Transcontinental Rum Line, Jamaica WP 2006-2016
ABV: 46%
Region: Jamaica
Price per bottle: °°
Bottling: Worthy Park Distillery
Cask type: -- (8 yrs aged in Tropics, over 2 yrs aged in Europe; Batch of 3 Casks)

Colour: Pale amber.
Nose: Lots of fruits on the nose with pears, apples, peaches and pineapples. This is followed by a spicy note of tobacco leaves and subtle oak, accompanied by a pleasant sweetness of toffee and vanilla. Hints of bitter dark chocolate with a slightly flowery note in the background.
Palate: Pleasantly sweet on the palate with cane and tropical fruits. Warm with spiced oak, tobacco leaves, pepper and cedarwood. Stays sweet with vanilla and toffee towards the finish.
Finish: The finish is medium long, warm and creamy with vanilla and oranges. Sweet with toffee and cane on the tail.
With water: Water significantly tames the sweetness on the nose while more spiciness with cedarwood, acacia honey, tobacco leaves and leather is coming through. The vanilla and cane sweetness, however, remains on the palate, followed by spiced oak, pepper, cedarwood and tobaccco leaves. Quite warming and prickling on the tongue. The finish is medium long, lovely sweet with vanilla, toffee, cane and a whiff of citrus on the tail.
Comments: This Caribbean Rum is multi-layered and pleasantly harmonious in aroma and taste. It shows the typically tropical fruitiness with a delicate, not exaggerated sweetness and a warm and spicy backbone. To be savoured neat on a warm summer night.

I thank Kirsch Whisky - The House of Whiskies for the sample and the photograph!

Neisson Rhum Extra Vieux
ABV: 45%
Region: Martinique
Price per bottle: °°
Bottling: Distillery
Cask type: --

Colour: Amber.

Nose: Very aromatic start on the nose with rum soaked dark fruits, nuts, caramel and vanilla. Dark chocolate emerges, followed by spicy notes of tobacco leaves, leather and subtle oak. Lingering touch of lemon in the background.
Palate: Nicely sweet on the palate with dark fruits, vanilla and biscuits, followed by citric notes. Warm with oak spice, white pepper and hints of cinnamon. Becomes slightly dry with dark chocolate and leather towards the finish.
Finish: The finish is medium long, warm and subtle sweet with creamy notes of vanilla, liquorice and dark chocolate. Significantly dry on the tail with oak and tobacco leaves.
With water: Quite fresh on the nose when water is added, with significantly increased vanilla notes. Less aromatic with a slightly tamed fruitiness. Quite spicy on the palate with oak, black pepper, and allspice. Lots of dark chocolate, dry and less sweet with tobacco leaves and a touch of lemon towards the finish. The finish is shorter, slightly warming and fairly dry with oak and leathery notes.
Comments: This Rhum Agricole is rich, intense, and flavourful, especially on the nose. A smooth and full-bodied rhum with good balance of sweetness, fruitiness and oak spice. No water needed as it becomes fairly dry when diluted.

I thank Kirsch Whisky - The House of Whiskies for the sample and the photograph!

Navy Island XO Reserve, Jamaica Rum
ABV: 40%
Region: Jamaica
Price per bottle: °
Bottling: Cuvee from 3 distilleries (Worthy Park, Hampden and Monymusk)
Cask type: --

Colour: Amber.
Nose: Very aromatic start on the nose with dark dried fruits - dates, figs and raisins. Quite soft. This is complemented with notes of overripe banana, brown sugar, molasses and vanilla. Tender oak spice and a touch of tobacco leaves in the background.
Palate: Less sweet on the palate than the nose suggests. Intense and quite peppery with a warming spiciness of oak. With time sweet notes of dark fruits, raisins and brown sugar arrive, nicely mingling with chocolate, liquorce and tobacco leaves, followed by a herbal touch towards the finish.
Finish: The finish shows good length with spiced oak and warming peppery notes. Slightly dry with a nice kick of herbs on the tail.
With water: Water brings citric notes to the fore with oranges and a hint of bitter orange peel. Clean and fresh with less dark dried fruity flavours. Increased sweetness on the palate with oranges, raisins and dates, while the peppery spiciness and oaky flavours are pushed in the background a bit. The finish is shorter with creamy notes of sweet vanilla, oranges, slightly dry oak and herbs on the tail.
Comments: This Jamaican rum is distilled predominantly in pot stills without adding any sweet additives to the final product. The result is an attractive rum with a gorgeous aromatic nose, a complex fruitiness and a fairly robust and spicy mouthfeel. Distinctively Jamaica!

I thank Kirsch Whisky Import for the sample and the photograph!

Nicaragua Rum 16yo, 2000-2016, Liquid Treasures Rum Session No. 2
ABV: 53.9%
Region: Nicaragua
Price per bottle: °°
Bottling: eSpirits Whisky for Liquid Treasures
Cask type: Barrel

Colour: Amber.
Nose: Sweet start on the nose with vanilla, toffee and citric fruits - oranges and lemons. Hints of oak, leather and subtle tobacco leaves in the background.
Palate: Nicely sweet on the palate with vanilla and toffee, immediately followed by dry notes of oak, leather and bitter citric peel. Warming spices arrive with oak and pepper, accompanied by tobacco leaves and coffee.
Finish: The finish shows medium length with slightly sweet but warming notes of vanilla, tobacco leaves and leather, with a touch of spiced oak on the tail.
With water: Water tames the sweetness bringing more spices, leather and tobacco notes to the fore. On the palate, however, the vanilla and toffee sweetness dominates, accompanied by oak spice, white pepper, tobacco leaves and leather. The finish is significantly shorter with creamy toffee and slightly warming with oak and white pepper.
Comments: This rum is a very well-aged expression from Nicaragua. Lovely balanced with a delicate interplay of sweet and fruity flavours and pleasant leathery/spicy notes all the way through. Rich and intense. Not too sweet - a fabulous winter warmer.

I thank Dailydram.de for the sample and the photograph!

Epris Single Barrel Rum 17yo, 1999-2016, Liquid Treasures Rum Session No. 1
ABV: 46.4%
Region: Brazil
Price per bottle: °°
Bottling: eSpirits Whisky for Liquid Treasures
Cask type: Barrel

Colour: Pale gold.
Nose: Fresh start on the nose with vanilla and yellow fruits, apricots in particular. This is followed by caramel, anise and tender oak spice in the background.
Palate: Deliciously sweet on the palate with vanilla and luscious apricots  dusted with icing sugar. Warming with a tiny spiciness of white pepper, anise and oak.
Finish: The finish shows medium length with sweet and warming notes of yellow fruits and pepper. Bitter orange peel and dry oak on the tail.
With water: Water brings more citric notes to the fore with oranges and lemons and a hint of bitter orange peel. The vanilla sweetness is slightly tamed. Significantly less sweet on the palate with more yellow fruit - apricots, peaches, seville oranges and bitter notes of orange peel towards the finish. The finish is medium long, creamy and slightly sweet with bitter notes of herbs and oranges.
Comments: This Brazilian rum is a fresh, fruity and pleasantly spicy one. Well balanced and not too sweet. A superb sipping rum - no water needed. I think both agricole aficionados and traditional molasses-based rum drinkers would greatly enjoy this one.

I thank Dailydram.de for the sample and the photograph!