The Rum Barrel Blog

Thanks to the #WhiskySanta promotion ran by the online retailer, Master of Malt, in December I managed to acquire this bottling from That Boutique-y Rum Company for free – Merry Christmas to me! So I will kickstart the New Year with a review of the said offering which was produced locally at The London Distillery Company, less than an hour away from my home by underground.

The London Distillery Company (TLDC) was actually (attemptedly) established in 1807 by Ralph Dodd, but it never took off due to some a complaint by an Essex distillery under the the 1720 Bubble Act. Wes at thefatrumpirate covered the story in his review. Fast forward to 2011 and TLDC was re-established and managed to supposedly distill the first whisky in London in 100 years. They also make gins in collaboration with The Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew – they launched the Dodd range gin as an homage to the original founder of the company.

At the beginning of 2020 TLDC was acquired by the British Honey Company (BHC) whose main range is their honey infused Keepr’s Spirits. BHC also make and sell honey and they are involved in sustainability practices, especially regarding bee farming. Apparently the very same sustainability mindset is what peaked their interest in TLDC.

That Boutique-y Rum Company (TBRC) are an independent bottler under the Atom umbrella and they are looking to bottle interesting rums from around the world, free of additives and bs with Peter Holland as their rum advisor and Brand Ambassador. I believe the rum in this TBRC bottling is the very first coming out from TLDC, making it quite special.

Molasses based, pot still distilled, unaged and bottled at 44.6% ABV free of any additives. There are only 139 bottles out there with mine being number 15.

On the nose it has that toffeeish aroma quite prominent in UK distilled rums. White chocolate, freshly printed paper, cheddar and rusty iron. Vanilla, raspberry jellies, lemon zest and dried coconut flakes. Feels a bit meaty too.

On the palate the (perceived) sweetness seems toned down. Toffee, canned mushrooms, basil and grapefruit zest. Damp cardboard, pine tree and juniper. Quite floral and vegetal with a touch of spice. Green chilli, white pepper with a bit of vanilla. Finish is short to medium with cooked mushrooms, vanilla and a slight bitterness.

I have to say, one of the few times I’m disappointed with a That Boutique-y Rum Company offering. A bit too light, unbalanced and all over the place with the botanical/vegetal aromas. Had worse, but definitely had better too and the £52 (Master of Malt) price-point for a 50cl bottle doesn’t help either. I do hope this doesn’t discourage The London Distillery Company from distilling more rum, I’m sure they can do better and I’d love to see more decent, continuously local (to London) rum offerings.

That Boutique-y Rum Company – The London Distillery Company (Batch 1) score:
Flavour/taste: 42/70
Value for money: 8/15
Transparency/purity: 15/15
Overall: 65/100

Cheers!