Glen Moray is at the forefront of cask finishing experimentation. They’ve done some unique things, like Cider casks (now forbidden by the SWA), Chardonnay casks, Fired Oak… most of them in the Curiosity Collection.
In August 2019 they added a this Glen Moray Rhum Agricole cask finish to the line. It is a NAS expression (said to be around 10 years) finished for an extra 2 years in casks that previously held AOC rhum from St James distillery in Martinique.
Rhum Agricole is a style of rum from the French Caribbean islands, made from freshly squeezed sugar cane juice (so not molasses).
Glen Moray Rhum Agricole finish (46,3%, OB 2019, 3060 btl.)
Nose: orchard fruits (apples, mirabelles) with added hints of freshly cut grass and a kind of synthetic banana aroma. A little pineapple as well. Marzipan sweetness. Candied lemon peel. Soft hints of oak shavings and vanilla too.
Mouth: sweet start, with pineapple and banana candy. Then it gets sharper, with pepper and ginger, as well as a little alcohol prickle. The grassy notes return. Nice mix of citrus and honey towards the end.
Finish: medium, with a slightly rough side (actual rum), juniper and fruit eau-de-vie. Citrus peels and oak.
We all know rum finishes can be succesful and this is an interesting experiment, but I doubt I would specifically look for Agricole rum because of this. Being a UK exclusive you’ll have to head over to Master of Malt or The Whisky Exchange to get it.