Review #: 102
Description: English Harbour: Rumbustion Society of Smuggler’s Cove
Spirit: Rum
Background: Rumbustion Society of Smuggler’s Cove is a rum club that selected this rum from Antigua that was distilled in 2014 and aged in Buffalo Trace Bourbon Barrels for 5 years before bottling in 2019 with no additives or filtration. This was sampled blind and then my notes were sent to my friend that provided it before revealing the contents, so keep that in mind when reading.
Distillery – Antigua Distillery
Bottler – Antigua Distillery
Brand – English Harbour
Selection – Rumbustion Society of Smuggler’s Cove
ABV – 67%
Age – 5 Years
Nose – Heavy ethanol, light baking spices, a little woody, sugary cereal
Taste – Caramel and molasses, cooked banana, pineapple
Finish – Heat comes in strong, mushy bananas, pineapple, gets a bit funky after initial hit of heat, burnt sugar
Guess: Jamaica, rum, 2-4 years, ex-rum, 120+ Proof, molasses, pot-still, Worthy Park?
Score: 6
Would I buy a bottle? Yes
Thoughts: Thought maybe this could be a Privateer DD but the extra hit of funk made me lean Jamaican. I’m surprised at how much funk I got off this since it is column still. Otherwise, I wasn’t too far off! But for $40, this was a solid deal. Apparently, English Harbour tests and marks the ester counts on their barrels, so the group might have actually aimed to get a higher ester rum which would account for that funk that made me think Jamaican. I don’t think my guess was really that far off.