Great Shearwater Trinidad 14 Year 2010 TDL

Review #1219; Rum #533

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.

Here we have a bottling of rum from a new independent rum bottler based out Louisville Kentucky called Great Shearwater Rum. These folks started out in Bourbon including running Bourbon tours in Kentucky. They pivoted after 2020 to start a rum brand and this is the first of a few samples I have from them.

Now to the rum, this is single cask of molasses rum from Trinidad Distillers Limited that was distilled on a column still in 2010. It aged for 5 years in Trinidad before being sent to Europe to age for another 9 years at E&A Scheer. Great Shearwater then purchased this cask and bottled it at cask strength with no additives. This rum is the TMA5 marque and was aged entirely in ex-bourbon.


Distillery: Trinidad Distillers Limited

Bottler: Great Shearwater

Region: Trinidad

Still: Column

ABV: 58%

Cask: Ex-Bourbon, 5 Years in Trinidad, 9 Years in Europe


Nose: Butter, Vanilla, Sandalwood, Black Pepper

Palate: Medium mouthfeel, Vanilla, Butter, Sandalwood, Black Pepper, Orange Peel

Finish: Long length finish, Buttery Popcorn, Vanilla, Sandalwood, Black Pepper, Orange Peel

A very good rum. This has those really enjoyable classic rum notes, vanilla, spices, a touch of buttery popcorn which I didn’t expect. The proof is nice as well, this would be a great introduction to rum as a single cask expression that leans into the more approachable side of the flavor spectrum of rums. Getting more independent rum bottlers in the US is a good thing and I’m looking forward to see what else these folks release.

Rating: 6/10


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