Review: Saison Pale Rum
Saison Pale Rum is one of six rums in the Saison Rum portfolio that are distilled in the Caribbean and shipped to France where the rum is aged in barrels and blended at Distillerie Tessendier and Fil. This distillery is best know for crafting Cognac Park. For four generations the Tessendier men and women have grown grapes and created cognac. Saison Pale Rum is made from distillates from 3 distinct terroirs in the Caribbean Islands of Barbados. Trinidad, and Jamaica. The chosen unaged rums are selected from both the distillation of molasses in pot stills combined with sugarcane distillation in column stills. The rums are shipped to France and blended by Cognac Master Jerome Tessendier. The blend rests in mature French oak barrels on the banks of the Charente River for 3 months. The rum is gradually reduced to 40% with no sugar added. Read more 
Review: Admiral Rodney HMS Princessa
Admiral Rodney HMS Princessa rum is distilled, blended and bottled by St. Lucia Distillers. Admiral George B Rodney will forever be remembered as the Admiral who broke the French line at the battle of the Saints, safeguarding British control of the Caribbean. The HMS Princessa was one of the first ships to engage the French in this battle. This is one of three rums in the Admiral Rodney line of spirits. All three are now available in the US. It is crafted on a twin 45 plate Coffey column still. The rums are extracted from the bottom plates of the still as these distillates have the balance of flavors to provide intensity and complexity. The rums are aged for 5-9 years in both American white oak bourbon, and port casks. The Master Blender then blends together the rums before bottling at 80 proof. Read more
Review: Chairman’s Reserve Original Rum
Chairman’s Reserve Original Rum was first blended in 1999, overseen by then Chairman Laurie Barnard to create a quality rum that could represent the iconic style of St. Lucian rum. The Barnard family first settled in St. Lucia in the 1930’s and established their distillery by making rum from the molasses produced by the islands massive sugar plantations. Due to the rise of the European sugar beet, the local sugar industry was forced into extinction. The remaining two distilleries consolidated their operations creating St. Lucia Distillers. Chairman’s Reserve Original Rum is made from rich molasses sourced from Guyana. Selected aged rums distilled from Coffey Column stills and copper pot stills aged in ex-bourbon barrels are blended and further rested in oak vats for an additional 6 months. The average age of the blended rums is 5 years. Read more
Review: Bumbu XO Rum
Bumbu Xo Rum was just released. It follows the successful release of The Original Bumbu Rum, aka Lil Wayne’s favorite rum. Bumbu takes its name from the navy strength rum softened with native fruits and herbs of the Caribbean created by 16th and 17th century sailors of the West Indies that they lovingly named Bumbu. Bumbu XO is crafted quite differently than both the early sailors recipe, and The Original Bumbu. The Original Bumbu is made from sugar cane sourced from eight Caribbean islands, distilled in Barbados, infused with spices, fruits, and herbs and bottled at 70 proof. Bumbu XO is made from locally grown Panamanian sugar cane and pure spring water. It is distilled in a still build in 1912 at a distillery in Panama dating back to 1890. The rum is aged up to 18 years in bourbon barrels and then finished in sherry casks made from white oak grown in the Andalusia region of Spain. Read more
Review: Angostura 7 Year Old Rum
Angostura 7 year old rum is distilled in Trinidad at Trinidad Distillers. The House of Angostura dates back to 1824 when Dr. Siegert perfected the formula for aromatic bitters to use in his medical practice in Venezuela. In 1875 the family business moved to Trinidad. Angostura 7 Year Rum is made from molasses, and is fermented with the same proprietary yeast strain used since 1947. The rum is distilled in a five column continuous still. A blend of both heavy and light rum is aged a minimum of seven years in once used American oak bourbon barrels. The spirit is then filtered, and blended before bottling at 80 proof. Read more
Review: 896 5 Year Old Rum
896 5 Year Old Rum is made from a blend of rums distilled and aged for a minimum 5 years in Barbados. Sitting next to 896 5 Year Old Rum on the shelf at Total Wine and More is 896 8 Year Old Rum. Both are imported and bottled by Universal Brands in Princeton Minnesota. If you have ever visited a Total Wine and More, I have no doubt you are amazed at the selection of beer, wine, and spirits they carry. While they sell most of the top name brand spirits you would expect, they specialize in selling local craft spirits, along with spirits you just can’t find at any of your local liquor stores. Some of these spirits are hidden gems from craft distillers that would never make there way to your state if not for Total Wine and More. Others are produced or bottled by some of the nations biggest private label distilleries including the one in Princeton Minnesota that produces 896 Rum. Unfortunately little or no information is available about these products. I often stay away from these products because as a reviewer there is very little to write about other than the actual product review. I purchased this bottle because I am a big fan of rum produced in Barbados and since it was on sale for $13.99 I thought I would give it a shot. Read more
Review: Kirk and Sweeney 12 Year Old Rum
Kirk and Sweeney 12 Year Old Rum is produced by 3 Badge Beverage Company, a family owned company that also makes Uncle Val’s Gin, Pasote Tequila, and Bozal Mezcal. 3 Badge is run by 4th generation vintner August Sebastiani out of an old fire station in Sonoma California. This is the same fire station his grandfather helped build and also worked as a volunteer fireman. The original and namesake Kirk and Sweeney was a wooden schooner best known for smuggling rum from the Caribbean to the Northeast during the early years of prohibition. In 1924 it was seized off the coast of New York with a massive amount of rum aboard. The Kirk and Sweeney lineup includes a 12, 18, and 23 year old rum. Kirk and Sweeney 12 Year Old Rum is crafted from blackstrap molasses produced from sugarcane grown in grown in the Dominican Republic. The rum is fermented, distilled and aged for 12 years in oak barrels at Bermudez Distillery in Santiago de los Caballeros DR. Read more
Review: Zaya Gran Reserva Rum
Zaya Gran Reserva Rum is produced in Trinadad, the southernmost island of the Caribbean, at Trinidad Distillers. It is made from 12 different rare rums that are carefully selected and blended by the Zaya Master Distiller. These rums are aged a minimum of 12 years. Some are up to 18 years old. Zaya is one of several spirits in the Infinium Spirits stable that also includes Templeton Rye, Crystal Head Vodka, Tequila Corralejo, and Kerrygold Irish Cream Liqueur. Read more
Review: Saint James Heritage Rum
Saint James Heritage Rum is made with a meticulous blend of rums carefully selected from six of the finest Caribbean Islands by Master Blender Myriam Bredas. These rums are distilled and aged for 12 months in Martinique, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Trinidad, Jamaica, and Barbados. Some of these rums are distilled with molasses, and some with fresh pure sugarcane juice. Saint James was born in Saint-Pierre de la Martinique in 1765 from the hands of Reverend Father Edmund Lefebure. This dignified priest crafted a cane spirit called Guildive. Today this spirit is known as Rhum Agricole. Saint James continues to produce rum from fresh pure sugarcane juice, and one of these rums is included in Saint James Heritage Rum. Read more