% and 50 esters, then diluted to 40% (80 proof). For a 750 ml bottle:
1. 750 x 50 x (40/88 ) = 33,000 (let's call these "ester flavor units", EFU, lol...)
Now let's see what happens to this 44% verschnitt that is only 5% of a 65% barrel proof high ester rum with 1300 esters:
2. 750 x 1300 x 5% x (44/65) = 33,000 EFU
Pretty darn close - in other words, both bottles contain about the same number of flavor units but with an important difference: the high ester verschnitt will be perceived as considerably more complex and interesting. To add alcohol to the fire it is well to also take into account that the above verschnitt was made from high ester rums that had previously been aged over 30 years, ergo the actual number of esters is definitely higher, not to mention wood aging effects that you are not likely to find elsewhere. And let's not forget, this 88 proof verschnitt may contain over the minimum of 5%.
The review quoted above is really quite elegant, as the experienced reviewer stated "...Though Rum Verschnitt 1951 only has a 5% pure rum content it does taste like an aged Jamaican rum and has Jamaican character to it...".
I daresay that in a blind taste test, this one would be perceived as a fine, very long-aged Jamaican rum. I for one, would not be too quick to discount this very famous and respected piece of history...
First of all, did you read that review? Very nice. But to be fair, when I first heard of "verschnitt" that was also my reaction, and perhaps Hass' as well. Which is "I'm not about to spend good money on a spirit that only has 5% rum in it!". And especially with the rest being GNS (grain neutral spirits). Sounds more like a flavored vodka, nicht vahr, but is it really? I decided to run the numbers...
First of all the second spirit may not be GNS, but to be fair, let's assume it is. Most GNS is distilled to about 95%, which for all practical purposes is devoid of aroma or taste. Let's compare to a typical rum that may be distilled to 88 or 90% and which probably has 35 to 50 esters present. So examining rum to it's best advantage, we'll assume it was distilled to 88% and 50 esters, then diluted to 40% (80 proof). For a 750 ml bottle:
1. 750 x 50 x (40/88 ) = 33,000 (let's call these "ester flavor units", EFU, lol...)
Now let's see what happens to this 44% verschnitt that is only 5% of a 65% barrel proof high ester rum with 1300 esters:
2. 750 x 1300 x 5% x (44/65) = 33,000 EFU
Pretty darn close - in other words, both bottles contain about the same number of flavor units but with an important difference: the high ester verschnitt will be perceived as considerably more complex and interesting. To add alcohol to the fire it is well to also take into account that the above verschnitt was made from high ester rums that had previously been aged over 30 years, ergo the actual number of esters is definitely higher, not to mention wood aging effects that you are not likely to find elsewhere. And let's not forget, this 88 proof verschnitt may contain over the minimum of 5%.
The review quoted above is really quite elegant, as the experienced reviewer stated "...Though Rum Verschnitt 1951 only has a 5% pure rum content it does taste like an aged Jamaican rum and has Jamaican character to it...".
I daresay that in a blind taste test, this one would be perceived as a fine, very long-aged Jamaican rum. I for one, would not be too quick to discount this very famous and respected piece of history...
Re: Rum shop in Berlin?
Be sure to stop by the Rum Depot. It's owned by a real rum and cocktail expert I met in London. His name is Dirk. I believe they have the best rum selection in Berlin.Hassouni wrote:I will be in Berlin for a couple days in a few weeks. It seems like a lot of unaltered and/or indie-bottled rums are available in Germany. Does anyone have any recommendations for shops?