El Dorado Special Reserve 21 Year Old Rum (700ml)

Delivers a kind of finesse that's almost unmatched in the rum pantheon.
First class.

The El Dorado rums are created from a combination of eight stills, some of which are the world's oldest in operation. Their different construction and size means each yields different distillates that allow for a maximum range of styles. The 21 year old is produced in three: the Enmore wooden Coffey still, the Versailles single wooden pot still and the Albion Savalle still with an emphasis on the latter. This original, four-column, metal French beauty was inherited from the 18th century Uitvlught Estate on the west coast of Demerara county. The rums it produces are characterised by a pronounced sweet, sugar cane nose combined with a dry medium-bodied flavour. The result is an alternative to the uber-exuberance of the 15 Year Old in which the Port Mourant contributes most. This is no powerhouse, rather you get serious complexity, persistence and a kind of finesse that's almost unmatched in the rum pantheon. Described as “monumental" and "one of the world’s greatest rum drinking experiences” by the Beverage Tasting Institute of Chicago, it's for the enthusiast who has the patience to appreciate it.

Tasting note:[40% Alc./Vol. batch tasted] A blend of select aged rums between 21 -25 years old. Deep topaz / polished mahogany colour shows moderate viscosity. Drier styled aromas open mildly varnishy, developing with raisin slice, dates, banana cake, cinnamon, raw sugar and apricot brandy over 5-10 minutes; the sweeter notes are countered by woody, resiny aromas suggesting cigar box, cane and wax polish. Final pass accents toffee, rock lollies and heightens the dried fruit notes. Entry is light, dry, woody, unfolding with understated elegance, coating the mouth with a film of banana cake, dates, light molasses, caramel and vanilla. Builds in slow motion, peaking with a superb crescendo of sugars and zero burn, closing with liquorice allsorts and residual molasses through the aftertaste. Resonates and rebounds in the mouth over several minutes, the wood contributing almost as much as the spirit, the whole coming together in a way that sets it apart from almost any other rum. If you hurry this, frankly you'll be wasting your money. Demands extended breathing to reveal its best. One to savour.

Gold - Golden - 2017 International Wine & Spirit Competition

Other reviews... Aeration allows aromas of oak, winter holiday spice and vanilla cake frosting to emerge. Supple palate entry, moderately honeyed; midpalate highlights include the buttery/creamy texture and tastes of cocoa, fiber, ash and beans. Sophisticated and world-class. 92 points - wineenthusiast.com