Exciting news, rum fiends: That Boutique-y Drinks Company has unveiled its latest collection of independently bottled spirits. We hightailed it up to London to check out the nine inaugural expressions from That Boutique-y Rum Company!
At MoM Towers we tend to be fans of small-batch spirits. Single cask whiskies, unusual gins, intriguing Tequilas… Oh yes. So when news reached us that the folks behind That Boutique-y Whisky Company and That Boutique-y Gin Company had snaffled up vats and casks from some of the world’s most thrilling rum producers… Well, frankly, we were beyond excited. And behold: That Boutique-y Rum Company was born!
The world of rum is a big, bold, and diverse one. Where to start? With rum expert Peter Holland, off of The Floating Rum Shack, of course. Holland himself helped to create the range, which spans unusual cask offerings, high-ester pot-still delights, and even an agricole-style bottling from Portugal.
“That Boutique-y Rum Company aims to bring you rums from familiar producers and regions as well as from places you perhaps wouldn’t expect,” he says. “My personal aim is to source rums that excite me. Don’t expect everything to be aged and do expect to encounter rums that don’t taste like the ‘norm’.”
He continues: “That Boutique-y Rum Company has honesty at its core. The strengths of the category are the differing styles, the emotional connections that are formed through heritage and travel, and (for good and bad) the accompanying history.”
Peter Holland (L) re-imagined by Jim’ll Paint ItWhat does this ‘honesty’ mean when it comes to rum? According to That Boutique-y Rum Company, each expression is bottled at its natural colour and sugar levels, with no added flavourings. The brand has also come up with a simple classification system so people know what they’re getting. Simply, the rums are split by production method: single or multiple distilleries, and column or pot still.
In Boutique-y style, the brand has again collaborated with an artist to bring the distillery story to life on each label. For That Boutique-y Rum Company, Jim’ll Paint It has produced each label using only Microsoft Paint. You just try and wield that mouse and come up with something sensible in Paint. We are impressed.
That Boutique-y Rum Company: Meet the inaugural rums
Enough chit chat. Time to get on to the rums! We tasted them all up in London at the launch event, and can vouch there is much deliciousness to discover. And THAT agricole…
Bellevue 19 Year Old (That Boutique-y Rum Company)Bellevue 19 Year Old
A 19 year old column still rum from Guadeloupe’s Bellevue Distillery. It’s vegetal, lively and bursting with tropical fruit notes.
Caroni 20 Year Old (That Boutique-y Rum Company)Caroni 20 Year Old
An absolute delight from Trinidad’s closed Caroni distillery. It’s a juicy, well-aged, mouth-filling one.
Diamond (Versailles Still) 13 Year Old (That Boutique-y Rum Company)Diamond (Versailles Still) 13 Year Old
A gorgeous Guyanese offering made in that bonkers but brilliant wooden still. Banana-like and gently spiced.
Enmore (Versailles Still) 27 Year Old (That Boutique-y Rum Company)Enmore (Versailles Still) 27 Year Old
Before that wooden still was shipped off to Diamond, it made rums like this at Enmore! Loads of spicy vanilla, marzipan notes.
Monymusk 13 Year Old (That Boutique-y Rum Company)Monymusk 13 Year Old
Dark, fruity Jamaican pot-still rum – cooked pineapple, tobacco leaf, nutmeg. Tasty!
O Reizinho (That Boutique-y Rum Company)O Reizinho
Absolutely irresistible unaged agricole from Madeira, Portugal. It’s all about those incredible sweetcorn and green olive notes that go on and on…
Secret Distillery #1 9 Year Old (That Boutique-y Rum Company)Secret Distillery #1 9 Year Old
Oooooo secrets! We do know it’s from an undisclosed Jamaican distillery, bursting with thick treacle, marzipan and charred oak deliciousness.
Travellers Distillery 10 Year Old (That Boutique-y Rum Company) Travellers Distillery 10 Year Old
Time for a trip to Belize now, and the Travellers Distillery with its traditional column still. Clean, sharp, and oh so sleek.
Uitvlugt (Port Mourant Still) 26 Year Old (That Boutique-y Rum Company)Uitvlugt (Port Mourant Still) 26 Year Old
Another closed distillery delight. It’s rich, pungent, and incredibly oily, with coffee, chocolate and oak influence coming through.
