Rum Cask - Did ye try, ye Mate?
What’s the deal with rum casks? I keep asking myself this as so many of the special bottlings this year involve rum casks finishes. (btw, did you read that title in a pirate voice? If not, you should!)
I have to be completely honest, I have tried several rum cask finishes (usually at the Toper’s blind cask tastings) and I’ve really disliked them! To me, they were very alcoholic on the nose, reeking of petrol and the taste was very much the same. In a way, I could almost guess- that must be a rum cask! I even still recall the COVID Feis Ile when Anthony Willis was live on Kilchoman Day, going through the warehouse. He tried a rum cask finish straight from the cask and tossed it on the floor, obviously displeased with it. It gave me quite the gigle!
But if I didn’t try other rum casks, it would almost be like someone saying “I don’t like whisky” and my reply being “But you haven’t found the right one.” Ok, ok, I’ll continue to try them. But I can’t promise I’ll like them!!
Nearly empty 😦
One of the first times I truly tried a rum cask finish that I liked, was at Scotch Malt Whisky Society, a Loch Lomond dram called Short Circuit (cask 122.57). When I tried it, I thought to myself, “I have a love-hate relationship with Loch Lomond anyway so why not try it?” I would in effect be giving Loch Lomond (a peated one) and rum casks another chance. And it was delicious. The smoke did a nice job of balancing out the rum and vice versa, giving it a delicate sweetness. At 9 years old (62.7% ABV), it spent its life in a refill ex-rum barrel. That’s all that’s known, not the origin of the cask.
On the nose, it has wafts of a pina colada, shoe polish, and marzipan. This turns into a creme brulee (when they burn the sugar right in front of you). When tasting the dram you get grilled pineapples (or as I imagine how they would taste, as I’m mildly allergic), papaya, cotton candy, and tarragon. The drams becomes peatier with the finish, nearing a savoury meatiness of burnt end BBQ, with smoked paprika, salt brine, and cola.
Another rum cask I tried and really enjoyed (in fact, the first!) was 2023 Bunnahabhain Feis Ile 17 year old Moine Triple cask release (52.6% ABV). Julieann Fernandez described this as Rum Raisin Ice Cream and I can’t agree more!! By blending 3 different casks- Bourbon, Oloroso Finish (spent nearly 10 years in Oloroso casks), and Rum finish (spent 5 years in rum casks), the dram is creamy, with notes of vanilla and tropical fruits, though aspects of oloroso peek through in the form of sultanas and treacle.
Even thought I’ve recently started to like and even appreciate rum cask whiskies, I’m still a bit hesitant to dive right into them.
During this Feis this tasting season, I have also been presented with quite a few drams. We finally resolved to try the Offerman as we have loved the other expressions, especially the Guinness casks. But I can say I’ve been really impressed with the Rum Cask finish for Lagauvlin’s 2024 Offerman Edition! To me, the rum is quite subtle and you get the typical Lagavulin medicinal peat coming through, though maybe a bit on the sweeter side.
While I have been impressed by Independent Bottler Mac-Talla, when they announced their Feis bottling as a rum cask finish, I immediately rolled my eyes. But, when we were on Islay, so many of the friends (whom I trust) said great things about it. So, when I went to the Indie Whisky Feis session, I tried it and wow! I was really impressed. They told me that my preferences actually might be based around how the casks are used- whether the spirit is rum seasoned or not.
This expression is actually over 15 years old, first spending 10 years in Bourbon hogsheads before being transferred to Cruzan Rum casks for over 5 years. Perhaps 5 years is the ‘sweet spot’ for rum finishes?? Cruzan Rum is produced in Saint Croix, part of the U.S. Virgin islands. The dram brings notes of sweetness, from honey and tropical fruit like pineapples, but the peat comes through in a sophisticated way, introducing a salinity and smokiness. Some spices like cinnamon and nutmeg even emerge. It’s a very interesting dram worth appreciating!! OR, why not add it to a cocktail and make a Peated Pina Colada? Or a Smoky Mojito???
Mac-Talla Range to taste at Feis
Recently on Instagram, @Ryeamlegend reviewed an Ardnamurchan rum cask finish, and does a great job of reviewing different whiskies. Recently I found that we had quite a bit in common on our thoughts of rum casks. We exchanged some of our rum cask recommendations- mine being Mac-Talla and Offerman, and his being Cadenhead Fettercairn (a 4 year old Venezuelan Rum cask) and a DramFool Port Charlote from a Martinique rum casks.