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…
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