Enmore VSG - Rum Artesanal - 1994-2020 - 51,4%
Photo taken somewhere in Stuttgart
This wee dram is another piece of Demerara history and we're still fascinated how Dominik Marwede from Rum Artesanal, got his hand on such a rare cask. It was distilled in the already closed Enmore distillery on the wooden Versaille Pot Still, which is still operating at Diamond Distillery today. That's what at least the mark VSG is telling us. Did we already mention that we love to try liquid history?
Nose
No doubt this is Versailles! But in a completely new robe! This is so earthy, thick and dark. We are treated with dried tobaco leaves, a big bunch of dried plums and wet soil with fermented beetroot juice, that was shaked with some drops of fresh paint and wood polish. But there is also "green" note of crushed grape and apple seeds, like a very old, oak seasoned grappa. Litness and complexity mode on!
With water: A bit of sulphur's rising up (the good one), with a bit of glue and more wood polish. Absolutely no complaints, Sir.
Palate
Welcome to the jungle! Super oily, bittersweet, mellow and dense, with all kinds of cocoa and coffee beans from Guyana. It's also very close to dark chocolate with plums (Germans, think of that Ritter Sport brick), which also reminds us of those very fine and earthy 1998 Bellevues, just without peppermint. The alcohol is perfectly integrated and almost not noticable at any stage.
With water: Becoming sweeter and more delicate now. The dark chocolate turned into milk chocolate.
Still no complaints.
Finish
Endless like a traffic jam in Los Angeles, with that wonderful herbidity of plums and cocoa coating the whole mouth for hours. We even get hints of smoke and meat in the back of the tongue. Lovely finish!
Rating
Due to it's strong and demanding Versailles Profile, this is definitely not a beginner dram and could easily overstrain one or the other inexperienced palate. For us, that expression scratches the border to the magnificent old Velier Demeraras and is by far the best bottling Rum Artesanal has ever released. What a benchmark to surpass in the future. But we're not worried...
