Review: Rum Nation Demerara 23 Year Old

Rum Nation is an Italian company created by Fabio Rossi, who began his life in the spirits trade as a Oenologist (one who has studied winemaking). After his studies, Mr. Rossi left the wine business and started up a whisky company in Edinburgh (Wilson and Morgan) acting as an independent bottler of Single Malt Scotch Whisky. His interest turned to rum and in 1999 Fabio Rossi founded Rum Nation. His company is headquartered in Italy; but Fabio purchases select rums from various distillers in the Caribbean and the Americas. As a result Rum Nation provides a rather unique assortment of rare limited edition rum bottlings.

One such bottling is Rum Nation Demerara 23 Year Old.

This is quite an interesting rum. According to my correspondence with Mr. Rossi he purchased 3 casks of this rum from a vendor in the United Kingdom in 2002. The barrels bore the marque from the famous Double Wooden Pot still of the Port Maurant Estate (PM). These ex bourbon casks were transferred into a Sherry Butt (Oloroso N. 61)  in 2004 and were left to age in an underground cellar in Bristol, England where “early landed cognac” (Hine and Delamain) was also aged. The cellar in Bristol was closed in 2007, and the rum was brought to the Piedmont area of Italy (famous for the nebbiolo grape varietal) where it continued to age until 2012 when it was bottled in Italy.

Your may click on the following excerpt to read the full review:

“… The initial aroma is perhaps a little daunting as rising from the glass are rich caramel scents laced with the smells of wood sap and resin. Felled poplar trees, spruce wood chips, and fresh unstained oak all seem to be part of that wood-filled onslaught in the breezes above the glass. Wisps of dry fruit and licorice mingle within the breezes as does a faintly sappy, mildly acrid, vaguely rubbery tar-like scent …”

Please enjoy the review of this very interesting Demerara rum.

Cheers!

 

Review: Rum Nation Demerara Solera N° 14

Rum Nation’s Demerara Solera N° 14 is quite an interesting rum. According to my correspondence with the Brand Owner, Fabio Rossi, he buys aged bulk Demerara rum (roughly four to six years) from Guyana (Demerara Distillers Limited) which has been blended with various portions from each of the Single Wooden Pot (Versailles Still) and Double Wooden Pot  (Port Mourant Still).

The bulk rum purchased by Rum Nation is taken to the Nebbiolo area of Italy where it is transferred to sherry butts (PX and Oloroso) and aged for a short period of time (about 12 to 14 months). After aging, a few liters of 1997 vintage EHP (Enmore) rum is added before it is bottled. (EHP is the marque for DDL’s ancient Wooden Continuous Coffey Still.) Based upon the information as provided to me, I reckon the Demerara Solera No. 14 is approximately a five-year old rum. The recipe is rather simple and includes rum from each of the now famous ancient wooden stills from Demerara Distillers Heritage Plant. (I do believe the bulk rum used in the blend contains rums from other stills as well, but I have no information regarding the exact proportions, or exactly which other stills contribute to the Demerara Bulk Rum. )

Mr. Rossi provided me a 200 ml sample of this rum such that I would have a chance to review it here on my website. Here is an excerpt from that review:

“… The initial aroma from the glass is full of oak tannins and sap which have been tainted with a spicy toffee, orange peel zest, and butterscotch candies. Baking spices in the form of vanilla, cinnamon and spicy cloves mingle in those breezes above the glass …”

Here is a link to the full review:

Enjoy the Review!

Demerara Distillers’ Diamond Distillery

The Diamond Distillery sits on the East Bank of the Demerara River near Georgetown, Guyana. I was given a unique opportunity to witness this facility in operation when I was invited by Demerara Distillers and Woodman Wines and Spirits to travel to Guyana for a very exclusive tour of their operations. Led by Operations Manager, Lennox Shaun Caleb, I was allowed to tour the Diamond Distillery on April 14, 2012 with a small group of Canadian Spirits Writers and Restauranteurs. Some of the Stills I saw in operation were over 250 years of age, and they are still producing (as closely as possible) the same historic marques of rum which they produced on the estates from whence they came. Superimposed upon the scene of ancient Stills and equipment is the dichotomy of a brand new distillation plant which works side by side with the historic stills. The new distillation plant represents a bridge to DDL’s future of new technology and methods of production. However, by continuing to operate the old plant and maintaining the unique marques of rum upon which the company built its original success, the foundations for that bridge to the future have been set firmly in their historic past.

Here is a link to my write-up on the Diamond Distillery Tour:

Demerara Distillers’ Diamond Distillery Tour