When we think of rums, we typically think of the Caribbean, the bedrock of rum-making. Of course, these days distillers from all over have given life to the saying "where there is sugarcane, there is rum", taking the craft to virtually anywhere - even places where there is no sugarcane! 

Today we have a white unaged rum from the unlikeliest of places (to me at least!) - Boston, Massachusetts, USA. This is from Privateer Distillery, which was founded in 2011 by Andrew Cabot, who named the distillery after his ancestor who was a privateer during the American Revolution. For those less acquainted, myself included, a "privateer" is a person who commands fleets of ships for hire to launch offensives or defensives against aggressors. The distillery was headed up by Master Distiller Maggie Campbell, who is quite lauded and has since seems to have moved her craft to Barbados' giant, Mount Gay, as of 2021. This unaged expression should likely be made under her purview.

Maggie Campbell is in no small part responsible for giving Privateer as good a footing as possible. (Image Source: Imbibe Magazine)

It's surprising to see rum come from the area given that there isn't any local sugarcane - which means that Privateer purchases molasses from elsewhere, such as Guatemala, which is what was used for the unaged expression.

Aside from its origins, Privateer itself is quite fascinating - using a Vendome pot still for its double distillation, and the also a copper eau-de-vie still, and a hybrid pot/column still with adjustable plate configurations. 

Privateer has spared no expense at getting themselves some great equipment, albeit opting for a somewhat unique set up. (Image Source: TripAdvisor)

Decrypting that - the Vendome pot still is typically used with Bourbons, although there are rum producers such as St Lucia that use it - which is able to bring out great aromas and create more depth and complexity. The eau-de-vie still, eau-de-vie being fruit brandy, similarly brings out great aromas and more body. The hybrid pot/column still also adds to that body and complexity (Barbados' famed Foursquare has something similar), and the adjustable plates allow for better cuts - a lower cut is typically more ester-heavy and vice-versa.

In simple terms - the distillery has really shelled out for some great equipment, albeit an uncommon set up - so quality meets uniqueness, it should imply.

Following its American Bourbon peers, Privateer's rums are bottled-in-bond (BiB) which is overseen by the government and means that the spirit blended comes from a single distillery and from a single distillation cycle. This gives their rums some added transparency.

Not your standard good-rum-comes-from-here environment. (Image Source: Wikipedia)

And yet the reality is that in the past several years, Privateer has certainly produced some interesting stuff and has won many awards, but has still found it hard to cement itself as a serious rum player by virtue of its country of origin - the USA.

It seems that the rum community finds it hard to shed its perception of the USA being a country not typically associated with good rums. As I said, the Caribbean remains the sentimental gold standard. Nonetheless, there appears to be a quiet acknowledgement that Privateer does produce some solid rums despite its youth.

The recognition by Italian co-bottler and distributor Velier certainly helps - to be selected in donning the Velier label is probably as good as it gets in the rum game. To which, Privateer has certainly succeeded in that aspect. 

This 2020 release under Habitation Velier is an unaged white rum, made with Guatemalan molasses, with a congener content of 375.1 gr/hlpa - a mid-level ester count, so we should expect something fairly well-balanced. It was distilled in a single batch and bottled at 62% ABV.

Privateer, 2020, Unaged, Habitation Velier, 62% ABV - Review 

Tasting Note

Color: Colourless 

Aroma: There's a greenness - which is certainly not unusual, but here it's alot creamier and more doughy. Also more vanilla, pandan and desiccated coconut shavings - this is reminiscent of Ondeh-Ondeh (a Southeast-Asia dough ball filled with palm sugar, or Gula Melaka), kind of confectionary. And then more on fresh burrata, very creamy still. Over time, there's gentle but distinct notes of green pears and aftershave cream, a sort of synthetic yet aromatic pungence. A light grassiness and pine, green unripe mangoes, daisies and green apples.

Taste: Texturally creamy and oily - there's a minerality that hits immediately, and that same pandan rice doughiness. More vanilla icing sugar, green pears and apples with that oiliness of shaving cream with more white florals. It's also peppery with very light but apparent touches of rosewater or frankly eau-de-vie. Green olive brine as well, and finally fresh cane juice.

Finish: Cane juice and Gula Melaka palm sugar, and then notes of green apple peels and a more vegetal celery stalk. It's also buttery in texture but closer to margarine in flavor. There's a really intriguing waxiness that is reminiscent of fruit nectar. Black pepper throughout.

My Thoughts 

This is a really intriguing one - certainly very complex and definitely more unusual than even most unaged rums. It isn't striking or hot at all, which makes it much more accessible than most, but at the same time the flavors are divisive - you either really like it or really dislike it. And that's already assuming you're down with unaged rums.

The profile here is alot more bright and at the same time more oily, synthetic and yet fruitier and less vegetal and funky than other high quality unaged rums. It sits squarely between your traditional unaged pot still agricole rum (that is fresh pressed sugarcane, even though this is 100% molasses-based) and an eau-de-vie, a sort of Harvey Dent of white spirits if you will.

I should be clear that this has all the makings of what would quality it as a well-made rum - great cohesiveness in flavor, well-rounded with no off-notes (the aftershave note I'm talking about is something I find in all eau-de-vie's), and a nicely creamily textured, hefty body. It's almost like a green apple gobstopper - I don't know, I'm at a loss of words, really.

I don't want to pretend I like it or don't just to give our dear readers a nice satisfactory definite conclusiveness - there are parts I like, there are parts I personally don't like. It is well-made, I will certainly say.

Will you like it? Do you like eau-de-vie or pear brandy? If you do then there's a good chance you'll like this. You can find it via LMDW.



Kanpai!

@111hotpot