Category Archives: Rum

Review: The Lash Spiced Rum

Posted on May 26, 2010 by Christopher Null| 20 Comments

For some reason, Drinkhacker readers LOVE spiced rum. They drink it, they comment, they debate it. They love this stuff.

And yet there aren’t that many spiced rums on the market, so when a new one arrives, they pounce on the stuff like phony handbag salesmen on tourists.

The Lash is a rum with a loaded history for its name (I’ll leave that reading as an exercise for the reader). It hails from the West Indies, where it spends four years in oak and is then aged with spices (some may actually settle in the bottle), bourbon vanilla extract, and other flavors.

The result is an intensely brown and very spicy rum. I put it side by side vs. all the spiced rums I had on hand — Captain Morgan, Sailor Jerry, and current fave The Kraken — and it handily out-spiced them all, with intense cinnamon, nutmeg, and big vanilla character. What’s comparably lacking, though, is the rum component. At just 70 proof, The Lash is considerably weaker than most spiced rums, many of which creep toward 100 proof. The Lash instead plays it safe, falling in line with the flavored rum world, a curious choice for a spirit with a picture of a whip on the bottle.

Overall, however, it’s got an excellent character to it, with an intense flavor that many spiced rums have lacking. Kraken is sweeter and more instantly engaging, but if the lack of alcohol in The Lash doesn’t turn you off, this is a solid endeavor.

A- / $30 / website not currently functional

→ 20 Comments

Posted in Rated A-, Reviews, Rum, Spiced Rum

Review: Coruba Mango and Coconut Flavored Rums

Posted on May 22, 2010 by Christopher Null| 3 Comments

Coruba is Jamaican rum (imported to New Zealand and sold from there). These two new bottlings are flavored rums that have been considerably doctored not just with flavoring agents but lightened down to just 42 proof.

Coruba Mango Rum is an intensely sweet experience, and mango is really only hinted at in the finish. It’s so sugary that there’s no real hint off fruit, just sweetness with a touch of tropicality. Probably fine in any number of rum-and-juice cocktails, but not a winner on its own. C-

Coruba Coconut Rum is more successful, a decent competitor to Malibu with a more delicately flavored spirit than Coruba’s mango concoction. Here the coconut is more muted and the resulting spirit much less sweet, with a mellower, earthy finish. In fact, this rum can be safely sipped solo, though it would clearly find a better home in a tropical beach drink. B

$16 each / coruba.co.nz

→ 3 Comments

Posted in Flavored Rum, Rated B, Rated C-, Reviews, Rum

Review: Ron Barcelo Dominican Rum

Posted on May 12, 2010 by Christopher Null| 4 Comments

From the land of the Dominican Republic comes Ron Barcelo, an 80-year-old blender which takes various rums from the island and mixes up these concoctions. The company uses old bourbon barrels to age its spirit, and bottles them all at 80 proof. Here’s how they stack up.

Ron Barcelo Anejo – A blend of rums aged in oak barrels for an indeterminate time (up to four years, it turns out), this rum is light on the tongue and still plenty sweet, but offers a solid oak core alongside its sugar. The finish offers an interesting vegetal character, with a little sea-air brine character to it, too. Simple on the attack but that surprisingly long finish makes you think there’s more to it. Tastes more expensive than it is; is actually lighter in color than it looks (due to the smoky bottle). A- / $15

Ron Barcelo Gran Anejo – Also of an indeterminate age, this blend of rums spends over four years in oak barrels, giving it more color and a deeper body. It is also surprisingly hot for an 80 proof spirit with some age on it, and the finish tends to run bitter in the end. Rather strange, really, but not nearly the success that the cheaper Anejo is. B / $20

Ron Barcelo Imperial – A 10-year-old aged rum, this is Barcelo’s top of the line. It’s got a spicy kick and a serious bourbon flavor from all of that time spent in its old Kentucky home, which tends to drown out the sugar cane characteristics. The finish offers some pepper, more wood, and a touch of that bitter character. Definitely a rum for the whiskey enthusiast. B+ / $25

ron-barcelo.com

→ 4 Comments

Posted in Rated A-, Rated B, Rated B+, Reviews, Rum

Review: Rum Jumbie Rums and Liqueur

Posted on April 20, 2010 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

Rum Jumbie (the name refers to spirits allegedly trapped inside the caves of the Caribbean who would possess the souls of rum drinkers) makes several light, flavored rums plus a rum liqueur.

The flavored rums are all uncolored, are sourced from Panama, and are bottled at a scant 48 proof. Flavors are natural but otherwise unspecified.

Here’s how they stack up.

Rum Jumbie Mango Splash has a delicate mango nose and moderate tropical flavor. A little bite on the finish, but a fine ingredient in a tropical cocktail if you like a rum with a very mild and light body. B+ / $16

Rum Jumbie Pineapple Splash captures the aroma of fresh pineapple, but the flavor is off. Pineapple notes are pushed aside by out-of-place cocoa and vanilla character, with a sort of woody finish. B- / $16

Rum Jumbie Coconut Splash is extremely sweet, with sugariness that drowns out a lot of the coconut character. As with the other Jumbies, it’s heavy on the nose with the prescribed fruit (coconut is a fruit, right?), but the body doesn’t totally pan out. (Try Brinley.) B / $16

Rum Jumbie Vanilla Splash has almost no vanilla aroma and what little vanilla flavor there tastes synthetic. Fortunately it’s so light it doesn’t really taste like much of anything. Not a fan. C / $16

Rum Jumbie Liqueur is a 60 proof concoction of “aged rum and tropical fruit flavors,” and it’s already awesome from the start because of the bottle shaped like a guy playing a bongo drum and wearing a straw hat that serves as the cap. The amber nectar inside however is not quite as cool. It’s got cola and orange notes, apples, and loads of cinnamon and other exotic spices… but it doesn’t really come together. Perhaps it’s the loads of sugar in the blend that makes this hard to put down more than a few sips of. Perhaps it could make an interesting cocktail ingredient… but how? It’s simply too muddy and sweet and leaves a varnish-like coating on your palate that I wanted to scrub off. C / $30

rumjumbie.com

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Flavored Rum, Liqueurs, Rated B, Rated B+, Rated B-, Rated C, Reviews, Rum

Review: Blackheart Spiced Rum

Posted on February 19, 2010 by Christopher Null| 21 Comments

Spiced rum continues to grow as a category as every distiller on earth realizes that Captain Morgan has been sucking down cash for years with no competition. This latest brand, Blackheart, comes from Heaven Hill, home of Evan Williams bourbon and Christian Brothers brandy. (Not to be confused with Black Heart Rum, which is a different product altogether from New Zealand.)

Sweeter by far than most spiced rums I’ve tried, it’s almost saccharine. Actual spices are elusive — I thought it tasted more like coconut-flavored suntan lotion than anything else — with an apple-cinnamon finish.

Not my favorite spiced rum by a longshot, but those with a real sweet tooth may find it more palatable than I. 93 proof. Rum is sourced from the Virgin Islands. Price has been updated.

C+ / $16 / blackheartrum.com

→ 21 Comments

Posted in Rated C+, Reviews, Rum, Spiced Rum

Review: Matusalem Gran Reserva 15 Years Old Rum

Posted on January 28, 2010 by Christopher Null| 10 Comments

First produced in Cuba, Matusalem now hails from the Dominican Republic (after a stint in the U.S. — presumably Puerto Rico), but claims to hold fast to its original Cuban recipe dating back to 1872.

This is the company’s top-end bottling, held for 15 years using the solera style of barrel aging.

As for the rum, it’s not as dark and rich as I’d have expected from such an old spirit, its green-tinted caramel color masking a spirit that’s still got a lot of heat to it despite weighing in at just 80 proof. Less sweet than you think, its wood notes are heavy, with a touch of charcoal and even bitterness in the finish.

Otherwise this is a surprisingly, shockingly even, simple rum. Fortunately, it’s very affordable — I’ve seen it as cheap as $20 on sale — and for that, you might find it perfectly acceptable for use as an everyday mixer.

B+ / $30 / matusalem.com

→ 10 Comments

Posted in Rated B+, Reviews, Rum

Review: DonQ Flavored Rums

Posted on January 25, 2010 by Christopher Null| 4 Comments

DonQ is a huge rum brand from Puerto Rico. It’s now producing three flavored versions, two of which we were fortunate enough to review. Flavorings are natural and the proof level is rock bottom, so drink all you want.

DonQ Coco Rum is (obviously) a coconut-flavored rum (aged at least one year). Quite sweet and with merely moderate coconut character, it comes across, oddly, as a little bit chalky on the palate. This isn’t bad, but it isn’t a standout. I think Malibu or, better yet, Brinley Gold Coconut, are both quite a bit better. 42 proof (same as Malibu). B- / $17

DonQ Mojito Rum is not a mojito in a bottle but rather a mojito-flavored aged rum (see the difference?). Add club soda and you’ve got a mojito? Sort-of… It’s very tart and moderately, authentically minty — but the lime component tastes funky, which might be why lime is not mentioned on the bottle, only “infused with natural mint.” Like the Coco, this isn’t unpalatable, but I think the better solution to the mojito problem is to stick with an unflavored rum, add mint, lime, and soda yourself, and call it a day. 40 proof. B- / $17

donq.com

→ 4 Comments

Posted in Flavored Rum, Rated B-, Reviews, Rum

Review: El Dorado Rums

Posted on January 20, 2010 by Christopher Null| 4 Comments

Hailing from Guyana, El Dorado makes what is known as demerara rum, which is simply a rum from the Guyana area that is made using demerara sugar, aka turbinado sugar — you probably know the coarse brown crystals best under the trade name Sugar in the Raw.

El Dorado isn’t Rum in the Raw, though: It’s a smooth and sophisticated rum that’s well worth seeking out. Available in nearly a dozen variations, I tried three of its oldest bottlings. All are 80 proof.

El Dorado Rum 12 Years Old is a very mature rum, fragrant with mint but deeply sugary. The brown sugar character is strong here, but otherwise it’s a pretty simple construction. Dark, smooth, and ready to go. A- / $25

El Dorado Rum 15 Years Old ups the age another three years, creating a spirit even darker in color and richer in flavor. Wood comes through stronger on this one, with mint and herb fading into the background. Again it’s the brown sugar body that impresses deeply, with a rich mouthfeel that makes this one easy to sip. The only false note is a touch of harshness on the palate as it first hits the tongue, but the finish is extremely smooth. A- / $30

El Dorado Rum 21 Years Old is extremely dark brown and almost overdoes it with the wood notes. Here a certain vegetal character starts to weigh down the rum’s natural sweetness, and any other secondary flavors tend to fade away. It’s still good rum — sweet and sophisticated, but in my mind it’s spent a few years too long in the barrel. B+ / $65

demrum.com

→ 4 Comments

Posted in Rated A-, Rated B+, Reviews, Rum

Review: Plantation Rums, 2000 Editions

Posted on December 22, 2009 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

Plantation Rum. The name sounds innocuous, but the way these rums are made are unlike any others you’re likely to encounter.

The rums are produced by the team behind Pierre Ferrand cognac and Citadelle Gin, single-country in origin with a bit of a twist. The rums are distilled in the country in which the sugar cane is grown, then put into either old bourbon or sherry oak casks, then aged in country. After several years of aging, the casks are then shipped to France and aged a second time in French oak barrels, after which they are then bottled for sale.

Plantation comprises nine different rums and produces a different “vintage” each year (with a couple of special, non-vintage editions in the mix). We got our hands on four to try. Thoughts follow.

Plantation Rum Jamaica 2000 – The nose is surprisingly a bit harsh, as is the initial rush on the palate. But this rum grows on you, with big, sweet flavors that are intermixed with banana and pineapple notes. Coconut on the finish, plus some less savory vegetal notes. It’s a very interesting rum to sample… I think of it as a working man’s rum, simple on the surface but with some bite beneath. 84 proof. B+ / $35

Plantation Rum Trinidad 2000 – Intensely spicy, with an overwhelming smokiness and a boozy kick. There is cane, pineapple, and guava-like tropical fruit in the finish, but it’s still a harsh one for sipping straight. 84 proof. B / $35

Plantation Rum Barbados 2000 – Ah, the smoothie of the bunch. This one goes down easy, and while it has less up-front character and nuance, it’s so drinkable it’s hard not to love. A blend of pot- and column-distilled rums, the whiskey-like character shows lots of vanilla notes. My favorite of the 2000 series. 84 proof. A- / $35

Plantation Rum Grande Reserve 5 Years Old Barbados – Darker than the 2000, though probably not aged for as long a time. Despite the name this is actually Plantation’s entry-level rum, and it’s amazingly good for its $20 price tag. Like the 2000 Barbados, it’s smooth and simple, with vanilla to spare. Slightly less alcohol makes it even easier, and very sweet. Love it. A- / $20

plantationrum.com

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Rated A-, Rated B, Rated B+, Reviews, Rum

Review: Weber Haus Cachaca Silver

Posted on December 14, 2009 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

I don’t think it’s just me who pegs “Weber Haus” as a distinctly German name… and maybe an odd choice for a Brazilian cachaca… but no matter.

Weber Haus actually makes a wide variety of cachacas for the local and export markets, including aged and various, special bottlings. This silver cachaca, which has been sitting in my to-do list for far too long, is a solid one: Smooth and silky in mouthfeel, with a dusky, coal-flecked body.

It’s got a good slug of that traditional, gasoline/rubber character, but it’s still mellow, allowing just a touch of sweetness to come through in the end. Nice choice for a caipirinha.

80 proof.

B+ / $40 / weberhausbrazil.com

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Cachaca, Rated B+, Reviews, Rum

Review: Cuca Fresca Cachaca and Caipirinha

Posted on December 2, 2009 by Christopher Null| 3 Comments

It’s been a while — too long, perhaps — since we sampled a new cachaca at Drinkhacker HQ, but Cuca Fresca has arrived to our watering palates.

Cuca Fresca Cachaca - This unaged Brazilian rum is intensely fragrant, filling the room with sweet lime notes. The body is more typical of cachaca, with that smoky character that all young cachaca tends to have, but it’s balanced by a good amount of sweetness and citrus. The finish is light and even refreshing, something I rarely say about cachaca. A great choice for starting your caipirinhas. 80 proof. A- / $18

Cuca Fresca Classic Caiprinha – Don’t want the trouble of mixing lime and sugar with your cachaca to make a caiprinha? Pour this pre-mixed version directly on the rocks. This 44-proof concoction claims only natural ingredients — cachaca, lime, and sugar (which settles on the bottom of the bottle — shake well!) — so I had awfully high hopes. It certainly doesn’t taste bad, but it’s a little heavy on the sweet and doesn’t have enough lime for my tastes. It’ll work in a pinch, but it’s unfortunately not really a substitute for the real deal. (When is it ever?) Note that the cork-topped bottle tends to leak when shaken. Cuidado! B / $18 per 1-liter bottle

cucafrescaspirit.com

→ 3 Comments

Posted in Cachaca, Mixers, Rated A-, Rated B, Reviews, Rum

Drinkhacker’s 2009 Holiday Gift Guide – Best Alcohol/Spirits for Christmas

Posted on November 27, 2009 by Christopher Null| 5 Comments

Booze: The gift that keeps on giving, whether you like it or not. It’s now tradition at Drinkhacker to look back at the best new spirits of the year, offering our suggestions on our favorite tipples — and the stuff that’s most likely to impress your holiday giftee should he find a neatly wrapped bottle under the tree. As always, we’ve tried to offer suggestions in a variety of price ranges, with a focus on spirits a bit out of the ordinary — as long as, no matter what the price, it’s the best stuff on the shelf.

Also check out our 2008 holiday guide.

Bourbon – Old Rip Van Winkle Family Reserve 23 Years Old (2009 Edition) – $350 – A hugely expensive and hugely delicious bourbon that will impress your giftee until he’s three sheets to the wind. More affordable choices include Evan Williams Single Barrel 2000 Edition, a complete steal at $26, or the always-good George T. Stagg limited edition bourbon; the 2009 is a real standout.

Scotch – Macallan 1824 Collection — prices vary — This collection of four different whiskys was bviously not distilled in 1824 (it’s just an homage), but your giftee doesn’t have to know that. For a real splurge: Laphroaig 25 Years Old is a rare knockout.

Absinthe – Vieux Carre – $60 - The absinthe craze is finally on the wane, and fewer new brands popped up in 2009 than last year. Vieux Carre, made in Philadelphia, is arguably the best.

Gin – Bulldog - $25 – I love everything about this gin, which is light, fresh, and inexpensive. Also check out Citadelle Reserve, which is aged and unique — any gin drinker will find it quite the departure from Tanqueray.

Vodka – Any tea-infused vodka– less than $20 – Tea-flavored vodkas are the booze trend of the year, and for good reason, they taste great! Firefly and Jeremiah Weed are both outstanding. For a good unflavored vodka pick, check out Van Gogh Blue or Vermont Gold.

Rum – Appleton Reserve — $24 – You won’t find a better rum at this price level on the market. Brugal Extra Viejo is comparable in price and quality. For Captain Morgan fans, hook them up with The Kraken and you’ll blow their mind.

Brandy – Bache-Gabrielsen Hors d’Age Cognac — $400 – Not just a killer cognac, it’s the best sub-$1,000 spirit I tried this year. I have one, sad, half-ounce drop left in the sample I received at the end of September. I can’t bring myself to finish it off.

Tequila – Casa Noble - $40 to $60 – This line of tequilas is both delicious across the board, from blanco to anejo, and the bottles are pretty enough to gift without wrapping. 901 is good for a silver. Or try mezcal: Mijes Joven is the best I tried in ’09.

Liqueur – J. Witty Chamomile Liqueur - $25 – Continuing the tea craze is this exotic and very spicy liqueur, flavored with chamomile leaves and other essences. For fans of the bitter stuff, look into Root Liqueur. I also wholeheartedly recommend just about anything from the Thatcher’s Organic line.

Need another custom gift idea? Drop me a line or leave a comment here and I’ll offer my best advice!

→ 5 Comments

Posted in Bourbon, Brandy, Cognac, Gin, Liqueurs, Rum, Scotch, Tequila, Upcoming Events, Vodka, Whiskey

Recipe: Appleton Reserve Holiday Sazerac

Posted on November 10, 2009 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

My friends at Appleton rum sent along this twist on the Sazerac, perfect for the holidays. I added a splash of Navan to imitate the infused rum and used regular sugar in lieu of demerara, but the results were still quite good, if very “rummy.” I’d also suggest a cocktail glass instead of the suggested rocks glass.

Appleton Reserve Holiday Sazerac

2 oz. Appleton Estate Reserve (infused with vanilla bean)
Rinse of Canton ginger liqueur & absinthe
1/2 oz. demerara syrup (I assume granulated sugar is intended, see below)
4 dashes Peychauds bitters
Lemon peel
Orange peel

Glass: 10 oz. rocks
Garnish: vanilla bean piece on rim of glass

Take a 10 oz. rocks glass and fill it with ice. In your pint glass add the demerara sugar, bitters, citrus peels and muddle to a paste. Add the Appleton and then ice and stir till freezing. Remove the ice from the glass that has been chilling and rinse with Canton ginger liqueur and Absinthe. Strain the contents from the stirred pint glass into the seasoned glass and garnish.

clip image002 Recipe: Appleton Reserve Holiday Sazerac

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Recipes, Rum

Review: The Kraken Black Spiced Rum

Posted on November 3, 2009 by Christopher Null| 80 Comments

This is not Captain Morgan, folks.

The Kraken, with its sea creature label and black-as-coffee liquid within, makes a striking impression on the bar and in the glass. The idea is kitschy: A drink as strong and dark as kraken (giant squid) ink, powerful enough to take him down. And, yeah, at 94 proof and laden with flavor, perhaps it is. (The label doesn’t indicate it, but the rum is distilled in Trinidad and Tobago.)

The Kraken — the rum, that is — cuts quite a profile in consumption, a truly monstrous hit of chocolate and molasses, cut with Christmas spices — cinnamon and allspice, cloves and maybe even some ginger. Vanilla is big on the finish. Overall the effect is quite impressive, and any spiced rum fan will get a big kick out of The Kraken.

Again, at 94 proof, it needs a bit of water if you’re sipping it straight, and it works just fine with your standard mixers — though last night I was bemoaning the fact that no good recipes exist using spiced rum. The price is also right.

A / $20 / krakenrum.com

→ 80 Comments

Posted in Rated A, Reviews, Rum, Spiced Rum

Recipe: Rio’s Celebratory Caipirinha

Posted on October 7, 2009 by Christopher Null| 2 Comments

By now everyone knows that Rio de Janeiro will host the 2016 Olympics (sorry, Chi-town), and should you find yourself wishing to toast the city’s victory (any excuse for a cocktail…), you’ll likely pour yourself a caipirinha, the semi-official cocktail of all of Brazil.

If that’s too staid, Leblon offers this spin on the drink. Try it while thinking of the pole vault and the hammer throw.

The Lemon Lime and Blue Caipirinha

2 oz. Leblon Cachaca
3 Lime Wheels
3 Lemon Wheels
6 Blueberries
2 Teaspoons of Superfine Sugar (or 1 oz. Simple Syrup)

Cut lime into (3) 1/8″ wheels and cut lemon into (3) 1/8″ wheels and place into shaker. Add 2 teaspoons of superfine sugar, or 1 ounce of simple syrup. Gently muddle fruit in shaker for 10-15 seconds, extracting juice from lemon and lime wheels. Add Leblon Cachaca. Fill rocks glass to the top with crushed ice. Add 6 blueberries. Shake or stir, mixing blueberries, ice and lemon-lime fruit thoroughly. Garnish with Lemon, Lime, and Blueberry combination.

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Cachaca, Recipes, Rum

Tasting Appleton Rums with Master Blender Joy Spence

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Christopher Null| 1 Comment

I had the immense pleasure to host Joy Spence, master blender at Appleton Rum and a 28-year veteran of the company, at Drinkhacker HQ today, where we tasted two of the company’s upscale bottlings. These estate rums, both from Appleton’s Jamaica sugar cane plantations, are impressive and perfect for sipping or — as Spence notes — as an ingredient in a “premium cocktail.” But for both of us, drinking neat is really the way to go.

Appleton’s standard bottling is easy to find, but these higher-end bottles are a little trickier to locate. They’re worth it, though — and both shockingly good bargains.

Appleton Reserve Rum is a blend of a whopping 20 rums, the oldest of which is 12 years old (though the overall bottle has no age statement). A straightforward, high-end, aged rum, this 80-proof blend offers a lovely citrus and vanilla nose. These carry on to the body, where the finish offers light sweetness and a bit of almond. Spence calls it “playful but serious,” and I have to agree. So easy-drinking, quite feminine. A / $24

Appleton Extra 12 Year Old is a bigger, fuller-bodied rum, blended from rums with a minimum age of 12 years old. (According to Spence, many other rum-producing countries allow a label to carry an age statement based on the oldest rum in the blend, not the youngest, as is the law in Jamaica.) This rum has some of the citrus and vanilla character of the Reserve, but it’s much richer and darker too. There’s wood and a touch of smoke in this one, and chocolate comes out throughout the body. At 86 proof, it’s just a touch hotter, but overall it’s just as enjoyable as the Reserve, a masculine rum to the Reserve’s feminine one. A / $33

The Appleton folks left an orange and a fresh vanilla bean (for comparing to the rum) when they departed. I couldn’t let them go to waste so I created this in order to put them to use. Tasty!

The Spence
2 orange segments, cut in half
1/2 oz. piece of vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 1/4 oz. Appleton Reserve rum
3/4 oz. Licor 43
lemonade

In a tall highball glass, muddle the oranges and vanilla. Fill with ice, then add rum and Licor 43. Top with a big splash of lemonade and stir briefly.

appletonrum.com

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Rated A, Recipes, Reviews, Rum

Malibu’s Limited Edition Bottles Aim to Aid Environment

Posted on August 8, 2009 by Christopher Null| 1 Comment

The iconic white Malibu bottle is going to look a little different for the rest of the month: It’s being skinned with a colorful shell designed to promote its Reef Check charity initiative.

I”ll let Malibu sell it to you in its own words:

A survey conducted by the Travel Industry Association of America indicated that more than 55 million Americans have participated in a volunteer vacation, and about 100 million more are considering taking one. Malibu is giving 10 budding environmentalists a chance to do just that through the first-ever Malibu Beach Internship. Beginning today, eligible individuals who are of legal drinking age (21 and over) and passionate about ecosystem preservation may apply.Summer is the time to ‘Get Your Island On’ – whether it’s cocktails at the local beach or a once-in-a-lifetime excursion to an exotic tropical destination. Today, Malibu(R) announces a partnership with Reef Check that offers both enticing options to consumers nationwide. To help raise awareness of Reef Check’s mission to monitor, protect and rehabilitate reefs worldwide, Malibu kicks off the ultimate beach internship to enlist 10 interns to monitor coral reef health in Thailand, the Maldives or the Philippines. For those who can’t intern, Malibu brings the party home by introducing a limited-edition Reef Check-inspired bottle with a charitable contribution made to Reef Check on behalf of the brand.

Applications will be accepted from July 1, 2009, through August 31, 2009, and are available online at www.malibu-rum.com/reefcheck. The applicants who convey the most creativity, enthusiasm and character will be selected as finalists, and will be sent on a 10-day assignment to a Malibu-sponsored eco-adventure with Reef Check to an exotic location, such as Thailand, the Philippines or the Maldives.

Inside the bottle, it’s the same-old, good-old Malibu.

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Flavored Rum, Rum

Review: Zaya Gran Reserva Rum

Posted on August 5, 2009 by Christopher Null| 4 Comments

For a rum that bills itself as “the world’s finest sipping rum,” Zaya is awfully easy to come by. They even sell it at my local Safeway, for a little over $20, which is less than most widely-available aged rums.

Yet, with 12 years of age, Zaya’s one of the oldest and darkest aged rums on the mass market, a deep ochre color that outdoes most bourbons with its chocolaty hue.

Hailing from Trinidad, this rum is a blend of up to five rums, each aged for a minimum of 12 years in oak barrels. Distilled five times and bottled at 80 proof, the resulting spirit is intense and intriguing.

It’s something that took some time to grow on me, offering a nose of brown sugar but also the unexpected: green tea, powerful vanilla extract, and coffee notes. That all carries over into the body — but it’s the tea that really gave me pause. It’s not unpleasant, it’s just so unusual that I have found it difficult to draw direct comparisons.

Many observers put it up against Ron Zacapa 23, which was formerly produced by the same company. (Zaya was once made in Guatemala, but the brand and production has changed hands (and nationalities) in the last couple of years. How it still manages to be a 12-year estate rum is beyond my understanding, but anyway…) I have to confess to liking Zacapa more — it’s sweeter and has a wonderful finish of sherry notes, fresh cane, and flowers. Zaya is more of the earth and the exotic. Not bad at all — but a different animal.

B+ / $26 / infiniumspirits.com

→ 4 Comments

Posted in Rated B+, Reviews, Rum

Review: Brinley Gold Flavored Rums

Posted on August 2, 2009 by Christopher Null| 5 Comments

Operating out of St. Kitts in the Virgin Islands [er, apparently not], Brinley Gold offers a lineup of five rums, all flavored with natural ingredients and all bottled at 72 proof. The focus at Brinley is clearly more on the flavor than on the rum — all of these spirits are designed for mixing (sometimes you just need ice and a squeeze of lime), and for creating (mostly) fruity cocktails.

We sampled the five rums in the lineup (available in a sampler pack of five mini bottles, pictured below), with generally spectacular results.

Brinley Gold Vanilla Rum is a deep brown rum with a strong vanilla character. Maybe too strong, to be honest. Blended with natural Madagascar vanilla beans, it has more in common with a vanilla-flavored liqueur than any rum you’ve ever had. Still, for what it is, it’s extremely blendable and versatile, and it has an impressive smoothness on its own when served on the rocks, maybe with a splash of water. A-

Brinley Gold Coconut Rum is clear in color, and has a nose full of fresh, sweet coconut (as one would hope). Again, it’s naturally flavored but also quite sweet — enough to counter the alcohol here (Malibu is considerably lower in proof level) and smooth out the rum. Almost candy-like in the finish, this is another winner if you need a coconut spirit that packs more alcoholic punch than its weaker contemporaries. A-

Brinley Gold Lime Rum is a new one for me. Lime and rum is a natural combo, of course, and Brinley’s infusion is flavored with real Tahitian limes. The nose is more of tart Key limes than the standard variety, and the body is quite powerful too. Again it’s not really “rum” but the lime counterpart that makes the impact — and, as with drinking lime juice straight, that may be a bit much for some people. Maybe not quite the hit that the previous two rums are, it’s still a totally solid entry into the lineup. B+

Brinley Gold Mango Rum offers a powerful nose of mango character that seems like it’s fresh fruit that’s just been split open. That intoxicating aroma is a bit of a letdown on the body — the mango rum is hindered by a touch of bitterness in the finish, which is a surprise since the mango character itself is awfully impressive both on the nose and the palate. Light gold in color. B

Brinley Gold Coffee Rum is dark, intriguing, and really smoky and sugary — I was immediately reminded of S’Mores when I put my nose into it. Chocolate and burnt sugar are the biggies here, basically. This might be the most rum-like of the bunch, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. It’s got both the sugary rumminess and richness of coffee — a Brazilian roast, so they say – with good balance between the two. A big winner, on the whole. A-

$19 each / brinleygoldrum.com