Sugar Skull Rum
SUGAR SKULL TRIBAL RUM
In August I found myself walking through my local liquor store looking for something to review for the October issue. Seeing a multi color sugar skull in the rum section was the last thing I expected to find. The shop owner tells me “hey, that’s Master P’s rum, let me know what you think”. If Kenny Chesney can do it, why not Master P? Intrigued I went home and started looking for information about the rum.
The musician, Master P is the primary backer of the rum and has collaborated with basketball teams and NASCAR to promote the rum line. The rums in the blends are sourced from multiple distilleries across the Caribbean. The rums in the blend are created using fermented molasses and come from column still distilleries with flavors added when it is blended to 40% ABV. So far the Sugar Skull line has released five different expressions with Taliera, Inc. handling sales, marketing and distribution.
Appearance
The 750 ml flask shaped bottle has a huge multi-color sugar skull on the front with details on the back. The rum is filtered clear. When I swirled the liquid, a thin line formed around the glass that beaded up quickly, thickened and dropped fast moving legs.
Nose
The aroma of the rum provided light fruit notes, sweet vanilla and a subtle chemical twang.
Palate
The rum provides a swirl of vanilla, soft berry notes that are flattened slightly by baking cocoa with the alcohol notes taking over and dominating the palate with a bittersweet finish.
Review
In the press information and on the back of the bottle the company states the rum has “slight essence of cocoa and vanilla”. The vanilla is the strongest flavor in the rum, with the cocoa and fruit notes almost an afterthought. It is a no-brainer that this rum is engineered to be used in cocktails and the website offers plenty of island inspired cocktail recipes. For example, the Tribal Silver is recommended for a Piña Colada. The Sugar Rum line has four other flavors: Mystic Vanilla, Native Coconut, Hellfire Cinnamon and Wildberry.
When reviewing flavored rums, the main question I ask is “Did the company achieve their goal?” The answer in this case is a sold yes. If you want a flavored rum with simple nuances that augment the flavor profile of a cocktail, this might be just the spirit you are looking for.
-Article written by Mr. Paul Senft, The Rum Reviewer-
paul,senft
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 bartenders, 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!