Rum tasting

[John von Pey]

Hello all,

just surfing for rum on the net, I found an interesting item (at least for Dutch members):

Cadenhead's in Amsterdam is organising a rum-tasting (only Cadenhead though) on april 2nd. There will be rums from 12 - 36 years available for tasting.

It isn't cheap though: 22 euro for a three hour tasting (starting at 19.30).

More information (in Dutch) : Cadenhead Netherlands

[mrmaltster]

Hi, John -

Yet another reason to visit Amsterdam again! Thanks for the info. I think I'll try to talk the guys here at Cadenhead's in Cologne into doing a rum tasting, too.

Cheers, Jay

[Rene]

Hi John,

It is great that you found this tasting. I live nearby so I already signed up. I will visit the shop within some days to check it out. Although i live near Amsterdam, I did not know about this shop. I already have several Cadenhead's from London, But with a shop this nearby, I think my stock will grow. Thanks again.

Perhaps we meet at the tasting?

Best regards,

Rene

[John von Pey]

Yes, I registered for the tasting too. Any other members on this list going?

[John von Pey]

I send an email to Cadenhead, and they gave me permission to make photo's of the rum-tasting. So you can look forward to an illustrated report

[John von Pey]

Okay, here is the report. Pictures will follow soon (they are being develloped now, and I have to find out how to put them on this site).

I arrived around 17.00 (way too early) to check the location. Amsterdam can be confusing with all those small alleys. After a hearty welcom of Andries (one of the owners, Erik is the other) I went off for a bite to Kantjill (see the forum about Dining in Amsterdam).

At 19.20 I was back. In the shop three tables were set out, each for 6 persons. Unfortunately three people didn't show up, so we ended with 13 in total. And I have to say, the show-up was quite divers: rumlovers, whisky-lovers an other interested people (both male and female) were present. The owners told us this rumtasting was new for them too, and apologised already if they said "whisky" instead of "rum". The planning for the evening was six rums: three "Green label" rums and three "Dated distillation" rums. While we were tasting, the owners gave us information about rum in general (molassis/syrup, distillation, aging etc.) Quite basic information, but new to most of the people present. Most of this information was based on David Broom's book, and on information given to them by Ed Scheer (also on this forum).

Each of us got a sheet of paper on which tasting and bottling information could be written, and than the tasting could start.

Since this was the first serious tasting for me, I found it quite difficult. I never really spend much time tasting the sepperate flavours of rums. I mostly divided rum in "like it" and "didn't like it". This evening I heard other people mentioning flavours, and mostly checked if I smelled / tasted that too. The tastings were blind at first, and after initial remarks bottling information was given. I am not going to bother you with my personal remarks on the rums (reason mentioned above), but this are the rums we tasted.

Green label:

Gyana, 13 year old, 46% ABV

Barbados, 15 year old, 46% ABV

Jamayca, 15 year old, 46% ABV

Dated distillation rums:

Enmore distillery VSG 1990, 13 year old, 73,6% ABV

Blackrock Distillery BRS 1986, 16 year old, 67,7% ABV

Uitvlugt Distillery PM 1964, 36 year old, 69,3% ABV

Especially the last rum really got high remarks (as it has here on the forum where this distillery has been mentioned before). Unfortunately they only got six bottles of this excellent rum, and this was their last bottle...

After this official part, some small sample bottles were also opened, and we could taste 5 year old Cuban, 20 year old Guadeloupe and 29 year old Guyana rums.

The general impression to me was a very succesfull evening, and I will certainly go back for another tasting (although the trip in total was quite expensive thanks to the hotel).

The day after the tasting I went back to pick up a bottle of Uitvlugt 25 year old that was put aside for me, and had a nice chat with the owners. They expressed their regret that the rummarket in The Netherlands is so small, and that they both were impressed with rum in general.

But, on the positive side: I also made recomendations for eGullet and other rum sites, so I hope more people will discover the joy and pleasure of rum.

Edited April 4, 2004 by John von Pey (log)

[scheer]

John,

Good to see you had a good time, if you're interested you could come by our office and have a look in our nice small lab, which is really rum paradise, just ask the cadenhead shop guys were we are ( a 5 minute walk from the shop)

Ed

[John von Pey]

For those wondering...

Ofcause I would love to visit, so I send an PM to Ed. I got a reply, and a visit will be planned soon!

[John von Pey]

Here are the pictures from the tasting. They are a bit dark, sorry for that.

Some of the visitors

And more

The owners joined us in tasting

The remains of a rum tasting

The Green label rums at the shop

And ofcause the Dated Distillery rums

[Rene]

Hi John,

Nice to have met you in Amsterdam. next time you are near, we drink some of that last bottle 36 year Uitvlugt that I bought. at Cadenheads. As discussed, I have my site (half)running and I wrote my side of the tasting. It can be found on www.rumpages.com

Just scrol down on the left till you see Tastings & Fests. Than on the right you will find the link to te tasting. The pictures in the story can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Untill we meet again,

Rene