I’m having a look at the sample I received for the freshly released Reniassance Rum that was finished in a Fino Cask and was bottled exclusively for TWE.
Reinassance is a fairly new rum producer from Taiwan. The molasses used as a base for this offering comes from local Taiwanese sugar cane and it was fermented for 15 days using red wine yeast and dunder. It was pot still distilled in September 2018, aged tropically in a new American White Oak barrel and finished in a Spanish Fino Cask bringing it to a total of 2 years maturation. Bottled in May 2021 at 62% ABV without any additions or chill filtering, with a limited run of 306 bottles.
On the nose it feels full bodied. Burnt rubber, ground coffee, dusty cardboard, furniture polish, cacao nibs and varnish. Brown sugar, red apples, nutmeg and stout. Seems quite woody for just a 2 year old. Ground black pepper, cloves, brownies and charred oak. A combo of stone fruits and dried ones.
On the palate it’s still intense, but also pretty balanced. Stone fruits galore, caramel, mothballs, balsamic vinegar and vanilla. Unripe plums, ginger beer, ripe banana and pineapple, green apples, raw cocoa nibs, green chilli and Pimento Dram. Some peppermint, smokiness and nutmeg. Luxardo liqueur and ripe pears. It’s a good mix of fruit and spice. The finish is long with mint, stone fruits and some oak bitterness.
While it retains a kick at 62% ABV, it is very palatable and layered. The more sharp and pungent flavours coming from the fermentation and pot still distillation are balanced pretty well by the short tropical ageing and the Fino cask adds some interesting bright fruit notes.
It’s priced at a hefty £175 on The Whisky Exchange website, but considering the Reniassance availability on this side of the world is very limited, I guess there is no other choice. I do wish it was a bit more affordable as the rum inside is great.
Reniassance Rum 2018 Fino Cask – The Whisky Exchange
Flavour/taste: 60/70
Value for money: 12/15
Transparency/purity: 15/15
Overall: 87/100
Cheers!
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