Planteray (Plantation) Rum Original Dark

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 40% | Chill filtration: Yes | Colouring: Yes

Special Features:

Original Dark brings together two Caribbean rum styles: column- and pot-distilled spirits from Barbados meet intensely aromatic Jamaican pot-still rums. Molasses forms the basis of this blend. The combination unites exotic fruit, spices and the distinctive, robust fermentation notes of the Jamaican component while retaining a smooth structure.

The Barbados rums initially mature for one to three years in the tropical climate in heavily charred American oak casks. A second maturation then takes place in France in medium-toasted French oak casks. For the blend, they are married with a smaller proportion of ten- to fifteen-year-old Jamaican high-ester rums. These particularly aromatic spirits complement the younger Barbados component. After blending, the rum rests for a further three to six months in a wooden vessel in Cognac. Original Dark carries no age statement; the maturation periods of its components should not be understood as the age of the entire blend.

Its fruity, spicy character makes Original Dark a versatile base for cocktails and punch. Ginger beer and lime work just as well with it as pineapple in a Jungle Bird. The rum is offered at 40% in a 0.7-litre bottle.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, black pepper, cloves and cinnamon combine with baked cherries, prunes and molasses. Black tea and wood emerge later.
• Palate: On the palate, the rum opens with fruity notes of raisins and dried pineapple. It then becomes spicy, piquant, mineral and increasingly dry. Vanilla and pepper complement this progression.
• Finish: The long finish combines spicy notes with the caramelised sweetness of crème brûlée.

Distillery/Bottler:

Maison Ferrand is behind Planteray. Founder and Master Blender Alexandre Gabriel developed the rum brand in 1999 with the aim of bringing together different styles of origin and production. Double maturation is central to its approach: ageing in the country of origin is followed by another period in south-western France, often in French oak casks that previously held Ferrand spirits. Gabriel's work thus combines spirit selection with cask maturation and the blending of different rum styles.

The Barbados component of Original Dark comes from Stade’s West Indies Rum Distillery, while the Jamaican component comes from Long Pond. Founded on Barbados in 1893 by George Stade, the distillery uses various distillation systems and maintains its own collection of yeast cultures, including locally occurring strains. This allows it to develop different fermentation and flavour profiles. Through National Rums of Jamaica, Planteray is also connected with the Long Pond and Clarendon distilleries. This collaboration gives the blender access to distinctive Jamaican pot-still styles.

Facts: