The Good Intention | historical side

This plantation (located on the East Coast of the Demerara River) is first mentioned on a map in 1798, as belonging to a certain François Changuion (since 1786). It was then planted exclusively with cotton until the 1820s, then with sugar cane (with a reference in the records of 1829) and even coffee during the 1835 harvest. Thus, in 1829 the La Bonne Intention plantation produced approximately 272 tons of sugar; a rum production which would then have started in the 19th century since its rum is mentioned at the Universal Exhibition of Calcutta of 1883/1884; the La Bonne Intention plantation then represented the colony of British Guiana in the rum category with a few other competitors.

In 1954, the Bonne Intention distillery produced 89,883 gallons of rum (about 340,000 liters); in 1959, it produced 139,790 gallons (529,000 liters), but the following year no more figures are recorded in the records. La Bonne Intention then closed its doors as a distillery, but continued as a sugar refinery until 2011. The Skeldon, Blairmont and Port Mourant distilleries followed the same fate and all closed between 1955 and 1965.

LBI | traffic jam side

Today, there are only two rums bearing the name La Bonne Intention, both bottled by the Italian Velier: in 2000, a first vintage (1985) was released, and a second (1998) in 2007; they were not directly distilled at the La Bonne Intention distillery but reproduced at the Uitvlugt distillery according to the historical aromatic profile. History tells us that the column then used was a Coffey column, since replaced by a Savalle in Uitvlugt (the label of the LBI 1998 also mentions a continuous distillation in column).

As mentioned in a previous article , we must not forget that after 1960 many rums had in common that they were reproduced and made from more or less similar stills (in the case where the original one no longer existed), trying to stick as closely as possible to the historical profiles of each distillery (via organoleptic and chemical tests, various and varied modifications in order to reproduce as faithfully as possible the distillation temperatures, the fermentation, the speed of the hydroalcoholic vapor and the elimination of impurities.)

According to DDL, the LBI mark/profile corresponds to a rum with a medium-sweet but pronounced character. There is also another mark related to LBI but never encountered: ROM.

source: the always excellent article published by Marco Freyer on his blog Barrel Aged Mind, translated into French by Nico from the blog Coeur de Chauffe .

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The Good Intention 1985 / 40°

A 15-year-old rum released by Velier in 2000, when the famous black bottle did not yet exist. This is a reduced version at 40°, probably aged in a continental climate. The label wrongly tells us that the distillation took place at the La Bonne Intention distillery, when it closed its doors between 55 and 65. Clarification on the label: special cask LBI 961-965 .

The color of this first LBI is a deep amber, tending towards copper, shiny and oily; a disc floats on the surface, to show us a little more fat that the legs will expose without restraint or any embarrassment.

On the nose, the rum offers a relatively light, dry and fruity profile: dried fruits (sweet blond raisin, prune), dried tobacco leaves and notes of molasses are mixed. The nose appears very simple and without real complexity, and will not reveal more, except for a little caramel and dry notes of fruits in brandy, and far from the darkness of some rums of the genre. With rest, the nose even goes so far as to gradually fade away.

On the palate, the attack is soft and oily, and quickly becomes fatty and sweet, with lots of dried fruits, caramelized spices and lightly toasted molasses, caramel. It is rather dry, on the alcohol for a light rum that would remind more of ron than proud Demarara, and the impression of sugar will really not help matters: the impression of a caramelized and sweet sauce in the mouth, just raised by spices. The finish is quite short, very dry and alcoholic, surely broken by the impression of sugar in the mouth. Damage and damage.

There is certainly potential in this rum, but it is unfortunately annihilated by a good dose of sugar which definitely does more harm than good when tasting. Displayed at 40° it was measured at 35.7 density, or between 15 and 19gr of sugar per liter. Quite dry with notes of sugar and alcohol, and closer to a sweet rum. Note: 74

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The Good Intention 1998 / 55.6°

Bottled in 2007 at 55.6°, this bottling is a single cask (meaning from a single cask) that was released in conjunction with a 1998 Versailles and a 1998 Enmore, all aged 9 years (tropically aged). 274 bottles will be released from this single cask of La Bonne Intention. No sugar here, unlike the 1985.

The color has very little in common with the previous rum, here it is mahogany and tends towards ruby, the surface disc is thick and greenish, and the rum very fatty with thick and sticky legs.

On the nose, the rum is rich and concentrated, and releases a melted, resinous and sweet smell, mixing dried fruits (prune at the top) and notes of tobacco and leather, or perhaps smoked molasses. The nose literally sticks and lets you easily imagine a mouth that is just as concentrated and resinous. Notes of red fruits arrive with the rest, slightly acidic and lulled by a smoky smell that gives the whole a beautiful presence. This same smell will take up almost all the space as time passes, reminiscent of a grilled molasses, even "cooked". The alcohol is well integrated.

On the palate, the attack is gripping and sticky, resinous as imagined, but melting: it literally sticks to the palate, pouring here aromas of smoked, burnt wood, there dried and candied fruits (prunes), tobacco and tanned and sweet, spicy leather, all in a melted and balanced and very warm ensemble. The palate goes crescendo towards more spices (chili) and power, even takes on an iodized air for a rather long and especially persistent finish on these dark and empyreumatic notes of smoke and roasted leather, gradually drying the palate but recalling the good memory of the whole tasting. The empty glass is refreshing and fruity.

An LBI that will easily eclipse the 1985 which will seem quite bland next to it, and two rums that will ultimately have very little in common in terms of taste and aroma. This 1998 is faithful to the Demerara bottlings from Velier (in any case the Demerara brut de fût and tropical aging), with a concentrated and resinous profile of the most beautiful effect, but still less rich than rums a few years older. Score: 86

To help you (and me) find your way around, regarding the notes:

90 and + : exceptional and unique rum, it is the best of the best
between 85 and 89 : highly recommended rum, with that little something that makes the difference
between 80 and 84 : recommendable rum
75-79 POINTS : above average
70-74 POINTS : in the low average
less than 70 : not very good

Review courtesy of DuRhum.com.

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