Chairman's 2009 Reserve 11-Year

Bought two bottles of this rum from Svet Nápojov in Slovakia. The brand Chairman’s Reserve from Saint Lucia Distillers (SLD) saw the day of light in 1999 under supervision of Laurie Barnard, and is today their most appreciated rum if you ask me.
SLD use molasses imported from the Dom. Rep. and some sugar cane juice from sugar cane grown in Saint Lucia.
They use open tanks for fermentation and four different stills, one Coffey column and three different pot stills.
All their rum is tropically aged on site mostly in ex-Bourbon casks, but sometimes also in other casks.
The 2009 is their second released vintage. It’s entirely molasses based distilled in their Coffey Still and two of the pot stills (John Dore II & Vendome). Thereafter the different distillates was aged separately for 11 years in ex-Bourbon casks whereafter it was blended and married for some more weeks before bottled at ABV 46%.
The nose is fruity and little spicy with hints of smoke, raisins, banana, vanilla, tobacco and leather.
In mouth and on the palate it’s powerful, fruity and spicy with tastes of tobacco, caramel, banana, mango and spices as black pepper, ginger, cloves and cinnamon.
The finish is long, complex and smoky with tastes of leather and chocolate.

on the nose alcohol burn (of course, it s 46% ABV), so far i ve tried only their legacy and this is better just from the nose, so... let it stay in the glass 10 minutes and than start again... ok, it s very similar to english harbour 10 (i mean the flavor, but in better ... ), in the mouth its complex, a bourbon drinker rum ( dry but not too much), vanilla, wood, tobacco, it s a honest and solid rum (no additives), finish is sweet and long enough, i just miss that WOW something to give it a 9 (i ll give it an 8 like their legacy even if it s a little bit better) ... i have their 1931, will open and try it soon

Had the pleasure of sampling Chairman’s Reserve Vintage 2009 at Saint Lucia Distillers today. This is my 5th rum from the Chairman’s Reserve line and definitely my favourite as in my opinion it surpassed their 1931 and Legacy offering. At 46% it is complex and so smooth (no added sugar by the way) and just right for sampling neat although I would have enjoyed sampling their “Cask Strength” products which is not available at the distillery. The Vintage 2009 was produced in limited quantity so if you have a chance grab it while you can.