Admiral Rodney HMS Formidable

Picked this up “end-of-bin” discounted, but I’d gladly pay retail for the bottle. Super sippable and fine rum, light, but full of character. Smells of warm caramel and honey. Taste is similar with hints of orange peel and sugarcane. Very delicate on the palate, but carries a pleasant warmth going down without being harsh. A treasure

Stacks up well against the XO. Beautiful bottle with a wood stopper. On the nose it’s dried fruit, it’s a Christmas cake in a glass. On the palate it’s wood, spice, fruit and sweetness. A very quick burn then more fruit when swallowed. A very very good rum.

Made using a 45-plate Coffey still and aged in American white oak ex-bourbon casks, this really rather scrumptious molasses-based rum contains liquid aged for between nine and 12 years. The Rodney chap in question is in fact a famous admiral hailing from the 18th century – we’ll happily toast his seafaring successes with a drop of this.
Nose: Oaky and resinous with dark chocolate, honey, nutmeg and walnut notes.

Palate: More honey comes through, before cinnamon and vanilla pods catch up. More chocolate follows, this time in nib form, before leaf tobacco, oak and a sweet caramel add depth.

Finish: This is where those sweet spices come into their own. Delicious.

Overall: An oaky, dry rum bursting with flavour. One to sip and savour.

The pinnacle of the Admiral Rodney HMS series, HMS Formidable is a blend of column-distilled rums aged between nine and 12 years in bourbon barrels. It is named after Admiral Rodney’s flagship in the Battle of the Saints – the crucial battle where he broke the French lines and secured Britain’s dominance over the Caribbean.

Nosing
Papaya , oak , port , apples , honey

Tasting
Sweet delicious st Lucian heaven wow ...

Starts off with chocolate toffee apple then fades into like a red wine (port) ..vanilla and raisens dominate the finish

I had heard of the prospect of "selective extraction" when distilling rum in a reflux column though hadn't heard of any distilleries practicing it until I discovered Admiral Rodney. The claim on the label is that only rum extracted from the lower plates of the column are used, which is aged and then blended for this release.

Such a strategy for collecting this rum dramatically reduces the heady and rough character associated with the heads and foreshots (ethyl acetate, acetaldehyde, etc.). These high-boiling fractions are often loaded with pleasant oil character, which is showcased very well in this rum. It is easily the smoothest and most pleasant rum that I've ever tasted. It is also without any sugaring or violation with additives, which makes me very happy. Aroma is quite good.

This should be drunk neat or with just a drop of water, as it is quite delicate. This rum fills a niche that is practically non-existent in the current rum market, which can be described as "ultra-fine light rum".

Had at distillery. Smoother than the normal Admiral Rodney, now called the Royal Oak, and superior to the Princessa. Nice balance, good on ice or neat.

Great rum, solid flavors, nice from start to finish. Worth the money spent..

Formidable je směs rumů starých 9 - 12 let stařených v sudech po bourbonu z amer. bílého dubu.
HMS Formidable (na vodu spuštěna 1777) byla vlajkovou lodí admirála Rodneyho v bitvě u Saints v roce 1782.

Aroma: Příjemně uhlazená ovocnost, výrazné pomeranče, lehounce kokos, mokré dřevo, vanilka.
Chuť: Velmi jemná - vanilka a trochu dřeva. A opět se objevují pomeranče.
Dozvuk: Příjemně trpký, rozinkový se špetkou vanilky a tóny dřeva. Středně dlouhý.
Sladkost: 0/3
Ochutnán vzorek
Formidable je určitě nejlepší a nejkomplexnější ze série válečných lodí. Mít o pár % navíc, byla by to pecka.

honey, cinnamon and vanilla, chocolate, tobacco, oak and a sweet caramel.
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Aged in American white oak ex-bourbon casks
adds that particularly rich, sweet and fragrant flavor.
Very Good Rum

Tasting notes: dark chocolate, ginger, clove, oak' and vanilla
Nose: toffee, medicinal quality, leather, chocolate

Well balanced. If this rum had a higher cask strength, it would be a 10.