A very random session today, featuring a couple of Enmores from 2002, among others.

S.B.S Diamond Distillery “SVL” (Uitvlugt Savalle) 2003 17YO (53,7%): This batch featured both, good and utterly terrible Rums so far. I really don’t know why the variance in cask quality is so big here. Nose: Rich and heavy with nougat, coffee, wood, burnt caramel, plenty of spices, chocolate, molasses, fir and resin. Deeper in the glass also the batch-characteristic forest honey and hints of moss perhaps. It’s alright, I guess. Palate: Milk chocolate, coffee, plenty of conifer and resin, subtle honey, wood, syrupy molasses, bitter oranges and now also dark chocolate. It’s very straightforward and you either like this profile or you don’t. It is good for what it is, I’d say. Finish: Medium long with oak, vanilla, caramel, nuts, spices and a few bitter notes. It’s actually a rather nice finish. Regarding its position within its internal batch ranking I’d say good midfield. (81/100)

RomDeluxe Enmore 2002 17YO (61,5%): I have found these notes somewhere and oh boy, they are incredibly old, and odd. But I decided not to change a single thing – you have been warned! Nose: Not very typical but then again, it is tough to say what a typical Enmore from the DDL era should be like. I get mustard, honey-flavoured mustard, orange-flavoured mustard, sweet peppers and a continental fruit basket (apples!). Some more herabal notes perhaps. What is this? Palate: What the heck!? With the knowledge we have, EHP is now obvious but I really cannot get the flavoured mustard associations out of my head. I just cannot describe it much better. Orange marmelade, wooden sticks, smoker pallets (apple wood), while we are at it: apples; herbs and honey are further impressions I get but above all of these there’s this mustard note, as you get it from the Monschauer Senfmühle (a must visit for everyone who’s in that region by the way!). Now this isn’t bad but I am not sure if I really like it either. Finish: Medium long with wood, orange-flavoured mustard and vanilla. My oh my. I am willing not to score it and whatever mark I give will probably never be fully representative. So just for the record: (82/100)

Silver Seal Enmore 2002 12YO (46%): It is crazy that this Rum is already considered an oldie these days. I guess that’s probably much rather us becoming oldies… Nose: Much better than in my memory, i.e. when tasting this when it came out. Salted licorice, molasses, plenty of spices including anise, wood, iodine, burnt caramel and sage are just some of my impressions. It is a relatively complex Rum, especially when you consider its age and abv. Palate: Typical Enmore now, with molasses, dark caramel, salty licorice, oak, vanilla, earthy notes and the full dose of spices. It is very good I think but at this point I am wishing for some more watts. But still, it is good! Finish: Not too long with licorice, a fresh sea breeze, spices, molasses and wood. Did we say that this is good!? All I am wondering about is: Where is the rest of this fantastic stuff? And now 22 years, I believe this would be even better! (86/100)

Mezan Enmore / Uitvlugt 2002 (40%): I neither know how old this is nor when it has been bottled but it seems to be a blend with the youngest element having been distilled in 2002. That doesn’t mean much but let’s see… Nose: Ultra light and I think that describes both, the low abv and the aroma of the distillates. Vanilla, apples, some citrus notes… This is a whole lot of nothingness. Palate: This reminds me of supermarket Speyside Whiskey. Perhaps that’s what they were going for here. Very smooth and light, neither exciting nor challenging but it is a profile where nobody will say it is not their cup of tea. At this point I am wondering if this is alcohol my liver should be bothered with… thank god we have spittoons. Finish: I think you know where this is heading. Even just a minute after tasting this one you forgot what it was like. Next. (63/100)

Nobilis Diamond “SWR” 2001 21YO (54,2%): This is supposed to be the good stuff, right!? Nose: Yes, it is. Muscovado sugar, burnt caramel, molasses, coffee, a hint of toffee – you name it. Deeper in the glass also pepper, allspice and some nougat. Oh yeah, we dig totally dig it. Palate: A superb texture that resembles liquid chocolate. Flavourwise, we get coffee, different qualities of chocolate, some wood, dark caramel and with the second sip more and more coffee, even entering territories of excellent espresso. At 21 years it lost many of its rough edges and feels very elegant, which is both, a big plus and a small minus at the same time when comparing it to its younger siblings. Finish: While we didn’t find as many spices at the palate, they are all here in the finish. Add dark chocolate, coffee and wood and keep this memory for quite a while. Voila! An excellent Rum. (89/100)

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