Copeland smugglers reserve, Bordeaux Grand Cru
ABV: 42%
Country: Barbados, Northern Ireland
Age: Unknown
Cask: ex-bourbon barrels & Bordeaux Grand Cru red wine casks
Still: Unknown
Price: £35
Distillery: Copeland Distillery
Last year I tried the overproof rum from Copeland and really enjoyed it so when a friend recommended this bottle to me it was a no brainer.
This is a particularly interesting rum in its production as there are quite a few different things happening. This is a blend of double distilled rum from the Copeland distillery itself combined with a dark rum from an unnamed Barbados distillery. Double aged, initially in ex-bourbon barrels before spending the last 4 months in Bordeaux Grand Cru red wine casks.
Nose
This is a FUNK bomb!! It’s hard to believe it’s a blend of Northern Ireland and Barbados because what I’m getting is pure Jamaica. Acetone, pineapple, pears, pepper and wet wood. Very fresh, with some musky and sweet notes thrown in for good measure.
Palate
Pineapple, cherry, vanilla and pepper are all bouncing around here. I’m not getting the red fruit/red wine notes that I expected yet their influence on this rum are undeniably there. Softening the funky notes to an enjoyable level and bolstering the woody, sugar & spice notes to leave something that’s “all things nice”.
Moving onto the finish the funk is definitely more present on the tail end with overripe pineapple and surprisingly a salty/saline note that really works.
5/10 – this is not my usual style of rum for neat sipping but makes me want to explore more rums like this. (One to revisit scoring soon as I can see this climbing)
My scoring system, explained
- 10: Exceptional. This is best in class and a firm favourite of mine.
- 9: Outstanding. Near perfection, a bottle I would be sad to finish (and very happy to restock!)
- 8: Excellent. An evening spent sipping this would be a very good one.
- 7: Great. Add to cart, no questions asked.
- 6: Very good. At the right price I would definitely buy a bottle.
- 5: Good. If someone poured me a glass you wouldn’t hear me complain.
- 4: Above average. Not quite good but better than some.
- 3: Average. Average at best, this isn’t offensive but equally not exciting either.
- 2: Not for me. This simply means it’s not a profile I find enjoyable; rather than a reflection of quality.
- 1: Not the spirit. This is a poor representation of the spirit.
