Twas about time I gave some representation to my personal favourite spirit category: Rum! Synonymous with the Caribbean islands, todays topic, the lovely dram English Harbour, helms from one of my favourite places for rum – Antigua!
Bottled at 40% ABV, this rum has a very traditionally designed bottle, with deep green glass and a stylised ripped label to make it feel like you’ve found an old treasure (which you absolutely have)! One thing that sets this rum apart to me is it’s cloudy appearance, showing not only the dedication to traditional techniques, but also the care purely for how it tastes over what a picky consumer might assume at a glance.
They were, of course, correct to take this route; this rum speaks for itself with it’s full flavour palette! On the nose it’s very gentle, no alcohol burn, giving gentle tropical fruits and toffee up front with some slight oak and spice influences. When drank neat it has a gentle burn, consistent and never ramping up or getting overbearing. It has this delicious sweet fruit and nutmeg taste with some spicy, smoky undertones, followed by a smooth buttery aftertaste.
When diluted it becomes very subtle, sweet and delicate. Some mixers, like ginger beer, that work great with other rums can be a bit too intense, I find; this is best paired with a gentle fruit juice, such as pineapple. I would personally recommend this be sipped neat with an ice cube or two, as the dynamic flavour change as the ice melts is quite the experience.
This is easily one of my favourite dark rums and single-handedly solidified my love for Antiguan rum. This is a rum that I feel is a great gateway for someone wanting to try out the world of higher quality rum as it has a very accessible flavour, however the deeper complexities hidden in this simple package are sure to be enjoyed by the more astute and experienced rum enjoyers amongst you! If you haven’t tried English Harbour yet, do yourself a favour and get on it asap!
This review’s recommended song is: “Antigua Nice” – El-A-Kru
