Review by: The Auditor
Since I have tried a couple of tropically aged rums from Monymusk that were bottled by Habitation Velier over the past week, why not try a similarly aged rum from the same distillery. Holmes Cay reigns as one of the best independent bottlers in the U.S. so let’s see how this cask they selected fares.
Distillery: Monymusk
Bottler: Holmes Cay
Region: Jamaica
Still: Pot
ABV: 61%. Cask strength.
Age: 8 years. Distilled in 2014. Bottled in 2022.
Cask type: Ex-Bourbon, 8 years in Jamaica
Price: $85.00
Color: Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.
Nose: Over-ripe pineapple, star anise, cinnamon, mango, black tea, Floral
Palate: Medium oily mouthfeel, Mango, star anise, cinnamon, pineapple, black tea, vanilla, Floral
Finish: Medium length finish, mango, star anise, pencil shavings, pineapple, black tea, vanilla
Conclusion: This is a great Jamaican rum. Though it may shock some folks, I don’t always need my face blasted off by the highest of esters. Though a “medium” ester rum compared to those, this is still higher ester than most rum out there. This is a delicious, fruity, slightly vanilla, and faint star anise rum that has enough oak structure and spices to make it a delicious package. This hits that sweet spot of complexity if you want it, but not punching you in the mouth to the point you can’t just enjoy a few ounces while hanging out.
Final Score: 88
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 