A.H. Riise Royal Danish Navy Rum comes from the American Virgin Islands between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
Rum is produced by slow fermentation initially. Then the distillation is carried out in a traditional “ pot still ”. Several vintages are then aged, some for 20 years , in American oak barrels that have contained bourbon. Before reduction to 40° and bottling, the different vintages are assembled by the cellar master.
It's this long maturation that gives Royal Danish Navy Rum its very dark color, as no caramel is added as is sometimes the case with some rums.
Nico's tasting notes
Like most of the brand's rums, the nose is initially marked by fairly heavy notes of banana or very ripe pineapple. And as with most of these rums, these notes are very stealthy, followed by soft spices. We then get lots of cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg, like in a Christmas gingerbread. The sensation is very spicy and peppery. There's also a hint of vegetal, expressed through cola and a cigar leaf. Spices definitely dominate, but an oxidized wineiness flatters the nose. Is it a Port? A Banyuls? A Pineau?
Aeration gives way to red fruits, and we imagine a sweet grenadine. The amarena cherry is there, in the form of tangy candy. The fruity aspect that follows is rather surprising given the overall profile: raspberry jam takes us towards the creaminess of the goy ave, which contrasts with the candy side.
On the palate, spices fly in all directions, joined by coffee. One almost forgets that this is a cane spirit, but the molasses is now present. It's black and licorice-like. As on the nose, there's an oxidized wineiness that, combined with the prune, is rather gourmand. Chocolate ranks alongside all this greediness.
The finish is very sweet, the prune swollen and candied to perfection.
