Ed! Help identify this rum!

[mickblueeyes]

Ed, I could use some help identifying this rum. I found two bottles at a local liquor store (not the one I work with) and they are very old. Just to give you an idea, they had TN tax stamps on the bottles which we quit doing many years ago.

One was Ron Matusalem Anejo and it has a black label. Is this currently manufactured? How is it related to the Ron Matusalem Gran Reserva? It was very good for 9 bucks!!!!!

The second one is Aneja Reserva. I know that looks weird, but that is the exact phrase on the bottle. It comes in a green glass decanter shaped like a ship's decanter. I only found one reference to it online and it won a medal in some rum festival held every year in the Caribbean, but that was in the early 90's. It tastes great for 20 bucks and I think I am going to snag the last bottle they had. Have I found trash or treasure?

[mickblueeyes]

Ohh Ed? Where are you?

[mickblueeyes]

Reserva Aneja - Trigo Corporation (Puerto Rico) is all I could find on the net about that one. The Matusalem anejo info is nowhere to be found online.

[mac1105]

I can help on the Riserva Anejo. It is a new rum. Just in the states for about 6 months. It is imported by the David Sherman Corp in St. Louis. I was given a product sell sheet and promptly lost it but I thought that it was a 8 year old. They did not state who distilled it, I think they want to build a brand name rather than the distillery name in case they ever have to move it or sell the label. Much like many tequilas.

[Ed Hamilton]

I'm on the road in Boston right now visiting a sailing buddy from the islands after a few days of drinking rum in Newport. The short answer is that I don't have knowledge of these rums, more later.

[Ed Hamilton]

The Matusalem was probably distilled in the Bahamas and should be pretty good rum. In fact Matusalem was the best rum sold in the Bahamas for many years. The other rum may have come from Puerto Rico but it's hard to say with seeing more of the bottle. But you already found the bottom line, it was good and worth what you paid which all I ask of any rum I drink.

[mickblueeyes]

Ed,

So, just some general information about rum. How many current distilleries are in operation? How many expressions are currently distilled? I guess I am a little in shock that you haven't had either of these, as you are the man when it comes to rum.

Thanks,

Mick

[Dan Smith]

Greetings,

I can help you with your Matusalem Black Label. This is what I gathered when I spoke with Patricio from Matusalem, the guy who makes the Classic Black (aka Black Label). It's a 7 year old distilled in St-Croix USVI and bottled in Lake Alfred (Miami) Florida. It's great rum and now a collector’s item (I have 2 in my reserves). The Classic Black (along with the Red Flame, Light Dry, and Golden Dry) is now discontinued. The only Rum of their present line that is still in production is the Grand Reserva (which now seems to be coming out of the Dominican Republic). I like the Classic Black more that their Grand Reserva from St-Croix, more character I find. If any of you are dying to get your hands on this endangered species, the Liquor Control Board here in Quebec Canada still has a bunch in their warehouses. It goes for $28 CAD (~$18 USD). Let me know if any of you would like some as I travel a lot in the Sates.

They have launched two new rums, The Classico (Jim Tirel from Matusalem told me that this is to be a 10 YO) and a white called Platino. I have seen the DR Grand Reserva in a few locations in the USA (Hi-Times in Costa Mesa CA comes to mind) and the price has jumped up by $10 USD, from $19.99 in the St-Croix days to ~$29.99 for the stock out of the Dominican Republic. I found the old one a little too smooth and lacking in character but besides that there is nothing wrong with it. I can’t wait to try the new DR blend. I have seen the Classico and the new DR Grand Reserva on-line at Internetwines.com.

I hope that this helps out a little…

Cheers, Dan

[mickblueeyes]

Great info! Thanks! I might have to justify snatching the last case from the local shop!

[Dan Smith]

I would jump on the case that's left. Remember he who hesitates looses

[Ed Hamilton]

I just saw Aneja Reserva at Binnys in Chicago. Trigo, the bottler is one of the Puerto Rican companies that bottles rum from other distillers under their own labels. The Trigo company has been around since 1980 and also bottles Paso Fino rum, a very light white rum sold mostly in Puerto Rico.

Matusalem has bottled a number of rums over the years, in various places. I would hesitate to think that it was distilled in St Croix since Matusalem didn't buy alcohol from there for very long and probably wasn't doing so many years ago as the TN tax stamp suggest. The fact that the name Black Label still exists doesn't really mean to much to me.

Early last year I was buying what was called a 15 year old for about $5. Not even the man that sold it to me, believed it was 15 years old. Somewhere on the label it should say where it was distilled, Bahamas, USVI, or Florida.

When I find something new or that I'm not familar with, I'll buy a bottle, try it and then decide whether to buy more or not. If you like it, and it likes you, by all means buy it.

[Dan Smith]

UPDATE:

After speaking with Jim Tirrel from Matusalem, I was informed that the Classic Black 7 YO will be coming back. They had too much pressure, especially from European markets, after announcing that it will be discontinued. As all other Matusalem products at this time (excluding Cuba of course) it will be from the DR.

Cheers