Many of the rums in my 1000+ marque collection are nearly finished so I will be posting quick tasting notes as I take the very “Last Sip”.
Last Sip: Chairman’s Reserve Finest St. Lucia Rum
When did I buy this rum? This Chairman’s Reserve was part of a large rum haul bought during a close friend’s extended Caribbean cruise in May 2010. His bulk purchase motivated me to begin documenting details for each bottle. I failed to note the exact date or price paid for this rum but it was opened on July 10, 2016.
Presentation: Chairman’s Reserve is a blend of pot and column stilled rums which were aged 4-5 years in used oak casks and bottled at 40% ABV (80 proof). Packaged in a short, squat 700ml bottle, Chairman’s Reserve has a large but sparse label design with easy-to-read block lettering. I would describe the rum itself as a sunset copper when in the glass.
Aroma: Chairman’s Reserve is more aromatic than I anticipated. I detect pot still notes in the blend with immediate aromas of creamy caramel, cooked bananas, and cacao nibs. Letting the rum breath a little, I notice more vanilla notes and a subtle, oxidized machine oil note on the low end.
Taste: On the front palate, the rum is fresh and semi-sweet reminding me of Werther’s Original Caramel candies. On the mid-palate, the rum is dry with more caramel, bitter chocolate, pound cake, dried tobacco leaves, and dark dried fruit.
Finish: The rum finishes with a creamy, spiced oak warmth mixed with chocolate-vanilla cream.
In Coca-Cola: This rum works nicely in a Cuba Libre retaining most of the rum’s flavors: earthy vanilla, creamy caramel, bitter coco beans and dry tobacco. The dry oak tannins help quiet some of the Coke’s sweetness while retaining the cola’s bitterness. This is a nice drink…maybe 3.5/5.
