Mezan 2008 Belize

The boxing says: The untouched rum: unsweetened and uncolored.
Nose: very spicy with some hints of fruits.
Palate: warm, wild, strong (46% vol) and a little smoky and rough (but still balanced enough: not too much burn there). Unfortunately not very aromatic and a bit thin IMO. Furthermore, I miss some more body.
6,8

Bon rhum difficile à appréhender, je pense. La première bouche m a légèrement troublé de part la forte concentration d alcool mais ensuite les diffèrentes saveurs s ouvrent et le rendent appréciable.

Outre les épices et le côté gras, je ne suis pas fan de ce produit.
Il est très fort en bouche et ne m'a pas laissé bonne impression.
Arômes de tabac, épices et chêne.

Rum raisin, with lots of caramel, nice sweetness. Great with a vanilla cigar.
Really great rum from Belize which we found in France Alsace.

If I went to a desert island and if I was allowed to take some Mezan rums (or to be precise this and their Panama) along with some Foursquare/Doorly's, I could live out my days a happy man.

I look at the producer's tasting notes and they are pretty accurate. Nose - Perfumed notes of oak, cedar and vanilla followed by tropical fruit, hazelnuts and burnt butter. Palate - Big sweet and spicy flavours, softer sherried butterscotch notes with exotic expressive tones. Soft, complex and persistent finish.

OK, all producers slightly over egg it (hazelnuts and burnt butter!!) but the palate is spot on. The rum is wonderfully thick in your mouth and coats your tongue (and probably the reason it is for me a 9 rather than an 8), leading on to a fantastic oaky long finish. The other aspect I really love is the oakiness. Initially it was aged in heavy char American oak, which has imparted the wonderful oak flavours.

Both this and the Mezan Panama 2008 are superb. Like the Panama, it is bottled at 46%. Like the Panama the 46% is not harsh nor abrasive. Like the Panama it is superb. Well done Mezan.

EDIT - as the rum has had time to breathe, the exuberant fruit notes have become a bit dulled. Still a wonderful rum, but not a 9! ANOTHER EDIT - I've had the bottle open now for about 10 weeks, and about 2 or 3 weeks ago, it opened up again and is a really top notch rum.

EDIT2: I've had to up this to a 10. It is simply superb. Sweet fruit perfectly balanced with a good amount of oak. It leaves me wanting to drink more.....!!This and the Panama are absolutely winners.