ENGLISH HARBOUR PORT CASK FINISH
STYLE: Rum
ABV: 46%
DISTILLER: Antigua Distillery Ltd, St. John’s, Antigua
AGE: 5 Year (Finished three to six months in Port Butts). Bottled November 2016.
English Harbour is a newer rum for me and I am kicking myself for not having discovered them sooner. Although the brand has only existed since the early 1990’s, Antigua Distillery Ltd has a history dating back to 1932 and includes a five and 10-year rum in their core range along with a 24-year-old rum if you are lucky enough.
In the last couple of years, Antigua Distillery has begun to release a new series of Cask Finish rums to their portfolio. These include: Port, Madeira and Sherry. Like the rest of the English Harbour line; the rum comes from molasses sourced from Guyana and the Dominican Republic. It is fermented for 24-36 hours using a combination of commercial and wild yeast before being distilled on their 5 column continuous stills. The rum is aged a minimum of five years in ex-bourbon/Tennessee whiskey barrels before being transferred to one of these three casks where they are further aged for three to six months. All aging occurs in a warehouse without climate control.
For the rum in question; it is aged in 100-200-year-old (packing claims 200, but their site says 100) Port Butts from the Old Royal Oporto Company. They are the flagship brand of Real Companhia Velha that uses grapes grown in their own Quintas.
Color: The color has a deep, sap like quality to it. Held up to white paper, tinges of deep brick red, almost magenta hues can be seen.
Nose: The aromas are heavy and muddled. After taking time with it, they reveal themselves as Autumn desserts. Aromas of pecan pie, ginger snap cookies, grilled dates, blueberry jam and smoky burnt oak.
Palate: First there is a wash of molasses and sulfur that batters the palate. The Port Butts are at the forefront here, completely dominating the flavors of the rum itself. Soon the powerful flavors calm themselves and become more approachable. Notes of fruit leather, buttery pie crust, anise and maduro tobacco each make themselves known.
Mouthfeel: Incredibly warm on the palate. But it is incredibly comforting and satisfying.
Finish: Dry. Astringent. The wood is making itself known and hogging the stage light. It almost reminds me of one of those 100% cacao chocolate bars that leaves a gritty feeling in your mouth. That being said; I am one of those weirdos that really enjoys those.
Overall: This rum is absolute stunner for me. As some of you already know, I am an absolute sucker for spirits that spend any amount of time in a Port cask. While some may turn their heads to this review; I still implore you to try this rum if you come across it. Some purists might be turned off at how dominate the Port flavors might be, but I think that is the beauty of this rum. The dark, rich and ultimately unapologetic character is its charm. This is a rum that you want to cuddle up with on a dreary damp day or enjoy it with a cigar on a summer night. That being said; the $60.00 USD price tag on it is a bit steep and there is no reason it can’t be placed in the $45.00 range. When you consider the age of the Port Casks, that more than likely plays a role. Either way, this is a bottle that will always be on hand.
