RumShopBoy.com

Puerto Rico

41%
£35-40
Modern Rum: From a modern multi column still.
ABV Hydrometer Test: 41% ABV @ 20°

* M

Don Q is consistently one of my favourite rum producers.

Additive-free and honest rum, I am always excited by any of their releases as they tend to be more forward thinking and honest in the often sweetened, Solera-inspired, deceptive Latin ron-world.

I have written several times previously about Don Q so will not repeat myself here. If you wish to read more about Don Q, here are my previous reviews.

Don Q Gran Añejo Rum
Don Q Sweet Vermouth Cask “Finish”
Don Q Signature Release Single Barrel 2005

I think this is the first Don Q bottling to be higher than 40% ABV, not counting the 151 overproof of course. Albeit, only slightly higher at 41%, rum connoisseurs nowadays appreciate any increase in the strength of the rums.

Don Q are continuing to offer different and innovative expressions. Whilst ageing in ex-Oloroso Sherry casks such as this is not unique, it is a welcome step in offering different styles and flavours of Latin-style rons. There is no official age statement – the bottle is a blend of distillates aged between five and eight years in American white oak casks, followed by a year in ex-Oloroso Sherry casks. The rear label on the bottle offers more precise details – distilled between 10/2009 and 07/2012, filled into American white oak barrels and blended on 11/2017, following which the rum was put into ex-Oloroso Sherry casks and was bottled on 03/2019.

I note that the front label says “Batch No. 1” so I think it is likely that more of this will become available in the future.

Don Q Rum Finished in Sherry Casks is a Modern Rum:
From a modern multi column still.

 

Bottle/Presentation 3/3

Whilst there is nothing fancy packaging-wise, the bottle is a distinctive slightly stubby shape, with a real cork enclosure.

 

The labels are ideal – lots of useful info about the rum and its creation and no dodgy pirate-tales.

 

It looks fairly simple and ordinary, but in a converse way, this is its appeal.

 

Glass/Aroma 8/10

Medium amber, slightly copper and almost gold in appearance. Medium density legs, quite slow to drop.

Burnt brown sugar and sweet caramel, followed by ripe yellow bananas on the nose. Some dried fruits, a hint of oak and some dark chocolate.

Taste, Initial-middle 32/40

Light, sweet and slightly syrupy on first tasting. This opens out into caramel and ripe fruits. Very easy drinking at this point.

Taste, Middle/Throat 35/40

The rum is medium bodied. Spicy notes become apparent after a few tastings, leaving a very pleasant warming glow in the palate. Freshly milled black pepper and some spicy ginger are present but offset by rich caramelised fruit notes. Some vanilla and red wine dark fruit notes, too.

Afterburn 5/7

The sweet and spicy pepper lingers long after swallowing and leaves your throat coated in caramel. After time, this becomes a drier experience with some tannic oak.

TOTAL 83/100

 

Overall

This is delightful. The ABV is deceptive as even at 41%, this has a good mouthfeel to it and there are plenty of spicy notes to make the taste buds tingle. It is medium bodied, but has plenty to offer flavour-wise to keep you coming back for more.

As I always find with Don Q, they lead the world in Latin-style rums and this is no exception.

Value: 9/10

Price versus quality, you will not get much better than this. Additive-free and very easy to drink.

Flavour Profile:

 

Review No. 138

*
P Denotes the rum contains POT still distillate.
C Denotes the rum contains traditional/Coffey COLUMN still distillate.
B Denotes the rum contains a BLEND of POT and COLUMN still distillate.
M Denotes the rum contains MULTI-COLUMN still distillate or is a MODERN rum.
A Denotes the rum is an AGRICOLE i.e. from Cane Juice.
S Denotes the rum is presented in a SWEETENED style.

Marking Guide:
Bottle/Presentation Out of 3
Glass/Aroma Out of 10
Taste, Initial-middle Out of 40
Taste, Middle/Throat Out of 40
Afterburn Out of 7
TOTAL 100