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Moon Import Demerara Port Mourant “Sherry Wood” 1995 13YO (46%): Nose: A very smoky salty note opens things up, which sounds familiar on paper, but is totally different from all other Port Mourants I know. Then quite some sulphur – all of that has to be the Sherry influence. There’s also quite some wood, anise of course and a few odd herabl notes here and there but it leaves me puzzled more than anything else. I am afraid this won’t be very good but let’s see. Palate: A lot better than the nose with those notes of smokey salt again but now also spicy flavours such as jalapenos and chillies. We are starting to approach Mezcal territory here and I inevitably have to think of Margaritas (we’re not the biggest fans of those…). I am still not sold. Finish: Relatively long with those smoky and salty notes as well as some wood. There’s a lot to like and dislike about this one and depending on where your preferences are, you can love or hate it, or both even. If I hadn’t known that this is an ex-Sherry cask, I might have called this an ex-Agave spirit cask. Maybe ex-Agave-ex-Sherry? Probably not, but it would make sense and actually describes the Rum very well. (73/100)

Moon Import Enmore (Versailles “REV”) “Sherry Wood” 1994 7YO (46%): Ah, REV! Nose: We get many of the typical Sherry notes and here they seem to enhance those sweet, thick, almost syrupy, dark cherry flavours that we’ve also found in other REVs. The pencil sharpenings are also present, as well as more wood than you might expect from a seven year old Rum. I’d attribute this to both, the cask and the style of the distillate. It’s a really nice nose that is not completely dominated by the Sherry notes. Palate: Very creamy, despite 46%. My first impression was that the Rum is very sweet, which has to be due to the Sherry, but within a few milliseconds it turns very dry and woody, with quite a few bitter notes (think old walnuts) here and there. That’s pretty dope and right up my alley! Other associations include the sherries and related red fruits again, leather, whipped cream, antique wood, more walnuts and now also a few pencil shavings. Nice! Finish: Here the problems start to appear as the whole profile is getting a bit thinner and less flavourful. We’re still at a very high level but at least now we are getting reminded that this is actually a rather young Rum at drinking strength. All in all, it’s not a very complex Rum, but just an amazing distillate. The young age matches very well with the Sherry cask and if you take it for what it is, there is absolutely nothing to complain about! (87/100)

Moon Import Demerara “Sherry Wood” (Versailles) 1985 (46%):

Moon Import Demerara “Sherry Wood” (Port Mourant) 1975 (46%):

Moon Import Demerara “Sherry Wood” 15YO (46%):

Moon Import Demerara “Sherry Wood” 21YO (46%):

Moon Import Demerara “Sherry Wood” 26YO (46%): This Rum has been bottled around 1986 so it is late 1950s/ early 1960s distillate. I hope you realise how special this is! Nose: A very big and bold Rum that managed to stay lively despite the Sherry and the dilution. It starts with coffee and chocolate, a certain sweetness, some glue, dry Sherry (indeed), prunes, somewhat earthy and herbal notes that are hard to pin down exactly, rich dark cherries, slightly meaty notes, oak and, and, and… A very complex expression that really rewards you when spending a lot of time with it. Palate: Very dry and astringent, despite this certain sweetness again. Cocoa, coffee, oak, spices such as cinnamon, cloves or pepper, Rancio, a hint of leather and leather polish, salted caramel, a whiff of wax perhaps and again the earthy elements that essentially enter nutty territory now. I this is brilliant. Finish: Long and longer with this pleasant astringency, coffee, oak, old shoes, seaweed and moss. Just beautiful. Let’s start with the complaints, which were to be expected: Too much Sherry and added water (even though the strength doesn’t feel off at any point). Everything else is just what you are looking for in old school Demeraras. (91/100)