Review: Denizen Merchant’s Reserve 8 Years Old Rum
Who says you can’t teach an old spirit category new tricks? Denizen, which released a white rum a couple of years ago, is back at it with an exotic amber. This spirit is a blend of two styles of aged rums: a Jamaican, Plummer-style pot still rum and a “rhum grande arome” from Martinique — a low-grade version of rhum agricole, which you’ve likely heard of. Both of these types of rums are known for their power and hogo funkiness — particularly, the Martinique rum. Blended together at 8 years of age, there’s no question that sparks are going to fly — by specific design.
Here’s my experience with Denizen’s Merchant’s Reserve.
The agricole DNA is strong with this one. The nose combines butterscotch and vanilla with frankly eye-watering, rustic petrol notes, the hallmark of funk-filled agricole. The body boosts up the fuel character, but it’s somewhat balanced with notes of tree bark, wet earth, coconut (husks and all), and caramel syrup. There’s dried fruit here, but it’s pushed into the background as those funkier elements dominate. Though it’s decidedly complex, unlike many agricoles on the market it’s just not much of a sipper due to its dearth of fruit and dialed-back sweetness. Try it with more elegant rum-based cocktails, however.
86 proof.
B / $30 / denizenrum.com [BUY IT NOW FROM DRIZLY]
Denizen Merchant's Reserve 8 Years Old Rum
$30
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