Review #1055; Rum #383
A few years ago the Aficionados group had a chance for a collaboration with Fine Drams. Several casks of very old tropically aged Jamaicans were up for sale due to a broker that went out of business on the island of Jamaica. I was asked to be on the panel and so I accepted and helped taste through the set. I want to disclose to be as transparent as possible. I can assure you I receive no money on this, in fact it cost me money to buy all these rums! Now on to the rum.
Please note that due to pandemic related delays the age on the labels is slightly off.
Distillery: New Yarmouth
Bottler: Fine Drams
Region: Jamaica
Still: Column Still
ABV: 68%.
Cask Type: Ex-Bourbon, 25 Years in Jamaica, 3 years in Denmark
Price: $97.36
Nose: Vanilla Cream, black pepper, slight cherry, toasted coconut, dark chocolate, black tea, waffle cone
Palate: Thick oily mouthfeel, vanilla cream, cherry, black tea, waffle cone, toasted coconut, nuttiness
Finish: : Long length finish, vanilla, cherry, toasted coconut, nuttiness, black tea, dark chocolate
Conclusion: Running back through these was fun. These are an exploration of really long aged Jamaica rums in two distinct styles. Combined with the tropical ageing it makes for some really fun comparisons. With a slight comparison against the other New Yarmouth this was my favorite of those 2 with this one being less cask driven. A bit on the sweeter side but the savory notes reel it in. Overall given the bottle size, the proof, and the story, I would recommend these to anyone wanting to explore these long aged rums. Below I will give my final rankings:
1. Clarendon 1995 EMB
2.Clarendon 1997 EMB
3. New Yarmouth 1994 Cask #435043
4. New Yarmouth 1994 Cask #435059
Final Score: N/A
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 