O Reizinho 3 ans Brut de Fût 61.2° (61.2° proof)

O Reizinho 3 ans Brut de Fût is an agricultural rum from the Portuguese island of Madeira. The Ferreira family owns a superb traditional still (featured on the bottle's back label), in which they distill pure cane juice with unique expertise. Made entirely of copper, it operates with steam injection. The result is cane brandies of incredible delicacy.

Here's the house's first old rum, and not just any old rum. This is the brut de fût version, aged for 3 years in a French oak cask containing Madeira wine. This single cask combines power and aromatic intensity. It's a completely different way of discovering the work of Madeira's nugget, O Reizinho.

Nico's tasting notes

The powerful nose is first marked by fresh cane juice with a hint of citrus, just as it comes out of the still. A fine note of gunflint opens the door to more toasty, woody aromas, as well as cocoa and cereals (malted barley, rye). Within these brown notes lies a candied cane, with hints of apricot.

Aeration brings out some fresher, more herbal touches, with cane taking a little menthol in its wake. Peppery wood quickly melts away, as do sulphurous notes that stretch into milk chocolate.

The palate is gripping and finely spiced, offering a lively texture on the palate, but without aggression. The pepper takes the lead, serving up dark, bitter chocolate, overlaying cereals and roasted nuts. Cooked and reduced cane juice takes on an almost molasses-like quality, taking on dark, slightly licorice-like hues.

The finish is toasty, dry and peppery, with cooked cane juice still on the palate.

"A firmer, drier expression of the O Reizinho style, which doesn't neglect the greediness..."

On video

We discovered O Reizinho rums with Joao Pedro Ferreira, the distiller, during the tasting of the O Reizinho sample pack. You can find this video and many others on our Youtube channel :

This rum was also available in La Box du Mois d'Août 2022, replayed on our channel :