Rum Review: Sea Wynde Rum

The second standard reference style: aromatic, robust and full flavored - it's absolutely dunderful. To our ships at sea! May they sink very slowly!
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Total votes: 2

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Capn Jimbo
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Rum Review: Sea Wynde Rum

Post by Capn Jimbo »

Sea Wynde Rum: Pusser's Revenge

Note: Updated review (here).
Jamaican style rums can be among the most challenging.

They require time, airing and a careful approach. Dive in and your testicles (if you are so equipped) may shrivel in revolt. Ease your way in and you may have an orgasmic lust affair (a Capn Jimbo word picture, patent pending).

Navy rums sit at the limits of this range, and Sea Wynde is perhaps the most visible example.

Sea Wynde Rum is a reported blend of five pot-stilled rums from Jamaica and Guyana and can be considered a classic product that would please the British Royal Navy of old. The authentic British Navy rum is indeed a blend of five West Indies Rum, made for over a hundred years by the Man Company, and later by Pussers - both with the full blessing and authorization by the British government. One good source states that the Man Company included rums from Guyana and Trinidad. Another denies that Jamaican rum is in the blend. The point...

No one really knows except Pusser. And the British government.

But if the official British Royal Navy rum doesn't include Jamaican rum, it should. Enter Sea Wynde. You will certainly find some widely divergent opinions regarding this rum. Reviews vary widely but this should be expected with Navy rums. Bilgemunkey, this author and occasionally even Sue Sea, love em. Tie Dye Rum drinkers tend to puke. The reviews:

Sue Sea:
As you know I adore the ritual and setting of a good rum tasting. Moderate lighting, bottle in view, water at the ready and no distractions. And there is nothing like a fine bottle to enhance and entice. Sea Wynde's is simply stunning - heavy with a thick, clear indented base, and a modest faux pewter raised grey label and neckband. Such a presentation raises the ante however, and one tends to expect more.

Sea Wynde's pour immediately revealed the dunder type of aroma that I have come to associate with the more robust Jamaican style. This is its primary aroma which is accompanied by leather, a deep orange, a bit of apricot - a furniture polish. Sea Wynde has that earthy, been on the ship aroma, with a bit of musty hold and a hint of oak. With airing and reflection there is a nice maple syrup.

Do take care when tasting Sea Wynde and be mindful of its pungent 92 proof. The early palate struck with both a clovey and white pepper, and with a little of what I'd call a pumpkin pie, allspice sweetness. The sweetness remained, but a spicy, peppery heat grew to a long hot white pepper, chest warming finish over a rindy dry apricot. Sea Wynde is powerful, but not heavy bodied. The aftertaste is a somewhat cloying rindy cigar box. Very dry, and one that tempts a palate clearing. Still, Sea Wynde encourages another nice taste, if in part to clear!

I find Sea Wynde quite unique with its sweet against leathery, peppery heat. And the heat is quite balanced and consistent from entry, to finish, to aftertaste. I will say my first taste was "Woooo-ahhh!". But the more I sipped it, the more I liked it. I believe Sea Wynde would make a fantastic prelude - with hors d'oeuvres - to a great meal. It is very well balanced, and very consistent. Sea Wynde's only weakness, to me, was its somewhat cloying aftertaste.

Still, Sea Wynde is a fine Navy/Jamaican style rum.
Me:

Warning! I'll repeat Sue Sea's advice to take your time with Sea Wynde. Be prepared to do a number of drams - slowly - to appreciate its rewards. Sea Wynde is a brilliant clear light amber with delayed pearl legs, and a thin light green edge. Nice. With care I nosed very high, and was rewarded with a wispy sweet aroma with a touch - but just a touch - of vanilla. Nosing closer immediately reveals its primary, pungent dunder nose, over a deep sweet tarry sour leather.

Tastewise, Sea Wynde opens sweet and smooth, consistent with the aroma. A growing heat and pepper emerges and culminates with an astringent, leathery hot white pepper that will warm your throat and especially your chest. This is a real rum.

Lovely!

At a point we did a mini-comparison with the Royal Navy standard - Pussers Blue Label. To the credit of Sea Wynde and their navy claims, we found remarkable similarities. The differences - more fruit, less pepper, perhaps more complexity with the Pussers. It certainly made Pusser seems more accessible. Approach Pussers from a typical molasses rum profile and you might not like it. Approach it after Sea Wynde, and you may find it softer and more intriguing. Robert Burr, take note!

As for me I like them both. This time Sea Wynde took a slight edge for me and scored a substantial advantage with Sue Sea.

Rating (10 is best): Sue Sea - 8, Jimbo - 7.5



Note: On this tasting we were joined by Sue Sea's gifted waiter son Brian, who we have worked hard to educate regarding rum, and who has participated in a number of tastings. He is developing some talent.

His impressions: in addition to the aromas already reported, Brian found some a very high bit of citrus lemon. He very much loved Sea Wynde, as an "explosion" of both marmalade sweetness and peppery heat. As he put it "...this is the kind of rum that you betten not leave me alone with. I'd be tempted to just keep drinking it". I take that as a positive for the rum. He knows our rating system, and gave it a "7.5".
Last edited by Capn Jimbo on Sun Feb 10, 2013 11:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
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jankdc
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Post by jankdc »

The Captain puts an updated review here.
Rum Reviews Rankings and Cheat Sheet
References: MGXO, R Mat. GR, Scar Ibis, Apple 12, Barb 5, Pusser's, Wray and Neph, ED 15, 10Cn, West Plant, R Barc Imp.
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