Rum Trails, Belize

Elixir Distillers are a brand that need no introduction on the That Rum Drinker blog, being the company behind Black Tot. The Rum Trails series offers an interesting insight into their approach to sourcing and blending. In the search for the right rums for each year’s Master Blender’s Reserve of Black Tot, a lot of casks are considered that don’t quite fit the desired profile for the blend but are delicious in their own right. Rum Trails gives Elixir the opportunity to bottle these rums for us to enjoy.

This bottling from Belize is a fantastic example of Elixir Distillers sourcing a rum that demonstrates the character of its origin. As with many of the independent bottlings I’ve featured on the blog, it offers an opportunity to look beyond the final blend and appreciate what makes a particular cask stand out.

Facts & Figures.

ABV: 48%

Country: Belize

Age: 9 years

Cask: Heavily charred virgin American oak and ex-Bourbon

Still: Triple Column Still

Price: £60

Distillery: Not disclosed

On the nose.

It’s impossible to ignore the chocolate note on this – think relatively cheap, milk chocolate… maybe easter egg? There’s also a vanilla note that leans more towards custard and some soft toffee rounding things out. Somehow this doesn’t come across overly sweet. Very little wood presence.

On the palate.

Some wood presence that I didn’t quite get from the nose – notably this comes across quite young with an acidic tartness to it. The chocolate from the nose is present but takes a backseat in contrast to what the nose suggested. Some tropical fruits (Pineapple and Mango) with vanilla bean, toffee and almond/marzipan all adding a sweeter element to balance out the wood. On the finish I get a little grassy/cane note.

7/10 – This demonstrates a quality rum in an almost understated fashion. Reliable rather than crazy. I’ll be revisiting this one again soon.