It’s been a while since I’ve had a little rum fun. I have some reviews in the pipeline for some made right here in the city. But this review features a rum with it’s roots firmly in the Carribean, promising the best of the sunny islands, blended for the rainy north. After all the lady behind the brand spent 13 years as the owner of Odd, Oddest, Odder and the Blue Pig, right here in Manchester.
Diablesse Rum had a launch earlier this year at Cottonopolis, and whilst I could look longingly at the cocktails, unfortunately for me, I was otherwise booked.
Thankfully they took pity on me and sent me samples of their two rums – the Golden Rum, and their Clementine Spiced Rum. I was only too happy to sample both.
The Caribbean Golden Rum uses three different liquids blended together. The first is an 8 year old rum from Foursquare Distillery in Barbados. The second, a 4 year old Jamaican rum from Worthy Park distillery (made using a copper pot still). Finally the third is a 2 year old Guyanese rum (made using a 19th-century wooden Enmore pot still) from the Diamond Distillery. Each brings a little something different to the rum. Using my trusty Rum Festival glass, I dove in.
On the nose, there’s immediately a big hit of bananas, with some pineapple, vanilla and, bitter dark chocolate.
On the palate, the texture is soft and round. Spice and cinnamon comes through first, then some of the fruit. It’s surprisingly savoury and vegetal, despite of the ripe fruit on the nose. The finish is warm and lingering, cocoa, wood and spice.
The Clementine Spiced Rum, is a rather different spirit. This uses a single rum from the Diamond Distillery in Guyana. The rum is then naturally flavoured with clementine and Caribbean spices. The nose is all cinnamon, vanilla and citrus. Maybe it’s because I make my own clementine spiced rum at Christmas but that’s what immediately pops into my head. Reminds me of Christmas cake batter eaten straight from the bowl.
On the palate, this is all citrus at first, big hits of clementine and ginger. The dry spices are there, but surround the citrus flavour, which sits right in the middle of the mouth. And the finish still reminds me of cake batter, but now there’s much more citrus mixed in with the spice, fresh soft citrus zest, with a rummy base.
Both rums are delicious, and a fantastic addition to our already well heeled rum bars in the city, and at a time when many are fancying another Rumnaissance. If you fancy a sample for yourself, then head to Cottonopolis, Refuge or Foodwell in the city centre, or rum fun specialist Marigot Bay in Altrincham.
