Oh, 2021: you were supposed to be better than last year. I have been lucky to have had another successful year, though: my property portfolio has increased from 1 to 3. There has also been more fantastic rum! Check out this page for my Rum of the Month from Rum Club Australia. Head down to the Shop Purchases page for the rums I've bought either from bottle shops or directly from distilleries. Check out the pages for my 2 rum Advent Calendars for the daily rums counting down to Christmas!
December Rum of the Month - Black Gate Distillery Australian Dark Rum Shiraz Cask: This is an exclusive release, matured in a Shiraz cask, as opposed to the regular aging in Tawny casks. This Dark Rum initally releases a nice aroma of molasses and burnt caramel when opened. Additional characteristics of stone fruits, buttery pudding and a hint of spices follow when aired a little. If you were unable to get your hands on this, the Tawny aged OP and UP are also pretty good (check Day 10 of my Advent Calendars for my OP review).
November Rum of the Month - Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blend: As the oldest commercial rum distillery, Mount Gay is understandably one of the most recognised brands in the rum world, if not the most. The XO is an out-of-this-world rum, with aromas of oak, vanilla, and spices. The palate will excite you with salted caramel, baked fig, clove, and a chocolatey after-taste. Phenomenal.
October Rum of the Month - Foursquare 2009: A complex array of aromas is what awaits you when you open this: dried apricot, sultanas, buttery fudge, cedar, and cloves (probably more). The palate is gentle, with caramels, dried fruits, a hint of coconut, honey, ginger, and ending with a touch of bitter cacao. There's a lot going on here, which is fantastic!
September Rum of the Month - Appleton Estate 12 Year Rare Casks: I also splashed out for the 15 & 21, and won a bottle of Signature Blend.
June Rum of the Month - Equiano: This rum is also one of the two Day 17 rums from my Advent Calendars. The world's first blended African & Caribbean rum, it has a pleasant tropical aroma waiting to greet you. Notes of dried fruits, toffee and butterscotch, a hint of orange and vanilla, and a slight woody aroma. The palate mixes all of those with flavours of brown sugar (but it isn't dosed). I look forward to see what else comes from Equiano in the future!
May Rum of the Month - Worthy Park Single Estate Reserve: An authentic and traditional Jamaican Rum, it's easy to see why it's a Gold medal winner in a number of international competitions. The nose is full of tobacco and oak, with a touch of spicy fruits, and vanilla hidden away at the back. The palate welcomes you with a soft, buttery texture, with tropical fruits, following with a touch of bitter tannins and oak for balance. It is also day 19 of the Drinks by the Dram Rum Advent Calendar this year.
February Rum of the Month - Lark Distillery's Quiet Cannon Rum: From Tasmania, Australia, the nose has notes of maple, citrus, with oak and tannins. The palate is dry, and full of fruits and spices. Lark have not dosed Quiet Cannon with additional sugar. Made with rums from 9-10 year old casks. I really like this rum: it's a rum that tastes like rum, and is very enjoyable to drink.