Angel's Share Title
Earlier this year Maison Ferrand launched their newly renamed Planteray rum line with their Cut and Dry Coconut Rum. Four years in the making going through a variety of recipes, the company uses unaged rum produced at the West Indies Rum Distillery in Barbados where they infuse it with locally grown coconuts to create their product. According to their marketing material they use one coconut for every liter of the product. The rum is blended and bottled to 40% ABV.
Appearance
The tall 700 mL raffia-wrapped bottle is a custom-designed bottle like what was used for the Plantation line. The bottle is dominated by a label that shares details about the inspiration related to the rum and a local legend. The synthetic cork is secured to the bottle with a black logo wrap and themed neck label. The liquid holds a dark amber color in the bottle and glass, with a dense amount of organic material suspended in the rum. Swirling the liquid creates a thick band around the glass that releases a wave of fast-moving legs, followed by a second wave of slower, thicker legs. It takes quite some time for the band to evaporate, leaving behind beads of residue.
Nose
The aroma of the rum delivers a solid hit of sweet coconut front and center. As the coconut slowly relented, I discovered notes of caramelized vanilla and cinnamon spice.
Palate
The first sip of the rum had a surprising density to it with the sweet coconut from the aroma manifesting front and center taking the high notes. An herbaceous spiciness forms the foundation with a nip of ginger, followed by notes of dark vanilla, cinnamon and black pepper. The alcohol bites into the experience before the coconut flavor rushes back in a long, sweet finish.
Review
When it comes to coconut rums, after years of bad experiences with suntan lotion-flavored chemical nastiness, I have grown weary of them, but summer seems like the perfect time to do a coconut rum review. When Planteray Cut and Dry was officially released, there was a great deal of hype surrounding the rum line name change and the production methods related to this particular expression. Overall, I found that the team at Maison Ferrand created a solid coconut flavored rum that avoided the pitfalls of other products in the category. If the company can meet the global demand, this rum could be a real workhorse for the hospitality industry, joining the ranks of Stiggins Pineapple and OFTD on back bars. I liked the added dimension of the spice notes, which helped tone down and balance the sweetness of the product. By design, this rum is engineered to be mixed in cocktails, and a Piña Colada is an easy one to begin with. However, after experimenting with it, the coconut rum mixes well with citrus flavors and adds an interesting twist to some classic cocktails. As I researched the rum and information about Barbados coconut farms, I am concerned about the company’s ability to sustain production and meet market demands that the market will want for this coconut rum. One coconut per liter on an island that has a limited crop is going to be challenging. It will be interesting to see how they address these demands moving forward.
