Pussers British Navy Rum

Spirit Name: Spirit Type:	Pusser's British Navy Rum Rum
Score: Buy score:	93/100 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
ABV:	42%
Region:	British Virgin Islands
Body:	Medium-full
Intensity:	Medium
Texture:	Silky
Balance:	Near perfect
Best served:	Neat, mixed
Theme(s):	Brown sugars, coffee, dark chocolate, herbal, mild spice, citrus, zest, cola, turkish delight, toffee, cough drops, licorice, vanilla, molasses, wood, tannin rich finish
Thoughts:	Yo, ho ho and a bottle of rum! The quintessential navy style rum, Pusser's blue label is modeled on the rum that oiled the cogs of weary British sailors for a few hundred years. Its centuries old wooden pot still, together with this old Navy recipe (which Pusser's purchased from the Royal Navy in 1979), makes it one of the best rum buys since Blackbeard, the notorious British pirate, was keeping the lads in the British Navy busy and fully deserving of a pint or two of rum. Lets get to the rum! It is full flavoured with lots of oak driven notes that accentuate and balance the sugary distillate and bursts with notes of coffee, chocolate, vanilla, citrus, cola, spice, turkish delight, toffee, cough drops, molasses and the drying twist of tannin rich wood towards the finish. This is it, me hearties. The Malt Mileage best buy Navy style rum. I hate to sound repetitive, but splice the mainbrace!
Tasting notes:	Nose: Quite light on the nose, the brown sugar develops infused with coffee and dark chocolate as mild surges of vanilla smooth the dry woody pot still notes. Hints of licorice underpin the sugars, together with turkish delight, mild eucalyptus drops and Vicks. I have to say, this is one of the best Navy style rums on the market and it is great to see that Pusser's are not trading on their name but instead continue producing rum of the highest order. Taste: This rum has a smooth entry that ignites on the palate. Rich brown sugar and denser coffee than on the nose, espresso with lots of brown sugar and a surprisingly delicious nip of Chinotto (cola with bitter citrus) with mild licorice, hits the palate with a spicy twist. There is a solid foundation of vanilla and toffee with herbal and citrus notes, minty and zesty all at once, that brighten up the the smoky haze of wood that begins to develop with intensifying sugar, now molasses, and the slight hint of now rose flavoured turkish delight. Finish: Rich coffee and chocolate notes accompany molasses, as the palate continues to dry with the gradual development of bitter wood notes and associated tanins.
Likes:	Complex, smooth, great price
Price:	$60 (Aus), £31 (UK)

Koloa Rum - White, Coconut, Spice, Gold and Dark

The utterance of the word "Hawaii" conjures a few images - old Elvis movies, surfing, tropical flowers, George Clooney in The Descendants, Pearl Harbour and, this may seem strange to anyone outside Australia, pizza with pineapple on it (which we call "Hawaiian"). Rum never entered my mind, until one day I spotted a bottle of Koloa Rum which describes itself as "Hawaiian Rum". 

The Koloa Rum Company explain that its rum is distilled twice and crafted from 'the finest sugarcane and the pure, abundant water sources on the island of Kaua`i, Hawaii... [p]ure mountain rainwater from Mt. Wai`ale`ale and the nearby mountain peaks and rainforests is captured and slowly filtered through volcanic strata before finally reaching vast underground aquifers. Kaua`i water imparts its own unique taste and "mouth feel" that perfectly complements our rum.'

Intriguing! Having had the opportunity to taste the entire range, reviews of each rum can be found below. The most impressive among them in our opinion are the Kaua'i Spiced and Kaua'i Dark - two delicious reasons why the word "Hawaii" should now conjure thoughts of rum and, in my case at least, a Pavlovian reflex! I am already conditioned. 

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Koloa Kaua'i White Rum (40% ABV): Nose: Oftentimes white rum floods the nose with sugar and alcohol with very little, if any, taming by wood. The Koloa is a breath of fresh air, with simple but delicate aromas that radiate sugar cane and bursts of menthol within cooked banana and licorice. Taste: The alcohol is more pronounced on the palate, and whatever weight accompanies the rum quickly vanishes into anise seed and white sugar. Finish: Not much too add really. The sugars tingle on the tongue with fumes of alcohol. Overall: This is a fine mixing rum that would probably hold up in a cocktail or mixed drink, but with its subtle character not dominate. (Score: 82/100) 

Koloa Kaua'i Coconut Rum (40% ABV): Nose: If ever I have smelt a bouquet that would be loved by the spirit drinker and non-spirit drinker alike, it is this one. The smell of coconut is natural, rich, luscious and plump. That coconut intermingles with gentle caramel undertones which supports banana/ginger bread, licorice and cotton candy as the juicy sugar cane shines. Mild traces of alcohol are detected but this is a superb example of a flavoured rum that should delight anyone's nose, not just rum obsessed Australian bloggers! Taste: Mouth coating with a lovely mouth feel (creamy, almost buttery), the natural coconut flavour tingles on the palate as the sweetness gradually intensifies and then, without warning, the syrupy sugars suddenly ignite on the palate. This does not strike me as a complex rum, and that is probably what it is meant to be - simple, sweet with a coconut theme. Finish: The coconut lingers with sweet sugars, crystallized and white, with a syrupy sweetness. (Score: 84/100)

Koloa Kaua'i Spice Rum (44% ABV): Nose: A strong aromatic vapour hits the nose as wood spices (cinnamon, nutmeg) come to the fore, followed closely by vanilla which lies partially hidden by sweet sugars, anise seed, cloves and bark. This almost smells like a spice cinnamon rich apple pie layered with caramel. As the rum rests that strong vapour calms, and what remains is a spiced rum that is natural rather than syrupy and not overdone with vanilla. Taste: A super sweet entry brings syrupy sugars, molasses, golden honey and an array of spices including mild vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg that recede into the finish Finish: The spices recede as brown sugar, mild coffee notes and subtle shades of chocolate develop. (Score: 87/100)

Koloa Kaua'i Gold Rum (40% ABV): Nose: Nutty, the aroma of hazelnut liqueur merges with sweet sugar cane and the gentle waft of freshly brewed coffee as calming waves of vanilla are interrupted by flecks of cocoa that burst on the nose. Taste: Retaining that nuttiness, but much milder than on the nose, the rum has a moderate-dry entry that is slightly skewed to the bitter side. Not quite as promising as the nose, the alcohol seems more prominent on the palate as the sugars are lost within a bitterness that lingers to the finish. Finish: Alcohol remains with bitter tannic wood notes. (Score: 80/100) 

Koloa Kaua'i Dark Rum (40% ABV): Nose: This rum has one of the most pleasant, complex and unique bouquets I have encountered in a spirit - the aromas are delightfully smooth, beautifully integrated, balanced and captivating. The bouquet is a fusion between traditional Italian digestifs, nut based biscuits with glazed fruit and sweet medicinal notes which rekindle memories of butter menthol/strepsils lozengers. The legendary Italian digestif liqueurs, amaretto and amaro, swirl around butter menthol and a freshly opened bag of almond biscuits topped with glazed cherries and shavings of dark chocolate. Mild undertones of creamy vanilla and brown sugar soaked in coffee support shimmers of honey and mint, as that menthol progressively intensifies as the rum rests. Taste: Soft and gentle on the entry, brown sugar and rich sweetened coffee gradually become more bitter as that amaro on the nose transfers to the palate and develops with soft wood vanilla which softens a sudden whip of those sweet medicinal notes from childhood (butter menthol, strepsils). Finish: Nuttiness returns, but now a more earthy hazelnut, with oak and mildly drying ground coffee as the amaro suddenly morphs into cherry flavoured cough syrup. This is a must try rum for any spirit lover! It is delicious, distinctive, unique and very very interesting. Aloha kākou. (Score: 94/100)

 

Ron de Jeremy

Name: Type:	Ron de Jeremy Rum
Score:	88/100
ABV:	40%
Region:	Panama
Balance:	Superb
Serve:	Neat, mixed
Video review:
Summary:	Ron de Jeremy is marketed as the original adult rum, taking its name from the legendary adult film star Ron Jeremy. As "ron" means rum in Spanish, the name of the rum translates into the "rum of Jeremy". In keeping with this Latin theme, the rum itself is made in Panama by a cuban born master blender named Don Fernandez. Ron de Jeremy is a very good quality rum with superb balance of flavours that mildly dries the palate and radiates a herbal "cooling" twist with natural wood vanilla, brown sugar, golden honey, coffee confectionery, dried fruit and rich dark molasses. This is a serious rum that is very pleasant to sip. Highly recommended.  Nose: This rum is soft and elegant with a mildly dry style that radiates a "cool" (as opposed to "hot") character. Some rums emit "hot" sharp alcoholic fumes. Not this rum! It has a "cool" and calculated demeanor that has a herbal glow of menthol, eucalyptus and sweet tobacco. The sugars rise up with the herbal notes, but with finesse as sugar cane, dark molasses and cherry compote develop with flashes of golden honey, caramel and mild notes of lemon and orange marmalade. The oak does its job well, adding cocoa and unsweetened wood vanilla.  Taste: With a gentle entry (no pun intended!) and great balance,  brown sugar, dried fruit and dark chocolate develop with coffee drops as a “cooling” wave of menthol begins to dry the palate towards the finish. It is interrupted only by gentle “soothing” vanillas from the wood and the occasional drizzle of golden honey. Finish: Long and drying, the wood and sugars interact in a very pleasant way – a luscious layer of vanilla creaminess acts as a counterbalance to the dryness, but that layer begins to fade as the drying sugars accompany a shining herbaceousness  that leaves the taste of coffee confectionery as that cooling eucalyptus returns.
Price:	$60 (Aus)

Beenleigh 5 Year Old Dark Rum

Spirit Name: Spirit Type:	Beenleigh 5 Year Old Dark Rum Rum
Score:	81/100
ABV:	40%
Region:	Australia
Body:	Medium-full
Intensity:	Soft-medium
Texture:	Velvety
Balance:	Superb
Best served:	Neat, mixed
Theme(s):	Sweet, soft, smooth, herbal, floral, confectionery, citrus with chocolate, caramel and syrup
Thoughts:	The Beenleigh 5 Year Old was very impressive, not quite love at first taste and a superb sipping rum with layers of floral, herbal and sugary complexity that left me sniffing and sipping a 30ml measure for almost an hour. This rum offers an initial sweet burst that is moderated by other character, but which retains a sweet almost herb/floral liqueur/confectionery theme within the classic rum notes. Highly recommend, this rum from Queensland is beautiful one day and (almost) perfect the next.
Blind tasting notes:	Nose: Sweet and soft with layers of goodness to peel away – crushed brown sugar develops with soft notes of crème brulee that are accompanied by mint lollies and varnished pine. The vanillas intensify as the rum rests in the glass, with a sugary grape liqueur note developing with hints of soft licorice sticks and a gust of sweet floral notes. This is beautiful rum! Taste: This rum is very smooth on the palate, offering an initial burst of caramel and thick molasses that is moderated somewhat by cocoa, coffee flavoured lollies and a herbal/spicy note which melds mint jelly and anise seed – this melding of herb, spice and floral flavours develops into a botanical theme. Chocolate orange occasionally interrupts the smooth tide, with sugary lemon and lime marmalade developing as the character of the rum begins to fade after swallowing. Finish: A warming glow shines on the palate for a long while, radiating an evolving herbal theme that now resembles menthol/eucalyptus within thick layers of coffee liqueur, plum jam and sugary mint leaf confectionary.  Would I want another measure? Yes.  Would I buy a bottle? Yes.
Likes:	Complex notes with herbal/floral twist, very smooth
Dislikes:	The flavours can become dense, with some particular notes dominating
Price:	$46 (Aus)

Ron de Jeremy Spiced Rum

Spirit Name: Spirit Type:	Ron de Jeremy Spiced Rum Rum
Score:	76/100
ABV:	47%
Region:	Panama
Body:	Medium-full
Intensity:	Medium
Texture:	Medium
Balance:	Good
Best served:	Mixed
Theme(s):	Sweet, aspartame, syrupy, vanilla, burnt sugars
Thoughts:	Ron de Jeremy Spiced is aged for 7 years in Panama. The rum seems hidden away beneath the thick fog of spices (especially vanilla) with a syrupy, almost aspartame, sweetness dominating alongside burnt sugars. As a spiced rum this serves its purpose and it is good and dependable for those who enjoy a punch of sweetness. This Rum is actually named after the famous male porn star Ron Jeremy - "ron" means rum in Spanish, so hence the "Ron" de Jeremy. Expect a big hit of sweetness with this, with undertones of harsh bitterness hidden away.
Blind tasting notes:	Nose: There is a wall of vanilla, dark chocolate and nail polish blocking the sugars and any cask influence. On the nose a harshness is evident, almost an immaturity, that occasionally shows itself through the thick fog of vanilla, burnt caramel, cocoa, burnt chocolate brownie and mixed spice. Taste: Initially sweet with a thin mouth-feel, a surge of syrup floods the palate with plum jam, caramel, golden honey and bitter cocoa, burnt cinnamon sticks and overcooked blackened toffee. There is an ongoing theme of caremalisation and burnt sugars here, amidst the foray of spices that ignite on the palate with the bitter streaks of alcohol that cut through the sweetness. Finish: Thick dense syrup and the taste of artificial sweetness remains with some wood notes and the vanilla tainted with bitterness.  Would I want another measure? Yes, mixed with something to counteract the sweetness and it is nice.  Would I buy a bottle? Probably not.

Inner Circle Green Dot

 

Spirit Name: Spirit Type:	Inner Circle Green Dot Rum
Score:	85/100
ABV:	57.2%
Region:	Australia
Body:	Medium
Intensity:	High
Texture:	Medium
Balance:	Skewed to dry
Best served:	With water, mixed, in a cocktail
Thoughts:	Inner Circle Green Dot was a rum that had a pungent solvent character, but this was overcome in part with a splash of water which morphed those notes into softer wood/nail polish - a note that, strangely, complimented the character nicely. It was enjoyable with water, and it released some beautiful aromas that also proceeded to the palate and into a bone dry finish. The only negative with this rum is its mild solvent character that burns the nose, the throat and dries the mouth - a splash of water is highly recommended to reduce this harshness. Let the water and rum meld, and you'll be a happy camper in no time. A very enjoyable and interesting rum!
Blind tasting notes:	Nose: This is harsh on the nose, with lots of solvent piercing the nostrils. Those solvent vapours mask the sugars, which shine through with dry bursts of cocoa, green mango, dried nectarine pip. Once the nose adjusts to the ferocity of this spirit (clearly pot still rum), soothing vanillas and chocolate emerge with bubblegum. This feisty best needs water!  With a generous splash of water, the fire dies down – a splash of water alters the character of this rum significantly. It softens. The solvent notes almost disappear, and in their place is polished mahogany with nail polish, mango, peaches, pineapple, coconut husk, vanilla, caramel, passion fruit banana bread drizzled with honey and a dollop of cookies and cream ice cream that is just melting in the sun (that is my weakness, cookies and cream at the beach!). The general theme on the nose is dry and spicy, but with occasional lashings of creaminess, fruit and confectionery (cherry and mint flavoured in particular) that actually becomes sweeter as the rum rests and is allowed to meld with the water. Taste: Powerful, sharp, luscious and surprisingly enjoyable for such a violent rum – it is so turbulent on the palate, firing out spice and pepper with alcohol preserved raisins and citrus dusted with cocoa. With water the rum is gentler and more mouth-coating, immediately released more subdued sugars that glow on the palate with some of that varnish – under-ripe tart tropical fruit (green mango) and toffee begin to dry the palate but then comes a soothing wave of sticky date pudding, dark chocolate that is interrupted by drying wood, spices, hazelnuts and shimmers of peppermint. Finish: That spice lingers as the palate continues to dry, notes of prune develop with a chocolate that progressively gets darker and darker – that bitterness and dryness progressively intensifies to the point where my checks are sucked in but this thumping punishment is strangely enjoyable (as most rum lovers or cask strength whisky lovers would know). With water, the intensity is reduced and the flavours long on and on – even minutes after swallowing the rum I can taste chocolate coated raisins, brown sugar, mild coffee notes, dry wood and the drying herbal note that now resembles fresh basil. The palate, as with the rum tasted neat, gets drier and drier.  Would I have another measure? Yes. Would I buy a bottle? Undecided.
Likes:	Powerful, complex
Dislikes:	Tainted with mild harshness, dryness, solvent character
Price:	$50

Pusser's Navy Rum Aged 15 Years (Nelson's Blood)

Spirit Name: Spirit Type:	Pusser's Navy Rum Aged 15 Years Rum ром
Score:	94/100
Website:  ABV:	http://www.PussersRUM.com 40%
Region:	British Virgin Islands
Body:	Full
Intensity:	Soft with lashes of fury
Texture:	Thick and velvety
Balance:	Near perfect
Best served:	Neat
Theme(s):	Rich, dense, smooth, spice, dense sugars (burnt, brown, caramelized), sharp, raisin, prune, compote, vanilla bean, spice, pomegranate, papaya, coffee, creamy, buttery, chocolate, mild drying citrus  Богатая, плотная, гладкая, специи, плотная сахара (сожжены, коричневый, карамелизированным), острый, изюм, чернослив, компот, стручок ванили, специй, гранаты, папайя, кофе, сливочное, маслянистый, шоколад, цитрусовые мягкой сушки
Summary:	Pusser's 15 Year Old rum offers sublime texture that coats the palate with a buttery glow, calming the storm of dense sugars, tropical fruit and dry spice/wood notes that finish with chocolate and soft drying citrus - this is a rich Navy style rum buzzing with an energy that is softened by delightful texture, finesse and balance... Splice the mainbrace!
Tasting notes:	For over 300 years sailors in the British Royal Navy were issued daily rations of rum by the ship’s “Purser”, and it is claimed that before battle the sailors were given two pints of lovely Navy rum - it can only be imagined, to assist them in missing targets and falling over themselves on the way to the fight. Just kidding, we've all heard of "Dutch Courage" and those brave men would have needed something to keep them from tensing up on the way to a bloody battle. On 31 July 1970 daily rations of rum were abolished in the Royal Navy - fair call some might say, drunken sailors aren't the most effective people to navigate modern warships and avert Soviet nuclear submarines. In 1979, an enterprising Charles Tobias gained the rights to the blend by the Admirality and formed Pusser’s Ltd in part to replicate the blend of rum that had kept the British Navy swashbuckling for centuries. Not only this, but Pusser's continues to use the original 200+ year old wooden pot stills that were used to make the British Navy Rum. Pusser's is the only rum producer in the world to use wooden pot stills, which, you would imagine, have soaked up some very interesting compounds over a couple of centuries!  Nose: Like the bash of an unexpected wave, this rum hits the nose with a blunt force that is soft yet powerful - the spicy bursts of freshly ground coffee, pepper and cocoa intermingle with burnt caramelized sugars that are softened by the herbaceous glow of mint, soft calf leather and soothing buttered popcorn.  The pot still character and dryness is interlaced with sumptuous creamy notes that carry bright tropical fruit including banana confectionery, fresh papaya flesh and seeds, lychee, tangy passion fruit. All the while the beautiful sugar notes fill the glass, morphing from the creme brulee to simple brown sugar as a dry sharpness (under-ripe yellow plums, wet paint) cuts through all the character.   Taste: Gentle sugars softly and elegantly dance on the palate, and then the character progressively develops with a sudden surge of dense sugars (burnt caramelized sugar, syrupy raisin and prune compote with vanilla bean), tangy pomegranate with papaya and dry spicy notes of pepper, a rich earthiness and a resurgence of the coffee theme but this time as a creamy affogato with coffee sediment (not expresso or filtered coffee, but sweetened Greek/Turkish coffee) - that creaminess is sublime, and as this rum rests on the palate the rich buttery texture calms the storm of dry wood spice notes and dense sugars.  Finish: The rum's texture allows it to rest on the palate, and as it rests it softened the rich sugars and dry notes with the glow of butter, chocolate and mild blood orange with notes of mandarine.
Likes:	Rich, complex, soft yet powerful - this rum has it all!
Price:	$110 (Aus), £41 (UK)