Reviews #984/985: Rums #324/325: Dead Reckoning South Pacific 20yr 2001/ 21yr 2001

Dead Reckoning South Pacific 21yr 2001

This rum comes to us from the Australian based independent rum bottler Dead Reckoning. This rum was aged for 21 years in an ex-bourbon cask, with 100% of that time ageing being in the tropics. It was then bottled at cask strength with no additives. This rum comes from the South Pacific (Fiji) distillery.

ABV: 65%

Nose: Black Pepper, Dark Chocolate, Tobacco Leaf, Leather, Raspberry, Star Anise

Palate: Medium oily mouthfeel, Star Anise, Black Pepper, Oak Spice, Tobacco Leaf, ginger

Finish: Medium length finish, Star Anise, Black Pepper, Oak Spice, Tobacco Leaf

Rating: 7/10

The oak structure here is quite heavy as well, but it leans in well with the other flavors. Big cough syrup, spices, dark chocolate, ginger. Overall, a great cask from Dead Reckoning.

Dead Reckoning South pacific 20yr 2001

This is another bottling from Dead Reckoning of distillate from the South Pacific (Fiji) distillery. This rum was aged for 20 years, all of it tropical, in an ex-bourbon cask. It was then bottled at cask strength with no additives.

ABV: 68%

Nose: Tofee, Raspberry Jam, Leather, Allspice, Tannins, Cough Syrup, Peppermint

Palate: Medium mouthfeel, Cough Syrup, Peppermint, Tannins, Allspice, Raspberry

Finish: Medium length finish, Oak Spice, Tannins, Peppermint, Cough Syrup

Rating: 6/10

Overall very good, but the oak here is too heavy for me personally. It drowns the other flavors and characteristics out.

This was a fun exercise for sure. South Pacific Distillers makes quality rum for sure and these 2 expressions show it. I feel they are a bit over-oaked (the 20 year more so than the 21 year somehow) but these are still very fun expressions given the full tropical ageing. For a first brush with Dead Reckoning this was fun.

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