Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/72473
Blackwell Jamaican Recently released Blackwell Jamaican Rum is distilled, aged and blended by J. Wray & Nephew of Kingston. Brainchild of hotelier and reggae music mogul Chris Blackwell, the brand is a blend of molasses-based, continuous- and pot- distilled rums that is infused with tropi- cal fruit—bananas and mangoes—and barrel-aged for a minimum of a year. Similar to blackstrap rum, its nose and palate are brimming with caramel, coconut and vanilla and a hint of smoke. DOMAINE SELECT Brinley Gold Shipwreck Spiced Brugal Añejo Shipwreck has a boatload of charm and personality. The rum is produced on St. Kitts in the West Indies from column dis- tilled, molasses-based Demerara rums aged in oak bar- rels for four years. The artistry comes into play when creat- ing the all-important spice package, which includes a propri- etary mix of oranges, vanilla, nutmeg, cloves and other spices. BRINLEY GOLD RUM The soil, climate and access to fresh water make the Dominican Republic one the finest places to cultivate sugarcane. The influence of terroir is especially evident in top-shelf Brugal Añejo, a skillfully crafted blend of column- distilled rums made from local molasses and aged 5 years in charred American oak. The rich amber añejo is generously aromatic and laced with honey, fruit and milk choco- late flavors that linger before tapering to a long, satisfying finish. RÉMY COINTREAU USA Cockspur Fine One of the renowned distillers in all of the Caribbean is the West Indies Rum Distillery of Bridgetown, Barbados. Since 1884, the firm's flagship brand has been the inimitable Cockspur Fine Rum. Cockspur is made with sugarcane molasses and a proprietary molasses- cultured yeast. The rum's fabled balance is the result of the distillery's use of alembic stills and a sophisticated four-column continuous still. As a result, it produces both light-bodied rums, as well as fuller-bodied, pot still spirits. COCKSPUR USA Denizen Here's a new silver rum sporting style and substance. The rum is comprised of Trinidadian column-distilled rums and Jamaican pot-dis- tilled rums that are blended with precision in Amsterdam. The crystal clear spirit has a velvety, lightweight body and fruity and floral aromatics. Its flavor profile mirrors that offered at your neighborhood bakery—vanilla, caramel, mango, coconut and more. Denizen is loaded with enough character to excel in any cocktail or tall drink. CITIZEN SPIRITS july 2012 / the tasting panel / 113