Review: Jan Stephenson Flavored Rums
Golfers and booze brands have been a trend since Caddyshack made hijinks on the links cool, with everyone from Greg Norman to Fuzzy Zoeller getting in on the game. Jan Stephenson is the first female golfer — in fact, the first female athlete of any sport I’m aware of — to release her own liquor brand: “Made in America, dreamed up by an Aussie golf legend.”
Stephenson has a wine brand (from California, not Australia, as noted) plus, perhaps oddly, a collection of three flavored rums. These rums are made from turbinado sugar and molasses by Dented Brick Distillery in Salt Lake City, Utah and are flavored with “the highest quality tropical fruit flavors.” They’re all bottled as dark rums, not the usual white spirit, though there’s no indication if these are barrel aged at all or if they are simply colored with caramel (which is my hunch.)
All are a surprisingly full 80 proof. We tried all three. Thoughts follow.
Jan Stephenson Pineapple-Flavored Rum – Lots of dark caramel aromas, with notes of cinnamon buns and coconut, lead the way on the nose of this rum. The palate is a bit dusky and dense, the pineapple flavor initially understated and less sweet than expected, which allows the bold caramel notes to shine more clearly. It’s more present on the finish, where it integrates well with all the caramel while going out with a fruity tang. B+
Jan Stephenson Passion Fruit-Flavored Rum – Similar on the nose to the pineapple rum, perhaps with a slight vegetal edge. The palate however is sharper and fruitier, with heavy caramel and coconut notes leading to a lingering, tart fruit note. It’s a bit less cohesive and not immediately evident as passion fruit — with more of a cherry/almond bent — but it doesn’t offend in the slightest. B
Jan Stephenson Mango-Flavored Rum – Similar again in nose, but quite fruity, with a clearer mango character filtered through caramel and some barrel char notes. The palate is surprisingly sharp, showcasing perhaps the best integration of this trio of tropical fruit and sweet rum notes. Vanilla is a clearer focus as well, though the finish is so sweet with mango notes that at almost comes across as candylike. B+
each $35 / jswinespirits.com
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