W.I.R.D. is one of these distilleries… they’ve produced a few legendary Rums but besides that essentially only interchangable mainstream. I wonder if Plantation, who are in charge of W.I.R.D. now, will change it for the better or if they will bury the distillery and its legacy for good. For now, I have only tasted a single unaged Rum that has been produced under Ferrand’s guidance and I am not willing to jump to conclusions yet.

SMWS R3.5 Barbados (WIRD) “Marmite XO” 2002 11YO (74,8%): Good lord, we’ve got to be brave again. I’ve heard very mixed things about this so I don’t really know what to expect. Rumor has it that this is a Rockley-style Rum. Nose: I cannot really smell anything besides the alcohol, even though the Rum isn’t nearly as sharp as I thought it would be. After a while I get some lacquer, decidedly smoky notes (think cold campfire), vanilla, brine and slightly floral notes. But let’s keep things short: This isn’t great. Palate: Should we really!?!? Oh yeah, we totally can. Tiny sips are easily possible but they are mostly shaped by smoke. If I hadn’t known, I would have said this is an agave spirit. Next I get olives and brine, vanilla perhaps and a seemingly infinite warmth. Finish: Rather long but only because of the Rum’s utter strength. It is hot, warm, sharp and sadly, just not good. I totally see why you’d bottle stuff like this (for science, my friends) but nevertheless, it just isn’t worth drinking. Regarding the Rockley style: It makes sense. After all, it has these smoky notes yet it is also totally different from those lovely 1986s and 2000s. That said, is also totally different from all other WIRDs I know. (58/100)

Rum Artesanal W.I.R.D. 2000 21YO (47,1%): Not sure why the abv is so low but I don’t think it has been diluted by Rum Artesanal. Nose: This unique profile is incredibly familiar by now, of course, but we still manage to find new ways to describe it, I think. I get salted caramel, popcorn, plaster, honey, beeswax, iodine, vanilla, oak and definitely also herbal notes. While the alcohol isn’t very present per se (it is just 47% after all), it doesn’t feel 100% smooth nevertheless. Palate: A bit thin and slightly too sharp. There’s even a metallic element in here. I don’t think this was the best barrel. There has to be a reason why it has been bottled now and not earlier – my guess is that they were hoping for the Rum to get better with age. Flavourwise, I get almonds, popcorn, honey, some of those herbs from the nose, wood of course, salt water and some medical notes. That reads well I guess, but I am not really convinced. The Rum lacks intensity, texture and smoothness, and at least one of these elements should be present I feel. Finish: Medium long with oak, vanilla, pepper and something between honey and ginger. One of the lesser Rums of the batch for me so far. Maybe a finish would have been a good idea here. (82/100)

Crude W.I.R.R. 1983 (43%): We know neither the age, nor the date of bottling here, just that it has been double pot distilled. At the very least, this should be an interesting Rum. Nose: You might describe this as a blend of arbitrary light Bajan Rum (as W.I.R.D. produces it en masse) and that heavy, flavourful pot still style that is reminiscent of the Rockley style. There’s lots of vanilla, some pear but also seaweed, slightly medical notes and honey. When you are thinking that this resembles some of those Light & Heavy Caroni blends in a sense I have to disappoint you however, this is absolutely nothing to write home about. Palate: Well, I don’t think this is a good distillate. It screams poor technique all the way. In my analogy, think about that bad and dead Caroni style with its impurities – those that you do not want. Vanilla, pear, oak and nutmeg are my main associations, not that it really matters… Finish: Yikes. Oak, vanilla. That has to be enough. It just isn’t worth it. (40/100)

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