Other fine spirits

For this latest release of the Master Blender's Reserve, the folk at Black Tot Rum drew inspiration from their stocks of historical rums in our collection and the unique flavour profiles they exhibited over half a century ago. These rums, since lost in the rum world, were rich with notes of baked banana, dusty chocolate, mocha milkshakes, honey, tobacco, leather, liquorice, and spice. This complex recipe creates a truly unique and distinctly old-school rum, rarely seen like this today.

With the Royal Navy ending its tradition of a rum ration in 1970, the remaining stockpile of rum for the Navy were filled into stone flaggons and stored away in Government bonded warehouses to remain mostly untouched for almost 40 years. This limited edition release from Elixir Spirits represents the last known liquid from this era, beautifully presented here with accompanying tot cup and book. Rum writer and authority Dave broom describes the rum as being incredibly rich and complex - treacle notes, dark chocolate and super-ripe black fruits, muscovado sugar and walnuts. To taste, thick and sweet with lightly oaky notes, cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) and espresso or cacao. The Black Tot Navy Rum is widely regarded as one of the great rums of the world.

The recipe for Black Tot Master Blender?s Reserve 2021 Caribbean Rum has been created by Head Blender Oliver Chilton to showcase the art of rum blending pioneered by the British Royal Navy. Taking last year?s Black Tot 50th Anniversary Rum blend as the base, re-casking it into ex-sherry butts and barrels, to which they added layers of fruit-driven flavours using different styles of rum, aged between 9 and 24 years, from Guyana, Barbados, Trinidad, Jamaica and Australia, as well as incorporating some of the original British Royal Navy rum blend itself.

Founded in 1842, Wm. Cadenhead are Scotland's oldest independent whisky bottlers, who are also renowned for their rum selections. The Cadenhead 'Classic' rum is a blend from distilleries in the Caribbean, bottled from a selection of casks and reduced to 50% ABV. The nose starts immediately rich, with molasses, demerara sugar and asian spices. The palate is very full and rounded, starting sweet before building to a spicy and slightly phenolic (rubbery, hot tarmac) note. For the rum purists, this has no added sugar content of any sort.

Cadenhead's Old Raj Gin is distinctive in that it contains a measure of saffron, the rare and costly spice derived from the crocus flower. In addition to a slightly spicy flavour, this also imparts a pale yellow colour to Old Raj. Rich and clean, with a lovely oily mouthfeel, this gin has flavours of zesty lemon, indian spices and a hint of aniseed.

Cadenhead's Old Raj Gin is distinctive in that it contains a measure of saffron, the rare and costly spice derived from the crocus flower. In addition to a slightly spicy flavour, this also imparts a pale yellow colour to Old Raj. This expression, bottled at 55%, is one of the few high strength gins on the market, fantastic in a gin & tonic but is also particularly well suited to classic cocktails such as a martini.

The distillery that produces Diplomatico Rum have created a new gin sourcing botanicals from the Amazon. Working in collaboration with local communities they have selected and handpicked ten exotic ingredients with eight traditional gin botanicals and one local fruit. The lush, damp greenery of the Amazonian rainforest is immediately apparent on the nose followed by intense fruity notes of passionfruit, grapefruit and hints of black pepper. The palate is complex and herbaceous and fresh with citrus. A refreshing and balanced gin with a feel good factor as 10% of profits go towards supporting NGOs and networks of volunteers striving to improve the quality of life for indigenous tribe in the Amazon.

Caorunn (pronounced 'ka-roon') hails from Balmenach distillery in Speyside and is flavoured with Scottish botanicals including dandelion, rowan berry, heather and coul blush apple. It is fresh, floral, citrusy, slightly spicy and very aromatic with a clean, crisp, full bodied character.

It's Christmas in February, with the somewhat late arrival of the Cotswold's annual Cloudy Christmas Gin. Their recipe for their classic juniper-led gin style sees the addition of festive cardamom spice and tangy, sweet clementine citrus notes. The cloudy aspect of this gin is seen when adding tonic or ice, causing the rich concentration of botanical oils to form a natural haze.

The Cotswolds 'Old Tom' gin is in keeping with a traditional Old Tom, slightly sweetened with natural sugar syrup and with the distillery's woody notes from liquorice root, light spice from ginger, zesty orange citrus and a hint of cardamom. Garnish with orange peel or make a Tom Collins cocktail with this great English gin.

Distilled at the Cotswolds distillery in England, this dry gin is made with nine botanicals, including locally sourced lavender. The distillery uses 10 times the botanical quantity of most gins, meaning it is likely to cloudy when ice or tonic is added - this is as a result of the high levels of natural oils and flavours that have been retained. Sweet and piney with an earthy background, this is a hearty gin with a herbaceous quality as well, lifted by citrus and cooling eucalyptus. The recommended serve includes pink grapefruit and a bay leaf.

Inspired by the glorious grasslands of the Cotswolds, our No.1 Wildflower Gin is a delightful blend of cornflowers, lavender and orange layered over a classic dry gin. Reminiscent of summer meadows and bursting with zesty orange notes, our Wildflower Gin is fresh, floral and fruity with a pleasantly dry finish. Paired with premium tonic and a slice of orange, it makes for the perfect gin spritz.

Distilled in a hand-beaten copper pot still at the Dingle distillery in Ireland, this vapour-infused gin has nine locally grown botanicals such as roawn berry, bog myrtle and heather alongside the classic juniper and angelica. Enjoyed as a martini or straight, the classic Dingle G&T serve is with a wedge of orange and a sprinkle of juniper berries.

Mantuano is the latest blended rum release from Diplomatico. Aged for up to 8 years in ex-bourbon and ex-malt whisky casks this boasts aromas of dried fruit and plums with a delicate oak spiciness. Dried fruits carry through to palate accompanied by well balanced wood and soft vanilla notes. A great rum to enjoy neat, on the rocks or to use in your favourite rum cocktail.

Diplomatico's Reserva Exclusiva is a complex blend of copper pot still rums that have been aged in oak barrels for up to 12 years. It has a characterful sweet nose, showing notes of fruit cake, vanilla ice cream, cocoa, toffee and sweet spices. This all leads onto the palate which is rich and extremely well balanced with some chocolate, orange and nutty flavours also emerging. It is deep, vivid and extremely seductive and it currently one of the world's most awarded rums.

Diplomatico's Reserva Exclusiva is a complex blend of copper pot still rums that have been aged in oak barrels for up to 12 years. It has a characterful sweet nose, showing notes of fruit cake, vanilla ice cream, cocoa, toffee and sweet spices. This all leads onto the palate which is rich and extremely well balanced with some chocolate, orange and nutty flavours also emerging. It is deep, vivid and extremely seductive and it currently one of the world's most awarded rums. Bottled in this dinky 350ml bottle, this is the perfect wee treat for any rum fan.

This 12 year old rum was produced at the multi award winning Foursquare distillery on the Caribbean island of Barbados. It is rich and sweet with notes of butterscotch and tropical fruit and has a full-bodied viscous mouthfeel with flavours of toffee apple, toasted spices and orange.

This 14 year old rum was produced at the Foursquare rum distillery on Barbados which was awarded rum producer of the year in 2018 at both the IWSC and International Spirits Challenge - no mean feat. The rum is a blend of pot and column still rums that have been aged predominantly in bourbon casks as well as some Madeira casks which help impart flavours on dark chocolate, red berries, tropical fruit and sweet spices.

This tasty white rum has actually been matured in casks for three years. The colour has been removed through a filtration system leaving a full bodied flavoursome spirit unlike many other white rums on the market. Fresh and fruity with hints of coconut and a clean finish it is lovely drunk over ice or in your favourite rum cocktails such as a Mojito, Daiquiri or a Pina Colada.

Doorly's rum has been made on the island of Barbados since 1908 and was in fact the first rum to be exported from there. This new XO expressions sees a blend of some of their oldest rums and then given a secondary maturation in ex-Oloroso sherry casks. Notes of caramel, brown / Demerara sugar and banana and toffee apple are joined by a hint of sultana and spice from these sherry casks.

Equiano Rum has arrived on our shelves, bringing together a blend of Carribbean and African rums, from Gray's distillery in the Mauritius and Foursquare distillery in Barbados. This is a traditional style of rum - created without any additional sweetening, flavouring or enhancing, it is the sole product of barrels that have matured the spirit of two great producers. There is a full and rich quality to its taste, with warm butterscotch, flowing caramel and a tang of orange and anise to finish.

Produced from a blend of aged and unaged Caribbean and African rum (Mauritian, Barbadian), this new release from Equiano shows itself to be an excellent quality white rum. The freshness of tropical fruit and citrus oil gives way to vanilla and a distinctive tone of ripe sugarcane. This style of rum is underrated here in New Zealand and one that is well worth exploring if you like character and flavour in your white rums.

Foursquare's legendary 'Exceptional Cask Selection' reaches mark XXI with the release of this 2010 vintage rum. Solely matured in ex-bourbon American white oak barrels, we see this blend of pot and column still rums all made and matured on-site in Barbados. A rush of dark caramels, dark fruit and coconut develops to a wood-forward profile of tobacco and fragrant spices. A tropical tone lifts through the palate, with a slightly minty-menthol character as well. The cult following of the Foursquare distillery is well deserved and this is an excellent example of the style.

This gin from Hawkes Bay is made using orgainc principles and is Certified Organic. It contains 38 orgnaic botnaicals and is batch distilled. The top notes include lime leaf, white currant, cedar, mango and floral hints. Gentle warming spices are also on the palate.