Mezan Guyana 2005
One of the latest offering from Mezan is their 2005 Guyana rum. Created using a double wooden pot still rum located at Diamond Distillery in Guyana. This pot still has an interesting history, it was first used at the original Port Mourant Estate that was founded in 1732. Then moved to Uitvlugt Distillery and finally to Diamond. After aging, the rum is lightly filtered and blended to 80 proof.
Appearance/Presentation
The Mezan line all come in the same short necked bottle. The front and back labels provide a lot of information about the rum without using heavy handed marketing jargon.
The rum has a light straw color in the bottle and brightens slightly in the glass. Agitating the liquid creates a thin band that slowly thickens and reluctantly releases spindly legs that eventually lead thick beads on the side of the glass.
Nose
The aroma of the rum ignites the air with bell peppers, menthol, sweet banana strawberry undertones and a light touch of Clementine.
Palate
On the tongue the rum is a swirl of pepper and ginger manifesting in the heat of the rum. As I swirled the rum in my mouth, I discovered notes of banana and lemon, with a bit of oak and mint coming in at the finish.
Review
The citrus and vegetal notes in the profile created a funky combination that married with the heat of the rum reminding me of some aged tequilas.
Since I like tequila this is not a complaint, but more a note of surprise as I have not run into this before. A bit rough and tumble for rums that I generally enjoy sipping neat. I definitely recommend experimenting with this rum in citrus based cocktails. I added a small amount of water to the glass and it brought out the medicinal and mineral notes of the spirit.
For more information about the Mezan rum line, visit www.mezanrum.com.
-Review by Paul Senft-
Paul Senft, rum reviewer for "Got Rum?" magazine
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!