Trinidad Rum, it's not all Caroni - part 1: TDL Fernandes
Updated: Nov 30
Hi folks. For the next couple of weeks, I'm off to work remotely from our new home in Madeira, and to check the progress of the guesthouse. My evenings and weekends can't be just swimming in the natural pools or exploring the mountains and trails ;-) so I've packed a dozen or so samples I've been meaning to try for a while.
The selection I've built up is a tiny and fairly random cross-section of non-Caroni, Trinidadian rums. But it's what I've got, so hey, let's get stuck in.
The full lineup (below) consists of rums from 3* distilleries/brands, aged from 9 to 22 years, with abv from 55% to 67%. To make this more manageable, I've split them into 3 tastings and will keep enough of each sample to do a quick side-by-side of the winners.
First up, 3 rums from Fernandes.
*These independent 'Fernandes' bottlings were made by TDL/Angostura - but bottled under the legacy Fernandes brand. I'm not sure if their production is separate or different from TDL/Angostura rums but I'll taste these three and compare my favourite to the winning TDL later.
The Fernandes brand was established in the 1920s when Joseph (Jo) Fernandes began blending and bottling rum. In the 1940s he extended his growing reputation by building a distillery that quickly established Fernandes as the biggest rum brand in Trinidad.
In 1973, Fernandes sold the distillery to Bacardi and Angostura. Famous for their bitters, Angostura now controls the last remaining Trinidad distillery - Angostura/T.D.L. It's here that they produced today's rums in the style (or at least using the brand) of Fernandes.
Left to right, as per the lead photo, TWCC, Kill Devil, TBRC. Another beautiful November day - I can't wait to open the guesthouse next year and show you all the Madeira.Life
Three drams, 30ml of each, left to open up for about half an hour. Nosed first, then tasted, in increasing abv order. Assisted today by the sound of the sea :-)
Bottled by Swiss enthusiast cooperative The Whisky Cask Company (TWCC).
A single cask, aged in Trinidad for around 6 years and then in Scotland for the remaining 14 years.
FPH on the label stands for 'Forres Park Heavy', a Fernandes mark indicating their heavier style of rum.
Nose: Perfumed, some industrial engine oil, pleasantly dirty yet with fruit mixed in.
A touch of smoke at first that grows over time.
It's not Caroni, but has an industrial edge that nods that way. Pleasant smoke, rubber and oil blended with raspberry dark chocolate. Hints of fresh vanilla tropical fruit.
Finally evolves into spicy oak, mint and tobacco.
A complex and impressive nose.
Mouth: Starts spicy, salty, and with dirty rubber & light industrial notes. This leads onto
salty fruit (grapefruit, raspberry & mango), and spice (black pepper & star anise). A touch of bitterness that's well integrated. Overall it's complex, balanced and tasty [87+pts]
Another single cask from 1999, this one bottled by Scottish bottler Hunter Laing as part of their Kill Devil range.
I can't find any information on the ageing, but I don't think it would be a huge leap to guess that this cask was shipped to Scotland alongside the TWCC one, in 2005. (And 1999 casks bottled by TBRC, Nobilis, Liquid Art and Rhumb Runner)
Nose: Less coming through on this one. Roasted nuts, a little dark cherry, buttery mocha. Some rubber but less industrial notes, and less impressive than TWCC.
Mouth: Spicy, medicinal, hints of detergent, slight artificial notes. The taste is much more intense than the nose suggests, but overall it's not working as well as the others. [81pts]
A final single cask of TDL's Fernandes labelled rum, this time from 2006.
There's a bunch of TDLs out there from 2006 but this TBRC bottling is the only one I can find carrying the designation 'Fernandes'. And, as with the TWCC, this specifically calls out the mark as FPH.
Presented in their distinctive squat 500ml bottles, this is Boutique-y's second TDL Fernandes bottling (the other being a 1999 vintage).
Nose: Smokey, spicy and rich with some sharp/bitter gooseberry notes. Later dark berry and spice.
Mouth: Full-flavoured. Bitter smokey rubber. The smoke remains (but light and balanced) for a smoked-fruit finish. Very impressive and tasty.
Some sweetness and fresh fruit lingers with whisps of that smoke inviting you to dive back in for more. More intense but has less fruit and (for me) a touch less delicious than the TWCC [87pts]
Conclusion: What an exciting category. Hints of Caroni-esque industrial diesel, smoke and rubber, yet very approachable with well-integrated fruit and spice.
An easy win on the nose for the excellent TWCC. Overall the weightier TBRC may be the preference for some but I found the slightly lighter TWCC carried more fruit and elegance, and hence earned a place in the grand finale.
Next up, 4 more rums from TDL (Angostura), this time branded purely as TDL
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