We’re in the midst of Passover holiday which means no whisky for me at the moment so let’s explore something else today – Rum.

It’s been ages since I reviewed Rum on the blog, but I explore Rum in my local (and great) Rum club and even have a few rum bottles at home. A while ago I got a surprise in the mail – a Rum sample from a Nils, a Dutch friend who also also operates as an independent bottler, bottling Whisky and Rum under ‘The Duchess’ brand name.

It’s their second Rum release, a 10 year old rum from Travellers Distillery in Belizé. It was distilled in October 2007, matured in cask #14 until it was bottled on 22.12.2017 at a whopping 66.6%, a real beast 😉

The Duchess Belize 2007 10 Year Old (Travellers Distillery) (66.6%, €69,00)

Nose: Intense and sweet, ripe mango, canned fruit galore with apricot, peaches and all that tasty sugared juice. Cookies dough, vanilla and white flowers petals. After a few minutes in the glass (maybe even 10-15 minutes) there’s honey with some oak bitterness in the background. with water (mandatory with such high ABV): fruitier, more mango, apricot and peaches, even a bit more floral.

Palate: Very rum-y, oak bitterness, dates, brown sugar, burnt caramel, honey, apricot and mango, subtle green herbs, pecans cookies, creamy and full bodied. With water burnt fruits, oak bitterness nutmeg and a plastic note when lots of water were added.

Finish: Medium long length, brown sugar, canned fruit juice, caramel, a bit grassy, laced with burnt sugar.

Thoughts: This is quite a tasty rum bomb! High ABV but dangerously drinkable neat but it also swims well. All those tropical fruits, sugar sweetness, subtle floral notes and the gentle cask impact works out real well here. Are you surprised that a bottle found its way into my drinks cabinet?