Cockspur Five Star Barbados Rum

Wine information: Cockspur rum was founded by Valdemar Hanschell in 1884. He was of Danish descent and came to Barbados via the Virgin Islands where he had worked for several years in the ship brokerage business. Settling in Barbados, which had become one of the biggest shipping ports in the Western Hemisphere at that time, he founded a ship chandlery, supplying to visiting ships - ropes, sails, salt, fresh fruit, meat and of course rum. Through the years, business thrived and so too did the popularity of Cockspur rum. He took on a partner, expanded his trade into exports and became Hanschell Larson. Cockspur became known internationally, continued to grow and through a later merger, Hanschell Inniss was formed. That company still blends and bottles Cockspur today at the West Indies Rum Distillery. The origins of rum on the island reach back to 1637, when Dutchman Pieter Blower brought in the first sugar cane plants from Brazil. By the 1640s sugar plantations and factories were developing and molasses – the cane juice residue – was being distilled into a spirit known as ‘kill devil’. Made in simple pot stills, adjacent to the wind driven sugar mills on each plantation, ‘kill devil’ helped to make the planters wealthy. They sold it to taverns and ships, and by 1650 over 200 thousand gallons of the fiery liquid were being produced. The first recorded use of the name ‘rum bullion’ appears in 1651 by an unknown visitor to Barbados and shortly after it was abbreviated to ‘rum’. Hence Barbados is generally regarded as the birthplace of rum. This fine golden rum is matured slowly in American white oak barrels before being expertly blended to create the final product. Significantly smoother on the palate than many other brown spirits, the quality stands out whether it's straight or mixed. The agreeable distinctive flavour is great on the rocks but equally best mixed with your favourite mixer or in cocktails. In Barbados, Cockspur & Coke is a popular favourite. On the nose there is sherried alcohol with a warm sensation. The first trip to the nose implies a mellowy sweet and honey waft until just after halfway into the experience and then the Demerara sugar kicks in to complete the second leg. Not complex but very pleasant. The palate starts extremely smooth, becoming spicy on the palate. Light bite on the back of the throat and upper front gums. Peppery crescendo although very round and warm, giving way to Caribbean cinnamon spice. Great mouth feel getting slightly buttery towards the end. An extremely pleasant experience for what could be considered a standard rum. Dark sugar and alcohol overtones are very predominant, very slight lemon undertones.

 
     

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