English Harbour [5 Year] – Antigua:
The First Impression: Well, this stuff comes in a pretty unique looking bottle. It reminds me of Jack Sparrow....CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow!!!!....and his drunken dancing about on a desert island and all that drunken nonsense. It’s really quite a nice presentation; with an artificially aged label and a plastic and cork topper, finished off with an old style script to advertise the proud brand of English Harbour. In the glass, this rum has a lovely, welcoming dark amber hue; leaving behind thick, coarse legs as this slightly viscous rum descends slowly back into the bottom of the glass.
The Smell: As with all premium aged rums, there is the expectation that a 40%av will assault the nose and eyes with an onslaught of alcohol-burning-sensation; the result is quite the opposite. The burn is very light and is easily overtaken by the simple, yet pleasing, tones within. Tones, the scents buried deep within, are only brought to the surface by, first, opening the sealed bottle, two, by pouring a glass already, and decant! The tones that arise are simple but pleasing; brown sugar and oak are the overlying tones, strong citrus notes and caramel lightly laced with butterscotch.
The Taste: Upon sipping there is a pleasant smoothness that seems unusual for a younger rum and presents a simple palette of tastes. Caramelized fruit and oak seem to stand out the most with a light lacing of spices and very light citrus and, strangely, a salty bite with a semi-sweet follow through. It’s a slightly confusing thing to drink! English Harbour 5 Year is nicely complimented by eating a pitted date or a raw Brazil nut before the first sip. The Brazil nut will cleanse the palette and add a pleasant woody pre-flavour whilst the date will compliment the rich infusions buried within the rum.
Alas, The Finish: The overture is a long lasting, sweet and completely full of awesome.Period!
About CA$32 a bottle.
Recommended. Rating of 6!
{with a Brazil nut or a date.}
