Rum-Review-A-Day: Day 3 - 1423 Single Barrel Selection - Mauritius 2008 (10 yo) - 55.7% abv.

This is one of the 7 new single barrel selections (S.B.S) from 1423 in Denmark. It is a molasses based column still rum distilled at Grays distillery, which is the largest producer of rum in the region. This batch was finished in Port Casks, yielding 281 bottles and was bottled at cask strength of 55.7% abv.

On the nose there is a lot going on! Hard to know where to start…It's got an almost meaty, irony depth that jumps out at me. That mixed with a lot of baking spices. Cinnamon, cloves, black and red peppercorns. Throw in a touch of grilled red bell peppers and dried paprika and it's amazing how much this reminds me of a deliciously spicy and juicy sausage being grilled at a Christmas market. Some green fruits, mainly ripe pear. There are also dried fruits that are quite prominent with a dominance of prunes. Think prune juice mixed with molasses. This is likely the depth of the Port cask finish shining through. The wood is also there. Vanilla, chocolate and wet/waterlogged dark wood covered in fresh varnish. The nose on this one is VERY pleasant.

On the palate, wow. Just wow. Cherries, vanilla, cinnamon. A lot of cinnamon. As if the cask was made from cinnamon bark and not oak. Liquorice/Anise seed. Tobacco. Black current wine gums. Black pepper. Bazooka Joe bubble gum - you remember that old bubble gum that came dry as f*ck wrapped in paper with a little comic strip? - well, THAT, mixed with a nice dose of rubber and petrol.

For being 55.7%, this rum definitely packs a punch, but it is exceptionally well integrated and the booze flavour is not forward at all. The finish is quite long and leaving you with a lovely salmiak thing going on in the end.

…Perhaps I need to find myself a full bottle of this.

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