Angel's Share Title
Equiano Light Rum
Several years ago, I reviewed the original Equiano expression for “Got Rum?” magazine. Recently, I found Equiano Light in a store in the Atlanta area and had to pick it up for a review. Equiano Light is a blend of an unaged sugarcane juice-based rum made at Gray’s Distillery in Mauritius that is sent to the Foursquare Rum distillery in Barbados, where it is blended with minimally aged (three years) molasses-based rum produced at the distillery. It is brought down to 43% ABV and bottled on the island for distribution. Like the original, it is a unique blend of African and Caribbean rums created by International Rum Ambassador and brand owner Ian Burrell.
Appearance
The bottle uses the same 750-ml bottle design as the original. The front and back of the bottle provide basic information about the rum. The wooden-capped synthetic cork is held to the bottle with a salmon-colored security strip. The liquid has a pale straw color in the bottle and lightens slightly in the glass. Swirling the liquid creates a razor-thin band that slowly thickens and releases a single wave of legs before evaporating.
Nose
The aroma leads with a pleasant note of caramelized vanilla, a bit of citrus zest, fresh cut green apple, sweet cooked pineapple, and light oak tannins, rounded out by an interesting herbaceous grass note.
Palate
The first sip of the rum conditions the mouth in a swirl of toffee, sweet tropical fruit, oak tannins, and alcohol. Additional sips revealed the fruit notes as orange peel, green apples, and cooked pears. Sweet vanilla and the oak tannins merge and mingle, creating an interesting low-key pop of pepper and menthol as the wood spices form the lightly sweet finish.
Review
I remembered really enjoying the original Equiano and the Equiano Light expression, which were very different in flavor profile and juxtaposed nicely with the aged profile of the other product. Where the original is a sipper, by design, the light release is for making cocktails. The blend of the two rums creates an interesting sipping product but works extremely well with citrus-based cocktails like a Mojito, Rum Sour, and, of course, a classic Daiquiri.
Considering how much I enjoyed the original, I had high hopes that this rum would meet the standards of that product. With its unique versatility and flavor profile, I believe it has in some ways exceeded expectations and rank it highly alongside other rum blends that are designed for cocktails.
