Highwood Imported White Rum
Review: Highwood Imported White Rum 83.5/100
A review by Chip Dykstra (Aka Arctic Wolf)
Posted on November 14, 2009
In the Bottle 3.5/5
We have a very simple presentation in a clear white bottle. The front label is simple and does little to instill confidence in the rum’s character. The back label gives a little history of rum (but not of this particular rum) and provides a Pina Colada recipe.
In the Glass 8.5/10
The Highwood Imported Rum is a blend of aged Caribbean white rums and is apparently a predominantly Demerara blend. The rum is a clear spirit with a nice fragrant nose. The first sniff revealed a light cotton candy with mild undertones of fruit and brown sugar. In the cotton candied fruit I catch a touch of that signature Demerara sweetness with mildly minty tones. There is also a very slight medicinal tinge in the air.
In the Mouth 51/60
This has a pleasant soft texture with light oil in the mouth. There is no bitterness; the caramel flavour of the rum is firm. A tingle of alcohol bite tastes slightly sharp, but we also taste the light candy flavours I noticed in the nose and an every so light progression of mint. Flashes of vanilla present themselves, but I catch no nutty flavours at all. Although the bottle says aged, I would think we are talking no more than two or three years. What we have here is a nice mixer. In fact the addition of only a few drops of cola completely dissipates the slightly sharp alcohol bite and provides a nice smooth flavour profile which begs to be mixed with cola.
In the Throat 12.5/15
This is smoother than a typical white rum and sweeter too. While I do not believe this is intended as a sipping rum, the buttery texture does provide length for the finish. Although we have a little sharpness on the exit, I am left with a sweetened palate, and a clean fresh mouth finish.
The Afterburn 8/10
I tasted this rum about two years ago and was not impressed. This time however the flavour was smoother, sweeter, and more to my liking. It is hard to know whether this impression is consistent from batch to batch. With no information provided on the label as origin of the rum, we are left to speculate whether Highwood has consistently used the same blend or whether it is a matter of convenience which dictates their rum preference. I am hoping that future iterations of the spirit maintain the quality I note in this review.
Suggested Cocktail:
I’m going to suggest the Pina Colada recipe that Highwood prints on the back of the bottle. I will point out that a good old fashioned Rum and Coke or Cuba Libre’ are fine as well.
The Highwood Rum Pina Colada
In a mixing glass:
3 Oz Highwood Rum
3 Tbsp Coconut Milk
3 Tbsp Crushed Pineapple
2 cups of crushed Ice
Mix and Serve
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