A very bad and tacky picture, I know, but since they call Madeira the “flower island”…

Engenhos do Norte is located in Porto da Cruz in the north of Madeira, whose mill is one of the three old mills operating on the island. Built in 1927 as the result of the merger of about fifty sugar producers, it still uses the machines of that time, claiming to be the only one in Europe to use steam as a source of power. Besides that, they utilise other old equipment such as wood-fired boilers, steam pumps, copper vats that were used to produce honey as well as a traditional 7.5 meter high Barbet column still. And of course it is cane juice Rum, even designated to be called Rum Agricola.

Engenhos do Norte 970 “Belgium” 2016 5YO (53,2%): This one has been bottled for the Belgian market. Nose: Dry leather, sweet red berries, Malaga soaked raisins, Madeira wine for sure, here and there a few herbal notes, a hint of pepper and sugar. I’d say it is very typical. Palate: Still sweet and decidedly dry and astringent at the same time – quite cool. The sweetness comes in the form of sugar, Madeira wine and those red berries once again while the dryness and astringency stem can be found in the form of oak, leather and spices. The cask was already very active, that’s for sure. Finish: Medium long and basically an extension of the palate. I do like the dry and bitter elements here, but all in all it is still a tad too sweet for my liking. For our internal purpose, let’s call this profile type 1. (73/100)

Engenhos do Norte 970 Black Label Cask Finish Edition 2012 6YO (51,7%): I thought they are essentially aging all of their Rum in ex-Madeira casks but since this is a Madeira finish, I was probably wrong. Nose: Wow, much fresher, lighter, less dense and more aromatic than most other Rums from Madeira I know and I must say that I strictly prefer this profile. I get a mix of fresh oranges and orange zest, lemon, ginger, honey… this could also be a very nice tea blend. After a while light stone fruits and lots of menthol. Nice! Palate: Much sweeter and quite a bit different from the nose. We get fresh sugar cane, the typical Madeira notes (sweetened red fruits, leather, tobacco), actually way more tobacco now, still menthol (a funny combination, eh!?), oranges (think Orange Jaipur tea) and a good Chai Latte. I am quite fond of this one. Finish: Relatively long with those orange and tea notes, Madeira, fresh cane juice and oak. Well done! Ah right, this has to be type 2 then. (84/100)

Engenhos do Norte 970 Single Cask Edition 2008 10YO (52,8%): This comes from cask 12. Nose: Once again a slightly different side of the distillery. This is dark and earthy, with fresh soil, herbs, dry leather, flour, slightly smoky BBQ sauce and very few sweet notes, despite the apparent fortified wine influence. Palate: Quite sweet and creamy now, with that fortified one (could have been dry Port or Sherry as well), leather, oak, spices such as pepper or allspice and a very pleasant astringency. It does lack some complexity but it is very good at being what it is. Finish: A bit short this time, with spices, oak and alcoholic berries. A very nice progression and insightful demonstration of how these Rums alter with age. And guess what, this is type 3. (82/100)

Engenhos do Norte 970 Single Cask Edition 2008 11YO (49,6%): A sister cask of the other 2008 Single Cask, bottled a year later. This is cask 3. Nose: Right now somewhere between type 1 and type 2. The Madeira notes a definitely present but it still has a certain crispness to it that type one is lacking altogether. My most obvious associations would be cinnamon, sour cherries, thyme and sweet raspberries. Nice and straightforward. Palate: Now rather between type 1 and 3, read Madeira galore with a spicy kick and inviting dryness to it. In direct comparison it loses out to cask 12 as the additional notes (think cinnamon first and foremost) come at the expense of other. Finish: Medium long with cinnamon, cherries, leather, salty oak and sugar. These Rums aren’t meant to age for too long I think. That said, this isn’t half bad either, mind you! (79/100)

Engenhos do Norte 970 Single Cask Edition 2007 12YO (50%): Getting even older. This is cask 85. Nose: Totally type 3, with lots of herbs. Eucalyptus, sage, lavender, some soapy notes, fresh soil, salted caramel and musty wood. Certainly interesting, but I can already see this taking the wrong corner at the palate. Palate: Where we right? Initially I thought no but after about a second in the mouth the Rum covers your tongue with an astringent mouthfeel but unfortunately also very unpleasant flavour. Imagine an awful combination of eucalyptus and forest honey, which both turned bad after a hundred years or so (don’t think that could really happen but that’s as good as a descriptor as you get from me. Finish: Better than the palate, with forest honey, oak and still different spices. The mint has been staying in the hot water for way too long. Not my cup of tea. (68/100)

Engenhos do Norte 970 Single Cask Edition 2007 10YO (46,6%): Here we have cask 93. Nose: Incredibly similar to cask 85 but a whiff less bitter, more balanced and just more sound all in all. After a while I can also find something between caramel and toffee. Palate: Oh yes, much better than #85. The profile remains highly similar but this one just gets it right. That said, I am still not entirely convinced as it is still too stale and bitter for my liking but at least it is drinkable. Mint, honey, eucalyptus, more herbs and a certain pepperyness round off the palate. Finish: Not too long with old mint, menthol, sage, honey and rye. Nope, not my favorite vintage of Engenhos do Norte. (73/100)

Engenhos do Norte 970 Cask Strength Edition 2004 15YO (50,9%): Nose: Type 3, with herbs and smoke. Frozen meat (TECA anyone?), a mix of wild herbs (some of which resemble that stale tea again), different sorts of wood including conifer, juniper berries and a smoker gone wrong. Like someone who uses it for the first time, bought some bad wood chips and doesn’t know what to do with it. Nah… Palate: Better than the nose and less smoky. The Rum is clearly shaped by different types of wood, which is interesting, but not very exciting. Now those herbs from the nose again, dry Madeira wine that is starting to turn acidic (and bitter at the same time, I guess). Finish: While it isn’t incredibly long, it is too long for my liking. This bitterness isn’t pleasant and I have had way better olives before. We have said it before, these Rums shouldn’t age for too long. The sweet spot is probably somewhere between six and ten years if you ask me. (71/100)

Let’s also include an IB, what do you think!?

That Boutique-Y Rum Company Engenhos do Norte 7YO (48,8%): It is too bad that they don’t specify when this has been distilled. At 1395 bottles, it might also be a cuvée, however. Nose: I am getting those type 2 vibes again! Honey dew melon, sweet red berries, fresh cane juice, lemon, oranges, thick and syrupy Madeira wine and cocoa. One of the better ones today. Palate: Rather sharp given the low abv but it is tolerable. Orange peel, ginger, lemon, Madeira, leather and coconut chips can be found. Be careful though, these are relative descriptors, it is still a typical Madeira Rum, sweet and full of fortified wine. Finish: Medium long and sweet with oak, red berries, thick sugar syrup, caramel and a slightly astringent touch of oak. Well chosen. (80/100)

That was a lot of Engenhos do Norte today and while we’ve had plenty of Rums from the distillery before, I just noticed that we never actually reviewed one. Shame on us. So there you have it, a large session again, already looking forward to the next one.

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