Black Tot 50th Anniversary Rum - Elixir Distillers - 54,2%
Photo taken somewhere in Stuttgart
Other than with blends in scotch, where cheaper grain whisky is added, this special edition blend is a mix of rums from several distilleries from the former british colonies. Diamond, Foursquare, Hampden, even Caroni - just to name a few. All components are detailed on the backlabel (great transparency!) The thing is: we're normally purists and actually prefer to drink single distillery something stuff and make the blend in our mind and imagination. But new year, new frontiers.
Nose
Call the drug police again! We find all kinds of sweet and sticky glues, like wood glue, Pattex and UHU. It's clearly a lot of Guyana in there (that's an asset!). But also fresh Foursquare paint drops, which is our predominant FS Note (another asset). Please also welcome wet wood and pencil shavings from the Port Mourant stills. The smell is kinda 'green' and vegetal too, like agave juice, aloe, bisongras, lemongrass and a piece of sour pineapple. This wind should come from Jamaica. The decryption was quite interesting we have to admit.
Palate
Apart from the fact that the Elixir people have really conflated everything here, this stew works very well. This ain't a bodybuilder, but definitely a very balanced and rounded athlete, who's delivering pleasant flavours like liquorice, caramel, pineapple juice, limes, mangos and chinese litchi. No water needed.
Finish
A bit short to be frank. We would've loved to talk a bit longer with Lady Liquorice.
Rating
Well well well, this is well done and a pleasant hommage to all the rum manufacturers on the british influenced Carribbean islands and to the british rum style in general. One thing is certain, and series like the Elements of Islay or Port Askaig proof us right: when Elixir starts something it always turns out to be not less than good, even great. Not sure yet if it's good or bad, but it can be claimed that, inter alia, with the work of The Whisky Exchange, artisanal rum has slowly established itself within the whisky scene, and thereby in mainstream. Thanks a lot to Kirsch Import for providing us with a sample.
