Dead Reckoning Port Broadside Single Blended Jamaica Rum (700ml)

Dead Reckoning is offering their first edition of 'Port Broadside', a funky but mellow blend of three low-ester Jamaican rums (Hampden, Worthy Park and New Yarmouth; pot stills and a column still respectively). Born, bred and married in the tropics for three years, it was then honeymooned in the heat of Adelaide in a Seppeltsfield Tawny Cask that had held port continuously for 120 years. There was so much port infused into the grain that the cask was said to be almost 'gooey' inside. Specifically blended to exhibit the funk that Jamaican rums are famous for, it includes low ester ‘marques’ as stated on the label – all of them amongst the lowest of their distillery. The upshot is that this is ester-forward rum (it is Jamaican, after all!) but not overstated or over-the-top hogo, yet it's evocative enough to transport you to the Caribbean in a way that only all-natural Jamaican rum can. Overripe tropical fruit, moist fruit cake, dilute molasses, sarsaparilla and liquorice bullets slowly gather definition on the nose. In the mouth, it errs on the bittersweet-dry side rather than being sugary and fat; the flavour concentration is impressive at 50% delivering a slow-motion surge of papaya, semi-ripe banana and raisin slice with hints of muscat as the sugars gain ground at the finish. Skilfully balanced and with fabulous persistence, the value for money is high (taste this against Velier's bottlings and it compares more than favourably). There's also ample funk giving it an emphatically Jamaican character. As with other Dead Reckoning releases, nothing has been added and the rum comes with zero chill filtration. 360 bottles were decanted in September 2023. For the non-sailors out there, a Broadside is a firing of all the guns from one side of a warship. 50% Alc./Vol.

Notes from the importers... Nose: The nose on this really evolves over time. There’s waves of mashed banana, juicy fruit chewing gum, creaming soda and a sultana-laden bread and butter (or is it rice?) pudding and custard! Palate: Masses of firepower with a rich and syrupy mouthfeel yet there’s also a crisp and dry backbone that makes itself known with just a touch of astringency that balances out the sweetness. [The column still component plus the tawny barrel at work there I’m sure!] Masses of fruit salad, lots of sweet and fragrant spices and stewed fruit to boot! Finish: Lovely, long and utterly divine. Burnt liquorice, sarsaparilla-spider, caramel and sweet banana custard. Another amazing release from the master of the dry-aged finish. Sweet and slightly funky on the nose, but takes a port tack to the dry side on the palate before rolling back to round sweetness in the finish. Mellow and funky like a groovy summer breeze, carrying the rhythm of a laid-back Funkadelic tune. Complex as quadratics, but easy as 1, 2, 3.