The Whisky Live 2023 by Excellence Rhum

11 December 2023 | Discover
The Whisky Live 2023 by Excellence Rhum

As every year, the grand event that this fair represents (the largest in Europe) brings together spirits brands from all over the world. Once again, rum takes its share, and it increasingly resembles that of the lion, as the cane spirit, dear to our hearts, sees its influence grow among enthusiasts. Excellence Rum guides you through the aisles!

Matthieu's Favorites

The Rhum Gallery opened with the Neisson stand where several rums were available for tasting. The Zwetal, a rum that has been stirring a lot of interest lately, a blend of rums aged 10 to 21 years, develops spicy, vanilla, and fruity notes. There’s a hint of cocoa that is most welcome. Laurent Danigo, our logistics manager, particularly enjoyed it. Besides that, the Neisson vieux bio, batch 2, features notes of fruit peel, spice, including pepper, and finishes with a toasted touch. These are two excellent vintages.

At Bally, one had to rush for the Grande Cuvée du siècle, a blend of vintages from 1929, 1939, 1955, 1975, and 2008. The spicy, woody, fruity, tobacco, and nutty notes form a delicate, elegant, and complex whole. It is also a favorite of our friend and colleague Laurent Danigo. Not to be missed!

At Trois Rivières, the Triple Millésime 2004, 2014, 2016 (Batch 6) unfolds with cognac-like, tobacco, and yellow fruit notes, with a good length on the palate.

A short trip to Guadeloupe

In Guadeloupe, Bologne had on its stand a cuvée we know but were pleased to retaste: La Batterie. With this white rum, we have beautiful notes of sugarcane and raisin. It's worth noting that Bologne conducts extensive research on fermentation and aging. We might have some nice surprises in the years to come.

Papa Rouyo was highlighting its white rum Œilleton, at 51 degrees, distilled in a still: very smooth, very fruity, and very pleasant. Also noteworthy is the three-year-old aged rum and its elegant flavors of nuts and spices. Finally, at Karukera, the Intense, 59.5%, suggests notes of cane, fruit, and lime. We like it!

A stopover in La Réunion Island

Let's go to Réunion, with the Savanna Absolu 2023. This blend of Extra-Old Grand Aroma rums, aged in ex-Porto and ex-Cognac barrels, develops exotic fruits, mild acidity and finishes with a spicy touch. The Savanna Origine 1870 is a blend of traditional rums and grand aromas, aged 10 to 16 years. It yields fruit, a bit of acidity, and pleasant winey notes. It was very good. Finally, the Trad G, a white rum High Ester at 69% brings us closer to the harlequin candy notes of the previous cuvées.

At Isautier, the Triangle range is completely revamped around a sugar factory rum, an agricultural rum, and a blend. These three cuvées, Antoinette, Apollonie, and Louis et Charles are successful. Special mention for the latter, a blend of pure juice and molasses aged 15 years with its very fruity notes of rancio. Here we have an excellent cuvée.

A detour through Latin rums

Latin rums came in force and some had impressive stands. We must highlight the Santa Teresa Speyside 1796, a Venezuelan rum aged in Solera method, having benefited from a finish for 13 months, in Speyside barrel. The result is elegant and complex and marks a new upgrade of the Santa Teresa rum.

From Havana Club, the Tributo 2023, a blend of rums aged 16 to 23 years offered incomparably long notes. Spicy and fruity at the start, it evolves to vanilla, tobacco, spices and we add a slight touch of acidity that balances everything.

Havana Club corner
Havana Club corner
Brugal corner
Brugal corner
And some funky!

In the Collection New vibrations, the Mhoba Indlovu, aged 18 months in ex-bourbon and marula barrels, at 58.5%, is exceptional. With Jamaican flavors, this rum will delight many fans of strong sensations.

Among independent bottlers, we will remember three. The first is the Liberation 2023. Distilled in 2014 and at 62.9%, it displays superb fruity and powerful notes. At Colors of Rum, we praise the Trinidad TDL 2009, at 62.8%. Thirteen years of aging, ten of them tropical, this time we find menthol notes and black fruit mixed with darker notes. A real favorite!

A thought also for the two Hampden 2012 and 2013, very successful, in two very different styles.

Finally, the third rum we retain is the Cambridge 2005, presented at the Velier stand. This Long Pond STCE at 60% sends us white fruit associated with power, all with a remarkable balance.

Saint-James corner
Saint-James corner
Trois-Rivières corner
Trois-Rivières corner
Florent's favorites

Let's visit Longueteau. This is the occasion to taste the Génésis XO vintage 2016. Welcome to the world of raw from columns turned raw from barrels. If the degree of this agricultural rum is (or seems) formidable at 70.9%, the flavors of dried fruit, hazelnuts, and its roundness compensate for the fire and make the powerful experience pleasant, and one might say, "smooth"!

A brief visit at Neisson. The flagship of Martinique offers us a lot of novelties at the moment. Among these, it's one of the straights from the barrel that won over my palate. Barrel 410 which has aged since 2019 in the Mainmain cellar gave me a lot of pleasure. Extraordinarily suave accompanied by scents of flowers. A delight.

Trad G from Savanna. A great white aroma with a salty nose as only the house famous for long fermentation molasses can do! The scent of sun-dried tomatoes wraps the sweetness of this rum and confirms the originality of its brand that does not fear to visit extreme profiles. Fans of the brand will find their happiness.

You can always count on Jamaican rums

It's time to taste a Jamaican. On the side of National Rhum of Jamaica, the Cambridge 18 years, vintage of 2005 did not hit a wrong note. This bottle represents one of the balance profiles that seduces me the most in style. A very broad aromatic spectrum ranging from undergrowth, to rancio, without ever forgetting the warm fruity flavors. It's broad, rich, and with an extraordinary length.

Another Jamaican, and for this one, I say "Joker," the card is played exceptionally well at Wild parrot 2013-2023 . The label says nothing but Trelawny and tasting quickly makes it clear that we are in the land of the rum geek who wants the maximum esters... and the person serving even whispers the word Dok... Fans of high esters should run towards this gem (if any are left!). I am wary of the most extreme profiles, because while the "slap" it promises is there, it very rarely, in a second time, leads to balance and I'm not so sure that after one drink, you want to serve yourself again anytime soon. Yet, on this reference, I was surprised to have the promise of extreme exoticism, but without the drying aspect. So, it's a full house in my opinion!

A good Caroni

Rich in esters and high in alcohol content, it was necessary to end with what seems increasingly unattainable... So "time for Paradise". One had to be there at the right moment, and of the three tasted, it's the Caroni 96 Single Cask from Velier, released in 215 bottles, that wins the palm in my opinion. The lost distillery of Trinidad still has some secrets to reveal, and the tasting unveils this dark hydrocarbon fragrance that meets the roundness of a candied mango. A beautiful emotion that finishes off this show!

Written by

Matthieu Lange et Florent Lenziani
Spirits Advisor