Providencia 1878
Providencia 1878 Mayfair Brands named Providenica 1878 after a ship that wrecked off the coast of Florida. The legend goes that the ship was carrying coconuts from Trinidad, rum and cigars between Cuba and Spain. As the story goes, the ship may have been wrecked on purpose and the company benefited from the insurance money. Meanwhile the settlers close to the wreck planted the coconuts in the area that would later be known as Palm Springs.
To create this rum, Mayfair Brands sourced three to five year old rums from four different Caribbean islands for their blend. It is known two of the islands are Trinidad and Guyana and that the rum is aged in used bourbon casks.
Appearance/Presentation
The rum has a dark amber gold color in the bottle that lightens to a pure amber in the glass. Swirling the glass created a thick band with equally thick fast moving legs that clinged to the glass for quite a while.
Nose
The rum has a strong vanilla note that fills the air as it is poured in the glass. As the vanilla settled, I detected the strong presence of charred oak and caramelized bananas.
Palate
The first sip of rum lights the mouth with a rush of alcohol along with vanilla, caramel and oak tannins from the barrels. The second sip introduces strong notes of roasted banana and grilled pineapple with the multidimensional oak tannins coming in at the finish.
Review
At 80 proof, there is a certain beauty in the simplicity and lack of complexity of this rum. I enjoyed this rum and, while it is on the raw side for sipping, it is a smart fit in a Mai Tai and will be interesting trying it out in some rum punches and Tiki bowl recipes.
Check out the company’s website for more information about not only their rum but also their gin and vodka in their portfolio. If you see this one on the shelf, I think it is definitely worth picking it up and exploring.
-Rum Review by Mr. Paul Senft-
Photo Credit: Authentic Caribbean RumPublished by "Got Rum?" Magazine- August 2015
Paul's Rum Journey- Photo 9
Mr. Paul Senft, a contributing writer for "Got Rum?" magazine and Rum Reviewer for the Angel's Share section of the magazine, takes us on his recent journey to the Dominican Republic and Haiti, an invitation by the West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers’ Association (WIRSPA).
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 tr y the rums and make your own opinions. The world is full of good rums and the journey is always best experienced with others. Cheers!