Dewar Rattray Port Morant Rum 1992 (17 year old) 46%
Dist: 1992 Btl: 2009
Tasted: Nov 2009
Now the interesting thing with this is that the sample arrived at its natural cask strength of 58.8% and obviously my notes reflect this, so the ‘with water’ notes will be what it will actually taste like. I asked Francis at Dewar Rattray why they had decided to bottle it at 46% and she told me it was because not being specialists in rum they had taken it on advice to bottle it at the lower abv, and one or two of there other customers said they preferred it at 46%.
Now, me, being me, preferred it at cask strength, to which Francis replied “Don’t tell me that!” “You won’t believe the aggravation I’ve been through with this!” They apparently have another cask of I think 1995, which hopefully they will bottle at cask strength.
A pungent and oily nose. I don’t actually need to put my nose in the glass to tell that! This is really intense – rum soaked chocolate sultanas, plump and juicy ones at that. Lovely powdery spices (cinnamon) and yet more dried fruit, cane molasses along with hits of menthol, chicory and a developing leafy-herbalness.
The palate is soft and oily opening with pure cocoa powder, cinnamon, all spice, linseed oil and sultanas. Juicy dried fruit with cane sugar. The sweetness is balanced by the piquant alcohol and the length is superb infused with chocolate drops. A real hit of theCaribbean!
With water (what it will actually be like)
The nose has become very oily now. All those aromas are still pleasant but it seems more reserved and less intimidating I suppose. The palate has the same increased oiliness, and I have to say it has a lovely mouth feel. Those spices, unbridled by the alcohol veritably dance on the tongue. The water also has brought out a medicinal/ leafy note which mutates into a Laphroaig-light, iodine and plaster note (A bit reminiscent of the Alchemist’s Rhum Agricole). Ok, so I preferred it a bit more hardcore, but at 46% it’s still really good.
Whisky According to Chris Whiskyman 