Bar Stool Experts: Discuss aging...

[Capn Jimbo]

OK, I admit it! I do visit the Shillery of Rum -but - not because it's good...

It's because - like Wolfie's site - it's such a rich source of misinformative raw material just begging for correction. No you can't have the car keys! But let's get right to it. In search of enlightenment and rebirth, one of the unwashed hoardes of unknowing newbies deferred to the Preacher regarding aging and rum...

Losty: Can a 7 year old caribbean rum out match a 12 year old in term of smooth and taste? Also how much you think its a reasonable price for a 7 year old rum? I usually drink 12+ stuff and wanna see if 7 is worth the money and quality still decent.

Good questions, and addresses a subject I raised years ago, namely the "sweet spot" in terms of aging. But first, let's allow the Prophet to hold forth:

Prophet: In a lot of cases I prefer a younger rum since it has more body and character. It is not uncommon for an older rum to be past maturity or simply lack the depth of character found in rums that are at their peak of maturity.

This is where the barstool part comes in. My hometown was known for its many, many hometown, neighborhood bars. Small and homey, nice. And inevitably the corner of the bar is populated with a few "regulars" well into their journey to liver destruction.

They are experts on everything.

And like barstool experts everywhere they are loud and exhibit attitudes of absolute certitude. Nuclear physics? Got the answer. Brain surgery? Of course. And the aging of rum? Child's play. But despite their drooling pronouncements...

They don't have a clue. So "Losty", let's step outside and share the facts:


Younger rums do not "have more body and character".

The body of rum is first established during distillation. A shorter time ("conversation") in the still will establish more body. Where the cuts are made does too: early cuts are lighter, late cuts are heavier. In sum, body is established with the new make spirit. But let's get to it...

Aging? If anything, aging increases body - exactly the opposite of the Prophet's claim. Time in the barrel, charring, first use and sherry barrels all increase body with time.

Character? Time in wood adds notable complexity in two ways: additive flavors and interactive flavors. Aging also increases smoothness. While it is true that very, very old rums can lose youthful vigor, they are much more complex and smoother. Still there is indeed a "sweet spot", so do read on...


So let's really answer "Losty's" question...

Can a 7 year rum "outmatch a 12 year old?

Yes. This was an especially hard question for a rum promoter, as younger rums tend to be less profitable. Bacardi excluded. Some of the finest and most highly rated rums fall somewhere in the 7 to 12 year category.

Indeed this is the "sweet spot" for rums in general, particularly those authentic rums that are made with care. As far as cost, let's consider the reference standards:

1. Barbadian style: Seale's 10 Year, $24
2. Jamaican style: Appleton Extra 12 Year, $32
3. Demeraran style: El Dorado 5 Year, $15 or 12 year, $22
4. Cane juice style: Barbancourt 8 Year, $20
5. Cuban style: Ron Matusalem Gran Reserva (avg 8 years), $24

Some other young and exceptional rums include Santa Teresa Anejo ($14), and Rum San Pablo ($12) among others. Phil Prichard's offerings are 6 years (and less) and stand shoulder to shoulder (yes, I meant that) with the best.

And now back to the bar, where the Prophet is ordering another round...

[Capn Jimbo]

Even a broken watch is right twice a day...

Although he didn't care to explain, the Preacher did allude to the "peak of maturity" and to "where a rum is aged". Here's what you need to know:

1. In our experience, the "sweet spot" falls in the 7 to 10 year range though to be fair we've found some slightly younger and slightly older rums that are just as wonderful. And there's a reason for it...

Think about this. In the world of the great and truly noble single malt whiskies it is generally accepted that most are not really ready until about 12 years, and don't get truly wonderful until perhaps 18 to 20 years or a bit more, as rightfully reflected by their prices. But keep one thing in mind...

They are aged in cool northern climes.

Not so for rum, which are (mostly) ages in the hot and humid tropics that display burning days and often cool nights. Accordingly, there is much more expansion and contraction (barrel effect). The bottom line:

2. A year in the Carribean has been compared to two or three years in the north. Thus our "sweet spot" of 7 to 10 years compares to that of a 15 to 20 year (or more) whisky.

It's that simple.

Let me conclude with a brief discussion of "character", a subject on which the Preacher and I may agree - to a point. If depends on how you define "character" - as something or someone with notable quirky characteristics ("he's a real character") - or as the characteristics that best define a genre (eg. "the American character").

One is an oddball, a one off, while the other is earned over time. It's your call. But I digress.

As we think of it, great rums come out of the still with character, which then grows with time until it reaches it's own "sweet spot". After that it may continue to gain complexity and smoothness, but years later may become overly complex and heavy. Certain heavy aromas and flavors may come to dominate, or the whole shebang may become so well blended as to be hard to distinguish. Some drinkers actually like this, though it tends to be those who equate great age and price with quality and virtue.

This latter has more to do with ego and materialism. For us it's the rums in the "sweet spot" that really get our attention. As for the world-at-large, it's worth noting that most of the recognized world-class rums fall into that range.

There's a reason...