Spirits Blind Tasting - A Spirits People Podcast

1.12 - Berry Bros. & Rudd 19 year Caroni Rum & SpringBank Society 15 year Port Barrel

August 28, 2019 Johnny Michaelsen Season 1
Spirits Blind Tasting - A Spirits People Podcast
1.12 - Berry Bros. & Rudd 19 year Caroni Rum & SpringBank Society 15 year Port Barrel
Show Notes Chapter Markers

In this episode of the Spirits Blind Tasting podcast I'm doing a blind tasting of the Berry Bros. & Rudd 19 year Caroni Rum & SpringBank Society 15 year Port Barrel. Feel free to follow along with a dram of any of these or any other spirit you enjoy as I try to uncover the aromas and flavors of these 2 spirits.

If you're interested in behind the scenes video recordings from this episode, please join me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/spiritspeople

My tasting notes from this episode can also be found below:

Spirit A - Berry Bros. & Rudd 19 year Caroni Rum (55% ABV)

Appearance

  • Clarity: Clear
  • Intensity: Medium
  • Color: Amber
  • Suggested texture: Medium viscosity 

Nose

  • Condition: Clean
  • Intensity: Medium
  • Aroma characteristics: Molasses, over-ripe banana, burnt pineapple, sulphur, blood orange/bitter orange, pine cones, cinnamon, vanilla beans, charred oak
  • Other notes: There’s a strong Rum sensation, but also has some bourbon characteristics, but I’m not getting the sense of corn, rye, or wheat of the nose.
  • ABV: >50%

Palate

  • Sweetness: Dry
  • Texture: Mouth filling, warming, medium viscosity
  • Intensity: Pronounced
  • Flavor characteristics: molasses, over-ripe banana, burnt pineapple, sherry, liquorice, nail varnish, charred oak
  • Other notes: Nose opened up with more nail varnish notes
  • Finish: Long with some complexity (molasses, over-ripe bananas, char)
  • ABV: >60%

Conclusion

  • Quality level: Very good > outstanding
  • Blind guess: Barrel proof, pot still or pot and column blend, molasses rum


Spirit B - SpringBank Society 15 year Port Barrel (56.2% ABV)

Appearance

  • Clarity: Clear
  • Intensity: Medium
  • Color: Amber
  • Suggested texture: Light > medium

Nose

  • Condition: Clean
  • Intensity: Medium
  • Aroma characteristics: Soft peat, fresh sweet apples, sultanas, melted butter on toast, burnt brown sugar, hints of sea salt, stone fruits, dried lemon peel, fresh honey melon 
  • Other notes: ABV is quite sharp on the nose when you get into the glass, but quite soft from a distance. 
  • ABV: ~50%

Palate

  • Sweetness: Dry
  • Texture: Mouth filling, a bit watery, light viscosity
  • Intensity: Pronounced
  • Flavor characteristics: Peat, fresh sweet apples, burnt toast, sea salt, cracked black pepper, cloves, lemon peel, oats and malt grains
  • Other notes: Picked up the grain note which I wasn’t able to on the nose
  • Finish: Long and very complex (light peat, apples, burnt toast)
  • ABV: ~55%

Conclusion

  • Quality level: Outstanding
  • Blind guess: Island or coastal single malt scotch, older than 12 years


If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to me at any time on Instagram @spiritspeople

Nosing the spirits
Tasting the spirits
Revealing the spirits