This is a pot still rum made from actual Demerara sugar molasses, distilled by DDL on their ancient wooden Pot Still, which has been tropically aged 10 years and then selected from Ed Hamilton’s stock by Mission Liquors in California. Both of Ed and Mission apparently know how to chose a rum because this one is a real doozy…which I obtained by the way my best rum friend here. (You know who you are and what you did, and I hope you kept a bottle of this).
So the Port Mourant still at DDL is known for producing some very unique rums. It’s funky but not like Jamaica, nor Guadeloupe, nor St. Lucia. It is very much it’s own funk.
Wafting this one from the Glencairn I get rich earthy Dark Roast coffee beans (like perfectly roasted Yirgacheffe Dark Roast), Blueberry Compote, and Dark Chocolate. The next waft shifts gears to Laffy Taffy and very ripe Papaya. Then it shifts again and I get Crème Brûlée, Blackberry Pie, and homemade Strawberry Jam. Wow! It’s funky but in a very rich coffee, dark berry, chocolate kind of way. My nose is glued to the glass, and I don’t want to move. This is just awesome. No other way to explain. Surely the palate can’t be anywhere close to as good as the nose on this rum.
And…it is. Hot damn! Giving it a minute and taking a sip I initially get a mouthful of fine scotch…which then explodes into a spectrum of flavors, each distinct and present. It’s the same as the nose but in reverse order. Almost like hitting rewind on a mix tape. It starts with homemade Strawberry Jam, then it transitions to Blackberry pie. Rewind, Blueberry compote, Dark Roast espresso, and dark Chocolate. I can just hit play and rewind over and over. This is dangerous. But wait there’s more! After five sips I start to get something like Schwarzwalder Schenken, and before you Google translate that no it’s not Black Forest Ham. Yes. But No. You see in the actual Black Forest in Germany they have this slow cured, almost raw, thick cut ham that is so amazing I literally almost killed myself with it once (don’t ask). Yeah that note is present here too, and mixed with the dark berries creates something nigh irresistible.
The finish, which lingers ever so long, is the TLDR of the whole experience: homemade Strawberry jam, Dark Roast earthy coffee, and Dark Chocolate, with just a sprinkling of Black Pepper. A quaint reminder to take another sip to experience the unbounded glory. And now toss in a little smoke.
This is outright dangerous. This is the best Demerara I have ever had and right up there challenging for the best rum I have ever had. This just tickles my rum senses in a way I haven’t felt since Habitation Velier Forsyths Worthy Park 2005…or maybe ever? This is just…wow. I am done. You catch my drift. I am not sure how rum gets better than this.
Short Description: Ed Hamilton found it. El Dorado was a name. This is the real thing.
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The Best Demerara I have ever had, bar none 10 out of 10
This is a pot still rum made from actual Demerara sugar molasses, distilled by DDL on their ancient wooden Pot Still, which has been tropically aged 10 years and then selected from Ed Hamilton’s stock by Mission Liquors in California. Both of Ed and Mission apparently know how to chose a rum because this one is a real doozy…which I obtained by the way my best rum friend here. (You know who you are and what you did, and I hope you kept a bottle of this).
So the Port Mourant still at DDL is known for producing some very unique rums. It’s funky but not like Jamaica, nor Guadeloupe, nor St. Lucia. It is very much it’s own funk.
Wafting this one from the Glencairn I get rich earthy Dark Roast coffee beans (like perfectly roasted Yirgacheffe Dark Roast), Blueberry Compote, and Dark Chocolate. The next waft shifts gears to Laffy Taffy and very ripe Papaya. Then it shifts again and I get Crème Brûlée, Blackberry Pie, and homemade Strawberry Jam. Wow! It’s funky but in a very rich coffee, dark berry, chocolate kind of way. My nose is glued to the glass, and I don’t want to move. This is just awesome. No other way to explain. Surely the palate can’t be anywhere close to as good as the nose on this rum.
And…it is. Hot damn! Giving it a minute and taking a sip I initially get a mouthful of fine scotch…which then explodes into a spectrum of flavors, each distinct and present. It’s the same as the nose but in reverse order. Almost like hitting rewind on a mix tape. It starts with homemade Strawberry Jam, then it transitions to Blackberry pie. Rewind, Blueberry compote, Dark Roast espresso, and dark Chocolate. I can just hit play and rewind over and over. This is dangerous. But wait there’s more! After five sips I start to get something like Schwarzwalder Schenken, and before you Google translate that no it’s not Black Forest Ham. Yes. But No. You see in the actual Black Forest in Germany they have this slow cured, almost raw, thick cut ham that is so amazing I literally almost killed myself with it once (don’t ask). Yeah that note is present here too, and mixed with the dark berries creates something nigh irresistible.
The finish, which lingers ever so long, is the TLDR of the whole experience: homemade Strawberry jam, Dark Roast earthy coffee, and Dark Chocolate, with just a sprinkling of Black Pepper. A quaint reminder to take another sip to experience the unbounded glory. And now toss in a little smoke.
This is outright dangerous. This is the best Demerara I have ever had and right up there challenging for the best rum I have ever had. This just tickles my rum senses in a way I haven’t felt since Habitation Velier Forsyths Worthy Park 2005…or maybe ever? This is just…wow. I am done. You catch my drift. I am not sure how rum gets better than this.
Short Description: Ed Hamilton found it. El Dorado was a name. This is the real thing.
ABV 55.7%
Country of Origin: Guyana
Distillery: Diamond Distillers (Port Mourant still)
Nose: Dark Roast Coffee Beans, Blueberry Compote, Dark Chocolate, Laffy Taffy, very ripe Papaya, Crème brûlée, Blackberry pie, Strawberry jam (wow!)
Palate: Fine scotch, Strawberry jam, Blackberry pie, Blueberry compote, Oak, Espresso, Dark Chocolate, Schwarzwalder Schenken (thick cut, slow cured ham)
Finish: Strawberry jam, Dark Roast Coffee, sprinkling of Black Pepper, Dark Chocolate, smoke house