Flensburg Rum Company (Oldman Spirits) has a very open look at the rum scene. They have some belters from established rum producers but they also released interesting names that apparently no other independent bottler had an interest in until then.
In our glass today is an Australian rum, which underwent tropical and continental ageing. The front label has a cute platypus – after the equally cute quokka edition from the same bottler and from the same Beenleigh distillery. They are the oldest rum producer down under.
Beenleigh 7 yo ‘Platypus Edition’ (43%, Flensburg Rum Co 2025, PX + Oloroso finish, 1500 btl.)
Nose: quite neutral, with caramelized notes up front. Milk chocolate. Hints of Twix. Light aromas though, leaving some room for the spirity side and a few sharp edges. Lemons, a hint of green banana and golden raisins. Faint hints of hazelnuts. Subtle herbal / mineral notes as well, which makes this less commercial than I first thought.
Mouth: now some fruitier notes are showing (more bananas, berries and citrus) although this herbal element makes it a bit thinner. Hardly any PX sweetness, in any case. White pepper and ginger, with a little vanilla from the original bourbon barrels. Hints of column distilled whisky at times. Overall quite limited, it seems younger than seven years.
Finish: medium long, with light raisins, mint and some bourbon spice.
Another region that we hadn’t discovered yet in terms of rum production. This one needs time, and even then it doesn’t reach the same heights of other indie rums. Of course the price makes up for this – as a cardplayers rum this is quite an honest proposal.