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Doctor Bird Pot Still rum

Doctor Bird Pot Still

United States | Aged

7.1/10
61 ratings
Recommendable to most
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61 Doctor Bird Pot Still Ratings

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piratejabez 🇺🇸 | 321 ratings
Posted over 6 years ago

As west-coaster who's sadly spent almost no time in Michigan, I'd never heard of Two James Spirits before this bottle appeared on the shelves of my (well-known) local chain. I didn't need more Jamaican rum on my tiny shelf, but the specs alone were enough to convince me to pick a bottle up anyway:
- Jamaican (we're off to a good start)
- Pot Still (oh yeah...)
- Worthy Park (*drools...)
- Aged 8 years (ooo, fancy...)
- "Moscatel" finish (ok, let's not get *too* fancy...)
- 50% ABV (yes yes yes...)
- $25 (shut up and take my money!)

Clearly Two James, despite focusing on their full lineup of other spirits (bourbon, whiskey, gin, vodka, absinthe, and mezcal), also have their ear on the rum appreciation scene (though, strangely, their rum isn't featured anywhere on their website). They're the only US (whiskey etc.) distiller I'm aware of the doesn't seem to be adding a rum to their menu simply as an add-on, because they have access to a still and some sugar, and because they're tried a few other things and wanted to design another label to slap on a bottle and sell to their friends (usually with disastrous results). The Jameses where to source good juice, and managed to take a risk (with the trendy but wholly unnecessary sweet wine cask finish) without ruining it. It's encouraging to see!

So yes, the rum is good. It's got a big, funky nose that tickles your... nose. Lots of fruit, a good amount of wood. Some cherry, maple, hint of brandy. Though rather dry overall, it enters sweetly on the tongue, with a bit of a bite. It ends with moderately short finish on the throat, but the flavors do linger in the mouth for some time. The proof is just right—perfectly drinkable as-is, but a few drops of water don't kill it.
Compare to Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still.

It's eminently sippable for funk fans, but I love mixing with this, often using a 50-50 blend with Coruba in classic cocktail recipes calling simply for "dark jamaican" rum. It also makes a splendid Daiquiri, and I can only imagine the kind of funky Mai Tai you could get pairing it with something like La Favorite Couer de Ambre (for the record, I'm a Denizen guy, but I never turn down a Mai Tai using some respectable version of the "original" recipe). Haven't tried it yet, either, but I'll bet this would shine in a Planter's Punch.

Again, I could have done without the wine cask finish (it's still a bit too young, and moscatel is dangerously sweet). It works well enough for cocktails, but the finish doesn't do the rum any favors when sipped neat. I'm just glad it didn't ruin it.

I'm simply amazed that somehow, Two James managed to get so much right with their first rum release. It's funky, un-sugared, at-proof, competently aged, truly unique in the market, and reasonably priced to boot (their other offerings do appear to be pricier). As long as they continue in this pattern, I'll be coming back for more!

8, 8-

TommAng 🇺🇸 | 25 ratings
Posted almost 2 years ago

I really enjoy this rum. Has a great deal of funk, bananas, finished with a heap of dried fruits, raisins, plums, figs. And butterscotch. Little bit of rubber in there too - it all works very well together.

col_klenk 🇺🇸 | 33 ratings
Posted almost 2 years ago

I love the label and that it's sourced by Two James, a MI distillery. The nose smells like gasoline. This is by far the funkiest, most Hogo, bottle I've ever tried. My wife hates it. I will try to love it. It is an excellent value as well. It adds a delicious, deep, funky flavor to cocktails! 100% recommended. Just try it.

PapaKielbasa 🇺🇸 | 38 ratings
Posted almost 2 years ago

I use this rum specifically for Jungle Bird cocktails, and introducing people to Jamaican rum.

At 50% ABV, it holds up well to juices and ice

The bottle is really cool looking and I like to have it on the bar, even if I only make one or two drinks with it.

lulabrooks 🇺🇸 | 14 ratings
Posted 2 years ago

I'll have to revisit this one. Had promise. Lots of funk and fruit. A lot of burn. Had already had a few coctails before sampling. Ha.

rennerg 🇺🇸 | 39 ratings
Posted over 2 years ago

Pretty standard unaged briny funk. Not much difference between it, Paranubes or Clairin Sajous.

RosieSox 🇺🇸 | 49 ratings
Posted over 2 years ago

Fairly dry rum with lots of ruity notes in the nose and first on the tongue. That is followed by vanilla and wood. A lot of hogo and a bit of fire finish off the taste but do not linger long. It will be a fantastic mixer in the right drink.

Mujuru 🇺🇸 | 152 ratings
Posted almost 3 years ago

So I finally got my hands on a bottle of this rum after trying to acquire it for over a year…and man, this is a real doozy and a fascinating rum. This is rum comes from Worthy Park, in St. Catherine, Jamaica. It is a high ester young aged rum finished in Moscatel casks by Corktown Distillery in Detroit Michigan. It comes in a wonderful artistically designed bottle (I absolutely love the bottle). It weighs in at a respectable 50% ABV and that comes through on the palate

Nosing it, right away it is immediately recognizable as a Worthy Park rum. Worthy Park rums, especially the young aged ones are just a massive overload of bananas and fruit. This one is no exception. In fact it’s even more pungent on the nose than most other Worthy Park rums I have had. I might even say it’s funkier on the nose than Rum Bar Overproof, the unaged pot still fresh Overproof produced at Worthy Park. Actually in many respects this is similar to Worthy Park Overproof when that rum is diluted down a bit, which makes sense.

So enough with the pleasantries. The nose here is crazy complex. In fact it’s one of the most complex noses I have ever sensed on any rum. This is a straight up olifactory jigsaw puzzle. Nosing it from the Glencairn I get dark purple grape juice, oodles of Bananas foster, dark chocolate, cherry cola, apple cider vinegar, strawberry shortcake and modelers glue. This is straight up crazy wacky funky, even by Jamaican standards. On the nose this may well be the funkiest rum I have ever had. It is definitely a different kind of funk than Hampden and Smith & Cross but somehow it’s even more expressive. I didn’t even think that was possible. Ha!

On the palate I am a bit let down. As amazing as the nose is, it unfortunately doesn’t translate to the palate. And that’s a real shame here because, man, I would LOVE to have the nose on this rum expressed on the tongue. That’s in no way to say that the palate is bad. It’s not. In fact the palate is certainly decent enough…it’s just a let down when compared to the nose. As far as the palate goes I get Tennessee Whiskey, white grape juice, apple cider, pear juice, butterscotch, sangria, and a touch of muscadine wine. That’s a decent combination which is further smoothed out a bit by the addition of a small amount of water. Straight it is interesting but a bit sharp and disjointed on the tongue. After sipping it a while a harmony begins stabilize and the experience is quite enjoyable. But man I can’t stop thinking of how amazing this rum could be if the nose could be expressed in force on the palate.

We really need to talk about the finish on this rum…or rather the lack thereof. I am shockingly disappointed to find that this rum has virtually no finish or aftertaste at all. Once it goes down it’s just gone. Maybe some of the muscadine and sangria notes flicker faintly for a second but I am really quite stunned to find that this rum has almost no finish/aftertaste at all. That’s especially odd when I remember that Rum Bar Overproof had an exceptionally long finish for an unaged Overproof. This is so odd and quite a bit disappointing.

This rum is really hard to rate with a single number. The nose is mind blowing, just crazy good and complex. The palate is decent but a very different expression compared to the nose and not near as complex or harmonious. And there is no finish at all. This is tying my rum brain in knots. It’s like a firework show with no finale. Don’t get me wrong though, on the whole it’s still a great experience, it just falls short of its own expectations

jackw625 🇺🇸 | 37 ratings
Posted almost 3 years ago

This is a great rum for the price. Slight artificial flavor at the end

Awesomedon 🇺🇸 | 32 ratings
Posted over 3 years ago

At 30 dollars a bottle here in TN you cannot beat Doctor Bird. Makes an amazing daquiri

eadrn 🇺🇸 | 49 ratings
Posted over 3 years ago

Definitely not your traditional Jamaican rum. The funk is strong with this one.... Good for Tiki, but feels out of place in many other rum cocktails. Very good, if this flavor profile falls in your wheelhouse.




Brand Details

Type: Aged
Company: Doctor Bird
Country: United States
Name: Pot Still
Raw Material: Unknown
Process: Unknown
Distillation: Unknown
Women Led: No

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