Rum Exchange began as a Facebook group where people could trade… well, bottles of rum. Now the company itself which was started by Andreas Isopp is involved in importing and distributing various small brands and also has its own range of rums sourced from various distilleries/countries – I reviewed their first bottling that hails from Hampden Distillery, Jamaica here.
The Rum Exchange Guyana is release number 4 and was distilled at Diamond Distillery in the infamous Port Mourant (PM) still. The PM is a ‘double’ wooden pot still part of the Heritage Stills – stills that ended up under the roof of Diamond Distillery following the closure of various other estates/distilleries in Guyana over the years, the last one to house them before Diamond being Uitvlugt. It’s arguably the most famous pot still in the world. For more history/details on that I once again link the articles put together by the Cocktail Wonk here and here.
So molasses based, distilled in 2008 in the Port Mourant Wooden Pot Still, aged continentally for 11 years in an ex-Bourbon cask (I’ll assume it’s a single cask given that there are only 252 bottles available) and bottled in 2019 at 58.3% ABV, not meddled with whatsoever – no colourants or additives.
On the nose feels sweet and spicy. Chocolate coated liquorice, ginger, black pepper, bananas and pencil shavings. Canned pears, dusty cardboard and leather. Sultanas, sandalwood, Cafe Late with a touch of cinnamon and grapefruit zest. Quite a bit of oak along with some pine tree, pistachios and a sharp white vinegar note. Reminds me of a Highland Single Malt.
On the palate this is sharper than I was expecting. Peat smoke, white vinegar, ginger, raisins, pink pepper, anise, lemon zest and a touch of cheddar. Sweetened coffee, cacao nibs, roasted pistachios, rhubarb, vanilla and some cloves. Quite earthy like someone tripped me over and I took a good bite of dirt… and enjoyed it. Fruity with bananas, pears and yellow apples. Finish is nice and long with lingering liquorice, smoke and a bit of a Tic Tac note.
I am a sucker for Port Mourant, and this doesn’t disappoint. Tasty, complex, and while it may hurt the budget a bit (£100), it’s well worth it. Only 252 bottles, so I’d say hurry to grab one – click here or here for UK delivery.
Rum Exchange Guyana – Port Mourant 11 Year Old score:
Flavour/taste: 59/70
Value for money: 14/15
Transparency/purity: 15/15
Overall: 88/100
Cheers!