Renaissance Puyuma Cognac

This sample was provided to me by a producer, distributor, or some other industry source free-of-charge. No compensation, outside of the sample, was received and there were no strings attached.

Review #1324; Rum #629

Here we have a bottling of rum from the Renaissance distillery located in southern Taiwan. This rum was distilled from molasses, fermented for 15 days and aged for 2 years in Limousin oak before ageing another 3 years in ex-Cognac casks. It was then bottled at cask strength with no additives for Raising Glasses.

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Distillery: Renaissance

Bottler: Renaissance

Region:  Taiwan

Still: Pot

ABV: 67.1%

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Nose: Figs, Plums, Dark Chocolate, Candied Orange Peel, Nuttiness, Allspice

Palate: Thick oily mouthfeel, Figs, Plums, Dark Chocolate, Lavender, Nuttiness, Allspice, Candied Orange Peel, hydraulic fluid

Finish:  Long length finish, touch of hydraulic fluid, Figs, Dark Chocolate, Lavender, Nuttiness, Allspice

Rating: 8/10

I have to say, these two casks of Renaissance have changed my mind a good bit on the distillery overall. This bottle is very well balanced but with a touch of that wild funk. The casks here bring in a good oak backbone with superb spice and fruits that have just a hint of weird industrial funk lurking underneath. It’s neck and neck but I’d give a slight edge to the Bordeaux cask release but this one is no slouch either. Given I’ve now tried these expressions, I want to try that base distillate with no ageing. I respect the intense cask ageing these go under but I’d love to know what this tastes like off the still just to have a baseline to compare against.

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1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect