Professionele reviews
Serge Valentin (88)
‘Marine Life’ indeed, though do they really have orcas in the Caribbean? Colour: pale gold. Nose: esters are leading the conga line here, and we shan’t complain. Acetone, then varnish, followed by hairspray, then overripe bananas, pear eau-de-vie, a little carbon dust and a splash of olive oil. We think it’s absolutely smashing. Mouth: this is frankly Jamaican in character—excellent stuff, saline, tarry, and brimming with olives and seawater. Marine Life indeed! Finish: long, softer perhaps, yet still briny to the end. Comments: I’m not entirely sure this is truly a blend, but whatever it is, it’s superb.
BOW (86.50)
Le Blog a Roger:
(Translated from Original French)
The Duchess, the Dutch bottler well-known for showcasing numerous Caribbean and Scottish distilleries—from Caroni to Foursquare, including Labourdonnais, Worthy Park, Ben Nevis, BenRiach, Auchentoshan, and Bunnahabhain—is back with a new creation: a house blend of Caribbean rums from several origins. The exact distilleries remain a mystery, but they promise they're "legendary."
So yes, "legendary" is vague—but given their track record, we can expect something serious. The kind of distilleries that make enthusiasts' eyes light up before they even taste the first drop? Well, we'll see when we taste it!
As for the technical specifications, we can add that this blend is aged for a minimum of 12 years, has an alcohol content of 44%, and will be available for the modest sum of €40… yes, you saw that right, forty euros.
Nose
Quite sweet, pastry-like, with a fair amount of Jamaican notes, with some notes of solvents, marzipan, Patex glue, pink peppercorns, and a slight smokiness.
Over time, anchovy, and olive notes again remind us of Jamaica... the proportion coming from this island must be significant, or the marks quite high.
Next, a sweet, rich vanilla, some yellow-fleshed fruits, almonds, pineapple, and a subtle woody note with milk chocolate, a subtle licorice, and tobacco.
Palate
Relatively sweet, we still find traces of Jamaica with olives, smokiness, poscaille, and a strong buttery/vanilla note that could be more reminiscent of a very sweet Ron.
The fruits, with lemon meringue, pineapple, and very ripe banana, add a lovely fragrant note to the whole. The profile is very oily, it glides easily, and the reduction leaves the fat and substance.
White chocolate, vanilla, spices, almond oil, and licorice then emerge, giving way to a finish still marked by Jamaica.
Conclusion
A pleasant blend, strongly marked by Jamaica, but with a great sweetness that accompanies it all... and this price is simply incredible.
