The Black Tot Posted November 21, 2019 Share Posted November 21, 2019 Blackadder absolutely. Rhumb Runner - ask MarekV8, I think he's done a lot of those. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomLamb Posted November 21, 2019 Share Posted November 21, 2019 12 minutes ago, The Black Tot said: Blackadder absolutely. Rhumb Runner - ask MarekV8, I think he's done a lot of those. Cool, thanks. Maybe I'll gift the Plantation to my dad as a mixer :p. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Black Tot Posted November 21, 2019 Share Posted November 21, 2019 25 minutes ago, PhantomLamb said: Cool, thanks. Maybe I'll gift the Plantation to my dad as a mixer :p. I cannot support parent abuse... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomLamb Posted November 21, 2019 Share Posted November 21, 2019 Found the following resource to see how much sugar is in common rums: http://thefatrumpirate.com/hydrometer-tests-2 Now I get the hate for Plantation but also understand their argument. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Black Tot Posted November 21, 2019 Share Posted November 21, 2019 2 hours ago, PhantomLamb said: Found the following resource to see how much sugar is in common rums: http://thefatrumpirate.com/hydrometer-tests-2 Now I get the hate for Plantation but also understand their argument. Their argument is simple. "When we goose our rums with sugar, we sell more and make more money." He says "it's tradition to add a little sugar" - but he won't put it on the label that he does. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomLamb Posted November 21, 2019 Share Posted November 21, 2019 3 hours ago, The Black Tot said: Their argument is simple. "When we goose our rums with sugar, we sell more and make more money." He says "it's tradition to add a little sugar" - but he won't put it on the label that he does. That's what I don't quite understand. I've watched various lectures between Richard Seale and Alexandre Gabriel and Gabriel continues to discuss "transparency", which, to my understanding would mean disclosing the use of sugar. Not sure why they don't? I believe the Plantation bottle I mentioned above has 12g of sugar, why wouldn't it simply state this? Now that rum is considered more "premium", would these distillers lose customers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven C Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 On 11/20/2019 at 8:26 PM, The Black Tot said: If it has Plantation on the label, sugar has been added. Nothing wrong with enjoyment. Carry on, but you're not learning much about rum. Nope on the RdB. I was at a Plantation tasting recently. Lots of newbs (me included) trying to connect with, or learn more about Rum. Beautiful guy, great accent, handling the "do-sage" very artfully. (I asked about it: he went lonnng). And I could taste it, for sure. ....Taste how it was different, lighter, softer...nothing-er compared to the Seale/Barbados stuff I have focused on at home w my limited budget. I think if you poured...say...the Foursquare 2004 at this event, only a few folks would have been able to taste the difference. The sum is that I am grateful for the insight shared so freely here. Real rum is a hunt, a passion, and it's worth it the same way real bourbon is. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Black Tot Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 @Harry in WashDC I needed a bigger trunk for my Berlin rum run a few weeks ago. Took this picture for you. No, what's written on the boxes is not what is inside. This is all extinct Lemon Hart overproof Demerara and Jamaican, along with some German market Pusser's 151 for good measure. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry in WashDC Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 10 hours ago, The Black Tot said: @Harry in WashDC I needed a bigger trunk for my Berlin rum run a few weeks ago. Took this picture for you. No, what's written on the boxes is not what is inside. This is all extinct Lemon Hart overproof Demerara and Jamaican, along with some German market Pusser's 151 for good measure. Um, if you take the bottles out of the boxes and lay the bottles down, you can get a lot more of them in the trunk. Old blankets and towels make great padding so they don't clink, too. PLUS, somebody looking in will see only old blankets and towels and not easy-to-carry boxes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Black Tot Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 Great advice from the master above. Of course, in this case they were in easy-to-carry boxes because it was me who had to carry them. But any long term trunk residencies should follow @Harry in WashDC's lead. As it stands, I had to give this rental back. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gurgalunas Posted November 23, 2019 Share Posted November 23, 2019 (edited) It's not added sugar, its dosage. Like with Champagne. Went to a Plantation tasting a couple weeks back, and they actually addressed the topic. I was fighting back tears, because the presenter literally looked and sounded like Sacha Baron Cohen in Ballad of Ricky Bobby. Literally felt like 3rd graders giggling in class when I texted my buddy across the room "I will defeat you Ricky Bobby..." Dosage in champagne is to make it palatable. Guess the same could be said for the rum. Is it a legit technique in the Champaigne industry? Yes. Would I rather drink something that doesnt need dosage to be palatable? Yes... Edited November 23, 2019 by gurgalunas 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Black Tot Posted November 23, 2019 Share Posted November 23, 2019 How about we pay you half price for the rum, Plantation? It's not less money, it's reduceage... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinjoe Posted November 23, 2019 Share Posted November 23, 2019 Like this section states at the top: Rum Push that cane up into a pile and let it sit 'til it starts stinkin! And, when it tastes worse than that, you have very good sipping rum... Like, I need more hints of “rotting vegetation on the nose with petrol (getting Euro hoity-toity here ), road tar, mechanic’s grease, and Cramergesic, over the palate.” in my spirits... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Black Tot Posted November 23, 2019 Share Posted November 23, 2019 2 hours ago, smokinjoe said: Like this section states at the top: Rum Push that cane up into a pile and let it sit 'til it starts stinkin! And, when it tastes worse than that, you have very good sipping rum... Like, I need more hints of “rotting vegetation on the nose with petrol (getting Euro hoity-toity here ), road tar, mechanic’s grease, and Cramergesic, over the palate.” in my spirits... ...we just say that stuff to keep you whiskey guys off the trail. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gurgalunas Posted November 23, 2019 Share Posted November 23, 2019 (edited) I guess the EU passed a law that limits the amount of sugar added. Plantation admitted they will have to reduce the dosage in at least one of their high end rums in order to sell it in Europe. I think it was their XO 20th Anniversary. Law requires less than 20g/L, or something like that... Edited November 23, 2019 by gurgalunas 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomLamb Posted November 23, 2019 Share Posted November 23, 2019 2 hours ago, gurgalunas said: I guess the EU passed a law that limits the amount of sugar added. Plantation admitted they will have to reduce the dosage in at least one of their high end rums in order to sell it in Europe. I think it was their XO 20th Anniversary. Law requires less than 20g/L, or something like that... Moving in the right direction I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marekv8 Posted November 24, 2019 Share Posted November 24, 2019 On 11/23/2019 at 10:14 AM, gurgalunas said: I guess the EU passed a law that limits the amount of sugar added. Plantation admitted they will have to reduce the dosage in at least one of their high end rums in order to sell it in Europe. I think it was their XO 20th Anniversary. Law requires less than 20g/L, or something like that... Check out the sugar crystals lining the plasti-cork of the 20th Anniversary Plantation… it's basically a liqueur. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomLamb Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 9 hours ago, Marekv8 said: Check out the sugar crystals lining the plasti-cork of the 20th Anniversary Plantation… it's basically a liqueur. Really upsetting, I think I'm done with Plantation... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marekv8 Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 Saints & sinners… 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCWoody Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 On 11/25/2019 at 5:26 AM, Marekv8 said: Saints & sinners… I have been seeing that Hampden at Spec's in Houston, (at different ages) is it worth picking one up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Black Tot Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 5 hours ago, LCWoody said: I have been seeing that Hampden at Spec's in Houston, (at different ages) is it worth picking one up? Yes it's excellent. It's a little overpriced at Spec's, but then, maybe not for America. In Europe those bottles used to be 60 euros. They've gone up since so that's just me remembering times gone by. Get one, they're delicious. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marekv8 Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 10 hours ago, LCWoody said: I have been seeing that Hampden at Spec's in Houston, (at different ages) is it worth picking one up? I'll open it up this weekend when I get back home and post a few notes. I've enjoyed all of the other Velier releases-- so I'm hoping for the best. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marekv8 Posted December 1, 2019 Share Posted December 1, 2019 On 11/26/2019 at 6:25 PM, LCWoody said: I have been seeing that Hampden at Spec's in Houston, (at different ages) is it worth picking one up? I tried it against both the recent Velier 7yo 46% ABV Hampden and the Blackadder 16yo 58.1% ABV. It was too hot to drink neat (unlike the Blackadder which is super palatable at 58.1%)-- so I dialed it down to about 50%, and at that point it was very similar in most respects to the Velier 46%. So, although extremely tasty-- it wasn't worth twice the price of the base model. Both were missing the beautiful transformative delivery and complexity of the Blackadder-- but that's to be expected. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 Have been working through a few rums I purchased during a trip to California plus one I picked up from NY. Doctor Bird - Kind of an odd duck as it were but very enjoyable. A Worthy Park Jamaican rum imported by Two James distillery in Detroit of all places and then finished in Moscatel sherry casks (Somewhat similar to PX sherry but less common). I have had this before from samples sent to me by a fellow SBer but now I have some of my own! Works very well in a Doctor Cocktail* too! Uruapan Charanda - An unusual Mexican rum made from cane grown at higher altitudes along the Pacific coast. This is a blend of pot distilled cane juice and column distilled molasses rum. Charanda is the name for this very local style of spirit. Haven't opened this one yet. Uruapan Caranda Blanco Blended "Single Agricola Rum" - This is from the same distillery but proofed up to 93 and made only with the pot distilled fresh cane juice component more like a rhum agricole. This one got opened first and is a real delight. Grassiness aplenty but a little more subdues than some agricoles although that may be proof related as well. And a curious unusual but delightful fruit like note. K&L describes it as having a fresh baked bread quality but I din't really get that. But i liked it enough to keep looking for it! The Funk - Who wouldn't love that bottle??? Looks like it came right out of the 70's! Although this is kin of a Worthy Park answer to Hampden Estate's overproof Rum Fire although it is not a Wrthy Park bottling. Oddly it is imported and bottled by a company called "Proof and Wood in good ol' Bardstown, KY ( a DBA for Willet or Heaven Hill??? Doesn't seem to be a lot of info out there on this one). Because it is 100 proof rather than the 126 proof of Rum Fire it is a bit more approachable and at least seems like it is a bit more "delicate" despite having a solid ester-y component of its own. In any case I wanted it for the bottle alone but am happy with the contents as well having tried it on a previous trip to San Francisco! The next three are from Privateer, a seemingly up and coming American rum distiller in Ipswich, MA that states they don't color, filter or add flavoring/sugar. OK, good so far! The Navy Yard is a barrel proof rum at 108.2 proof and aged in new 53 gallon char 3 barrels.. I presume it is a small but unknown quantity batch of barrels. Distiller's Drawer is a special selected barrel, in this case again new American oak, that is 100 proof and designated as "Bottled in Bond" so presumably at least 4 years old. The last one is the Queen's Share which is again a single barrel of new American oak aged rum but in this case of unknown (at least to me) age. The next one is from Wright & Brown, a small distillery in Oakland, CA (they also make . I don't know as much about this one except that they describe their single barrel program as "Hogo Style" rum made from Georgia blackstrap molasses. It is 99 proof and aged 2 years in Limousin oak (barrel 2). Limousin oak suggest a wine or brandy cask of some sort, perhaps from a local winery but no details are noted to include the size of the barrel. They note that they don't do any filtering coloring of flavoring. This has a surprising amount of color for 2 years but the taste is a bit unusual. Almost a bit artificial so perhaps it has some influence from the barrel. The "hogo" also seems to be a bit under represented. Last but not least was a bottle of Kuleana rum agricole made on the big island in Hawaii. This is a newer distillery that David Perkins, former owner of High West, is consulting with which is always a big plus for me! This is a rum with a big aroma that you can pick up from several feet away. It is full of that wonderful grassy, diesel character that Smokinjoe loves so well! At 92 proof it is solid on the palate but I have already mentioned to David that I would have loved to have seen it at at least 100 proof. But a really good start for any lovers of the wonderful world of rum agricoles! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 I really like the Navy Yard and Queen's Share. Never bought a pour myself, but maybe sampled 5 different batches each in liquor stores around Boston/Cambridge. Impressive work for a small local producer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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