“Luxury” rum from Thailand. If the gold-clad bottle doesn’t tip you off, the emphasis is squarely on “luxury.” The name phraya means “high ranking” in Thai, and the rum is aged at least seven years before bottling.

As with Tanduay, another Asian rum, it’s an exotic spirit. The nose has a cachaca-like intensity, filled with dark brown sugar, papaya, coconut husk, and a rubbery undertone. The body is a bit more traditional, offering caramels and butterscotch, and a slightly winey, sherried character to it. Cedar box is evident, alongside some broader coconut character. There are hints of wood — touches of pine — on the finish, along with some not inconsiderable astringency.

On the whole, this is a fun and quite unique rum (if for nothing more than its provenance alone), but probably not something I’ll be dying to tipple on nightly. At $40 a bottle it’s also a really tough sell in a market when some very rare and masterful competitors are available for $10 less. Rum lovers, give it a sample before you dive in.

80 proof.

B+ / $40 / phrayarum.com [BUY IT NOW FROM THE WHISKY EXCHANGE]

Phraya Deep Matured Gold Rum

$40

8.5

Rating

8.5/10

BUY IT NOW

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