Firkin Rum First Edition Single Cask

Description

The World First Release of the FIRKIN RUM First Edition Single Cask!

Now Firkin are absolute LEGENDS in the spirits industry with their Head Honcho, Mike Collings having over 50 years of high-end spirit credentials up his proverbial (he’s the guy that invented Johnny Walker Blue and Green among other accomplishments).

This is a single cask bottling of single blended Caribbean rum (rum made from both column and pot still at the one distillery). Molasses-based, distilled at Angostura Distillers in Trinidad & Tobago. Now this is sold as a NAS (No Age Statement) rum, but I’m reliably informed that it was tropically matured for around 6 years in Trinidad then transferred to Mikes custom, hybrid, ex-Speyside whisky cask in Scotland to finish for 18 months. Bottled at 43%abv, the result is a wonderfully rich and fruity rum that is eminently sippable neat and perfectly at home paired with your favourite mixer around the pool.

It’s not often we get to launch a new international Rum Brand onto the world stage and as you can imagine – when we do we’re pretty bloody excited! What’s more exciting is that this rum has come from an absolute legend of the spirits industry. I’m proud to consider Mike a friend and we’ve featured a few of the releases of his indy bottling brand ‘The Firkin Whisky Co’  in our ‘other club’ (SMWC).

We are incredibly proud to be able to introduce to the world, the very first Firkin Rum First Edition Single Cask.

Mike Collings’ work with international alcohol giant Diageo has seen him involved with some of the worlds largest brands. Even the most ardent rum ‘fanboi’ (or goil!) has heard of Johnny Walker Blue Label – perhaps the worlds most instantly recognisable top-shelf scotch whisky – hell, the most recognisable top-shelf spirit, really. Well… Mike Collings is the man behind JW Blue. It’s his baby. His work in Scotch whisky is both iconic and award winning.  But that’s not to say scotch whisky is his only trick.  Mike was helping supply the Royal Navy with rum in the early eighties working for ‘Saccone & Speed’ – a company that had it’s start supplying Admiral Nelson’s ships with rum at Gibraltar! In fact, Mike’s first sales job (way back in 1973) was selling Navy Neaters Cask Strength Rum to the RN at Portsmouth. Mike has also distributed Cockspur and Pussers Rum in the UK – so he knows his rum too.

For the last few years, Mike has lived in Adelaide, travelling frequently to source for, and promote his Firkin Whisky Co. label. Essentially, the Firkin Whisky Co independently bottles Scottish whisky after finishing it in their own bespoke hybrid casks made of alternating American first-fill Bourbon staves and new French Limousin oak staves with a custom char, seasoned with a variety of fortified wines.

Now, on the other side of the planet, in Scotland, there is a gentleman called Jim Ashley who (like our good mate Justin Boseley) independently bottles rum, under the Outlaw Rum Brand. Now Jim buys rum from Trinidad &Tobago and finishes it in casks that have previously held single malt whisky from the Speyside region in Scotland. TLDR – he independently bottles whisky-cask finished rum.

I think you can see where this is going!

Well Mike and Jim met, got talking and … what you see here is the grand result of Jim finishing his rum in one of Mike’s ex-Speyside whisky maturing, hybrid casks. And et voilà  – the Firkin Rum First Edition Single Cask was born!

Rum Stats

Tasting Notes

Nose:  Liquorice, cloves and brand new leather all drizzled in melted butter.

Palate: Thick and satisfying mouthfeel with very little pepper. Spiced fruity mince, marzipan, ginger nut bikkies, allspice, vanilla and some candied citrus peel with more of that butteryness to boot!

Finish: Lovely, long and luscious. Rolling sweet waves of caramel, aniseed and biscuit spices – yet exits curiously crisply with a nice mild astringency in the jowls!

An absolutely firkin brilliant Firkin Rum First Edition Single Cask from Messrs. Collings and Ashley. Lots of big fruity Speyside whisky notes bumping up against traditional creamy-Caribbean-caramels and liquorice-y rum qualities. At 43% it’s perfect for sipping over ice on a stinking December day, and totes killer with your favourite mixer.