This niche release from Holmes Cay won acclaim last year, even from rum fans who generally prefer Jamaican and Barbados rum styles. I finally decided to get a bottle myself, and boy am I glad I did.
The rum from Belize is 100% Column Still distillate, but has been tropically aged for 15 years and contains no added sugar or additives. Nonetheless it is quite flavorful and has a sweet vanilla finish. The rum is bottled at cask strength at 61% ABV, yet is still pleasant to sip neat.
As expected, I also made a Mai Tai with this rum. The flavor is different than my usual Jamaican-heavy blend, but is still quite satisfying. The rum’s characteristics do pull through even in the cocktail format, delivering a sweet flavor and a long finish.
These bottles won’t be around forever, so if you have the opportunity to purchase (and can accord the ~$100 price of this limited release) I’d encourage you to take the plunge.
