Hamilton Ministry of Rum Collection – St Lucia 2005 Cask Strength

This bottle, unavailable in the UK was obtained at the 2015 UK Boutique RumFest. Ed Hamilton had his rum collection on display for tasting and this particular bottle, along with the Jamaicans really stood out. I was fortunate enough to win a coin toss with Keegan that saw me go home with the remains of this bottle and Keegan go home with the remains of the Jamaican (following mutual sample swaps). Aside from the occasional drop here and there, the bottle has spent the last two years gassed and sealed using parafilm at the back of my St Lucia shelf. So it’s about time that I write about it whilst there is still enough left. The majority of you will be familiar with the Ministry of Rum website that was started by Ed Hamilton many moons ago. Most of us will have used this website as a source of information and discussion and many still do. Anyhow, Ed decided to release a series of Rums under the Hamilton Ministry of Rum Collection and if you live within the USA you’re fortunate as that is currently the only point of distribution, but not everywhere given the differing state laws. But you’re here for the Rum…..

Vendome Pot Still centre, John Dore II behind, John Dore I left

Hamilton Ministry of Rum Collection – St Lucia 2005 Pot Still Rum – 66.7% abv

The barrels were shipped to New York for bottling in late 2014, and this particular bottle of pot still magic came from barrel number 420 and is bottled at cask strength. The Rum was distilled on the 2000 litre Vendome Pot Still which was commissioned in 2003. Rum from this still is always produced for ageing according to the information at hand. The distillate was condensed at approx. 82% abv and is collected in large holding tanks with other batches from the same still. From there the distillate which now sit at around 70% abv is matured in ex-bourbon barrels. Distilled in October 2005, this Rum was bottled in January 2015 giving it just over 9 years of tropical maturation. Again, if you refer to other St Lucia posts on this site, more information regarding stills and marques can be found. Personally I have found that certain stills at St Lucia Distillers offer something that for me has only ever been found in the ‘Rockley Style’ Rums from Barbados, so as a proposition this Rum is pretty attractive.

Tasting Notes

Glass: The Rum is a dark burnished gold and it appears to be nice and oily….you can’t help but smile at the aromas flooding out of this impressive cask strength thoroughbred. The initial spike of alcohol astringency is short-lived and gives way to beautifully accessible aromas of acetone, rubber and pear drops. Very apparent and growing oaken influence is present as is wet cardboard. It’s remarkably approachable given its heft. Little whiffs of smoke give way to wet pumice stone. There is a light and quite frankly beautiful medicinal quality to this Rum. Time sees growing stone fruit, raisins and cocoa. The medicinal notes are well-tempered by the fruit and underlying oaken spine to the distillate. Burnt orange oil rounds out things. This really is just a delight to sit and nose….

Mouth: Dry, spicy entry. Tannic. Oily. Chocolate, honeycomb (crunchie bars), light, delicate florals all make an appearance in a very impressive first few sips. There is a peppery spike of oak followed up by black olives, salty brine, acetone and that quite frankly beautiful medicinal note. Water (only a few drops) brings out syrupy oat flapjacks, tropical fruit (guava and pineapple), liquorice, wet wood and leather. Again and again, this Rum really impresses. The finish is long, tannic and full of liquorice, acetone, olives and those majestic medicinal notes with the merest hint of sticky dates.

The interplay of flavours and aromas from this rum is mind-blowing. From the sublime medicinal notes to the fruit, acetone and solid oak presence. It’s the integration of all of these elements that makes this Rum so damn impressive. If you had any doubt about St Lucia’s ability to compete with the big guns of Barbados, Jamaica and Guyana then don’t….some really exciting stuff could be on its way out of St Lucia Distillers soon and I for one hope to be able to sample it….

For now, this is the best St Lucian that I have tried to date…..by a long shot….and I’ve tried a lot..

 

© Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog 2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material, both written and photographic without the express and written permission from this blog/sites author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content

Silver Seal Dennery Superior St Lucian Rum

This is a bottling that I have little to no information on. I have tried to source information online but aside from a few pointers leading to a 1988 distillation, there is nothing….no reviews, no literature and the only mention appears to be on auction websites. I’ve also tried emailing Silver Seal to obtain information but again have drawn a blank. So we’re flying blind on this one which makes it interesting. To start with, this Rum is not from the closed Dennery Distillery on the East Coast…this entity closed in the early 1970’s so the Dennery aspect is pure marketing. It will be from the site that is now St Lucia Distillers. It is also highly likely being a Silver Seal product…Silver Seal being an Italian Independent bottler that ages and bottles in Scotland…that this Rum has seen little to no Tropical age. It is also a Rum that I have struggled with since first opening it…..but I shall cover this below…

Silver Seal Dennery Superior St Lucian – 43%

Upon first opening the striking dark green / black bottle, I have to say that the aromas emanating from this Rum were very, very bitter. It’s colour, mixed with the bitterness initially made me think that it had seen an overdose of caramel colouring….an opinion that has not changed much. I have experienced bitterness previously in long continental aged demerara’s and in that instance, it was close to killing any enjoyment. I’m happy to report that the Rum opened up a little….and even more so once the fill level traveled past the shoulders of the bottle.

Tasting Notes

Glass: The Rum is dark amber in the glass and it is accompanied by the ever-present bitter edge. Initial aromas are quite earthy with an off note of wet corrugated cardboard boxes. Hazelnuts and wet earth follow. Very light antiseptic cream. Wet wood and an underlying caramel. Sour vegetal aromas and a hint of menthol. A little messy. I’d say that its light enough to be mostly column but it does seem to have a little backbone that hints at pot still content. I just can’t help thinking that they’ve dumped a huge measure of spirit caramel into it.

Mouth: Dry and bitter entry with hints of raisins and hazelnuts. Mouthfeel is a little light but still oily. Quite herbal and menthol. Still has wet wood but no real enjoyable oaken notes. Over roasted coffee beans. Mildly medicinal. Light citrus. But its all dominated by that unpleasant bitterness. Stewed celery and fennel seeds right at the end. The lacklustre finish is of medium length and starts dry, soon developing a nutty quality before that off bitter caramel note begins to dominate. Right at the back-end there is a hint of bonfire toffee.

If this was distilled in 1988 and I picked mine up in maybe late 2014, it could realistically be upwards of 22 years old. Maybe it would’ve been more vibrant and enjoyable as a younger Rum? Either way, age has not helped it. I have tried and tried to enjoy this Rum. I just can’t. It has too many off notes and is a little too messy to be enjoyable. These tasting notes are 12 months old and I have recently visited the bottle again to add to them and to be honest, nothing has changed. It’s still disappointing. It is so far detached from anything that St Lucia Distillers are producing currently that I would avoid this completely and start exploring their 1931 series which offers a lot of enjoyment. This bottle wasn’t too expensive when I picked it up but rarity has seen its price jump up. Glad that I tried it, just to add it to my body of experience, but it’s just not worth a purchase…..anything but Superior…

© Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog 2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material, both written and photographic without the express and written permission from this blog/sites author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content

Reading’s Milk Bar Named Winners Of The Chairman’s Reserve Mai Tai Campaign

*Press Release*

Reading’s Milk Bar Named Winners Of The Chairman’s Reserve Mai Tai Campaign

Spirits innovator Emporia Brands and award-winning Chairman’s Reserve rum of St Lucia Distillers, are proud to announce the winning venue for the 2017 Chairman’s Reserve Mai Tai campaign.

Milk Bar from Reading were announced on Tuesday 26^th September winners at The Magic Roundabout, one of London iconic pop-up sites. The final saw five venues from across the UK recreate their Chairman’s Mai Tai’s to the public and VIP judges, hoping to win a trip for two to St Lucia as part of the prestige Chairman’s XI programme.

Joining Milk at the final were last year’s winners Alvino’s of Newcastle upon Tyne, Colonel Porter’s, also of Newcastle upon Tyne, Ten Mill Lane from Cardiff and wild card entry of Panda & Sons from Edinburgh.

With a secret panel of judges on hand to test out each cocktail, Milk were deemed worthy winners for 2017 and earnt their place on the plane to St Lucia.

Winning Recipe (pictured above)

Pearl of the Caribbean

35ml Chairman’s Reserve Spiced

20ml Chairman’s Reserve Gold

15ml fresh lime juice

35ml milk shrub no.2*

3 dash angostura bitters

Shake and strain over crushed ice in up-cycled food tin. Garnish with a thyme sprig, dehydrated lime and desiccated coconut.

*Shrub Recipe

200ml caster sugar

175ml cold water

Whole fig, in 8ths

2 big lime peels

50ml crushed almonds

25ml chairman spiced

15ml orange flower water

50ml red wine vinegar

Method –

Bring sugar and water to boil, dissolve sugar fully. Add figs and lime peel and simmer for 5 min. Remove from heat and add crushed almonds. Bring back to boil and simmer for 2 min. Add Chairman’s and orange flower water. Simmer for 1 min. Add red wine vinegar. Simmer for 1 min, let cool slightly and filter through coffee filter

*End*

© Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog 2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material, both written and photographic without the express and written permission from this blog/sites author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content

Drinks By The Dram Advent Calendars for 2017

*Press Release*

DRINKS BY THE DRAM UNVEILS 2017 ADVENT CALENDAR SELECTION

• A collection of 25 different calendars packed with an extraordinary range of outstanding spirits, giving drinks enthusiasts the chance to try something new every day during Advent. Behind each window lies a 30ml handmade, wax-sealed dram!
• New for 2017: Drinks by the Dram has expanded its Advent Calendar range through collaborations with Douglas Laing and That Boutique-y Gin Company
• Returning favourites include The Whisky Advent Calendar, featuring whiskies aged for up to 50 years; The Gin Advent Calendar; and The Very Old & Rare Whisky Advent Calendar which boasts exceptionally hard-to-find whiskies from closed distilleries
• All calendars available for pre-order now with RRPs ranging from £99.95 to £9,999.95

Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendars are back for the sixth year running with an award-winning range to ensure every drinks enthusiast can count down to Christmas in the company of their favourite spirit.

For 2017, classic favourites including Whisky, Gin and Rum are joined by exciting new additions, including a Calendar packed with whiskies from renowned independent bottler Douglas Laing, and another filled to the brim with incredible gins from the world’s best distillers, bottled by That Boutique-y Gin Company.

Highlights include the Premium Whisky Calendar, which showcases remarkable expressions from top distilleries, and the Gin Advent Calendar, packed with unconventional, horizon-expanding gins.

The Very Old & Rare Calendar, featuring incredible treats aged for up to 60 years from the likes of Karuizawa, Port Ellen, and The Macallan, is presented in a bespoke wooden box handcrafted by Kent-based cabinet-maker Simon Jewell Designs and available in Walnut and Macassar Ebony finishes.

“As proven with excellent growth over the last few years, these calendars are the perfect gift for the spirit geek or serious imbiber in your life,” said Adam Wyartt, global brand manager, Drinks by the Dram.

“We are thrilled to see how consumers want to trial more, exploring categories and price points – and these Advent Calendars are the ideal way of bringing that opportunity to family and friends.”

Drinks by the Dram first launched its line of handsome Advent calendars in 2012, starting with The Whisky Advent Calendar. Since then the range has grown year-on-year, always showcasing the most exciting liquid across each category and price bracket.

This year the full Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendar range includes Whisky, Premium Whisky, Old & Rare Whisky, Very Old & Rare Whisky, Scotch Whisky, Bourbon, American Whiskey, Japanese Whisky, Irish Whiskey, Single Cask Whisky, Gin, Vodka, Rum, Cognac, Tequila, Armagnac, Mezcal and Absinthe.

Drinks by the Dram has also teamed up with a number of brands to offer Advent Calendars filled with expressions from That Boutique-y Whiskey Company, Glenfarclas Scotch whisky, The ‘Hot Enough’ Vodka Co., Gin Foundry, Origin Single Botanical Gin, That Boutique-y Gin Company and Douglas Laing whisky.

The Drinks by the Dram 2017 Advent Calendars are available to pre-order from 31 Dover, Amazon and Master of Malt, and will be available from all good drinks retailers shortly. RRPs range from £99.95 to £9,999.95.

*End*

Clearly I have huge interest in the Rum Advent Calendar and if the last few years are anything to go by, there can be a few real stunners in amongst the ones that I will have inevitably tried in the past. The new Douglas Laing Calendar looks interesting too as I’m rather fond of independent bottlings! I’m not wanting to wish the next few months away, but roll on December!

 

© Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog 2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material, both written and photographic without the express and written permission from this blog/sites author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content