FRC Barbados & Jamaica Rum
Origin: Barbados/Jamaica | Germany (Flensburg Rum Company) / 40% / Price: ca. 40€
The city Meißen is known in Germany for porcelain, Solingen for knives & blades, Flensburg...? Rum! Although on a somewhat smaller scale, especially concerning its presence in the city today, compared to the other mentioned examples in Germany.
It all started when the city was still in Danish hands and more than 250 years ago rum, from the few Danish colonies, was already unloaded from the ships here. Still to this day, a delivery of several thousand liters a year arrives, for the 2 remaining rum houses in the city. Nearby also sits the company Oldman Spirits, which, with its brand Flensburg Rum Company since 2019, already bottled some fine rum qualities and that in a lot of differently designed but always pretty bottles, so many different designs actually, that you can sometimes lose the overview. But back to this particular bottling, again a lot was done right as far as the exterior is concerned, timeless and concise, but not too colorful. A heavy, high quality bottle and a label design some larger brands couldn't have done better or more professional.
Unlike some surprisingly old single casks that we have also seen under the FRC label, here we have a multinational blend without an age statement. The rather classic Barbados, which may not have a signature style like some other rum nations, but 4 consistent highest quality distilleries and was considered for a long time (and for some still today) to be the oldest rum nation, although unlikely looking at new research. West Indies Rum Distillery, Mount Gay, Foursquare, St. Nicholas Abbey can all be found here. What's in the blend? As is often the case, we don't know, but the latter is pretty much out of consideration, the first accounts for over 80% of rum production on the island and would thus be mathematically at least most likely.... All distilleries have pot and column stills, and if you wanted to pin it down, Barbados would probably be associated with a high-quality blend of both. Jamaica, on the other hand, needs no further introduction, funky, fruity, ester, ingenious (also) in cocktails.
He was aged in American and European oak, but you should not be deceived: with the design, generally as a blend and for just under 40€, this is of course a clear attack on the higher-quality mixing segment, but it is a bit more than that. He has the elegant qualities of a round, not too expensive sipping rum. While Barbados is dominating the nosing, Jamaica comes out nicely on the palate as well, but without ever getting harsh or loud. This must also be mentioned here: 40% alcohol content, for some rum enthusiasts perhaps already too little, but having that in mind he has quite the voluminous body. In addition: a dosage of 17gr/l in the present batch, which is just 3gr below what may still call itself rum according to the new EU regulations. A bit of a shame for me, especially since it is so round, I think 5-7gr less would have done it too. On the positive side, it is really a long shot from being too sweet or even cloying, on the contrary, I would have blindly guessed a minimal dosage of maybe 5-8gr. Not comparable to the really bad examples considering sugar.
But everyone must know for themselves whether this is an obstacle for you in terms of drinking it neat, it certainly doesn't hurt the mixability and concerning that he works great in various drinks. Due to the blend character, it works both in cocktails that specifically call for Jamaica rum and blends in elegantly, if you don't want to get too overloaded with something crazy. However, it can also be used in drinks that are otherwise looking for less funky candidates and bring in something fruity without making the recipe in question unbalanced. Examples of recommended drinks include my specially modified Hunter's Judgment, the Hotel Nacional Special, and the Sunset At Gowanus from Death & Co, coming online in the next days.
The nice thing about this rum is that it can always be interpreted a little differently. Through the noticeably high quality it can be the focus of the drink, but through the various character influences it also serves well as a backdrop for drinks with a little more ingredients, which then bring out the needed notes from him, see the Hotel Nacional above or maybe a Mai Tai. Finally, as always, my tasting notes:
Nose:
Vanilla, toffee, salted caramel, coconut shavings and a very specific note of slightly mushy banana, some yeast dough, in between sometimes a touch of papaya shines through, but rather discreetly behind the other bright notes
Taste:
More diverse than in the nose, on the one side slightly candied fruits with mango, papaya, some banana and a touch of pineapple, on the other side some toffee, light honey, ginger, creamy notes almost, but not overly sweet, coconut, light oak, very harmonious and yet for 40% quite the good body, in later sips also sometimes interesting green notes come through, but only subtly, lemongrass, some cinnamon too
Finish:
Coconut rasps come out again, oak, light honey, cinnamon, camphor, medium length, full body but a mild finish in the last seconds
