Wicked Dolphin Gold Reserve Rum
Wicked Dolphin Gold Reserve is Cape Coral Spirits latest release. The rum is distilled from Florida cane sugar and molasses using a copper pot still. This small batch rum is aged for three years in used Bourbon barrels then blended to 80 proof before bottling. The company states that there is no sugar or caramel added to this product.
Appearance/Presentation
The Gold Reserve rum comes in the same custom design bottle as the rest of the Wicked Dolphin line. The tan label provides some of the basic background of the rum. The batch number is located on the back label. This bottle came from batch number one.
The straw gold color of the rum only lightens slightly in the glass. I noticed there was some particulate suspended in the rum. Agitating the liquid created a thin band that beaded up quickly and produced fast moving legs that clung to the side of the glass and took a while to evaporate.
Nose
The aroma of the rum provides notes of light char, caramel and honeyed almonds, with a hint of anise.
Palate
The first sip of the rum delivered a strong pop of toasted oak, sweet caramel, honey, with anise and almond notes from the aroma coming in with a nice pop of alcohol at the finish.
Review
Wicked Dolphin Gold Reserve is a solid entry in the three year old rum category. The company wanted to produce a product that displayed some boubon-esque notes. In this, I believe they have succeeded. Created for cocktails, this product’s flavor profile has its own unique identity in an age category glutted with very similar products. I recommend picking up a bottle and experimenting across the cocktail spectrum.
This is a cut above your average gold rum. Wicked Dolphin can be found in the South East United States.
-Review by Paul Senft-
Paul Senft, rum reviewer for "Got Rum?" magazine
My name is Paul Senft - Rum Reviewer, Tasting host, Judge and Writer. My exploration of Rums began by learning to craft Tiki cocktails for friends. I quickly learned that not all rums are created equally and that the uniqueness of the spirit can be as varied as the locales they are from. This inspired me to travel with my wife around the Caribbean, Central America, and United States visiting distilleries and learning about how each one creates their rums. I have also had the pleasure of learning from bar tenders, brand ambassadors, and other enthusiasts from around the world; each one providing their own unique point of view, adding another chapter to the modern story of rum. The desire to share this information led me to create www.RumJourney.com where I share my experiences and reviews in the hopes that I would inspire others in their own explorations. It is my wish in the pages of “Got Rum?” to be your host and provide you with my impressions of rums available in the world market. Hopefully my tasting notes will inspire you to try the rums and make your own opinions. The world is full of good rums and the journey is always best experienced with others. Cheers!