Mika J

Hello all, I must admit to being slightly puzzled why so few have answered to this email..reading previous discussions, it seems to me many of you are in the opinion that it is a fact that flavourings are added to fine rums of various producers. If this is so, it should make interesting discussion? Does anyone have facts to offer, or are these beliefs unfounded and basd on rumours and speculations alone? Sincerely, Mika Jansson mika.jansson@nokia.com

Hello, Any ideas where in UK this bottling of rare Appleton would be available at? Sincerely, Mika Jansson mika.jansson@nokia.com

Hello all, I have noticed quite a few seem to be in the opinion here that certain flavours and tastes in rums are generally the result of adding some "extra" ingredients during ageing or at whatever stage to the rum. Thsi was for example mentioned in the discussion of Angostura 1824 by some of you - that the spicy flavours would derive from such methods. I am wondering how common such a practice is, if it is indeed done, and is it something that producers would do / admit to doing? In whisky business, it is now somewhat fashionable to make all sorts of "wood finishes" - i.e. last part maturation in casks which previously contained sherry, portwine, bordeaux wine etc. Also of course whisky can be completely aged in barrels which previously contained something else (apart from the normal ex-bourbon cask maturation) - sherry most commonly. But I think that suggesting that they were adding flavours to the spirit would certainly result in an uproar and would be considered quite an insult. Cask influence, additional caramel colouring, charcoal filtering are amongst well documented methods of flavour (and appearance) improving. But adding spices? Shouldn't the resulting spirit be considered a "spiced" rum instead of "clean" spirit? Sincerely, Mika Jansson mika.jansson@nokia.com

Hello, At least while visiting Angostura distillery, the representatives of the company told me that one of the agreements with the Bacardi ownership of majority of Angostura stock (up until 1999 I believe it was) was that Angostura did not have certain freedoms and rights to try and push their own brands at the time internationally. It is also true that neither did they have to do this - selling bulk rum and blending for other brands, with an amazing 50 million litres produce annually, was a business lucrative enough. It seems however that ambitions grew and with switch of ownership they saw an opportunity to sell internationally and market their own brand. Interestingly enough, a few years later what we still see in Europe is only some of their older (Trinidad-based) brands such as Old Oak (and Royal Oak occasionally). The new Angostura brand rums are not available here. Br, Mika Jansson mika.jansson@nokia.com

Hi, It seems to me at least that rum world is rather fond of superlatives and other quality-emphasizing words, more so than whisky world for example. "Super-Premium", Grand Anejo, Special Old Reserve, Reserva Especial Commemorativo etc. What is interesting is that to my best knowledge (based on interviews made some years ago) the age statements are not as well controlled or legally agreed to mean 1 thing and 1 thing only amongst the various Caribbean producers. So even if the bottle says "15-years old", unlike in the world of whisky, this does NOT necessarily guarantee that the youngest distillate that has gone into that bottle is actually 15-years old. There have been attempts to make this a solid legal matter which would uniformalize practices amongst various rum producers but as said, to my best knowledge so far no agreement has been reached. Naturally many producers of fine rums DO keep their word also regarding the age of their bottled produce, and regard this a matter of professional pride. But not all of them, and it should not be taken for granted. A different issue is then if a solid age statement provides any more guarantee of quality than simply stating the age of the rum. Older is not always necessarily better. Mika Jansson mika.jansson@nokia.com

Hello, A colleague of mine bought Cacique 500 from Venezuela a few years ago and I asked him how it was - he seemed to hold it in high opinion, saying it is a classy, good medium-bodied rum (he said it was in the same category as Pampero Anniversario and Santa Teresa rom Antiquo Solera). So it should not be too much a disappointment, I believe. Br, Mika mika.jansson@nokia.com

Hello everyone, Something that occasionally has puzzled me: Have you ever noticed any significant changes in some particular rum/whisky etc. with time? I do not mean change in an opened bottle or so, but rather a change in the product itself . For example, you purchase a bottle of XX in 1999 - then taste the same product, different bottle in 2001 - and seem to recall it was very different in the old days? I have had a distinct feeling that during the 1990's, Angostura's "Royal Oak" rum changed in taste some and there was also some quality fluctuations.. I actually got the latter thing tested as I had 4 different bottles of the same stuff at home, opened each and did went through them. 3 out of 4 bottles had a strange oily/greasy sidetaste which was not pleasant - 4th bottle did not have it and resembled more my older memories of the products taste. Has anyone ever conducted similar tastings of the same product from bottles representing different / same times? What were the results if I may ask? With limited edition products, one can expect of course a certain amount of variation - but what about more standard bottlings? I have noticed with some whisky also changes in taste over a period of say 6 years - whether these are in fact purposedly done, I do not know. Some brands like to make a big fuss about medals their products have won in the distant past, but if the taste is changed (whether purposedly or not), these medals mean very little IMHO. Sincerely, Mika J mika.jansson@nokia.com

Hello Kristian, If you know any potentially interested bars & night clubs in Hameenlinna (for example any salsa-bars there?) who would perhaps like to add some excellent rums to their selection, I am more than happy to give out the contact-details for Diamond Brewing Co. who now import the Bristol Spirits selection. Should you ever decide to venture into Helsinki area (c'mon, its only about 100 km..?), I would recommend a stop at Vanha at least - and the American Bar of Torni Hotel. They are conveniently close to each other as well, on opposite sides of Mannerheimintie! :-) I will also let you know when next I will be hosting some rum tasting, you are most welcome to join the occasion. Br, Mika mika.jansson@nokia.com

Hi Kristian, I hope that one day our numbers shall indeed equal those of people interested in Malt Whisky (and the two, rum & whisky, certainly do not exclude each other in any way). Rum has truly been the underdog of fine spirits here in the North for quite a while now; I have however strong belief in the fact that as people become increasingly quality-conscious these days, more consumers shall eventually venture out of the familiar bounds of their palates and seek out new high-quality products to add to their bar selection. I have had some professionals in a few tastings of rum in last few years and the results have been very promising, they were simply amazed at the variety rum can offer. At the moment they are still a bit hesitant to add too many fine rums to their bar's selections, as it boils down to not enough consumers buying the products. It is a bit of a chicken & the egg situation: Since most people haven't been exposed to great rums, they do not know to buy them even if they are present - and because the demand is so low, the bars do not wish to invest heavily into having rums present. Uurgh! What's one to do but try and try to educate people..Personally I have enjoyed good rums since first tasting some in the late 80's. Mika J mika.jansson@nokia.com

Hello, Sorry if it is an old topic - I could not find it with the search. Some very interesting commentary below about it - Trinidadian rums are by tradition somewhat light, this is true. I did personally find that Angostura's 1824 represented actually the house style quite well - there was a definite link to some of their other products, such as the Ferdi's (Angostura bought Fernandes distillers long time ago) or Royal Oak, both local brands sold still in Trinidad & Tobago I believe. But 1824 is far more complex and interesting I feel. Incidentally, the majority of Angostura ltd. was owned by Bacardi until 1999 if I recall correct; This made it not possible to truly market their own brand of rums internationally, and most of the rum went as bulk to bacardi for blending (also to Seagrams). Bacardi continues to be one of the large customers buying some of the incredible 50 million litres of rum produced annually by Angostura. Ed Hamilton mentions that in his opinion some of the spicy flavours (I have found a lot of orange peel for example) seem a little artificial; this raises to me an interesting point - would this in your opinion suggest that some flavouring or such has somehow been added to the spirit for this effect? Angostura's newer rums such as 1824 or 1919 are still not readily available in Europe, which is really a pity. Sincerely, Mika J mika.jansson@nokia.com

Hello Ed et al, What can I say - Finland has had a truly despicable selection of rum until very recently, and in fact continues to have in the retail sales business. Only in the restaurants / bars can one get a fair selection nowadays. Rum matusalem 15 yo was available for a while, it is a delightful rum. Havana Club 7 yo is available and is a fine rum no doubt. In previous years, some older Martinique rums have also been present in the selections of our rumwise blissfully ignorant national alcohol retail monopoly, but thats unfortunately about it. Thus the nickname "3rd world of rum"..! ;-) Traditionally I would regard Finland as a cognac country, when it comes to finer spirits. Malt Whisky has lifted its head here in recent years to some degree, but as a nation of only 5+ million citizens, the market is admittedly small. Furthermore, alcohol taxation amongst the highest in the world makes sure not everyone can afford the finer spirits - the price of an ordinary 0,7 litre bottle of Bacardi is nothing short of 40 US dollars, just to give you an example. I do hope that things will change sooner than later! Sincerely, Mika J mika.jansson@nokia.com

Hello again all, Having been in the Philippines a few times I had the pleasure of getting to know some of the rum (or rhum as it is spelled there) made in the Philippines. Interestingly, although Philippines is listed as one of the larger rum consumer markets, local people seemed to have little respect for the spirit, preferring tequila or whisky over rum any given time. Tanduay, probably the largest local producer, has in my humble opinion some very interesting rums available. Their "standard" flagship, the 12 yo, has a very unique taste which makes me truly wonder what sort of cask it was matured in amongst other things. Its colour alone is that of antique copper, a definite orange hue present. Does anyone know more of these rums and care to share their information kindly please? I was fortunate enough to get 3 bottles of their "100 years of Philippines independence 1898 - 1998" 26 yo single barrel rum, bottled in 1 litre casks. This is the best Tanduay product I have tasted by far. Was this rum available in USA for example? I am in the understanding that not so much of this product was made due to a limited amount of produce. Sincerely, Mika J mika.jansson@nokia.com

Hello all, I am rather curios as to the opinions of other who may have tasted this rum. Personally I had VERY high expectations, then as I tasted it for the first time, it did not really thrill me as say "El Dorado 15yo" did - it was not similarly instantly captivating or as enjoyable. What it WAS, I could only describe as immense and truly complex. Having said all that, I was sipping my bottle of Angostura 1824 slowly for a period of around six months, occasionally in the company of others, and I must say it was fascinating to hear them similarly trying to describe its character and nature. "An ultimate cigar rum" said one. "Complex to the point of being difficult", said another. My final personal assessment of it is that it is one of the ultimately great rums I have ever tasted. No, it isnt as easily enjoyable as say the El Dorado 15 yo. It is a very complex personality. "Ogres are like onions - they have layers", said the loveable Shrek the Ogre in the computer animated movie. Well, this is an OGRE of rum - it has LAYERS, and it takes a while to get to know it and love it. I remember originally discussing this rum with the personnel at Angostura as I tasted it for the first time: Some of their comments later on struck me as being so very true and to the point! They said "It wouldn't have made any sense to try and imitate any rum already in the market". True - why try and make a copy even if you could (and I do think that Angostura, with their massive distilling capability and knowledge COULD. Another thing said was that they had wanted to create something really different, and complex. Again, this rum fits the bill in my humble opinion - it is both. Third statement was that it MUST carry house style - again, if you sample the whole selection of Angostura rums, the house style is present throughout the range and I am not implying that all their rums taste the same. After the six months I was personally ready to say that this rum is one of the most remarkable I have come across. As such, I am very curious as to how other rum connoisseurs' have taken to the spirit. Sincerely, Mika J mika.jansson@nokia.com

Hello all, ctgm - Yes I did saw your post, after making my initial post. I must admit, I am very very curious to taste the Cockspurs VSOR, but as I enjoy sharing & arranging tastings here in Finland, I would like very much to find finally a source from where to get a full bottle of this rum. I fully respect what you are saying, but curiosity presses me to find this rum. Next time I am off to Trinidad hopefully I will find it there in some shop. Ed Hamilton - I agree, the Cadenhead's rums I have tasted have all been quite good, if not remarkably so. The quality is not an issue really - rather the price asked for them. They are more expensive in Europe than most / any "super-premium" rums others bottle - and yet, as good as they are, I did not find them exceptional in comparison to other superb products. What I am wondering is also - did they originally purchase the rum at what strength, to still have such a high alcohol content after so many years? Obviously must all be column-distilled at least? The amount of information Cadenhead's is willing to release regarding the rums is not very much, sadly. Having said that, I have the highest respect for both Springbank and Cadenhead's, they are small companies deeply rooted in tradition and values if compared to many modern corporate giants, even in the world of fine spirits. Sincerely, Mika mika.jansson@nokia.com

Hello all, I just wanted to add that as far as I know from last year's visit to Milroys of Soho, this fantastic establishment better known for whiskies was going to start selling also some fine rums - they said that by the beginning of this year they should have some good rums for sale (initially talk was of Bristol Spirits' rums). Sincerely, Mika

Hello all, Should the occasional rum connoisseur happen to pop over to Finland for a visit, I would have some good news to him / her. A few weeks ago the first bottles of Bristol Spirits' Classic Rum Selection arrived finally to Finland!!! They are now available in selected bars in the capital (Helsinki) area at least. I personally sampled 3 different kinds at "Vanha BeerCafe" last week. Finland has long been somewhat of a "3rd World of Rum", partly due to strict regulations concerning alcohol sales & importation, partly because rum is not yet generally realized to be anything more than "the alcohol that one mixes with coke". I am however delighted to say the first steps in changing all this have now been taken. Bristol Spirits bottles small batches of rum brought to UK and matured there, many of these rums are true rarities from already silent stills & distilleries. Diamond Brewing Company now imports them to Finland. I for one, being the Rum connoisseur I am, am HAPPY HAPPY!!! Now if only someone would start bringing in Appleton / Angostura / Mt. Gay / Doorly's / El Dorado...! Sincerely, Mika mika.jansson@nokia.com

Hei Kristian, The list you have comprised is indeed quite a nice selection of various excellent rums. I have tasted all but the MonteCristo, and here's a few opinions / personal preferences: Appleton 21 yo - excellent flagship rum from Appleton Estates of Jamaica. The 21 yo is dry, towards full-bodied (I would say full-bodied but to some more used to other Jamaican rums or Demerara it represents only medium-bodied style), full of flavours, some definite wood notes towards the end. Some of my associates who had the chance to taste the 12 year old and this actually felt that the 12 yo is better value / money. Admittedly it is good, but I am willing to pay for that extra taste and enjoy the woodiness & dryness. Cadenhead 9 yo green label - Cadenheads rums, some of which are actually available in Helsinki in a few bars (Hotel Torni's American bar at least) are all good, but in my opinion overpriced. I was debating this when visiting Cadenhead's / Springbanks' in Campbeltown - obviously they release small batches only and bottling with their old-fashioned methods etc. costs money, but still. What also surprises me is how high the alcohol contents are in some of the oldest bottlings they have released - after 31 years in a cask, the stuff is still bottled at 74% alcohol..??! Doorley's XO - very smooth, pleasant "rum" flavours, rich and intense, sweet but dry aftertaste. Luxorious. Mount Gay extra old - recently saw it being offered for sale even at Helsinki-Vantaa airport in taxfree. A very good intro to the rums of Barbados. Dry, slightly smoky, some wood but oh so delightful to sip. EXCELLENT price vs. quality. It would be interesting to compare it side-to-side with Cockspur's VSOR, but unfortunately I have not been able to get the latter in Europe at all. Apart from what you mention, I would also recommend at least trying the El Dorado 15 yo Special Reserve. Chosen several times as the winner in many, many international competitions, this dark and rich, almost brandy-like flavours carrying rum is an experience not to miss. Pampero Anniversario from Venezuela is also extremely pleasant rum which seems to truly benefit (especially the nose) from some exposure to air - every newly-opened bottle I have had has a somewhat "chemical" scent at first (and tastes slightly off also) - give it 10 minutes in a glass, and it is much improved. Sam's seems to have anumber of other excellent rums available, amazing selection for us living in the "3rd world" of rums here in Northern Europe!! Zacapa Centenario is excellent, so are many of the Bristol Spirits Classic rums... Br, Mika mika.jansson@nokia.com