Banks 7 Rum

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Banks 7 Rum

Named for 18th century English botanist and explorer, Sir Joseph Banks, Banks 7 rum is created using 23 different rums from seven islands (Jamaica, Guyana, Java, Trinidad, Guatemala, Panama and Barbados). Aged in used Bourbon barrels, these rums vary in age between one and seven years before being created by Master Blender Arnaud de Trabuc, formerly of Angostura rums.

Appearance/Presentation

This tall 750 ml bottle has a purple and white label with the island of origin screen printed on the bottle. The bottle is secured with a screw/Stelvin cap with a small label wrapping the neck right in line to where the bottle is filled. The rum has a dark copper color in the bottle and brightens as I pour it in the glass. Agitating the liquid creates a thick band around the glass with fast moving legs that evaporate quickly leaving beads clinging to the side.

Nose

When I opened the bottle the strong aroma of the rum filled the air with spice and fruit notes. I let is settle for a few minutes and detected notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, toffee, baked apples, dried apricots and a light pop of ripe bananas.

Palate

The first sip toasts the palate with a funky strong combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper and charred oak. Additional sips reveals some of the fruit notes from the aroma notably the apple and banana, but I also detected hints of dried orange peel, honeyed pineapple, toffee, with some light acidity coming in with an oak tanning filled finish.

Review

The rums in the Banks line were created to be used in cocktails and Seven definitely gives a mixologists a lot to work with. The combination of rums provides an interesting flavor profile that dazzles with all the flavors waiting to be discovered. Blended to 86 proof, the rum has some serious heat that needs to be tamed with other cocktail ingredients. The good news is that this rum’s profile lends it to being a good fit in just about every cocktail category I can think of. In July of 2015 the brand was purchased by Bacardi and while the product is still available in stores, it is not known if there are any future plans for the Banks line.

-Review by Paul Senft-

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