Rum finishing in the whisky industry is in no way a new thing, but it does seem more popular this year than in the past. There have been several new whisky releases aged in rum casks – and it is only May! The tropical, sweeter notes from the rum casks definitely match the season.
Is rum finish becoming THE big thing in whisky in 2024?
What is rum?
Rum is a spirit made from sugar cane molasses or from the juice of crushed sugar cane. In fact, rum was originally a by-product of the waste left from the processing of sugar. Large amounts of molasses from the sugar cane were fermented into alcohol, and later distilled, producing the modern-day rum.
Rum casks
Rum casks are made from American oak, which contributes to softer, sweeter flavours with notes of vanilla and caramel. There is a wide range of rum styles, therefore each will have a unique influence on the spirit. Rum casks are mainly used to ‘finish’ whisky before bottling, to allow just enough of those desired tropical notes and baking spice aromas, but the casks can also be used for longer maturation (see Cù Bòcan below). Some common tasting notes include vanilla, tropical fruit, apricot, caramel, cinnamon, ripe banana, molasses.
Most distilleries don’t disclose the details of the rum distillery and the label simply reads ‘Caribbean rum’ or ‘Rum Cask’. Rum-cask-finished whiskies also make a great addition to cocktail making.
Learn more about the Types of Casks and How They Influence Whisky.
Latest whisky finished in rum casks
Speyburn Rum Cask Finish, 40% ABV
Speyburn Distillery gave their whisky collection a refresh with two new releases, one of which is finished in rum casks. The spirit has first been aged in ex-bourbon barrels. It is said to have aromas of tropical fruit, citrus and caramelised banana, and flavours of creamy coconut, buttery pastry and spiced vanilla. This latest release will elevate the signature fruity house style.
Lagavulin Offerman Edition – Caribbean Cask, 46% ABV
Lagavulin combines sweetness and smoke with their recent Offerman Edition, which is aged for eleven years in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks before being finished in Caribbean rum casks for eight months. Some online reviews say the release was nice enough but left them wanting a slightly stronger rum influence.
Little Brown Dog Double Rum Finish, 59.2% ABV
Little Brown Dog teamed up with the Aberdeen Whisky Shop to offer an AWS-exclusive bottle Macduff 2010 Double Rum Cask Finish single malt. It is first finished in a Four Square rum cask before being transferred into a Jamaican rum cask. This is surprisingly floral on the palate, followed by a lingering allspice.
Mac-Talla Rum Cask, 53.7% ABV
To celebrate this year’s Feis Ile, Mac-Talla released a tropical and juicy whisky finished in rum casks. The spirit spent first ten years in hogsheads, followed by over five years in casks from Cruzan Rum Distillery. These rum casks were new oak before the rum went in.
They kindly gifted me a sample to enjoy, so here are my tasting notes.
Colour: Dark-ish gold
Nose: Syrupy peach and apricot, old book pages, melted vanilla ice cream, tinned pineapple rings, teasing smoke
Palate: Salt, smoke and sweetness in perfect harmony from the first sip, ripe papaya, fruit salad with whipped cream, summer BBQ
Finish: Salty pebbles, grilled pineapple coated with rum, lingering peat smoke
Overall, a very nice combination of peat smoke and elements from rum. I found it perfectly balanced with plenty of peat smoke coming through on the palate. I’d happily sip this again! Want to try it? Shop here.
Big Peat Tropaigeach Edition, 48% ABV
Douglas Laing is also feeling tropical with the latest Big Peat The Tropaigeach Edition Feis Ile 2024 whisky. The Islay single malt used in Big Peat was matured in ex-Caribbean rum casks to bring in those sweet fruity notes to match the peat.
Springbank 10 Fijian Rum, 57.1% ABV
Another rum-matured festival bottling comes from the acclaimed Springbank Distillery. To celebrate Campbeltown Malts Festival they sold the Springbank 10-Year-Old Fijian Rum release in small 35cl bottles.
The Glenlivet Rum & Bourbon Fusion, 40% ABV
This recent release from The Glenlivet is not finished in rum casks but they have dismantled both first-fill bourbon barrels and rum barrels and then created new barrels by using staves from both. The staves are alternated to create a barrel that will impart notes from the ex-bourbon and ex-rum casks. Unfortunately, I think this release may only be available for the US market at the moment.
Cù Bòcan Creation no. 6, 46% ABV
Cù Bòcan Creation no. 6 from Tomatin Distillery uses lightly peated barley and it is matured in a combination of PX sherry casks (nine years) and Jamaican rum barrels (ten years).
Cù Bòcan kindly sent me a bottle to experiment with. Below you can find my tasting notes, and make sure to keep an eye out for some cocktail recipes on my Instagram feed.
Colour: Dark yellow
Nose: Dried fruits, leather sofa, fireworks aftermath smell, gingerbread dough, creamy caramel, something slightly savoury
Palate: Oak rubbed with pineapple, peppery haggis, peat smoke, blackberry sweetness, dried cranberries and blueberries
Finish: Slightly minty with lingering peat smoke, a little bit ashy
The many reviews I came across kept mentioning rum and raisin but I didn’t really get that much of the rum influence. Yes, there is clearly pineapple on the palate and hint of ginger on the nose, but I find the sherry having a bigger impact with notes of dried fruit and leather. The palate did have a nice balance of sweet fruity notes and lingering smoke.
Perhaps this is one of those bottles that evolves as time goes on.
Ardnamurchan Rum Cask, 55% ABV
Ardnamurchan brought out a rum-cask release at the end of last year. AD/Rum Cask is finished in Caribbean rum casks. It is sweet and fruity on the nose and the palate is like a juicy fruit salad with subtle smoke. I’m sure there will be a 2024 edition later this year.
Glenfiddich 21 Gran Reserva, 40% ABV
Glenfiddich teamed up with Raku Inoue to celebrate the Lunar new year 2024. This limited-edition gift box depicts a hybrid animal of the distillery’s famous stag and a wood dragon. For the Glenfiddich 21-Year-Old Gran Reserva they used Caribbean rum casks to add a layer of tropical sweetness and sweet spice. Expect notes of marmalade, manuka honey, foam bananas, candied ginger and vanilla.
Yellowstone Rum Cask, 50% ABV
It’s not just scotch whisky that’s getting the rum treatment. Kentucky-based Limestone Branch Distillery released a bourbon that’s finished in Cuban rum casks for nine weeks as part of their Yellowstone Special Finishes Collection.
Cocktail recipe try at home
Peach Smash
40ml Rum Cask Finished Scotch (I used The Glenlivet Caribbean Cask)
4 slices of fresh Peach
Handful of fresh Mint
20ml fresh Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon of Dark Brown Sugar, adjusted to taste
20ml Aperol
Simply muddle it all together in the bottom of the glass, add (crushed) ice and give it a good stir.
Tip: Want to make it slightly longer? Top up with soda water.
Have you tried any whisky finished in rum casks? Do you like the tropical notes in whisky?
Disclaimer: Some of the links used are affiliate links. If you buy through the links, I may receive a commission for the sale. This has no effect on the price for you. Both Mac-Talla & Cù Bòcan samples were gifts.
