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Plantation Isle of Fiji
Over the past several years Maison Ferrand has had a yearly release that expands their core portfolio along with their vintage and special bottling. In 2020 they presented Isle of Fiji Rum as a part of their signature blend range, providing a new flavor experience for fans of Plantation products to embrace and experiment with. The rum is created by the Fiji Rum company using locally produced molasses. The molasses goes through a four or five day fermentation before it is distilled in pot and column stills. The rums are then aged in used bourbon casks for two or three years before being transported to France where they are aged an additional year in Ferrand Cognac casks. After the second aging, the rum is blended to 40% ABV with Plantation’s proprietary dosage (16 g/L) added along with caramel coloring for visual consistency.
Plantation Fiji Rum
Appearance
The bottle is the standard 750 mL Plantation bottle with a black security seal holding a plastic capped synthetic cork in the bottle. The label has a pretty tropical picture and shares the basic details about the rum. The liquid holds an amber gold color in the bottle and glass. Agitating the rum creates a thin band that slowly thickens and drops fast moving legs. The band and legs evaporate and pebble up quickly, leaving behind a ring of beads in under two minutes.
Nose
The initial rush of ethyl alcohol and fruit aromas remind me of acetone. This strong note fades quickly as the glass breathes. Returning to the glass I discovered notes of molasses, green apple, fresh plums, vanilla bean, baked pears, spiced banana cream brulee with a tweak of nutmeg.
Palate
Having experienced a few other Fijian rums I was braced for the funky entry and this one did not disappoint. Like the aroma, the initial rush of alcohol is a potent swirl of flavors that pucker the tongue with their intensity. Sweet molasses, dark vanilla, honeyed ginger, bitter wood, black pepper, nutmeg, toasted coconut, overcooked bananas, with a tart pomegranate/passion fruit combination punctuating the rum flavors. The balanced finish lasts for a few minutes with a swirl of sweet fruit and bitter oak char flavors lingering on the palate.
Review
As I mentioned, I have had a few other Fijian rums of varying age ranges, so was curious what the experience of this rum would be like with the Plantation dosage and finish. Overall, I enjoyed the way the wood and char flavors married and merged with other notes both in the aroma and on the palate. The dosage helped round the harsh edges of the rum and some of the funkiness in the aroma did not translate to the palate because the sweeter notes held them in check. Sadly, I really missed that funkiness that I knew should have been present, but as its own unique “Plantation Rum” experience was pleased with the uniquely balanced flavor experience the company achieved.
