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For Master Blender's Reserve 2023, Master Blender, Oliver Chilton, has createed a blend that is like an original Navy-issued rum, with a heavy mouth feel and rich notes of wood smoke, espresso and cacao. For this release, a very old rum from Grenada distilled in 1993 was added to the reserve, bringing extra complexity and character not often found in mainstream rum. A distinctly old-fashioned and traditional style, this is a rum to be sipped and savoured

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.

A rare find for rum enthusiasts, the legendary Caroni from Trinidad, this single cask, cask strength expression was bottled by Adelphi from a refill hogshead cask. Adelphi's notes describe a rum of incredible complexity: notes ranging from aged Riesling, fresh ginger, rhum baba joining 'old automobile' and even a suggestion of petrol. The palate offers bitter chocolate, wood shavings and mint, with Turkish delight and bramble fruit.

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. Bottled in this dinky 350ml bottle, this is the perfect wee treat for any rum fan.

The Single Vintage is the cream of Diplomatico's portfolio. It is aged for no less than twelve years in a range of, ex Bourbon, ex Single malt Whisky and Virgin American oak casks before undergoing a final maturation period in first fill Oloroso casks. 

The result is a fabulously complex sipping Rum, with a deep amber hue and a bold and rich flavour profile.

The nose is full of aromas of charred oak, rich stewed fruits, caramel, fragrant coffee and creamy milk chocolate and is followed on by a wonderfully well balanced and complex palate. Notes of sugared plums, chewy caramel sweets, dark chocolate and rich vanilla, with hints of sweet, tart raspberries flowing throughout the palate.  

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.

Distilled at an undisclosed rum producer in Jamaica, this 13 year old rum was produced in pot still, offering the heavier side of the regional style. Notes of orange peel and lime lead the nose, with a distinctive note of burnt banana, new leather and other estery notes.

This unique rum was created by taking Panamanian sugar cane spirit that was initially matured in Panama, before ending up in Scotland, where it was transferred to casks that previously held peated whisky from the GlenAllachie distillery. There is a rich presence of plantain, apricot and coconut, joined by singed edges of peat smoke. The palate is sweet and fruity, with mocha-chocolate, pineapple, mango and more. This rum is un-sweetened and natural.

This tasting set from Drinks by the Dram showcases the diversity of styles and flavors of Rum from around the world. Included in this tasting set are five 30ml examples of fine Rums from the Caribbean and afar.

This fantastic Bajan rum has been matured for 10 years in casks before bottling - in what must be one of the most distinctive bottles we have on the shelf. It is juicy with hints of roasted apple and caramel along with fig and raisin flavours and layers of tropical fruit. Another supreb offering from Richard Seale of Foursquare distillery.

Produced by the team behind the Waterford distillery in Ireland, this exciting new cane rum comes from the Renegade Rum Distillery in Grenada, West Indies. This is a singular expression of sugar cane grown at the 'New Bacolet' farm, and shows the spirit-forward style of the distillery. There are distinctive notes of sugar cane juice and fermented qualities (apples), following up with fruity toffee apple, raisin and freshly sawn, sweet oak spice.

Distilled from sugar cane juice grown at the Pearls farm in Grenada, West Indies, this brand-new expression from Renegade Rum Distillery celebrates the unique character of the cane grown around the island. Made in Renegade's pot stills, this rum carries a distinctive aroma of fermenting sugar cane, apples being cooked and a vegetal note throughout. Sweeter tones of prune juice and exotic fruityness comes through, finishing earthy and slightly phenolic.

Filled from a 19 year old ex-bourbon barrel, this Trinidadian rum has a complex aroma and flavour of old rubber, overripe peach,  dank wet wood, swampy cedar and touches of petrol - a highly desirable note of this style of rum.  On the palate, Adelphi describe notes of powdered citrus juice, tang, blue raspberry, sherbet dip, lemon Italian ice, with Muscavado sugar and intense tropical fruit coming through in the finish.