I remember that I wasn’t a huge Bally fan when I started my Rum journey and that didn’t really change until the brand started releasing the first couple of full proof Rums, most notably the 1998 and 1999 vintages. Those two absolutely blew me away, as did the 2000 by Corman Collins andnthe more recent 2006. That said, I am kinda hyped for today’s pair (!) of full proof 2007s!

J.Bally 2007 14YO (50,6%): Just to state it clearly, this is a brut de fût. Nose: A wild mix of cassis, cocoa, roasted marshmallows, honey and sage enters my nostrils. At first it is all about those black and red berries, but the profile is becoming increasingly herbal over time. Here and there again those chocolatey notes. Very nice and definitely on the more complex end of the spectrum. Palate: Slightly bitter and woody, without any of the two overpowering the Rum. I get more and more sage (think those sage-flavoured cough drops), but also sweet cherry, cedar wood, cocoa and lavender perhaps. This definitely ticks the right boxes for me, even though this slight and admittedly nuanced bitterness is mildly disturbing at times, but hey, it is almost as if we are looking for something to complain about (I am German after all, so it has to be one of my infamous traits). Finish: Long and herbal, with cedar wood, cassis and coffee. I’d rate this slightly higher than the regular 2000 brut de fût, I think. (88/100)

J.Bally 2007 15YO “Cuvée V&B” (54,6%): So indeed, we have been lying. This isn’t a true “2007” but rather a cuvée of 2005 and 2007, bottled from a single cask in 2022. But I don’t care, as V&B are known for some excellent Agricole bottlings from Martinique. Nose: Much “darker”, richer, and more woody than the regular 2007; and without those initial fruity and herbal notes. Instead I get different sorts of wood, dark chocolate, definitely glue and after some time a note slightly akin to ripe mango. With more time in the glass I also get a mix of dried fruits, milk coffee and tamarind. I really dig this, so let’s take a sip. Palate: Very, very good. This melange of wood, dried and ripe fruits, coffee, cocoa and spices is absolutely compelling and quite rare in Rums like these, i.e. old and cask driven Agricoles, but I guess it is precisely it: The Rhum is still highly distillate driven and the trade-off between additive and subtractive maturation is seemingly at its peak. Finish: Dry and long, with cocoa, spices (think pepper, nutmeg, allspice etc.) and oak. A fine Rum, that comes close to the Bally legends. (90/100)