This rum has been laid down in oak barrels for at least 15 years then artfully blended using the Enmore and Diamond Coffey Stills, the Port Mourant Double Wooden Pot Still and the Versailles Single Wooden Pot Still – for you to savor and enjoy
Tasting Notes Full nose packed with dark coffee, candied orange, almonds, dark chocolate, pepper and rich vanilla. Beautifully rounded palate with a great spread of flavours: grilled tropical fruit with smooth oaky spice – silky, vibrant and moderately full-bodied.
What Gary Says
Nose: Similar to the 12 yr with more brown sugar and molasses, a bit more of an herbal quality (celery?) and roasted coconut husks. Palate: Bit more candied orange, along with bits of kiwi and green plantains in dark molasses, little pepper and oak. Finish: Short and dry, more bitter than the 12 yr with a wisp of pepper. Comments: I definitely prefer this over the 12 yr. The nose is a small step up, but the palate made a much bigger leap (almost to where I enjoy the nose and palate equally, but not quite). The finish isn’t much better.
This rum has been laid down in oak barrels for at least 12 years producing a rich and diverse spirit. Blended to perfection using a combination of the Enmore and Diamond Coffey Stills and the Port Mourant Double Wooden Pot Still.
Tasting Notes Lush tropical fruit and spice nose with hints of honey and dark sugar. The profile is round, mellow and full bodied with rich flavors of fruits and spice. The finish is delightful, elegant and dry.
NOTE: Back in April 2009, El Dorado 12 Yr was actually our 9th review (ever) on this site. My notes below are new, but including both Richard & Matt’s notes from that review below as well.
What Gary Says
Nose: Crème brûlée that’s extra toasty, floral notes, coconut, tobacco, subtle orange zest with bits of toffee. Palate: Sweet with a touch of candied orange, vanilla, a hint of cinnamon and a slightly sour oak note. Finish: Short and drying, with a slightly bitter molasses note. Comments: I’m not a rum aficionado. Richard had bequeathed a sample set from El Dorado which included the 12 yr, 15 yr, and 21 yr for site review – so I assumed (yeah, I know what it means) that it hadn’t been reviewed. It wasn’t until I was putting together the post that I realized the boys had review this over 10 yrs ago. We all had a bit of a different take on this one, although like them I found the nose to stand out while the palate was highly ordinary (and agree with Richard – I don’t buy to just smell!) I will say this isn’t as syrupy sweet as some other rums, which I appreciate.
Rating: Average
What Matt says:
Nose: It has your typical rum notes (vanilla, caramelized sugar), but there are also some botanicals in there. It is almost like a craft gin married with a somewhat typical rum. Palate: Vanilla, the sugar moves a little toward burnt from the nicely caramelized nose, there is also an oak component. Finish: Here the sugar moves all the way to burnt with a long alcoholic burn. Comments: Rum has never been my favorite alcoholic beverage. In my youth, I had too many encounters with inferior rums like Captain Morgan or Bacardi. I did not really appreciate rum until I spent some time in the Caribbean, where rum is a part of the culture. I discovered that rum can be really good. Indeed, rum is starting to become part of the craft distillation movement. This means that rum will be increasingly drinkable as a stand-alone. This rum lives up to those standards. This means that it holds up to being served neat. However, compared to other craft rums, this lacks a little nuance on the palate. The palate just does not deliver what the nose promised. This makes the rating a little difficult. By the standards of every rum on the market, I would say that it stands out, but compared to craft rums it is only average. In fact, I would recommend Appleton’s, a widely available macro-rum, above this one.
Rating: Average
What Richard says:
Nose: Burnt caramel, vanilla, candied apricots, honey-dipped oranges, a hint of mint, floral notes of lavender and…rose? Very, very sweet. You can almost taste the sugar cane through the nose. Palate: All sugar and alcohol. As lovely as the nose was, the palate is very two dimensional. Finish: Heavy on the alcohol. It kind of finishes like a strong cough syrup. Comments: I am admittedly not the most well versed rum drinker. That said, this stands out against your baseline Bacardi and Captain Morgan. That palate and finish aren’t noteworthy but nose is exceptional. But we buy it to drink it not to smell it.
Whiskey/whisky is our primary focus with nearly 750 whisk(e)y reviews, but the holidays are often a gathering of friends and family, some of whom may enjoy a drink but not particularly whisk(e)y. Even for us fans of the water of life, it is nice to change things up from time to time, and to give folks some thoughts as they consider holiday shopping.
I’ll examine Martell Blue Swift (a spirit drink made of cognac V.S.O.P. that is finished in bourbon barrels) neat and in our traditional review format. Then I’ll try it in some of their recommended cocktail recipes and share my thoughts. We would like to thank Martell and Ketchum for sending us a sample to review, as well as the cocktail recipes!
An audacious combination. Martell Blue Swift is made of cognac VSOP then finished in Bourbon Barrels.
The Color: Copper with golden highlights. The Aroma: Gourmet notes of banana and caramelised pear introduce the subtle sweetness of vanilla, coconut and spices. The Taste: A sensation of fullness and generosity with notes of ginger and candied fruit, followed by distinctive hints of toasted oak from the Kentucky bourbon casks.
In 1783, Martell was the first Maison to ship cognac to the United States. Today, Martell celebrates this history with another first: Martell Blue Swift, the first-ever spirit drink made of cognac VSOP and finished in bourbon casks.
Through Martell’s signature distillation process, the eaux-de-vie absorbs the rich aromatic tones of the bourbon cask. The result is Martell’s hallmark style – delicate notes of candied fruit and plum – complemented by the subtle sweetness of vanilla and toasted oak from the casks. Exceptionally smooth, with a rounded taste and unique character.
What Gary Says
Nose: Grapey with raisins, oak, over-ripe bananas, vanilla flan, nutmeg, allspice, anise, and wisps of apple cider and toffee. Palate: Sweet and fruity with ginger and pear, vanilla with lovely baking spices of cinnamon, clove and a touch of pepper. Finish: Short to moderate in length, slightly drying with grapes, dried orchard fruit, and oak. Comments: I apologize to cognac conniseurs, as I am absolutely a cognac novice. While that experience is quite limited, this definitely has more oomph with oak and spice notes than a typical V.S.O.P. As a fan of bourbon, I appreciate the influence that finishing is bringing to this party.
Rating: Stands Out
Now onto the cocktails! This first one is for the holidays; the second is what was on the packaging of the provided sample of Martell Blue Swift Limited Edition by Ghetto Gastro, which includes a julep cup (so how can you not try a julep!)
Shake ingredients together and pour into a wine tumbler
Garnish with apple slices and cinnamon sticks
What Gary Thought: The apple cider definitely gives it a fall vibe, although I found that the apple cider overpowered the Martell Blue Swift. This was very easy drinking. My wife who isn’t a big cocktail fan enjoyed it (although thought maybe serving it warm would be better). I get that cocktails aren’t designed to make the alcohol component the lead, but I tried this at more of an equal ratio of Martell Blue Swift to apple cider and enjoyed that much more.
Martell Julep
2 parts Martell Blue Swift
0.5 part sugar syrup (simple syrup)
10-12 fresh mint leaves
Press the mint leaves in a julep cup with a flat-end bar spoon or a muddler
Add Martell Blue Swift and sugar syrup
Fill with crushed ice
Stir until the cup is well frosted
Garnish with a grated nutmeg and a pine sprig
What Gary Thought: I skipped the pine sprig and went with mint instead (although did have some whole nutmeg which to grate over the top). The mint julep is a classic bourbon cocktail, so as a whisk(e)y enthusiast I was excited to try this. I’ll confess that I took some liberties with the instructions (such as adding the simple syrup with the leaves before muddling, as this is what I’ve always done and seen done when I’ve ordered this drink), but kept the proportions the same. Compared to a classic mint julep with bourbon, this is a tad sweeter. I really like the touch of the freshly grated nutmeg (I did just two passes over my glass – image below).
The provided julep cup worked well, and frosted up nicely. I think fans of mint juleps would enjoy this as a fresh take, and the nutmeg gives it a bit of a holiday feel.
In 1982, Ansley Coale and Hubert Germain-Robin brought a 13HL antique potstill to Mendocino County, rescuing it from an abandoned distillery in Cognac. Since 1983, Germain-Robin has used craft methods to distill premium varietal wine grapes, grapes superior to those distilled in Cognac. Their brandies are the pure, focused concentration of the varietal characteristics of some of California’s best wine grapes – and now appples. Cellared in French Limousin Oak, brought to bottling proof with filtered rainwater, these brandies have been frequently reviewed as among the finest distilled spirits in the world.
We’ve been distilling apples since 1991. About 9 years ago, we learned that long-time apple plantings in nearby Anderson Valley were semi-abandoned: their heirloom cultivars had little commercial value. By paying a premium, we were able to preserve the orchards and to obtain wonderful distilling material. The climate is perfect: warm sunny days for ripe flavor, cool coastal nights for crisp acidity. This brandy is exceptionally smooth, long, and complex.
Apple brandy is in limited production, some 250-300 cases each year. We distill and cellar each apple cultivar (ever heard of Black Twig, Ribston Pippin, or Wickson?) separately if possible, blending the brandies when they have had time to fully develop their individual qualities. The blend includes distillates ranging in age from 6 to 15 years, some of it coming, solera style, from a reserved portion of the previous year’s release. Descent to bottling proof is with filtered rainwater.
What Gary Says
Nose: Freshly cut apples with subtle cider spices, a hint of anise and clove with a winey note. Palate: Sweet, apple cider with a nutty pepper note on the back, a tad thin. Finish: Moderately long, drying with slightly sour apples. Comments: This is the first apple brandy I’ve ever had, so making zero claims to how this stands up to others. Honestly, brandy isn’t a spirit I’ve spent a lot of time with (anyone is welcome to have at “Brandy Apostle”). For me, this was like a super-refined apple cider. There are some nice spice notes (subtle by comparison to a cider, but more than you might get in an apple wine), but quite heavy on the apple. Not objectionable, and a nice break for a fall afternoon, but just not in my wheelhouse.
Classic flavours emerge from an unexpected kinship. Sometimes in life there are two things with a shared nature, a kinship. They are somehow meant to be together, despite apparent differences. Such is the case, we believe, with Scotch whisky and Calvados.
Scotland and Normandy are both northern European; they share a cool, maritime climate. While one grows principally cereals, and the other is known for its apples, these agricultural products have a long history of usage together, especially in baking. We saw an opportunity for a new collaboration.
We have been blending Calvados with Scotch whisky at home and in our blending room for years. The flavour combination is classic: apples and spice riffing off dried fruits and vanilla. When we were able to source Calvados of the right quality, and in enough quantities, we decided to share our private experiments with the world.
Orchard fruit notes are common to both Calvados and Scotch malt whisky. Many Calvados producers double-distil in pot stills, just like their Scottish cousins. Maturation in French oak is another aspect of their shared DNA.
These two spirits share richness, sweetness and complexity; the Calvados lends an intensity and length to the finish which enhances the character of the Scotch whiskies.
Serve over ice, mix with amari and vermouth into a unique twist on a boulevardier, or pair with a deliciously sweet tarte tatin. We think you’ll agree that these two spirits really do have an affinity for one another.
What Gary Says
Nose: Spiced baked apples with honey, heather just off the sea coast, subtle note of banana, a winey note that hints at apple cider vinegar. Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, apple wine with pears, vanilla, baking spices, hints of almonds and walnuts with a bit of pepper spice. Finish: Long, rich with a nutty pepper spice. Comments: The second limited edition ‘non-whisky’ from Compass Box recently – although if given it in a blind tasting, I might have guessed it as whisk(e)y finished in apple wine casks. It isn’t ‘un-whisk(e)y-like’ to me anyways, despite 37.5% of the blend being Calvados, which is an apple and/or pear brandy from Normandy in France. Whisky or not, it is definitely delicious, and dangerously drinkable.
