Backwards Distilling Company
Sword Swallower Rum
The Backwards Distilling Company is based in Mills, Wyoming and their entire line of spirits has a carnival theme with names like “Distortionist Gin”, “Ringleader Vodka” and for the rum “Sword Swallower Rum”. For this rum they source evaporated sugarcane juice that still has molasses mixed with it. They ferment this product using a proprietary yeast and then distill the liquid using a pot still. The rum is blended to 40% abv and presented unfiltered to their audience so the flavor is not altered in any way.
Backwards Distilling Company Sword Swallower Rum
Appearance
The squat short neck bottle is wrapped in an autumnal colorful label with distinctive carnival font that captures the identity and character of the rum. A wooden cap secures a synthetic cork to the bottle. The liquid is clear in the bottle and glass. Agitating the rum created a thin band that immediately released a line of tears before thickening up and evaporating leaving a ring of thick beads behind.
Nose
The aroma is loaded with fruit flavors, a mix of mango, juicy fruit chewing gum, with a little lemon twist at the end.
Palate
During the first sip, the fruit notes from the aroma rides that bitter ethanol as it engulfs the palate. In subsequent sips, I discovered notes of banana, vanilla, pineapple and mango taking the high notes. A trippy mix of mint, lemon balm and smoky sage take the lower notes of the profile. The herbal twist lingers in a medium finish as the remnants of the alcohol burn in the throat.
Review
One of the things I have always enjoyed about U.S. Craft rums is the creativity that the distillers come up with for their companies’ products. The Backwards Distilling Company did a great job with their theming and uniting their spirits under such a unique umbrella. For their rum I found the juxtaposition of fruit and herbal notes an interesting way to go, but what makes the rum unique also inhibits its use in traditional cocktails. Going to the company website I discovered a few recommended cocktails that played to the strengths of the rum and suppressed the more challenging parts of the flavor profile. I believe this rum is for the adventurous mixologist at heart and will take some skills to tame. If you feel you are up for the task, make the purchase and see what you can do with this challenging rum.
