Dràm Mòr Single Cask Rum 2014

This Fidji is initially impetuous on the nose (esters, chemistry) but settles down after a while and fruits, tea and sweet almonds appear. On the palate, a heavy sweetness at first, followed by a vegetal and spicy side. Some tart tropical fruit is also present and the alcohol is not perfectly integrated. Dark chocolate with roasted almonds and tea are noticeable on the finish. A good Fidji.

The TCRL Fiji 2014 was a real eye-opener at the beginning of my rum trip. So much power, such wild aromas, I had never experienced that before. It then became quiet around the 2014 vintage. Swell and this dram Mor are among the first relevant releases. The nose fresh from the bottle is brutal: chemical esters, solvents, green tea, some organic waste. After a few minutes, it calms down a little. Slowly, honey, unripe fruit and a Christmassy sweetness with cinnamon, vanilla, caramel, candied ginger and gingerbread become the leading notes. A surprisingly soft side. The wood has transformed the crazy wildness. A great complex nose. On the palate, it is less mature: the alcohol is not optimally integrated, sour, lemony, unripe fruit and green vegetables (peppers, fennel, olives). This needs time and a lot of spit. The finish is not overly long, coming with eucalyptus freshness, salty olives and chlorophyll of bitterness. Not a simple rum. Exciting with a great nose and slightly too immature body. It lacks the quaffability of the TCRL, but brings more complexity. The sharp-edged mouth in particular costs a few points - the oxidation certainly helps here. Update: Compared the DramlMor again with the Swell, which tasted much better to me in my first impression at the Swell tasting. The first impression remains: The Swell has much more Fiji power, while the Dram Mor hides the blatant flavors somewhat in wood and vanilla. In particular, the DM is completely lacking in smokiness. In the mouth, the Swell is super fruity and reminds me of the TCRL here too. The Dram Mor is much darker, it has a lot of wood and spices and also a little more alcoholic bite. The Swell has plenty of sour esters that are somewhat reminiscent of Hampden - but I wouldn't give the Fiji more than Wedderburn in terms of ester level. All in all, the Swell is a class above the Dram Mor. Too bad.

Fiji Tasting with DomM This bottling from Dram Mor is in the middle of the Fiji bottlings. Not bad, but unfortunately not the best of the Fiji bottlings we tasted that evening. But all in all, it has to be said that Fiji produces really great bottlings.

A little one dimensional on the palate with sweetness and fruits. Marshmallow and cinnamon on the finish.

What is this? The return of the 2014 Fiji vintage. The TCRL was one of my first serious rums and a real discovery that I still like to drink today but the bottle is running out... Starts similarly "dirty" on the nose, of course with more wood influence. On the palate it is much more floral with peppers and olives, somehow really tasty and round. The finish clearly lacks length, but it remains a very good rum.

Sehr intensiver Rum der in der Nase brachial ist. Hier ist die Schärfe in einem Bereich angekommen in der es stört. Sehr medizinisch, mineralisch. Mango mischt sich dazwischen. Bitterstoffe sind sehr präsent und bleiben lange bestehen. Eine spannende Erfahrung. Wenn der Alkohol besser eingebunden wäre könnte der Rum sich bestimmt noch besser entfalten.

A big, bold nose. Immediate hit of fruity ester, usually found in Jamaican rums mixed with the varnish from a Saint Lucian Vendome still offering. Black tea to follow. The palate is sweet, edges more towards the deep, dark, Vendome character from the nose than the Jamaican funk. Lots of varnish, machine oil and pineapple. A pinch of salt. The finish sticks with the palate but with a touch of road tar that lingers for quite sometime. This is something. I love the oily, dark notes. If the Vendome stuff from Saint Lucia is your thing, this will be too.

Harmonious nose: Pneu, smoke, citrus fruit, lime, almonds Palate: Tropical fruit, pineapple, mango, glue, ester, slightly buttery, nutty, slightly peppery, alcohol well integrated, I like it very much

Stříbrný adventní kalendář RFC 2024

An almost aggressive nose, chemical solvents, lots of leather, a little rubber and unripe fruit. Needs aeration. On the palate, it stings, the alcohol is poorly integrated, and would have deserved another 5 years in cask, if not more. The ardor of youth is palpable. The leather is still very present, with these too-green fruits and a buttery side. The finish is short. Interesting rum, but nothing more.