After having a run of underrated bargain basement beauties with Lidl’s Liberté Rum & Dunnes’ JG Kinsey Whisky – I suppose a disappointment was inevitable.
Old Hopking White Rum c/othewhiskeynut
Aldi’s Old Hopking White Rum is presented with a rather plain white label that gives little away.
‘Bottled In Germany’ it says. A common practice using ‘Imported Rum’ from undisclosed sources. Where the sugarcane or molasses came from is not stated – nor method of distillation. At this price point – that information is a bonus.
‘Perfect for mixing’ c/othewhiskeynut
So onto a taster.
Oh dear!
A perfumed floral aroma greeted me.
More reminiscent of my wife’s gin rather than a rum!
This followed through in the palate – which was smooth & mellow – with a mild heat to keep it real – but otherwise no defining character.
‘Imported Rum’ c/othewhiskeynut
Old Hopking is a simple easy sipper – but I wasn’t expecting a rose garden in my rum!
I thought Liberté was a yoghurt brand with TV adverts from a few years ago?
Yet here in my local Lidl was a simple & sparsely labelled bottle of white rum bearing the same name.
Liberté Rum c/othewhiskeynut
Liberté is a nod to the French connection that still exists on the tiny island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean.
There are 3 rum distilleries operating on Rèunion; Isautier, Rivière Du Mât & Savanna – take your pick as to the source.
I like it neat myself. c/othewhiskeynut
A clear colourless rum with distinctively fat oily legs.
A very soft mild & mellow nose didn’t give much away – but there was a suggestion of overripe fruits glimpsing through.
Extremely easy on the palate – slightly oily mouthfeel with a gently warming heat.
Letting it linger gradually opens up those funky fruit flavours – not overpowering – just pleasantly attractive – followed by a touch of tingling spice adding some flair to this endearing rum.
The 300 year history of rum distilling on Réunion is quietly imprinted on this charmingly beguiling Liberté White Rum.
I don’t know if Lidl are ahead of the posse predicting a Rum revival – but they have another miniature selection I couldn’t resist.
Cuban Rums Ahoy! c/othewhiskeynut
Comprising of 4 x 40ml servings under the Ron Rumbero label – courtesy of Bimmerle KG, a German spirits producer & importer – with Cuban Rum being the source.
Spiced c/othewhiskeynut
Ron Rumbero, Spiced Spirit, 37.5%
An attractively well balanced spiced rum offering. A bit too sweet for my liking – but a dark chocolate start contrasts with a gentle chilli led spicy finish.
Cream Liqueur c/othewhiskeynut
Ron Rumbero, Cream Liqueur with Rum, 15%
An easy going creamy liqueur that provides an entertaining alternative to the whiskey derived offerings. Sweet, thick & creamy with a decent hit of rum on the finish too!
3 Anos c/othewhiskeynut
Ron Rumbero, 3 Años, 38%
Now this one surprised me! A definite vegetal funk on the nose. Slightly sweet yet smooth palate with a lovely flourish of spice on the finish. A great combination.
7 Anos c/othewhiskeynut
Ron Rumbero, 7 Años, 38%
Rich, warm & inviting. Slightly oaky. Smooth delivery. The dry oaky tannins are reminiscent of a good whiskey. Not bad.
Thoughts
A lovely little quartet of rums to whet your appetite.
The back label c/othewhiskeynut
When choosing my favourite I had a little surprise. Normally I’d go for the aged version – but with these – the wonderful balance of the funky start & gorgeously spicy finish of the 3 Años won out in this instance.
If only I could get a full size bottle for the shelf!
The opportunity to try out a range of styles – or in this case regions – before committing to a full bottle is always a treat.
Having said that. I’d already ruled out buying more supermarket own brand labels. They tend to be chill filtered with added caramel & whilst perfectly fine – they lack finesse.
But spotting these miniatures in my local Lidl.
A tasty trio! c/othewhiskeynut
I couldn’t pass them by.
Nosing the Speyside first – I choose to do Speyside – Highland – Islay starting from mildest to strongest flavours as recommended by many tasting journals – revealed a pleasant easy honeyed malt.
On a blind tasting this would sit well with any big label brand.
The palate was a bit watery & insignificant to begin with – common to all three malts – before a typical Speyside softly sweet & gentle flavour profile presented itself.
There was even a slight dry spice on the short finish.
Not bad at all.
Which region is your preference? c/othewhiskeynut
The Highland gave a bit more malt biscuity depth to the proceedings.
The Islay – which was my favourite – offered a straight forward satisfying smoky hit.
Each gave a perfectly decent snapshot of the regional styles – perhaps lacking in depth & complexity – but nonetheless an extremely enjoyable way of discerning your palates preferences.
The opportunity to taste and sample a variety of styles & flavours before committing to a large bottle.
Lidl are currently showcasing The World Of Rums – including offerings from;
4 Rums, 4 styles, 4 flavours c/othewhiskeynut
Panama – La Réunion – Cuba and Jamaica.
Rums are often categorised into styles based on their former colonial occupiers. It’s not particularly scientific or pretty – but neither is the use of Scottish Regions to define the flavour of whisky.
Which one suits your palate? c/othewhiskeynut
Being Lidl – it’s likely to be sourced private label brands too. As confirmed by ‘Imported & bottled by: ‘Pabst & Richarz Vertiebs GmbH‘ on the outer packaging.
But what interested me were the differences of flavours showcased by the individual rums themselves.
Sir Francis Drake 6yo c/othewhiskeynut
Panama. Sir Francis Drake. 6 Years Old. 40%
Spanish style. Light, buttery & sweet.
Pale straw. Vanilla sweetness followed by darker molasses & treacle notes. Soft & sweet palate – a bit too sweet for my liking – but develops a pleasant oaky spice from the cask ageing.
Easy & enjoyable.
Coeur Du Soleil c/othewhiskeynut
La Réunion. Coeur Du Soleil. White Rum. 37.5%
French style. Rich , fruity & complex.
Clear spirit. Pungent vegetal nose – reminds me of Mezcal. Palate was smooth & characterful. The earthy herbaceous notes give a slightly savoury yet sweet appeal that slowly fades.
Very alluring.
Ron Santero 3yo c/othewhiskeynut
Cuba. Ron Santero. 3 Year Old. 38%
Spanish style. Lean & clean.
Clear spirit. Soft subtle & sweet. After the other 2 rums, Santero’s delicateness just merged into a bland neutrality for me. Cries out for mixing.
Characterless.
Caribica c/othewhiskeynut
Jamaica. Caribica. Brown Rum. 40%
British style. Funky, heavy & bold.
Light brown. Noticeable funkiness on the nose – reminds me of burnt rubber. Syrupy palate. The funk is lost a little to a treacly dark sweetness, but re-emerges on the finish.
Is Jamaican funk the Islay peat of the rum world? Finding it challenging.
Thoughts
An interesting & entertaining taste experience.
I’d have thought there’d be a rum here to please every palate.
La Réunion’s Coeur Du Soleil was the one for me. The powerful mix of sweet, sour & savoury notes demonstrated the full bodied style of ‘Rhum Agricole’ using freshly pressed sugarcane juice bottled straight off the stills.
C’est très bonne.
What is your style?
Santé
A brief guide to styles of rum can be found at the handy Tenzing blog here.
I gotta hand it to Lidl for expanding my spirit drinking range.
This bottle of rum from Réunion – hence the French connection – emanates from the Indian Ocean via a Parisienne suburb.
Fantastique! c/othewhiskeynut
There is no Riviére Saint-Jean distillery on the island – but a Riviére du Mat distillery founded in 1886 – appears to be the source of this offering.
There’s also a ‘Saga du Rhum‘ museum on Réunion to further explore the rich history of distillation – including the sorry tale of sugar, slavery and colonial exploitation. Hopefully those days are long gone. Meanwhile – the rum is still here to enjoy.
A deep ruby brown colour greets you – followed by an attractive oaky tannic nose on a dark molassey underbelly.
The palate was quite delicious.
The smooth warming sweetness morphed into a gorgeously drying spicy explosion. Very reminiscent of some rye whiskeys I enjoy.
Not had a rum like this before!
I’m feeling Riviére Saint-Jean accentuates the cask influence with it’s 6 years in wood.
I was away for a few days taking advantage of the fine weather.
Random pub.
Entering a bar for the first time always engenders a sense of excitement.
Random whisky.
You never know what to expect.
Spotting the large green label of Hunter’s Glen on the shelf – it immediately stood out as something I’d not had before.
Hunter’s Glen Scotch c/othewhiskeynut
Establishing it was Scotch Whisky and not rum – either would have been acceptable – a glass was ordered.
Mmmmmm.
Standard entry level blend material.
Caramelly nose, sweet, smooth & soft with a hint of smoke enlivening an otherwise easy drinking experience.
But who or what is Hunter’s Glen?
The front label states ‘Clydesdale Scotch Whisky Company’, who are part of the Whyte & Mackay group specialising in supermarket blends for Lidl.
All the way from Greece? c/othewhiskeynut
The back label does mention Lidl, but of Greek origin.
Quite how it ended up in a bar in the West of Ireland is beyond me.
But as a whisky with no pretensions or provenance – I enjoyed it for what it is – a perfectly acceptable everyday sipper with a slightly smoky tingly dryness on the finish.
Sláinte
Header image courtesy of Irish Times article here.
