1975 Cadenhead's Green Label Demerara Rum (700ml)

The firm of William Cadenhead Ltd, Wine and Spirit Merchants, was founded in 1842 and is Scotland's oldest independent bottler. The company was in the ownership of the same family until taken over by J & A Mitchell & Co.Ltd in 1972, the proprietors of Springbank distillery. Today, Cadenhead is probably the only Company in the world that holds extensive stocks of old matured-in-oak Demerara Rum (though they're also legendary for bottling excellent single cask, cask-strength, non-chill-filtered whiskies). The company places particular emphasis on the individuality of each bottling and bottle only a single cask of Rum at one time.

Guyana is justly famous for its rich, heavy Demerara Rums, named for a local river, which are produced from both pot and column stills. Demerara Rums can be aged for extended periods (25-year-old varieties are on the market) and are frequently used for blending with lighter Rums from other regions. Cadenhead's Green Label Demerara has been bottled from a specially selected individual cask distilled in 1975. In order to maximise flavour, the rum has not been treated, with the exception of the addition of water added to bring the spirit to a standard strength.

Tasting note: Those who spend less than a few minutes nosing this spirit are missing the point (and probably wasting their money). It demands contemplation and will continue unfolding for at least ten minutes, during which the aftertaste will rebound several times with surprising intensity. Try to think of every rum you've ever tasted combined into one. Both aromatically and in the mouth it offers a typically massive Demerara experience with huge off-dry flavours of liquorice, roast nut, coffee, brown sugar, dried banana, leather and spice followed by an exceptionally long, drying aftertaste. Other than a pleasantly spicy, delicate warmth the spirit is almost indiscernible, while the length, texture, balance and mouth feel are impeccable. Unquestionably it is one of the world's great rums but begs the question: What else have Cadenhead's got to show that we don't know about? 40.3%