After I’ve been covering their “Daiquiri series” this year I decided it’s time to actually review their white rum. The Copal Tree Distillery was built in 2016 and is located in Southern Belize surrounded by 22000 acres of rainforest. Their Copal Tree farms is set on 3000 acres and it’s the first certified organic farm in Belize.
Worth mentioning that Copalli Rum is organic, with the cane being non-GMO and sourced from their farm. Also the distillery is designed to be sustainable as they use the sugar cane leftovers to power their boiler which is then used for the stills and the remaining ash is used as fertiliser. They also recycle all waste water and release it back into rivers and they use rainforest water for all their rums.
Copal Tree Farms are the biggest employer in the Southern Belize and the company has supported the local community by investing in rainforest preservation, marine conservation and local education.
About the rum, as mentioned they use organic sugar cane which is pressed in 2 hours after being hand cut and then distilled using a copper pot still and a 72 plate column still. Their white rum is then rested in stainless stills while the barrel aged one uses only pot still distillation and is aged in ex-Bourbon casks.
So Copalli White is cane juice based, pot and column still distilled and rested in stainless steel tanks. Bottled at 42% ABV with only canopy water added.
On the nose it has a fresh yet buttery feel. Fennel seeds, freshly cut grass, toffee, chalk and grapefruit zest. Blueberries, white pepper, single cream and coconut water. Some coriander and unripe pears as well. Has an interesting, but fairly mild profile for a cane juice product.
On the palate, as I thought from the nose, it isn’t particularly pungent. Freshly baked bread, white pepper, plain flour and a touch of liquorice. Toffee, saffron, feijoa and green tea. Cane juice, coriander and a bit of salt. It tastes a bit medicinal, almost mezcal-ish. The finish is medium to long with toffee and a herbal after-taste.
I wouldn’t have guessed from the first try that this is cane juice, it has more to it than just “grass” although I do wish it was a little bit more pungent. Copalli managed to make this a balanced cane juice white rum and I’m not against it, my only complaint is that I was expecting a bit more body given the base material, but just a little more.
It can be found for £31 from Master of Malt and, besides the fact that the rum comes from a company with great ethos, I can vouch it makes a great Daiquiri.
Copalli White Rum score:
Flavour/taste: 51/70
Value for money: 14/15
Transparency/purity: 15/15
Overall: 80/100
Cheers!
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