XXX/Four (Fiji 15 Year) and Holmes Cay Fiji 2004 (16 Year) Blind
Thanks to some people I am trying these 2 semi-blind to get my true feelings on them. I was revealed the bottlings after I wrote my notes down.
XXX/Four is a 15 year old bottling selected by r/rum and the Aficionados. It was rebarreled in 2016 after being shipped to England and finished in American Oak Cask #3 till 2020, when it was bottled on January 8th. Bottled at cask strength, with no additives, this bottling yielded 214 bottles. It was distilled on a pot still using Molasses.
Holmes Cay Fiji comes to us from American Rum bottler Holmes Cay. This Fiji rum was aged for 16 years in American Oak Casks, bottled in 2020. This single cask has no additives and claims “Cask Strength” however I believe we have reasons to doubt that claim due to statements made by Holmes Cay. Nevertheless, let’s see how they compare blindly.
Central Ohio Bourbon Glencairn (XXX/4)
ABV: 66.8%
Nose: Strong, pungent nose. Vanilla frosting, Dark Chocolate, nutmeg,
Palate: Thick oily mouthfeel. Toffee, dark chocolate, black pepper, tobacco leaf, nutmeg, a bit of heat, nice oak structure.
Finish: Long, warm. Dark chocolate, toffee, black pepper, nutmeg.
Tons of flavor, nice thick mouthfeel. This has a ton of good things going on in it. Loads of dark chocolate, pepper, some nice toffee and just a hint of fruit. This is quite the outstanding bottling and makes me rather sad that Plantaiton will get all of this distillate in the future. This belongs up there with Foursquare as a great introduction to rum for whiskey drinkers. Another great selection by the committee.
Rating: 7/10
Plain Glencairn (Holmes Cay Fiji)
ABV: 58%
Nose: Slightly more closed off, tropical fruits, pineapple, guava, dark chocolate
Palate: Medium mouthfeel. Dark chocolate, vanilla bean, hint of black pepper, guava
Finish: Medium finish. Dark chocolate, vanilla bean.
Rating: 6/10
This is a pretty tasty rum. Nice amount of vanilla, dark chocolate, some black pepper and slight fruits. This compares favorably to the other bottling, however the lower proof dials back the flavoring in my opinion. This is a tasty rum, but it doesn’t rise quite as much as the other in this side by side. Nice oak structure, good heat in check, but a bit thinner on the palate and a shorter finish bring it down slightly in comparison to the other.
Conclusion: Overall, these are both quite delicious and show how good distillate from this distillery in Fiji can be. Loads of vanilla, toffee, black pepper, and dark chocolate dominate the palate, with some sprinkling of fruit peel sneaking in there. The proof is the main difference here and while the Holmes Cay is more approachable with the lower proof, I have to give the nod to the XXX/4 for being more full in flavor, mouthfeel, and a longer finish which accentuate the drinking experience.
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
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