Review by: The Auditor
Holmes Cay, being one of the most prominent American independent bottlers, brought into the US market single casks of rum from South Pacific Distillery which is located in Fiji. Let’s see how these two long aged rums turned out.
Holmes Cay Fiji 21 Year (2001)
Distillery: South Pacific Distillery
Bottler: Holmes Cay
Region: Fiji
Still: Pot
ABV: 53.6%. Cask strength.
Age: 21 years. Distilled in 2001. Bottled in 2022.
Cask type: Ex-Bourbon, 2 years in Fiji, 19 Years in Europe
Price: $250
Color: Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.
Nose: Pencil Shavings, Honeydew, Vanilla, faint rubber
Palate: Medium mouthfeel, Pencil Shavings, Vanilla, Faint Rubber, Honeydew
Finish: Short length finish, Black Pepper, Pencil Shavings, Faint Rubber
Conclusion: This Fiji rum was not very enjoyable for me. The oak here was very heavy but instead of coming across as spices or some other complex flavor it was heavy on pencil shavings. That note was all throughout; some rubber and vanilla were in the mix as well with some fruit thrown in too. But that oak note just brought the whole thing down for me. Trying it side by side with its younger cousin (which has slightly more tropical ageing) just showed the vast difference in quality to me of these two bottles.
Final Score: 69
Holmes Cay Fiji 17 Year (2004)
Distillery: South Pacific Distillery
Bottler: Holmes Cay
Region: Fiji
Still: Pot
ABV: 58%. Cask strength.
Age: 17 years. Distilled in 2004. Bottled in 2021.
Cask type: Ex-Bourbon, 12 years in Fiji, 5 Years in Europe
Price: $153
Color: Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.
Nose: Vanilla Wafers, Sandalwood, Green Apple, Black Pepper
Palate: Medium mouthfeel, Vanilla Wafers, Chocolate, Green Apple, Sandalwood, Black Pepper
Finish: Medium length finish, Dark Chocolate, Black Pepper, Vanilla Cream, Sandalwood
Conclusion: Overall a very good rum. Nice flavors, the faint fruits are nice and that vanilla chocolate vibe is really strong. Heavy savory notes from the pepper and wood, it crosses the line a hair on oak influence but its really enjoyable to drink.
Final Score: 84
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 