Chairman’s Reserve 1931 6-12 Years

I love trying samples! It always seems expensive, and objectivity it is, but I always enjoy the compare and contrast. Running low on rum, I bought a couple of Chairman's Reserve rum samples to add to an order of ED12 and an independent bottling of Port Mourant, and it's been fascinating to see how they all hold up.
So, the 1931. Smell makes me think I've used the same glass as the the CR Spiced (I definitely haven't!), as its got a strong citrus element, with perhaps a touch of grass underneath.
Flavour has taken a little while in the glass to open up, but now I get a marmalade vibe, although not as prominent as the 2005. Beyond that, there's a complexity there, although a relatively subtle one, mixing layers of brown sugar, oak, and grass from the agricole. It's very well blended and integrated, with a nice burn and a really long finish.
It really is a well crafted rum, and very drinkable. The impression is sugar and marmalade and grass, with a layer of oak/varnish akin to Forgotten Casks but much less prominent. It's very likeable and slightly weird.
But is it better than the Port Mourant I have open alongside (that's also vastly cheaper!)? A blend of 14 different marques from column and pot stills versus single wooden pot still.
The 1931 is objectively more balanced, better integrated, and the PM much more challenging but has an indefinable X factor the 1931 can't equal.
Horses for courses I guess. It's nice to try both!

The Chairmans Reserve Saint Lucia 1931 is a blend of 14 molasses and sugar cane rums, which have been produced in column and pot style. The rum is a limited bottling, which appears annually and complements the anniversary bottlings. The whole thing is quite a complex topic. The rum is bottled with 46% alcohol in the typical 1931 bottle, which makes a chic high-quality impression.

The nose is fantastic for me and meets my taste very much. Great spicy tobacco notes, also meet coffee, bourbon, vanilla, some mocha and chocolate as well as light floral grassy notes. Here the rum is a blast and I am very happy with that.

On the palate, the rum looks a bit thin at first and the alcohol gives off its sharpness. But then the rum catches itself with intense spicy notes. Tobacco, leather and some coffee pair with some sweetness on tap. Bitter substances make the rum pleasantly dry and the finish is characterized by smoky bourbon and wood notes.

A great rum that is sufficiently complex for me and offers great flavors if you like it spicy. In cask strength it would be probably even more intense. The nose promises a little more than the rum offers in the mouth. But for the nosing a feast. Clear recommendation. I'm looking forward to the other rums from Chairman's Reserve and St. Lucia. A great Start.

Der Chairmans Reserve Saint Lucia 1931 ist ein Blend aus 14 Melasse und Zuckerrohr Rums, welche im Column und Pot Stil hergestellt worden sind. Der Rum ist eine limitierte Abfüllung, welche jährlich erscheint und die Jubiläums Abfüllungen ergänzt. Das ganze ist ein durchaus komplexes Thema. Der Rum wird mit 46% Alkohol in die typische 1931 Flasche abgefüllt, welche einen schicken hochwertigen Eindruck macht.

Die Nase ist für mich fantastisch und trifft sehr meinen Geschmack. Tolle würzige Tabaknoten, treffen auch Kaffee, Bourbon, Vanille, etwas Mokka und Schokolade sowie leichte florale grassige Noten. Hier ist der Rum eine Wucht und einer meiner Favoriten.

Am Gaumen wirkt der Rum erst einmal etwas dünn und der Alkohol gibt seine Schärfe ab. Dann fängt der Rum sich aber mit intensiven würzigen Noten. Tabak, Leder und etwas Kaffee paaren sich mit etwas Süße vom Fass. Bitterstoffe machen den Rum angenehm trocken und der Abgang ist durch rauchige Bourbon und Holznoten geprägt.

Ein toller Rum, der für mich ausreichend komplex ist und tolle Aromen bietet, wenn man es würzig mag. In Fassstärke bestimmt noch einmal intensiver. Die Nase verspricht etwas mehr als der Rum im Mund anbietet. Aber für das Nosing ein Fest. Klare Empfehlung. Bin auf die weiteren Rums von Chairmans Reserve gespannt.

I have been looking forward to sample and review this rum for some time. My previous experience with Chairman’s Reserve rums consist of the “Original” blend (which I did not like), “The Forgotten Casks” (which I enjoyed) and the “1931 3rd edition” (which I did not care for as a result of the 12 g/L of added sugar in the blend).
I however read good reviews on the current 1931 blend and it was time to give Chairman’s Reserve another try.

The presentation with the beautiful decanter style bottle and the colour scheme are very classy and everything points to a quality product. On the nose my initial thought were that it somehow reminded me of the funky smell of Appleton rums, which is not a bad thing. In the glass the colour of the liquid is of a beautiful dark gold. Over the years I have come to appreciated elevated ABV and the 46% ABV of this blend adds to the complexity of this rum and longs the finish. Very very smooth rum with absolutely no burn.

WOW, what a pleasant Sipper this rum is. This rum is an EXCELLENT product which will require that I acquire many more bottles to add to my supply/collection.

Superb!

This is not a bad rum, but it doesn't impress me as much as it seems to do others. It's sweet and easy, but lacks character and power for me.

Bought this bottle based on the reviews, thinking it was the 1931 Chairman’s Reserve (St Lucia) that has the 8.4 rating. Apparently not! Initially I was disappointed, but half way through the bottle it is starting to grow on me. Not sure if it’s a one and done bottle for me, or not. If the ratings slowed for 1/4 increments, I would have rated as a 6.75.

This bottle of Chairman's Reserve was bottled in 2018 and is presented at 46% ABV.

On the nose there is strawberry, pepper, salt, candied orange, raisin, cherry and kiwi.

The palate re-attacks with more strawberry, brown sugar, oak and a slight oilyness.

The finish is almond, soft ginger, coffee grinds, walnut and oak.

I like the strawberry note very much, but I find this one a little too oaky for my taste.

Yes this rum has a complex flavour profile but it found it sharp, alcoholic, with a quite thin body. I expected much more based on the other reviews. More like 6,5 to me. Will not buy again.

Aroma is not bad, but taste is light a uncomllex with strange chemical/ester tones.

A very nice and tasty rum with a beautiful aroma. A classic to in most home bars, and never an offence. I just find MGXO a sip better, just slightly less strong or burny on the palate. hence a 7 and not an 8. I might change my mind in the future and rate better.

I was waiting with excitement to finally taste this highly regarded drop. First impression was shock and bewilderment! - It cant be.. this must be a dud bottle, stored incorrectly or something horrific has changed its DNA. Purchased from a most reputable store with which whom I have a long and successful relationship with. Wood and cheap liquorice with an unpleasant chemical smell, taste does not improve after the nosing and stays the same. Give it the benefit of the doubt and try again in a few weeks. It has mellowed but with the same cheap liquorice taste, most unimpressed. I cant find any flavour profile similar to other chairman's drop???
Alright, an opened bottle with a few glasses worth missing and a month later usually improves most bottles - Nope! The nose has improved and the taste only mildly more pleasant than what I recall but still that damn cheap liquorice dominates. I do notice a pleasant oak taste and a mild caramel appearing later but too little to late to impress. I have a third of the bottle left and will give it a couple of more months to Hopefully allow some oxygen to improve this bad boy. Very disappointed by this experience and will rate it accordingly but I do hold hope my experience is a one off and not the true drop.