When you’ve spent any time within the US Virgin Islands, you recognize there’s a really robust rum tradition. Whether or not it’s in a punch or a painkiller, the sugarcane spirit is an important a part of the expertise.
On the subject of rum-making, it’s a special dialog. There’s one dominant participant: St Croix’s Cruzan Rum, which is the one notable distillery within the US territory.
Lately, although, unbiased bottlings have began popping up throughout the US Virgin Islands, crafting or mixing expressions from across the Caribbean with their very own VI spin, a development that largely started with the launch of Botany Bay rum.
However now there’s one other new entry, and it’s, properly, superb. It’s referred to as Further Virgin, and it’s a St Thomas bottling of a rhum agricole (we’ve our theories on which French Caribbean distillery, however mother or father firm Cardow doesn’t reveal it, and we’ll honor that selection).
As Further Virgin describes, it’s a a rum that’s the product of fresh-pressed sugar cane juice — in different phrases – Rhum Agricole, “from the guts of a picturesque Craibbean property,” in response to the corporate.
So what’s it really like?
We picked up a bottle on the St Thomas airport just lately and had been instantly intrigued. Our curiosity was rewarded.
On the nostril, Further Virgin has notes of cane stalk, orange peel and brown sugar. The flavour profile is marked by vanilla, creme brûlée, cappuccino, chocolate orange, anise and malted mlik.
The end is playful and edgy. All in all, it is a scrumptious rum, decidedly drinkable rum, a real agricole and a rum that may be a great entry level for these seeking to get into the world of sugarcane-juice rum.
It’s additionally a welcome, instantaneous match into the US Virgin Islands’ venerable rum tradition. Be sure to choose up a bottle in your subsequent VI journey.
Rum Journal Assessment: 92 Factors
— CJ
