It is always an honor and a privilege to sample rums and spirits from other parts of the world and it is fascinating to discover, when discussing rum, just how many are produced in Asia and Oceania. Even tasting an Australian rum once struck me as incredibly exotic; yet, in recent years, I have seen many Australian brands win awards at festivals. While the festivals themselves may not matter much to me, the fact that the spirits are of such high quality certainly catches my attention.
It is thanks to brands like Plantation (Planteray) that I get to try Australian rum. This prompted me to look up how many distilleries exist in Australia, and the number was quite large. However, this particular distillery seems to be renowned for its rum.
Indeed, the distillery is named Beenleigh and is located in Queensland. The rum is the product of a 12-day fermentation; it was then pot-distilled and aged for 11 years, in 2009 and in ex-bourbon casks. It was subsequently shipped to France, where it spent a year in ex-Cognac casks and finally an additional four months in Palo Cortado casks. It is also noted that no sweetener was added and that it was bottled at 45.3% ABV.
Made by: Beenleigh Distillery
Name of the rum: Australia 2009 Single Cask
Brand: Plantation (Planteray now)
Origin: Australia / France
Age: 11 years + 1 year + 4 months
Nose
It features notes of cherry, lemon zest, smoke, grapes, red berries, vanilla, and a bunch of woody nuances.
Palate
At first, it feels like a British-style island rum, which would be entirely accurate. It features notes that are less citrusy and more fruit-forward in a different way: red berries, tart green grapes, and a certain herbal quality, followed by vanilla, cherries, golden raisins, and a smoky hint.
Retrohale/Finish
Not much, except for a slightly sour/acid note.
Rating
7 on the t8ke
Conclusion
Before tasting this rum, my only experience with a rum going through Palo Cortado casks was the Dos Maderas 5+5, which is very sweet and spends 3 years in those casks. At 4 months, I didn't know what to expect. However, after tasting it and experiencing those intense Palo Cortado notes alongside the flavors typical of English-style rums, I realized that four months was sufficient. I
I remember trying it at a blind tasting and saying it was an English-style rum, probably from an English island. Technically that’s not correct, because Australia is independent, but I argued that the British flag is part of the Australian flag, so it was permissible. I didn't win anything, though. But it is a good rum.
