Our first big rum session after the summer. Here we have the latest releases from The Whisky Jury, Wu Dram Clan and Decadent Drinks, as well as slightly older bottlings from Swell de Spirits, The Colours of Rum and 39 Spirits & Cigars.
Barbados Rum 14 yo (46%, 39 Spirits & Cigars 2025, ex-bourbon)
Nose: rather compact, with some honey and orange cake as well as some estery notes. Light fermenting grass, whiffs of nail polish remover. Then some banana notes, hay and a tiny drop of brine. Somewhere in the middle between a high-ester style and a rounder rum.
Mouth: oranges and overripe bananas again, along with cane juice, some coconut and blue curaçao. Then drier notes, like black olives and mild glue. Back and forth really, as it displays more caramelized notes and vanilla towards the end.
Finish: medium long, sweeter again, with two raisins, banana and oak spice.
A very mild sipping rum, far less intense than the ones usually selected by independent bottlers. A bit expensive for an undisclosed rum with this ABV and complexity. Sold out anyway.
The next one is a mix of rums from Thailand and Liberia! No less than 60% is unaged, and 40% is up to 20 years old. Who comes up with such a crazy recipe? It’s the third release from The Whisky Jury called The Duo, after LP + HD and South America + HD.
The Duo Chapter 3 – Liberia & Thailand (55,8%, The Whisky Jury 2025)
Nose: sweet and sour buttermilk comes out first, as well as Fior di Latte ice cream. Also Lacrême or Tagada strawberry candy. Then a wee vinegary / pickled sour note. Green banana, lime and fermenting grapes. There’s a firm agricole (vegetal / grassy) side as well and the sour side keeps growing stronger.
Mouth: a similar mix of yoghurty notes, green bananas and strawberries with cream. The sweetness is just right, keeping a great sweet-and-sour balance that adds freshness. A little vanilla, some fresh herbal notes as well. No roughness either.
Finish: medium length, still on herbs and green sweetness.
Very unique! Not necessarily a high scorer but nonetheless really innovative and very pleasant for the price. Good when taken neat, but I’m sure it’s a great starting point for cocktails. Score: 85/100
Guyana Rum 32 yo 1990 (53%, Decadent Drinks ‘Decadent Drams’ 2025, refill barrel, 104 btl.)
Nose: rather mild, with light olive brine, some cumin seeds, leather and very light herbal notes. Light bread, liquorice, hints of celery and pine wood. Highly polished, even a little soft I’d say.
Mouth: more expressive now, albeit still on the rounder side of the spectrum. There’s a toasted wood up front, along with caramelized walnuts, a bit of cardamom and thyme. Very subtle tarry and medicinal notes. Then sweet herbal candy, aniseed and a hint of green olive and a leathery dryness.
Finish: long, on liquorice, old wood and more liquorice.
This is a mix of leftovers from Enmore and Uitvlugt. Definitely a mature and complex rum, but it felt a little underwhelming due to its mild nature. Still available from Decadent Drinks or Royal Mile Whiskies. Score: 88/100
T.D.L. 33 yo 1991 (58,4%, Decadent Drinks ‘Decadent Drams’ 2025, refill hogshead, 168 btl.)
Nose: rather high-pitched with reasonable fruitiness. Peach, as well as orange oil, maybe unripe mango and some wood varnish. Light banana, a few earthy touches and mint. Faint whiffs of new rubber in the distance.
Mouth: not the exuberant fruits of the younger ones, although there are oranges, bananas and mango. An additional coconut / pineapple / vanilla combo as well, which brings it close to old grain whisky at some point. Then liquorice, sweet mint and some peppery heat.
Finish: good length, with more vanilla, toasted oak and a general sweetness.
A really accessible rum again, very pleasant but a bit simple as well. The resemblence to grain whisky is interesting. Personally I think most of the younger ones are more interesting. Still available from Decadent Drinks or Royal Mile Whiskies. Score: 86/100
Foursquare 18 yo 2007 (59,5%, Wu Dram Clan 2025, bourbon barrel, 244 btl.)
Nose: nice varnished notes with plenty of coconut and a little marzipan. Then light vanilla, sugar cane and pineapple, as well as a mild hint of cedar wood and orange oil.
Mouth: very bourbonny, with sweet woody notes, cane syrup and orange notes. Orange liqueur, orange marmalade. Still a light coconutty hint. Later also aniseed and subtle resinous notes, including a wee leathery edge.
Finish: medium long, fresh and quite light. Still on oranges, a little ginger and bourbonny oak.
This is turning into a very accessible session without heavy esters. A rounder style of Foursquare, a blend of column and pot stills. Score: 87/100
T.D.L. 8 yo 2016 (67,5%, The Colours of Rum 2025, ex-bourbon cask #4, 314 btl.)
Nose: a bit closed at first (high ABV). After a while it shows more fruits like pineapple, synthetic banana and green apple. Whiffs of vineyard peach and orange. Some oaky notes and ginger. Water brings out a little diesel and fresh rubber, as well as floral notes.
Mouth: a big flavour explosion. A lot of glue and liquorice, as well as mentholated notes. Again water is necessary, bringing out mint, peach ice tea and a little chalk. Oranges, nutmeg and leather too. Then plain vanilla and toasted coconut towards the end.
Finish: long, spicy. Fruity echoes and menthol.
Really good, but the ABV is way too high and fiddling with water doesn’t work all the time. Alcohol stays strong. Not quite the 2003 or 2009 level, but for the price a nice selection. Score: 88/100
Savanna ‘Trad G’ 14 yo 2008 (65,1%, Swell de Spirits ‘Wild Card’ 2024, French oak cask, 20 cl, 240 btl.)
Nose: full of cigar boxes, along with fresh baked apple pie, stewed apricots and some darker earthy notes in the background. Raisins, light citrus. Then a light hint of charred pineapple, vanilla and toasted coffee beans as well.
Mouth: really intense, with a marked woody side that leaves a drying footprint. Quite astringent even, with a varnished and diesel-like edge. A lot of walnuts and burnt caramel before it turns back towards pineapple, orange peels and dried fruits. Hints of herbal liqueurs towards the end.
Finish: long, with an estery dryness (glue and varnish), pine wood and bitter chocolate.
This is distilled from molasses (Style Traditionnel). A heavily wood-infused style – really good but I may prefer the lighter ones. Score: 86/100