Single Cask #5 Single Jamaican Rum
My second ever rum review! As I stated in my first review a few weeks back, I’m not the biggest rum drinker, mostly consuming it in cocktails. Aged rum isn’t typically my thing but I do have a soft spot for Jamaican rums and I’m always willing to try something new!
This medium-high ester mark (550-700 gr/hLPA) is a 100% pot still rum from the historical formula STCE (Simon Thompson Cambridge Estate). Long Pond has an incredible history that I only briefly scratched the surface of myself. This article from Rumporter.com gives a brief history lesson and dives into the production methods of the distillery.
More info on this bottling can be found on Velier’s website.
Distillery: Long Pond.
Region: Trelawny, Jamaica.
ABV: 61%.
Age: 15 Years.
Cask type: Ex-Bourbon.
Price: $210.
Color: 1,8, Old Oak. Natural Color. Minimal filtration.
Tasting Notes
Tasted neat in a Glencairn glass with 15+ minutes of rest. A small amount of dilution was added with an additional rest of about half an hour.
Nose: Hot wallpaper glue. The nose is so distinct, that it took me back to helping out with our loft renovations as a teenager. Dusty, dirty worksite aromas. Lime peels and sugar-soaked rolling tobacco. Molasses candy that pairs well with the harsh bite of raw ginger and peppercorns. The imagery I have in my head is Willy Wonka factory contractors installing the flavored wallpaper. Industrial and fruity. I like it!
Palate: Decadent and rich, molten molasses cake. Fruity vanilla at the back of the palate. Black cardamom, cassia cinnamon, and ground ginger. Both nutty and bold flavors. Toasted almonds and earthy walnuts. Oaky, but the fruit esters help nudge this away from bitter tannins.
Finish: This certainly tastes better going down than letting it sit on your palate. An uppercut of fermented fruit. Pineapple tepache, dried mango, papaya, and unripe bananas. Raw vanilla bean – unsweetened and bitter. A lingering, almost anise-like quality or herbescent. Goes down like strawberry starbursts and an exclusively fruit waste compost.
Overall
Love the funk, love the flavor, and love the finish.
This is a wild expression and an aged rum I think I rather enjoy. The mix of a dirty, industrial funk along with the fruit appeals to me. I also adore the distinct but immensely flavorful raw ginger bite I got off the palate. All of these flavors combine in one incredible single cask rum.
While I did enjoy this immensely, I still don’t feel confident enough to score it. I’d need a much deeper dive into rum before I can do that and another sample or two at least.