O Reizinho 3 years cognac cask 54,4°.

O Reizinho 3 Ans Fût de Cognac is a gem from Madeira's small artisan distillery. The Ferreira family distills agricultural rums in their traditional Portuguese still, and traditionally ages them in French oak casks that have contained Madeira wine.

Here, French oak still takes pride of place, but this time the casks are old cognac barrels. The distillery's unique style, with its emphasis on pure cane juice, meets fine tannins and mild spices.

This rum was bottled brut de fût after 3 years of ageing, and 900 bottles were produced.

Nico's tasting notes

On the nose, there's the lovely ripe cane so dear to O Reizinho, with a hint of baked sugar that's already very tasty. It is draped in a patina of blond tobacco, honey, soft wood and vanilla. It's the fruitier accents that make this cuvée so original, with a few velvety mangoes, and other dried fruits such as a still-soft apricot.

Aeration gives way to more woodiness and substance. The rum has detached the tannins and spices from the barrel, melting them in its own way and integrating them with the lightly cooked cane juice. The latter has lost none of its superb youthfulness, but is now adorned with a subtle, mature and elegant patina.

The palate is soft and velvety, with ripe cane that glides like a balm over the palate. The fruit appears with a certain acidity that deglazes the taste buds, before being reduced with cooking, forming in turn a syrup spiked with sweet spices. The cane then shows a younger, greener side, with light peppery accents.

The finish is cane sugar and its cooked juice, like a light, flavorful syrup, a kind of honey.

"The round, mature cane here is enhanced by a slightly spicy nuance, with fruity tannins..."