There seems to be a wave of old Cuban rums at the moment. I know the sweetness of these casks is sometimes a little controversial among rum lovers, but some of them are really interesting.
We already had an excellent Cuban Rum 1963 from The Whisky Agency, and today we’re starting with a… well… young example from the same bottler.
Cuban Rum 30 yo 1993 (49,6%, The Whisky Agency for Delia’s Whiskyshop 2024, barrel)
Nose: a nice mix of cedarwood and tobacco. Brown banana skins, as well as toasted pecans and hints of parsley. Muscovado sugar and cigar boxes. Then lightly roasted coffee beans, a little chocolate and old leather sofas. It’s not extremely talkative but the profile is very seductive.
Mouth: a bit more body now. Café latte and Manon pralines, with darker exotic woods underneath. Cigars, hints of black tea and charcoal. Hints of cough syrup or old quina too. Then a little cinnamon and liquorice. Lightly burnt pastry crust and refreshing minty notes.
Finish: medium to long, with brown sugar, roasted pecans, tobacco and burnt raisins.
Plenty of tobacco, exotic wood and other dark notes, but presented in a very elegant way. An excellent cask and a nice change for all these funky rums that bottlers seem to favour. Available from Delia’s Whisky.
Caribbean Rum 30 yo 1993 (60,5%, Liquid Treasures 2024, barrel, 283 btl.)
Nose: clearly more forthcoming. More caramelly as well, with more brown sugar and chocolate. Toasted coconut flakes and mashed bananas. Then hints of old varnish and old leather saddle. Also walnuts, pecans and hazelnut ganache.
Mouth: the punchy ABV suits this style. Tobacco leaves and cigar boxes are back, as well as black tea and hints of cinnamon. Then plenty of Spanish turrón de chocolate, moving towards coffee and old wood. Thick molasses and herbal hints grow stronger towards the end.
Finish: long and chocolaty, lightly woody, with toasted nuts and coffee.
We can’t be sure this is Cuban, as the strength and age are a little uncommon, but I think it may well be Cuban. I think this takes the profile of Delia’s bottling a little further, at a lower price. Still available from eSpirits. Score: 90/100
Cuban Rum 45 yo 1978 (50,5%, Sansibar for DeinWhisky 2024, barrel, 313 btl.)
Nose: pretty similar, despite the age difference. Caramel and brown candy sugar, along with dark chocolate, cinnamon and roasted pecans. Maple syrup comes out, big time. Praline and hazelnuts. Only after some time the drier notes creep in – tobacco and herbal tea.
Mouth: again slightly sweeter than expected, with cinnamon, maple syrup, milk chocolate and even a hint of vanilla. Some plummy notes in the distance. Roasted nuts and sweetened coffee, with a very subtle salty edge. A little leather too.
Finish: quite long, very rounded, on tobacco, cedar, maple syrup and pecan pie.
A sweeter version of the above. Perhaps a sweetened version even – can we ever be certain that it isn’t? In any case, this is a rich and rewarding Cuban rum, a perfect after dinner dram. Still available from DeinWhisky. Score: 90/100
Cuban Rum 50 yo 1973 (52%, Spheric Spirits 2024, cask #2314302, 258 btl.)
Nose: there’s more sourish fruitiness here – great. Raspberries and cherries, even a little citrus, with moist pipe tobacco and chocolate. Pu-erh tea, humidors, sour coffee. Wet wood and old leather. Then some metallic notes and hints of inner tubes. A lovely combo, in my opinion, fresher than the younger ones.
Mouth: dark, even meaty at some point, then moving to classic (big) hints of pipe tobacco and molasses. Cherries and big hints of juicy prunes. A little vanilla too, before it goes back to maple syrup, dark chocolate and herbal liqueur.
Finish: medium to long, on roasted pecans, coffee, still with a nice acidic touch.
The acidity and fruitiness that we find in this 1973 was lacking in the other ones and brings it to another level, in my opinion. Superb rum, reminding me of some very old sherry brandies. Dark and complex, yet highly drinkable. Still available here and there. Score: 92/100