A relatively concise rum session today. We have the latest J. Bally for the Wu Dram Clan, HD from The Roots and a Fiji rum exclusive to The Whisky Exchange. Then there’s also a Velier bottling that goes back further.
J. Bally 14 yo 2010 – Brut de Fût (53,8%, OB for Wu Dram Clan 2025, 192 btl.)
Nose: very rich and ample agricole, with plenty of polished furniture up front. Then plenty of spicy notes, like black peppercorns and cinnamon. Also blood orange and raisins, maybe a hint of dried mango, as well as stewed plums and vanilla. Light whiffs of tobacco leaves too.
Mouth: rum or bourbon whiskey? It’s full of rich woody notes, including black tea, menthol and pine resin. A lot of liquorice, along with orange peels, hints of sour cherry and ginger. Grassy notes aplenty. Then drops of gentian, adding a medicinal touch. Burnt caramel and herbal tea, along with a distinct earthiness and some leathery dryness.
Finish: quite long, with plenty of clove and ginger, more oak and black tea. Flash of citrus and eucalyptus to brighten it up.
A rich and rewarding rum for those who like a heavy spiciness and wood influence. Also recommended for bourbon lovers. Still available from a couple of retailers, mainly in Germany.
Fiji Islands 15 yo 2009 (55,1%, OB for The Whisky Exchange 2025, ex-bourbon + Ferrand cognac + Kilchoman cask #06/18)
Nose: a rather mineral and clean profile, with ripe banana notes, some damp earth, Cantaloupe and a splash of sea water. The peated Kilchoman influence adds a nice ‘faded smoke’ element, but once you dig into it further, it becomes very minimal. Then some light varnish, carbon dust and diesel fumes.
Mouth: rather sweet and fruity now, with banana and pineapple but also a funny apricot note. A tad naked, like fruit eau-de-vie. Light industrial notes (a little glue) but less than expected. Some saltiness, crystallized ginger and coconut sweetness towards the end.
Finish: medium, with the smoky note becoming a tad stronger again, along with salty fruits.
Planteray (Plantation in the past) have several of these Kilchoman casks. Overall the estery core is less prominent than in other Fiji I’ve had, probably because of the cask wizardry. Quite a nice rum though, if you’re looking for something lighter and rounder. This bottle is exclusive to The Whisky Exchange. Score: 86/100
Royal Navy Rum
The next one is an older release, an attempt of Italian bottler Velier to recreate the old Royal Navy character.
Royal Navy rum traces its roots to the 17th century, when sailors received a daily rum ration — known as the “tot” — as part of life at sea. Over time, the British Navy perfected a rich, robust blend sourced mainly from Caribbean distilleries, creating a distinctive style known for its deep colour, bold flavour and high proof. When the rum ration ended in 1970, the Navy’s blends became legendary and the profile is still praised by rum lovers today. Sukhinder Singh managed to buy some original stock and uses it for its Black Tot rum.
Vlier’s blend, created in 2017, combines the best of Trinidad, Guyana and Jamaica. Owner Luca Gargano commented that there’s Worthy Park 2005 inside with a touch of Hampden and New Yarmouth, as well as Enmore 1990 and some Caroni 1996. The label mentioned a weighted age of 17,42 years.
Velier Royal Navy – Very Old Rum 17,42 yo (57,18%, Velier +/- 2017)
Mouth: a bit more esters now, in a fairly dry profile. Some bright fruits at the core (pineapple, banana) quickly joined by varnished notes, olive brine, liquorice, carbon dust and a leathery dryness. Black pepper and some toasted notes too, along with hints of black tea, adding a mildly bitter note.
Finish: medium and rather drying. Oak spice, some herbal notes and liquorice.
Seen from today’s rum scene perspective, this isn’t as extreme as I expected. It’s definitely a high class blend though, with Caroni in the driver’s seat, managing to capture the Navy character well. A complex blend. I got a sample from Reserved Treasures Club in Holland, who are offering much older bottles as well. Score: 90/100
HD <>H 11 yo 2013 (59%, The Roots + The Antelope 2025, cask #434994, 205 btl.)
Nose: sharp and salty with nice fruits underneath. Beautiful glue, lime, some apple vinegar, pineapple and ripe bananas. Then liquorice and hints of aniseed. The expected new tyres and acetone, along with green olives in brine. There’s a faint vegetal / savoury hint underneath, but it’s not spoiling the fun at all.
Mouth: full of esters again. That means more glue, drops of gasoline, plenty of olive brine and tapenade, as well as some leathery dryness. Lemon notes, a lot of saltiness, but also rounder banana candy, pineapple sweets and subtle vanillza.
Finish: very long, very estery, very tasty. Sweetness returns, along with mild varnish and lingering salt.
How can you beat this profile, especially at this age? A total bliss, in line with the sisters casks we’ve had. I think most of the bottles are gone in Europe, not sure whether The Antelope has stock. I’m heading for Macau in a matter of hours, I’ll keep you posted. Score: 91/100