Located in Nassau, Bahamas, John Watling’s distillery produces two different rum lines and a vodka. Using sourced pot and column still rums from around the Caribbean, the company blends their rum in small batches. Their Pale rum is a blend of two- and three-year-old rums that have been aged in medium-toasted, once-used bourbon barrels that are charcoal filtered, blended, and bottled at 40% ABV.
Appearance
The hefty 750 ml bottle has a medium neck that makes it easy to pour. The wooden cap holds a synthetic cork, and the company uses a clear security wrap that needs to be cut from the bottle to remove the cork. The labels provide basic information about the product.
The rum holds a clear color with a slight straw color highlighting the liquid in the bottle and glass. Swirling the rum in the tasting glass creates a thin band that quickly thickens and releases a few waves of legs before evaporating.
Aroma
Opening the bottle releases a bouquet of light caramel, tart lemon-lime citrus, and toasted wood notes.
Palate
The first sip delivers a swirl of caramel sweetness, light citrus tartness, and a gentle pepper note that quickly transitions into lightly charred oak flavor. As the flavors begin to fade, the citrus flavors return for a short, dry finish.
Review
While this rum is not overly complex, the flavor profile has a baseline versatility that leads to it being a good ingredient for a range of tropical style cocktails, from daiquiris and mojitos to planter’s punch. This product is priced at the high end for minimally aged rums, but it is worth investigating when you want to try something new that is like products more well known in the market.
