83 Islands Single Blend Yumi Vanuatu Rum (750ml)

The very first rum from a country many Aussies are familiar with as a holiday destination – Vanuatu! ‘Yumi Rum’ means ‘Our Rum’ in the region's dialect and the brand is the brainchild of a passionate local, Pierre-Luc Chabot, who kickstarted sugar plantations on the island in order to make rum. Due to the lack of agricultural machinery, everything is done by hand, and while official organic certification is years away, the farms simply couldn’t be any more organic. What's more, the cane varieties the Efate farmers are cultivating are heirloom Vanuatuan varieties. Fresh crushed cane juice wash is run with three plates of a 500l hybrid pot/column still operation. The distillate is then matured in the Port Vila warehouse in four used bourbon barrels from four of the world’s leading producers – Peerless Distilling, Heaven Hill Distillery, Brown Foremen and Jim Beam.

Sleek, glossy, lithe and very accessible, the 83 Islands style could be compared to well-aged Lowlands grain whisky, meaning it's lighter bodied than a Jamaican or Bajan, rather closer to mainland rums from Guatemala or Venezeula. The purity of the spirit shines and it comes with some lovely touches of caramelised pineapple, dried banana and mango amongst light sugars and spices. The result is mild enough to share neat with an inexperienced friend, yet confident and complex enough to serve to seasoned rum drinkers. Note: the ABV on the front label states 40%, however the actual ABV is 41.5% Alc./Vol., as declared on the back label.

Other reviews... Nose: Sweet floral and grassy notes. Fresh cut cane billets sitting in the sun, some plump sultana notes and a very feint whiff of sweet polythene glue. Palate: A lovely delicate spirit, very little pepper, sweet fruit salad notes and very little, if any, funk at all. Some citrus peel is apparent and a nice vanilla twang is present as palate and finish overlap. Finish: Pleasant vanilla wraps around delicate fruit notes, a sprinkling of demerara sugar, some ginger-y spice and more citrus – but citrus oil in the finish. - rumtribe.com.au