“One of the highlights of the year for rum enthusiasts.”
Returning once again to the lovely Glazier’s Hall
for another year of fine rums, courtesy of
The Whisky Exchange.
For me, The Whisky Exchange‘s Rum Show is always something to really look forward to. There are plenty of rum brands available. The event features not only the big names but also plenty of smaller, more niche ones. These offer something more interesting and artisanal. This event affords an opportunity to taste hundreds of different rums, all under one roof.
What was on offer?
First tots of the day were via a visit to the always amazing Tamosi Rums. Ben always selects very interesting casks that yield big, bold flavours. My favourite is 2006, 16 year old rum from Belize. It spent 13 years ageing in Belize followed by an extra three in Europe. Visitors were also treated to an advance tasting of a new rum from Trinidad Distillers Limited (TDL, who produce Angostura rums). Unlike the regular Angostura range, this was natural and unadulterated i.e. without additives. It is a feisty offering that left a long lingering mouthfeel several minutes after tasting.
The Whisky Exchange themselves offered some interesting rums for tasting, all exclusive casks. In a first for the UK, Renaissance Distillery from Taiwan featured (below). A two year old ex-Fino Sherry cask and a three year old ex-Bordeaux red wine cask. Both are powerful pot still rums and not for the feint hearted. Also on offer were the lovely rums from America’s Privateer’s distillery and an eight year old ex-Calvados cask finish from Worthy Park. The final tasting on the stand was in the form of Havana Club’s Single Cask Barrel 111968. One of the best Havana Club’s I have tasted – plenty of stone fruits and soft caramel notes.
As is so often the case at trade events, time is short. So, with an upcoming Black Tot tasting that I am doing (watch this space), my visit to their stand was brief. Just time for a chat with Master Blender Oliver Chilton (left in picture) about some of Black Tot’s blending stories.
Heading upstairs, it was a pleasure to meet the Scottish rum contingent. Kit from Ninefold Distillery (left) produces fine quality rums. He teased us with the promise of a new special edition to be launched at October’s UK Rumfest.
A rum event is not complete without a visit to Outlier Distilling Company from the Isle of Man. And a chat with the enigmatic Ian (left).
He often produces some very funky out-there rums, notably involving very distinct peach flavours, without actually adding any peaches! If you get a chance to try their three year old Millions of Peaches Rum, you will know what I mean. The highlight today was Mistral, a four year old rum at 63%.
One of my favourite rum brands is St. Nicholas Abbey (SNA) from Barbados. Head-of-the-family, Larry Warren distils some amazing rums. Today’s highlights were the cask strength (60%) 12 and 8 year old rums. Fantastic quality but with the higher ABV, these rums come into their own. The pinnacle of the tasting though was a special under-the-counter 27 year old. Only sold directly at the Abbey, this contains juice purchased from Foursquare distillery. This was before SNA started to distil their own rum.
Always a solid and reliable brand is Don Q. Their “Blenders’ Reserve Rum” was making its debut.
This limited edition is 40.7% and contains rums aged between five and 18 years.
It is a decent tipple, but dangerously easy-to-drink with caramel and dried fruit flavours.
Hampden Estate guarantees to increase your ester count at any rum event. It uses its pot stills to produce very intense, flavoursome rums, often at high ABVs. The newest addition to the inventory is Hampden Estate 1753. This is far more approachable to the ordinary rum drinker at a more conventional and very drinkable 46%.
Worthy Park has always been a favourite rum of mine. They have access to their own sugar cane fields. With centuries of tradition, they can produce rums with distinctive Jamaican terroir and character. My old friend Miguel Smith (left) was representing Worthy Park. He is one of the most passionate and knowledgeable rum guys you could meet.
One of the highlights of the stand was the brand new Overproof. At 63% it packs a punch but is made from their own estate-grown molasses and sugar cane juice. Retail price is around £35. I also had a great tasting of the fantastic 12 year old.
Whizzing around the upper floor of the show, J Bally and English Harbour were nestled together on the same stand. Antigua’s English Harbour is always a favourite tot of mine. The five year old is one of the best value quality rums around.
Next door was the new [to me] Kakira Distillery from Uganda. Not really my flavour profile and one of the editions had added sugars but interesting to try.
I also managed to try the new Mount Gay Cognac Cask. The Mount Gay rep (below, right) did not know any info about it and had to look something up on his phone! Well I can help him out there. The eighth edition in the Master Blender’s Collection and limited to just 6,276 bottles. This 58% ABV rum has been aged in ex-Rémy Martin Cognac casks for four years. The first time one of these editions has been entirely aged in the barrels of its name i.e. Cognac, as opposed to just being “finished”. Expect to pay around £220 for a bottle though.
My final tasting of the day took me to Eric Kaye and the always wonderful Holmes Cay rums. He showcased a tasty 17 year old pot still rum from Fiji at 58%. A Long Pond (Jamaica) pot still at 56% was a decent tipple. It was not as overpowering as some Long Pond rums can be. Also on stand was an Australian 10 year old Beenleigh bottled at 61%. Alongside it was a 12 year old Trinidad rum from Ten Cane Distillery, which is sadly long-since closed. But for me, the highlight of the rums was the 15 year old Belize rum distilled in 2007, presented at a warming 61%. If, like me, you are a fan of Belize rums, look out for a bottle, retailing around £110.
Of course, no Rum Show would be complete without a Foursquare mention. But this show was just a couple of weeks after BCB. Therefore, after having tried Fidelitas, Triple Entente and Convocation, there were no more new goodies to try.
As always, there was not enough time to visit every stand. I focus on some new stuff. I also prioritize the smaller brands. I do this instead of treading old ground with some of the bigger names. Many of these offer nothing new at an event. Therefore, there is no point in tasting what I already know about.
But, I can always find time for a selfie with some rum friends.
Below right, Kevin Brooks and below middle, Ian Burrell.
Coming Soon…..In celebration of Black Tot Day on July 31st, I will be writing about a tasting session. This session will feature the entire Black Tot range. This coincides with the recent annual release of Black Tot’s Master Reserve 2025.
Which is the best?
RIP: Diogo Jota, Number 20!
Here is a link to all of my hydrometer tests:
RumShopBoy Hydrometer Tests
Why are rums marked out of 100? Click HERE to read about how I mark a rum.
*
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.
Single Blended Rum: A blend of pot still and traditional column still from a single distillery.
Pure Single Rum: 100% Pot Still from a single distillery
Pure Single Agricole Rum: 100% Pot Still from cane juice
Single Blended Rum – A blend of pot still and traditional column still from a single distillery.
Traditional Rum: From a traditional column still.
Modern Rum: From a modern multi column still.
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