A tale of two rums.
Double rum review: Blackwell and Worthy Park 109.
What’s better than a rum review? Two rum reviews! And betterer still Jamaican rum reviews! Nope, we don’t do things by halves on the good ship Proof me hearties.
At first glance these might be mistaken for similar products – both are dark Jamaican rums after all – but upon closer examination we find them to be very different beasts. How so? Read on, dear reader, read on!
Blackwell Black Gold Special Reserve.
Straight away I’m gonna drop the descriptors and just call this Blackwell’s like everyone else does as there is no other variant of it beside the cheesy 007 branded bottle (rolls eyes). Blackwell’s is supposedly the secret family recipe of famous Jamaican record producer Chris Blackwell but I’m wary of this kind of blurb that we find on the rear of the bottle as it often amounts to little more than an iffy attempt at whipping up some historical mumbo-jumbo to shift product. It may or may not be true but I’d much prefer some solid facts about how the rum is produced. Hence I was reluctant to try this rum for a time seeing it as bordering on one of those “rock” branded spirits such as AC/DC Thunderstruck tequila or Motörhead rum (rolls eyes again). I think this branding may have done more harm than good but I’m way off track now and need to reboot this review.
Blackwell comes in a straightforward 700ml brown glass bottle with a metal screw cap. The label is quite nicely done being all deliberately misaligned and with a distinct “piratey” aesthetic. The seal on the side is a nice touch but aside from that it is a pretty uninteresting bottling for the price. The marketing jibber-jabber aside there is zero useful information beyond the compulsory 40% ABV statement (the website provides nothing more concrete either). No indication of age. Pot or column? Who knows? Who’s making this for Chris? Does he even know? If he does he’s not telling! I’ve gotta be honest; the signs are not encouraging. Undeterred* I pour a measure. I was expecting something much darker (a reason I dislike coloured bottles) than the coppery liquid that hits my glass. Everything I’ve seen was signaling a black rum but this is a few shades short of such. OK, let’s have a sniff. Damn, but this smells lovely with distinct caramel and vanilla fragrances and a little spice in the background. When tasted we get pretty much what we smelled as well as a smooth and buttery texture with little burn. It’s really quite decent for something with so little providence. While you could definitely sip this I bought it with mixing in mind and as a possible replacement for Myers’s in my Zombies and the like. I don’t hate Myers’s like some folks do but I always had the feeling I could do a little better. Lo and behold subbing Blackwell’s into my Zombie made a noticeable improvement to the point I would stock it for that purpose alone. Furthermore I found Blackwell’s a pleasing rum as a component of a Mai Tai. Well, I’m still a little shocked that this rum had anything under the hood at all let alone that it would be a permanent fixture on the Proof bar. It’s a tad pricey in my parts at around €28 but largely for it’s excellent mixability I’ve got to award it an:
A-
Worthy Park 109.
It turns out Worthy Park 109 is the polar opposite of Blackwell’s with providence coming out of its ears. One of Jamaica’s most ancient and revered distilleries whose juice often finds its way into special bottlings for other brands the Worthy Park name immediately caught my attention. The other attention grabber is that 109 on the label. Yup, that’s 109 proof better known as 54.5% ABV or the revised Navy Proof of the British Navy. At €32.50 for a litre at such a high strength this looks like pretty fine value for a rum from such a prestigious distiller. Furthermore we have an ocean of useful information on the production. Right up front on the simple but tasteful label we read The Magic Words “100% copper pot distilled”. I’m in! There are more details but the most relevant is that it is a blend of their own aged and un-aged rums and that everything is done in-house. But enough, let’s get to it.
Poured from the large clear (smiles) bottle which in itself is satisfactory if dull we see the expected deep mahogany colour. Clearly it’s a caramel coloured rum then but, hey, that’s what makes a dark rum dark**. The first sniff is pretty unforgiving. Ethanol hits first in a pretty brutal way but as it subsides we get a nice treacly impression with dark roast coffee in the background. The taste is similar: treacle scones at halloween accompanied by a sip of bitter espresso. There are raisin and spice flavours in there too and no sweetness to be found. This is grown up rum and certainly not for beginners. The finish is long and warming but the alcohol doesn’t hide its presence and this is certainly not a rum I’m going to be sipping on. I can see a sailor downing one after a cold, hard shift but that’s little help to us cocktailistas. I really wanted to like this rum and I kinda do. But. The problem is that there are other better rums in this zone. For a Navy rum it can’t supplant Wood’s and for an overproof demerara stand-in it can’t touch Plantation OFTD. I tried it in a number of cocktails and it just wasn’t a rum that plays nice with others as its bitter notes seem to dominate and take over the drink. I still think a might find something interesting to do with it but for now I can’t recommend it as a flexible mixing rum – and if it’s not a sipping rum where does that leave it? It leaves it with a:
B.
Note on sugar/sweetness.
I tested both of these rums for added sugar and neither had any significant dosing. Unsurprising as Jamaican rum pretty much never does. There are differences in perceived sweetness but it is just that a perception based on the flavours present. Blackwell tastes sweeter due to the vanilla notes and WP109 somewhat bitter due to the coffee notes is my best guess. Similarly Myers’s tastes sweet due to the molasses flavours yet also tests negative for added sugar.
Conclusion.
Don’t judge a book by its cover folks. Labels with production details usually help us a lot but here we a clear case where they didn’t and it shows that there is no substitute for tasting.
*OK somewhat deterred.
**Yeah, it’s rarely got anything to do with ageing in barrels at this price or below.
xxx Update xxx
I knew I’d find a use for WP109 sooner or later. I now use it as a key component of my home blended dark Jamaican rum.
By Rick 21st October 2022 - 7:34 pm
Hi, Nice blog and nice reviews. I was also thinking about getting these. Glad to read Blackwell is good, I’ve also been looking for a decent black blended rum. What drink did you try the WP 109 in? I can see it working in a Doctor Funk as is suggested in the Smuggler’s Cove book.
Groetjes uit Alkmaar,
Rick.
By Andy 22nd October 2022 - 6:22 pm
Hi Rick. Glad you’re enjoying my humble efforts! To be honest I now don’t remember which drinks I tried the WP109 in – certainly a few Tiki classics though. Thanks to your reminder I need to come back to it though as its certainly interesting stuff although it tends to dominate every drink it touches. And I’ll be starting with a Dr Funk as you suggest. Maybe there will be an update in the future.
By Rick 5th November 2022 - 9:36 am
Hi Andy. I got both bottles last week. I tried the Blackwell last night in a Hurricane which was really good. Don’t know if I prefer it to a Hurricane with Appleton 12 but maybe that’s not a fair comparison. I tried the WP109 in the Doctor Funk using the SC recipe. I can see what you mean that it overpowers a drink quickly, but in this case it really stands up against the 0.5 oz of anise like Martin says in the book (I used Pernod instead of Herbsaint). It made a really tasty drink in my opinion. Anyway, great blog! I will stop by from time to time. Chrees, Rick.
By Andy 6th November 2022 - 3:23 pm
Hi Rick, I tried it in a Dr Funk last night after seeing your comment – but using my own version with a teaspoon of Grand Absent 69 for the anise rather than the Martin Cate one. It was indeed pretty damn good making the drink a bit more complex than with just a white rum – good call! I can see a little more work in finding places for WP109 to shine is necessary. Oh no 😉
By Rick 9th November 2022 - 10:47 pm
Hahaha! Tonight I found that it also makes for a pretty great Jungle Bird. Cheers, Rick.
By Andy 11th November 2022 - 11:27 am
I can see how that would work as a sub for blackstrap rum. Not quite the same flavour but certainly deep and assertive enough to stand up to the Campari. Goed bezig Rick!
By Rick 12th November 2022 - 8:02 pm
Thanks, Andy. But I cannot take the credit, I mostly just search the web. 😉
I have a question. I also recently bought a bottle of unaged agricole (Trois Revierès 50). I tried it in a Ti’ Punch, but the harsh grassy taste is a bit much for my palate. It also took me a while to get used to the gasoline notes of J Wray overproof. Don’t get me wrong, I do like the funk, but I prefer it in a manageble dosis. 😉
As for the unaged agricole, it’s not necessarily a tiki staple (I don’t know any classics that use it), but I was wondering if you have a suggestion what drink to use it in. Something that can tame the grassy nature. Cheers, Rick.
By Andy 13th November 2022 - 4:37 pm
I can’t say I have much experience with unaged agricoles – for the same reasons as you (lack of tiki use). I’ve not tried Trois Rivieres but I’m currently plating with some Clement (also 50% and unaged) and what strikes me is the similarity it has with cachaca. So while I’ve got a lot more experimentation to do with unaged agricoles for now I quite enjoy it in a caipirinha. Not much help I know – I’m basically in the same place as you on this one! I’ll post something here if I come up with anything more interesting.
By Rick 13th November 2022 - 7:01 pm
Alright, that sounds like a good suggestion, I’ll try that. The Caipirinha and the Ti’ Punch are not really that different except for the amount of lime and sugar used. I also have the Minimalist Tiki book. It cost more than the book itself to get it here, but it’s a great resource for new tiki drinks (maybe you have a copy too?). I saw some suggestions there for unaged agricoles. I will let you know if I find anything interesting in there. Cheers, Rick.
By Rick 20th November 2022 - 8:57 am
Had a Caipirinha yesterday with the Trois Rivières and it was pretty good. I also used it in a drink called the Caribbean Goddess in found in the Minimalist Tiki book. https://www.reddit.com/r/Tiki/comments/gpgmsa/caribbean_goddess/
It was really good, with the grassy agricole playing well with the ginger and the coconut, I can recommend this one!
By Andy 21st November 2022 - 11:19 am
Cool. I have The Minimalist Tiki so I’ll definitely check it out. Incidentally if you’re looking for a good aged agricole Clement Select Barrel really floats my boat (to the extent I’ve been very lazy in exploring other agricoles) and it’s very reasonably priced. I much prefer it to the VSOP, which is also good but maybe tooooo smooth. Strangely I find the basic Clement Ambre aged agricole close to undrinkable.
By Rick 22nd November 2022 - 10:47 am
Thanks for that! I do have the VSOP for a Mai Tai to combine with the Appleton 12. I go back and forth between that rum combo and the rums that Kevin Crossman suggests for his ultimate Mai Tai and I really cannot choose as I find both versions equally delicious. The Clement Select Barrel also seems very reasonably priced so I might throw it in the digital shopping cart for my next booze haul (which occur maybe a bit to frequent lately…).
By Andy 25th November 2022 - 11:46 am
That is indeed a great combo. I tinker endlessly with Mai Tai combinations – maybe one day I come up with a perfect blend but for now I just enjoy the journey 😉
Clement Single Barrel I’d say is somewhat similar to the VSOP but punchier and bolder.
By Rick 11th December 2022 - 8:47 pm
In the unaged agricole department the Mammoth Tusk from Minimalist Tiki I had yesterday was also a winner in my opinion.
By Andy 12th December 2022 - 9:07 pm
Didn’t notice that one – I’ll check it out. Inspired by our discussions I’ll be publishing an article in the next few weeks on an unaged agricole cocktail. Watch this space!