:: rum tasting of raising glasses new releases ::

My friends John and Lorri have started a spirits importing company called Raising Glasses that has done some interesting single cask work in terms of Scotch and rum. On my last shift at Drink a few Saturdays ago, they arrived on the early side to bid me adieu and also gave me their recent rum bottlings to taste. These included a 15 year Barbados, an 8 year Trinidad, and a 9 year Guyana rum as well as a blend of the three to attempt a replica of British Navy-style rums.

The Barbados one entitled "Burning Cane" on the front and curiously "The Steel Donkey" on the back is a 15 year old specimen that they were careful to point out spent 11 years in Barbados before being aged another 4 years in the UK (which violates the proposed Barbados Rum designation that requires all aging and bottling to be on the island to be called Barbados Rum) in ex-Bourbon barrels. The rum was distilled from a molasses-based wash on both column and pot stills at the Four Square Distillery, and it was bottled at cask strength at 62.3% ABV. The Steel Donkey name was later explained as part of the island mythos in regards to cane burning. In a Glencairn glass, I got orange peel and balsa wood on the nose. Next, dried orange peel, caramel, dried fig, and ginger flavors came through elegantly on the palate.

The Trinidad one titled "The Guardians" is a 8 year old offering that spent 6 years on the island before spending 2 years maturing in the UK in used Bourbon barrels. The rum was distilled from a molasses-based washed on a column still at Trinidad Distillers Limited, and it was bottled at cask strength at 67.9% ABV. The name reflects the island legend of the River Mother and Forest Father who protect the environment. In a Glencairn glass, I got caramel, toffee, wood, and dried fruit akin to date on the nose, and after the addition of a few drops of water gained an apricot note. Next, caramel, wood spice, butterscotch, root beer, dried orange peel, and lemon came through on the palate.

The Guyana one entitled "Moongazer" is a 9 year old rum that spent most of that time in the UK instead of South America. The part that I was excited about is that this molasses-based wash was distilled in a wooden Versailles pot still. The rum has added caramel color as is traditional with many of the aged Demerara-style rums coming out of the Diamond Distillery (added at the distillery to the rum going into the barrel), and its proof was cut from cask strength of 62.7% ABV to 57.5% for bottling. The name reflects the local legend of a giant that roams the shoreline while gazing at the moon. In a Glencairn glass, I picked up cherry wood and cedar on the nose. Next, caramel, chocolate, and dried cherry fruit came through on the palate.

The final offering was the FTG Blend (with the 'F' for the Four Square Distillery instead of a 'B' for Barbados) that blended the three single casks above to replicate a British Navy blend. The final breakdown was 58% Barbados, 38% Trinidad for spice, and 4% Guyana for finish that was bottled at 62.5% ABV. Unfortunately, my bottle had two back labels, so I was not able to get a photo of the more attractive front label. In a Glencairn glass, I got pine wood, orange peel, and straw aromas. Next, caramel, chocolate, cola, dried fig, and clove flavors came through on the palate. 

For more about the Raising glasses project, read here. For more about these rums and where to buy them, look here.