A.H. Riise Non Plus Ultra La Galante is a rum from the island of St. Croix. Together with the islands of St Thomas and St John, they form the American Virgin Islands. They lie between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
The name of this old rum pays homage to Christopher Columbus's ship, the Santa Maria La Galante, on which he sailed when he discovered the Isle of St. Croix and the West Indies.
This cuvée is hand-blended by the master distiller with the finest distillates from Central America and the West Indies.
This rum is part of the "Non Plus Ultra" collection from A.H. Riise. This quotation refers to the inscription engraved on the pillars of Hercules, which in mythology were built near the Strait of Gibraltar. These pillars marked the limit of the known world. In Latin, this inscription translates as: "nothing beyond". In the A.H. Riise range, then, these rums are the very best, and none surpass them.
Nico's tasting notes
The nose has a jammy sweetness of orange peel and mild spices, like a liqueur. There's also a hint of cake dough, with a buttery, sandy feel, like a cinnamon and cardamom cookie.
With aeration, a hint of coffee aroma emerges, adding a little more depth. The cookie is spicier and more toasted, but the vanilla and sweet orange flavors continue to ensure a delicious finish.
The palate is very sweet, even liquorish, and the pastry profile of this rum bonbon is immediately apparent. Sweet spices and cake batter take shape on the palate, with a very gourmand and round thickness. Vanilla and orange liqueur flow slowly and abundantly, until they coat the whole taste bud.
The finish is very round, giving way to slightly roasted spices and a touch of liquorice.
"A real rum liqueur with the flavors of orange cake batter..."
Hervé
All the brand markers are there. However, the taste is a little different and complex. I'm sticking with ambergold, which is more to my taste.