Iridium X

Description

After a COMPLETE SELLOUT last year…It’s back..but different! We are absolutely giddy to offer YET ANOTHER Australian first – this time a LIMITED RELEASE from North Queensland rockstar distiller (he even has the leather pants to prove it!) Mark Watkins and his acclaimed Mt. Uncle Distillery.

Last year we sold out completely within hours of Mark’s Iridium X release. This month, we proudly feature the second of these ultimate ‘barn find’ rums, this time a 10 year old molasses-based rum. With the sugar cane grown in the rich, red, volcanic soil of far north Queensland (FNQ), distilled at Mt. Uncle Distillery then forgotten about to tropically age for 10 years in ex-red wine barrels on the tablelands outside Cairns.

This is most definitely the last of the ‘barn find’ barrels from Mt Uncle – Mark has done a big stock take and tidy up since he stumbled across these barrels 18 months ago, and he confirms that there are definitely no more unexpected surprises!  Like the first Batch (the Iridium X ‘Gold’) – this 2^nd release of a molasses-based Iridium X is bound to become a collector’s item.

The Mt. Uncle Distillery is an award-winning rum (and other spirits, including single malt whisky) producer, famous for their dual gold-medal winning 5-year-old Iridium Rum. Early last year, Mark found some barrels of rum that had been forgotten about for 10 YEARS! in the back of his bond-store. Some were made in the Agricole style (the first Iridium X) and some into Molasses-based rum (this Iridium X).

Back in July 2020 we were thrilled to be asked by Mark to release the rums he’d casked up and forgotten about for so long! The first of these (the Agricole-style rum) was bottled and released to the Tribe exactly 12 months ago – and what an enthusiastic reception they got! Sold out in hours and we still get letters from members who have just opened theirs and can’t believe they waited so long to do so.

Our Tasting Notes

Colour: Rich Reddy-brown

Nose: Faint rummy hogo notes slip between the old oak staves with a big pineapple influence there as well as some jasmine-y floral notes.

Palate: Coats the mouth instantly with a spicey piquant-ness that instantly splits apart to allow pineapple, coconut and also jaffa flavours to poke through.

Finish: Waves of spice  and slightly over-ripe fruit (a little funky) take turns  with some nail polish and other floral esters.

I liked the Iridium X Gold – a lot. This one seems even more rounded with more effect from the oak in evidence. Sweet, yet spicey and fruit-ey to boot-ey – this is destined to be a shooting star from the Mt Uncle stable.

From Mt. Uncle

Nose: Sweet light molasses and sugar cane nose

Palate: delicious sipping rum with flavours of sweet oak and vanilla, dark chocolate, tropical fruits and subtle spice

Finish: Smooth and lingering with subtle spice on the back end.