Where there's sugarcane, you can expect rum to follow. And there's a spot in Japan that's particularly popular for cane growing and that's the island of Okinawa, that's famous for its Japanese black sugars or kokuto.

Okinawa is often described by its visitors as being utterly different from conventional ideas of Japan, and that's largely due to its geography (it's almost equidistant between Japan and Taiwan), and its history (being a kingdom of its own, the Ryukyu Kingdom, centuries-old trading relationships with Thailand, and also the presence of Americans on the island as a naval base).

Okinawa is a wonderfully unique place that almost feels completely set apart from Japan. (Image Source: Jetstar)

For a period of its history, it served as the supplier of sugar to mainland Japan, while the country was run by the shogun, and this proliferated sugarcane on the island. Okinawans had during this period began to study sugar manufacturing from China and exported this back to the island - this taught the islanders a process of slow cooking sugarcane that allowed the molasses to concentrate and take on a deep, rich, smoky flavor - known as kokuto.

Kokuto. (Image Source: Tokyo Treat)

Now back to Teeda (which is Okinawan for "Sun"), this brand of rum comes from the Helios Distillery based in Okinawa, that has been making rums since the early 1960's, the longest of any producer in Japan. Again, this was a consequence of wanting to sell its rums to US soldiers based on the island. Consequently, they've got amongst the most aged rum stocks in Japan, being able to produce even a 21 Year Old Teeda expression, that is believed to contain rums far older than stated.

The same applies with the Teeda 5 Year Old, which is believed to contain rums between 5 to 15 years old, and is aged in American white oak casks, bottled at 40% ABV.

Let's get into it!

Teeda 5 Years Old - Review

Tasting Notes

Color: Pale Straw

Aroma: Intense herbal jelly notes, sea coconut, and guilingao (tortoise shell jelly) - it’s a mix of herbal honey and floral notes. Incredible depth and so aromatic. 

Over time, this lets up and opens up even more. A very bright diesel note or overripe banana puree - very estery and somewhat petrol-y. A good helping of cream, and more notes of yellow kiwi, apricot, jackfruit - slightly musky. There’s a sort of citron candlewax sort of note as well.

Taste: Lighter bodied, bright, and alittle sharper with light notes of honey, more on vanilla, and also a sort of ash, chalk and slightly medicinal and bitter. And yet there’s a persistent ethereal sort of shimmery, bright grass jelly. 

Finish: More petrol notes before letting up to more deep notes of herbal jelly and sea coconut, before turning more astringent - black tea tannins.

My Thoughts

My Rating: 🍡

This was quite honestly so amazing - it has an intense herbal jelly note that is most closely associated with rum agricoles, and yet with time turns more towards that funky Jamaican profile. All throughout, there’s a sort of bright, cooling jelly note, and also a muskiness. Just the nose alone was sufficient to entertain me for a solid 20 minutes as I kept letting it open up more (on top of that 9 months I had initially put it aside after opening it).

That said, the palate is alittle more astringent and perhaps the least interesting of the tasting experience, and can get alittle harsh from the ashy chalk and bitterness. The finish does come in in great fashion, with that intense herbal jelly note again.

This is like a rhum agricole with so much more intensity and more heavily bodied, with a touch of funk. Frankly, it’s a class of its own.

You can find it on Master of Malt (International Shipping).  

Kanpai!

@111hotpot