Some time ago I ran across an amazing thread at the Preacher's, wherein I read of a new rum called "The Lash" and being whaled at for five pages - all without one of the posters having tasted it. Naturally, I had to write a highly entertaining article about this travesty, entitled "Combat: Ministry monkeys gang up on 'The Lash'" (link).
This was a hoot, and became an instant classic - even Robert Burr found it roll on the floor funny. When I found out that "The Lash" was the creation of a industry tasting consultant and was made from (a) a pure rum aged for four years, and (b) using real and authentic spices using a water-based extraction, well I was hooked. I found a posting on another website and added my comments, asking "Robert" to kindly contact me. My interest: finding out more about the use of unlabeled flavorings, and of course to discuss what is really a pretty revolutionary concept:
Reality, purity and authenticity.
All of these are sadly missing in the row after row of Batcave-produced cheap, continuously distilled bulk rums containing enough artificial flavorings and/or spices, smoothers and sweeteners to keep the unknowing natives happy. This is not to say there aren't a few rums in this category who don't use authentic and natural ingredients (there are: I speak here of real spiced and flavored rums by Old Monk XXX, Foursquare by Richard Seale, ESA Fields and Barbancourt Pango).
And now The Lash.
My only problem: you simply can't find The Lash Spiced Rum in south Florida, so I pretty much forgot about it when to my surprise - and months later - I got an email from "Robert", the producer, offering to send me a bottle. Now as you all know, I am of the Robert Parker school of spirits advocacy and firmly believe that free rum can be corrupting. So we shell out our hard earned cash for the rums we review - only in this way can we call a crappy rum, uh a "crappy rum".
BTW, a "crappy" review pretty much insures you won't get any free product anyway.
However, out of the 150 rums and 15 fine single malts tasted so far, we'd accepted exactly two freebies. A new tasting glass - which still got a horrible review - and Phil Prichard's exquisite Private Stock Rum, available only at the distillery, and which got a great review. Both honest.
But as always, I digress. Let's get to The Lash.
Sue Sea:
We'd been on a trip when the shipment from Robert arrived in Florida, so it was a pleasant surprise to arrive back home. The package contained three products: The Lash Spiced Rum, a special aged Grappa - Le Diciotto Lune, and an intriguing product called Voyant Chai - a cream liqueur made with "...rum, Dutch cream, black tea, pure vanilla and real spices". It's fair to say I was intrigued.
As a cook I simply love good spices and go out of my way to buy only the best, and even grow some of my own. Jim insists on authentic Greek oregano, and extra virgin olive oil made from Greek calamata olives. So the idea that The Lash and the Voyant Chai contained both good rum and real spices truly whet my tastebuds, and his. We tasted the grappa first, and you will find our review in the whisky section. The Lash was second.
The Lash Spiced Rum comes in a heavy, thick-bottomed, squat rum bottle. Classic, but with an artificial, copper topped cork (which we actually prefer) and sporting an unclassic label featuring a cat o' nine tails whip. More about Jim's fascination with BDSM later, lol. I should also say that Jim insisted we compare The Lash with a bottle of common, artificially spiced rum. Frazier vs. Ali, natural vs artificial! He does these things; however, I'm going to focus on the The Lash which deserves my undivided attention:
On first pour, I can say only one thing about The Lash's aroma: killer! Complex, warm and inviting. I found cinnamon, clove and ginger. Pumpkin pie in a glass. I picked coffee, chocolate, rooty gingerbread, and allspice - all over a deep background of dark raisins and prunes, dates and figs. Have you ever had mincemeat?
Tasting the rum was like eating a warm, fresh spiced muffin. The entry was spicy and warm, beautifully reflecting the aroma and its potpourri of spices. The middle and late palates were like tasting a gingerbread right out of the oven. The Lash finished smoothly, not too hot, not too sweet nor syrupy. The aftertaste was consistent and reflective, with added tones of an orange pekoe tea, coffee or a perhaps a stout beer.
To me The Lash was genuine, and would make a great dessert or after dinner treat. We also tried it on the rocks, and then with a bit of light cream, both excellent. The Lash would make a great rum component of a holiday eggnog. The Lash would also make a great special gift for the rum drinker.
One final observation, very much to this rum's credit: Although The Lash opens with a powerful and spicy aroma, it's taste and texture is remarkably lighter - completely unlike the many artificially concocted rums that are often overdone and finish syrupy.
Like Jim's Zaya, The Lash almost defines its own category.
Me:
Most of you are well aware that I despise flavored and spiced rums. Why? First and foremost, I love fine, relatively pure aged sipping rums. Second, it is fair to say that the flavored/spiced category is dominated by Dupont and tankers full of artificial, taste-engineered additives then unceremoniously dumped into otherwise cheap and unremarkable bulk rums. Artificial drivel.
The Lash was a pleasant surprise. It joins the elite company of the relatively few rums made with authentic and real spices (mentioned in the introduction). Its color is a cloudy dark mahogany but for a reason. As noted on the label, The Lash is made with real spices and "...you may occasionally see some spices in the bottle".
The Lash opened with some intensity featuring well integrated vanilla over some nicely tingly spices, and a sense of molasses and far distant orange (no doubt from the aged rum). It dares you to taste it, which of course I did - repeatedly. Now as Sue Sea mentioned in passing, a rum with this kind of opening leads you to expect a hot, sweet syrupy entry.
Nope. Not there. Instead the entry is actually a bit subtle and if not dry, certainly not heavy and syrupy. Great! It is only then that the spicing grows and carries through, for a glowing, relatively long finish and aftertaste. Now although I won't name it, let it be known we were comparing The Lash to a very well known major label spiced product which lacked the "9" lashes of the Lash's cat.
The difference was dramatic and persuasive. Ali - and The Lash Spiced Rum - in the first round by knockout. The artificial comparator was heavy on artificial vanilla, overdone, syrupy and practically demanded a palate cleansing mouthful of cleansing water in between rounds. Assuming of course that there'd been a second.
There wasn't.
Since Sue Sea has so successfully summarized her analysis so succinctly (sufferin' succotash!) let me provide the overview. Let's start with age. The Lash is purportedly made with relatively unaltered rum that has been aged in American Oak for four years. This is an expensive decision, but an important one. It flies in the face of conventional corporate wisdom which is to provide the least and profit the most.
Second is the use of real (and expensive) vanilla and other authentic and natural spices. These too come dear. Have you ever purchased real vanilla beans at say, Whole Foods? Talk about sticker shock. Further, The Lash used a natural, and more costly water-extraction product to best preserve the authentic flavors.
There are two questions. First, was this added expense worth it? And second, will the market recognize, appreciate and buy this product?
As for the first, I say a resounding "Yes!". In the world of rogue rum, unlabeled alteration of otherwise unremarkable rums is commonplace. Doing so has cheapened the product kept the rogue in rum. The proliferation of such products has taken over the shelves and pushed the ever fewer truly fine rums out. The takeover by the artificial cheapens the whole of what could truly be a relatively pure and noble spirit category.
"The Lash" is well named. It reflects history ("Rum, sodomy and the lash..." and to me represents a long overdue backlash to current industry practices. The Lash does so by producing and presenting a counterintuitive, authentic and quality product for the market to consider. Which brings up the second question - will it succeed?
I surely hope so.
Rating (ten is best): solid 8.