Post #537013 by swizzle on Thu, Jun 17, 2010 3:42 AM

On 2010-06-04 17:28, swizzle wrote:
Last night after reading the Ed Hamilton post mentioned by aquarj, I tried a couple of rums I've had on the shelf for well over 12 months and I "believe" that they did taste different to when I first bought them.
Ed quotes, "Oxidation is manifest in a diminishing of the body of a spirit like turning down the volume on the spirit body and finish". I have to say that, that seemed correct. Whilst the rums certainly didn't taste bad, or off, they definitely seemed to lack that strong character that I remember and enjoyed them for.

I know I might look like a bit of a tool here quoting myself, but after my last experience mentioned above, i've decided I might as well finish all the opened bottles of rum I have that have been sitting around for a while. As i'm writing this i'm sipping on some Appleton 21 y.o. which has very little left in the bottle and also has been on my shelf for a long time. This rum only became available here a couple of years ago and was/is very expensive ($175aus a bottle). When I purchased it I must say I was really not that impressed (especially at that price). I personally find that in general, most rums have an amazing aroma but that doesn't always carry through into the taste. I've also come to the conclusion that I don't like rums that have been aged for too long as I find they have too much of a woody taste to them. Ron Zacapa 23 being the exception.

The Appleton 21 was one of those rums that I felt smelt amazing on opening, but lacked the character that I enjoy in rums. Trying that same rum again now after having it sit on my shelf for at least 18 months, it's come as quite a shock to find that (I think) it has lost pretty much all of it's aroma and now, whilst still having a rummy taste to it, it is very bland, and also nothing like I remember it when I first bought it.

I'm pretty sure that as I go through all the other rums I have in my bar that have been there for a long time, they are also going to be a different rum to what they were when first opened.

I always loved the fact that I had 20+ rums sitting in my bar at any one time, but now I've realised that there is no point having that many if they are just going to sit there and look pretty. Rum is made for drinking and from now on i'm only going to buy the rums I really like and drink the bastards.