Admiral Rodney HMS Formidable 40

Admiral Rodney HMS Formidable is a blend of traditional rums distilled in a single column 45 tray coffey still. The rums were then rested for 9 to 12 years in American white oak barrels that had previously contained bourbon, before being blended.

HMS Formidable is Admiral Rodney's 98-gun flagship that bravely broke the famous French fleet line at the Battle of the Saintes.

Nico's tasting note

The nose of this rum immediately moves to the centre of your attention, with a decided air. It is its acidity that penetrates first, with fresh but fleshy fruit, a little bursting, with a prominent core. Despite a body that one guesses to be rather light, the rum seduces relentlessly, tirelessly. It is therefore a sensation of concentration that one also perceives quite quickly, with a gently spicy spring honey and an elegant woody taste.

As with a perfume, the nose evolves with the air and time. This comparison is not innocent because the rum gains in elegance and refinement. The fruits are certainly quite "in-your-face", but they have been carefully chosen and are presented in a fine tobacco case.

The entry in the mouth is faithful to the purest English tradition: as for the Barbados rums, one can count on a melted and tasty white woody flavour, with caramel, vanilla and tobacco that spread out generously. There's no lack of sweetness on the palate, although there's no sweetness to be found. One could rather speak of something honeyed, even a little milky, like an egg cream. The mid-palate takes it up a notch with a handful of well-melted spices that now enhance a more frankly woody rum, with accents of stone fruits in brandy.

The finish maintains the complexity and elegance, enveloping the whole and closing the experience with a nice peppery veil.

"This subtle rum reveals itself especially on the palate with a delicate, chiselled approach..."

Comparison of the 3 Admiral Rodney Princessa, Royal Oak and Formidable

To sum up the tasting of the three ships in Admiral Rodney's fleet, the Princessa caught an exotic morning breeze as she came ashore, with her delicate fruits and fresh herbs.

The Royal Oak is aptly named, as it is all about wood and roasting. It is undoubtedly the ship that has experienced the most extreme conditions and therefore the one on which the strongest casks have been loaded.

The Formidable is the flagship of the fleet, the ship that carries the most complex blends, the finest rums for high society. It is both generous and balanced, strong and elegant, its aromas are frank and elaborate.