Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/581407
88 / the tasting panel / october 2015 All Aboard wh Kirk and Sweeney On the high seas during the early years of Prohibition, a wooden schooner named Kirk and Sweeney smuggled rum from the Caribbean to the Northeast. Before entering U.S. waters along what became known as the "Rum Line," smaller, more nimble boats would take the cargo with hopes to outrun the Coast Guard—eventually the vessel was seized and went into duty for the Coast Guard until the 1940s. In honor of this distin- guished ship, 35 Maple Street Spirits— the Spirits division of The Other Guys based in Sonoma, CA—began produc- ing Kirk and Sweeney Rum, made in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. Starting with traditionally harvested sugarcane, the 12- 18- and 23-year expres- sions are aged in American oak barrels and each are bottled at 40 ABV. Don't get caught without a bottle of this well-traveled rum behind the bar! —E. C. 35 MAPLE STREET SPIRITS Tasting Notes Kirk and Sweeney 12 Year Dominican Rum Rich amber color; lush vanilla, sugarcane and wood nose; smooth and lush with rich vanilla, dried citrus and lovely spice; toasted, elegant and dense with lovely flavors and just the right amount of heat; long and rich. 93 —A. D. B. Kirk and Sweeney 18 Year Dominican Rum With its sandalwood and antique cedar chest perfume, the tastebuds are enticed with a salted caramel and white pepper-mango flour- ish on the palate. Vanilla and molasses follow, only to be led to a luscious tropical heady ripeness of fruits and flowers. 96 —M. M. Kirk and Sweeney 23 Year Dominican Rum Scents of deep, rich dark chocolate and citrus-kissed figs make this dark copper vixen intriguing from the start. Sweet coffee beans, roasted with honey and hazelnuts are sinewy and melt on the tongue. A nectar of sherried peach and brown-sugared orange peel get zingy with a breath of white pepper. Warm and sensuous to the finish. 97 —M. M. Atlantico Private Cask Dominican Rum: A Blend for e Ages Between its microclimate and topography, the Dominican Republic may well be the most accommodating place in the Caribbean for the production of rum. It should also be noted that sugarcane was introduced to the island by none other than Christopher Columbus. In 1493, on his second voyage to the New World, Columbus waded ashore carrying an armful of sugarcane from the Canary Islands. Few rums better reflect the pedigree of the Dominican Republic than artisanal Atlantico Private Cask. The brand is the creative output of third generation master blender Omar Lopez. It's comprised of a blend of rums distilled from molasses as well as fresh cane juice, all of which are aged in charred American white oak barrels. When the rums have reached maturity, they are taken off the wood and finished in the firm's Solera aging system. By the time it is bottled at 80-proof, Atlantico Private Cask has aged over two decades. Atlantico Private Cask is a blend for the ages. The snifter-ready rum rapidly displays the wafting aromas of vanilla, cinnamon, caramel, toffee, almond and toasted oak, and an equally delectable, dry and spicy palate. Its finish is remarkably long and thoroughly satisfying. "Our goal in launching Atlantico was to create a range of world-class, hand- crafted rums that will play a role in changing the perception of the rum category," says brand co-founder Brandon Lieb. "We want to help people discover that rums can be every bit as complex and appealing as single malts and small batch bour- bons." Mission accomplished. ATLANTICO RUM COMPANY Tasting Notes Atlantico Private Cask Dominican Rum Multifaceted nose of English toffee and butter. Notes of orange pekoe tea and sassafras/root beer combine on the palate and push through to a spicy mature finish. 91 —M. M.