The bottler Rennais Whisky & Rhum is no longer at its first attempt: Last year released a magnificent 12-year-old Bellevue that immediately won unanimous approval (especially among specialists at the Rhum Fair 2013). For its new range of bottlings, the specialist wine merchant is now offering us a version that is 3 years older, as well as rums from Belize and Nicaragua, still in 46° and cask strength versions. Let's head to Guadeloupe for a new tasting of a rum that has already blown away more than one person...

Price : 88€ for 70cl at 46°. 201 bottles available, not one more.

Age : 15 years for this new bottling, distilled in 1998 and bottled in 2013. Aged in Bourbon barrels.

In conclusion of my note on the Bellevue 14 year old bottled by the Germans of The Rum Cask I had hypothesized that the same rum - but diluted - would be perfect for my taste. I have since bought a bottle of the 12 year old (at 46°) bottled by Whisky & Rhum: a revelation… So when I learned that at the end of 2013 a 15 year old was going to be released, you can imagine that new expectations were in order!

This 15-year-old rum has an amber color and copper highlights ; at work it is a fine crown that forms on the walls and which gives way to numerous droplets that fall nonchalantly and successively towards the bottom of the glass. a pretty ballet for a beautiful lady and aromas that already escape from the glass…

The 12 year old had a captivating and smoky smell of liquorice and grass, the exoticism (of the rather green fruit) and the sweet warmth of spices (cinnamon and nutmeg in the lead); a nose that opened to infinity and body to spare, candied citrus fruits in a slightly acidic caramel… Not without recalling a certain Caroni and its tarry side. Well this 15 year old plays us the same great music, without a false note and with the luxury of playing its score with the seriousness and delicacy of the most gifted, with restraint in the highest notes .

The impression of hearing the same interpretation twice but with that little something extra that makes you think - as if it were necessary - that work pays off, that with perseverance and thanks to time, everything improves, everything becomes clearer, simpler.

This 15 year old is decidedly more delicate and cozy, with a finely smoky, caramelized and vanilla woodiness that is very seductive, and above all much more exotic than the 12 year old; with very ripe banana and pineapple, citrus fruits, in short fruits full of sugar, candied and captivating; Where the 12 year old remains mainly on the tarry note "à la Caroni", on a more vegetal side, its big brother opens up and reveals finer and more delicate notes. The additional aging in bourbon barrels is not strange... just a reward for time, some will say. It has opened up, certainly, but has lost some of its character. The dried fruits develop with aeration (prune, fig), and the spices (cinnamon, nutmeg) become a little more present .

The attack is supple and lively, slightly spicy, with a nice place given to citrus fruits (orange and lemon) and other exotic fruits already perceived on the nose. A marmalade just spiced (still cinnamon, and ginger) and piqued with a hint of tangy freshness. The liquorice is still there but more discreet. A vegetal side gives an additional allure to the whole. It is supple and effective, well balanced and very pleasant on the palate.

The finish of this rum is rather long, once again on citrus and fruits. The woodiness is even more present and frank for a rather smoky and sweet exit under the sign of dried fruits. A pleasant taste persists for a long time in the mouth.

Here we have a rum that has logically evolved towards more fruitiness, which has opened up and lost character. Age has embellished things, and maturity has brought fruit and delicacy, hiding the heavier notes in favor of more complexity… that's the game and it sometimes gives great things. The result is very good here, and the character of the 12 year old is necessarily missing. I would rather stay on the nose of the latter which is simply magnificent, preferring its heavier side of spicy liquorice and tire screeching, more catchy and interesting. Everything is -once again- a question of taste, but Whisky & Rhum offers us here again a very nice selection. Score: 81

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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