While visiting a local store, I came across this rum in a new section that was comprised of all overproof rums. While I had Cane Run Rum in cocktails in New Orleans, I was not aware they had added a 151 expression for the line. What little I could find out about the product is that the rum is made in Puerto Rico, where it is aged for five years in used Bourbon barrels. After this maturation process, the rum is at some point charcoal filtered and then shipped to Kentucky, where the Sazerac blends in some caramel coloring and bottles the rum for distribution at 75.50% ABV.
Appearance
The rum is in a standard 750 ml Bordeaux design with white labels with a purple screw top with the enigmatic number 12 blend placed across the top. The back label has some marketing information and shares the origin of the rum, which in this case is important since other Cane Rum expressions were made in Trinidad and Tobago.
In the bottle and tasting glass, the rum holds a solid gold amber color. Swirling the liquid generates a thin band that thickens and beads almost immediately, releasing a wave of thick legs that descend quickly down the side of the tasting glass. A small amount of residue is left after the evaporation is complete.
Nose
The aroma delivers notes of brown sugar, ethanol, light vanilla, and a nip of oak.
Palate
The first small sip delivers the expected punch of the alcohol with a swirl of unsweetened caramel. Additional sips reveal notes of baking chocolate, black pepper, dense molasses, lime zest, grilled pineapple, and carbon. An earthy mineral rich finish lingers on the palate for quite some time.
Review
Anytime I am evaluating a high proof product, I take tiny sips in an attempt to find the flavors without burning out the palate. I have come to think of 151 rums, regardless of origin, as flavor enhancers for cocktails and, except for the 151 Swizzle (https://beachbumberry.com/recipe-swizzle.html), not something to build a drink around. What surprised me after the initial fiery sip was the emergence of certain flavors during the evaluation. While less robust than a Demerara 151 rum, the esters make this ideal as an ingredient in any cocktail that calls for a 151 rum ingredient or float where you want to put a different twist on the flavor profile compared to other rums in this category. For those looking for a suitable replacement for the extinct Bacardi 151, this may fill that niche in your backbar.
