Chairman's Reserve 1931 rum from St. Lucia Distillers was made as a tribute to the founder, Denis Barnard, and the year he established the distillery, 1931. The rum marries a blend of both molasses and agricole rum, distilled in both Coffey and pot stills, which are then aged in both bourbon and Port casks. It's quite a varied spread. The complex spirit is then presented in an elegant decanter, complete with wooden stopper.
Well-structured, with raisins, cocoa, crème caramel and butterscotch, followed by tannic oak and a hint of leather, with classic sugarcane grassiness appearing on the finish.
Smell has got a strong citrus element, with perhaps a touch of grass underneath. Flavour has taken a little while in the glass to open up, but now I get a marmalade vibe, although not as prominent as the 2005. Beyond that, there's a complexity there, although a relatively subtle one, mixing layers of brown sugar, oak, and grass from the agricole. It's very well blended and integrated, with a nice burn and a really long finish. It really is a well crafted rum, and very drinkable. The impression is sugar and marmalade and grass, with a layer of oak/varnish akin to Forgotten Casks but much less prominent.
Jolly good rum, perfect sipping over ice
