There never have been many, and they are getting fewer and fewer, a dying species if you want: truly independent bottlings from Saint Lucia.

The Secret Treasures St. Lucia 2008/9 6YO (52%): Bottled in 2015, we don’t know for sure when this Vendome Pot Still Rum has been distilled with certainty. Nose: Herbal rubber, paired with acacia honey is a pretty good descriptor I think. Behind that quality black tea, fresh sugar cane juice, a whiff of iodine and light fruits. Later also more heavy bananas. All these notes are very nuanced and come in many different layers. We very rarely have such complex Rums that are this young. Palate: The strength is well chosen. The alcohol is quite present, but it offers a good compromise between sippability, richness and texture. Ripe bananas are met by the honey, sugar cane, citrus, Earl Grey tea, leather, oak and an amazing natural sweetness that is shifting back and forth between slightly fruity notes (strawberry, banana, mango) and sugar cane. A very lovely and interesting profile. Finish: Oak, sugar, caramel, vanilla, banana and honey are just some of the notes that stick around for very long. Still extremely high quality at a remarkable complexity. I love this dram! (89/100)

Plantation St. Lucia “LMDW” 2010 11YO (53,2%): With “X”, everyone has to point out all the time that it was formerly called “Twitter”. I wonder if we will ever do this with “Planteray”. I don’t really intend to comment on this whole debate, let me just point out that the new name is just as stupid as the old one. But now on to the Rum, cause that’s why we are here! Nose: Very intense and Bourbonish. Not sure if I could call this out as a Saint Lucia blindly. It takes a while until the Rum opens up but eventually we can find fruity notes along the lines of orange, grapefruit, ripe mango and banana. Behind that heavier notes such as caramel, agave syrup and now also pineapple. Something Early Greyish is in the mix as well. It is definitely good stuff, but we did get spoilt by St. Lucia lately. Palate: Quite different from the nose but straight away it has many of the typical St. Lucia notes such as mint and related herbs, honey, banana and sugar cane. A very nice drop and within the first split seconds of taking a sip I can already tell that this one has a very long and minty finish. Here and there notes of banana and honey pop up again, but these herbs stay with you forever. A nice amount of oak rounds things off. If you like the 2002 bottlings, you’ll like this one as well! (86/100)

Plantation St. Lucia “The Nectar” 2007 14YO (60,2%): Older stuff with more watts, what can go wrong!? Nose: Darker and heavier than the other Saint Lucians, with caramel, oak, some glue, citrus peel, dark chocolate, some herbs and even nougat. I am not sure what to think, this is definitely a good Rum, but once again not really St. Lucia. Palate: I am still not convinced that this is St. Lucia (figuratively speaking, of course). This has many familiar elements to it but the notes of lavender, honey, orange blossom and mango would have made me believe that this is a Long Pond VRW in a blind tasting! That said, this is indeed very good. Finish: Long with lavender, mint, honey, banana, oak and chocolate. Some cappuccino perhaps!? This gets the same score as the LMDW bottling from me, but both Rums really cannot and should not be compared. (86/100)

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