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Issan Rum
Over the summer a dear friend gifted me two bottles from “That Boutique-Y Rum Company” one of them being Issan Rum from Thailand. The rum hales from the North East region of Thailand and is produced by fermenting juice from a red sugarcane varietal that grows in the area. Using a small copper pot still they distill the rum and blend it to 40% ABV before bottling. Each bottle is individually numbered and the one for this review is bottle 684 from batch 1.
Issaan Rum
Appearance
The bottle’s front label has a piece of artwork that quite accurately displays the still that they use at the Issan Distillery. Basic details about the product are on the front, with a great deal of information about “That Boutique-Y Rum Company” on back.The rum is crystal clear in the bottle and glass with no sign of distillate suspended in it. Spinning the glass created a thin band that spun off fast moving legs before evaporating.
Nose
WOW, pouring the liquid in the glass released a heady organic perfume that one would expect when checking out a Rhum from Martinique or Guadeloupe. The pungent cane notes quickly fade and the aromas left behind were way more dynamic than I expected. The aroma delivered notes of vanilla, blackberries, crème brulee and sweet corn, punctuated by a lite green olive note.
Palate
All of the flavors from the aroma are present in the flavor profile with the addition of a buttery toffee note forming in the midline. Incredibly well balanced overall the alcohol and mineral notes come in at the end and lead to a long earthy/herbaceous finish.
Review
I had a rum from Thailand many years ago and it was not that memorable. This one on the other hand was surprisingly good and I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys Rhum Agricoles. If you are lucky enough to acquire a bottle, stick to simple cocktails like Daiquiris and you will not be disappointed. For all that the flavor profile is quite robust, it can be easily buried or become combative with heavier ingredients and juices. “That Boutique-Y Rum Company” did an excellent job selecting and bottling this rum for their product line. Available across Europe, I am eager to see this company’s products distributed in North America.
