Overview
Brand: Privateer, Distiller's Drawer series
Origin: Privateer Distilling, Ipswich, MA, USA
Still: Pot
Age: 4 years, 8 months
Finish: New American Oak
ABV: 53.5%
This review is a fun coincidence that lines up a rum I've wanted to take a look at for a while, and a major life milestone. In late August, my girlfriend and I came across a house that we really liked, and was within reach of our budget; long story short, we closed in mid-October and are well underway on the moving in and organizing stage– hence the change in scenary for the rum sample shot.
When I was scheduling out the next handful of reviews, I didn't really think about the timing/order of things too much. While doing the sipping and write up of the notes on this rum, it dawned on me that it was the first review done in the new house, and the most aptly-named bottle for the occasion: "Homeward".
Privateer "Homeward" comes from the 2021 installment of the Ipswich, MA, producer's Distiller's Drawer series, which focuses on cask-strength, unadulterated, single barrel rums. Homeward was produced in the double pot stilled style, meaning that it went through two distillation runs in the pot mechanism of Privateer's hybrid still. Like most Privateer releases, this was aged in new American oak, spending 4 years and 8 months in the barrel. It was released at a strength of 53.5% ABV.
Appearance
Amber, medium clarity, low viscosity
Nose
Butterscotch, marzipan, salted pecans, flamed orange peel, hint of Playdough
Palate
Butterscotch, vanilla, salted pecans, oak, soft/creamy texture
Finish
Medium-long, oaky, soft; warm oak, vanilla, cinnamon, peppercorns
Rating: 7/10
Summary
Well if I had to sum up Homeward in one word, I would use "soft". The nose itself is very welcoming and subtle, the palate has a wonderful creamy texture about it, and the finish has some spice but stops short of being too dry or intense (quite a feat given the new American oak aging).
This is a really nice rum. Some Privateer rums can be a bit intense or almost over-oaked– something owner/CEO Andrew Cabot has acknowledged in the past, but this hits the sweet spot of cask and distillate, yielding a thoroughly enjoyable American rum. The nutty and sweet notes really work well together, and the proof amplifies these enough to allow them to be present without bombarding one's taste buds with alcohol.
I've enjoyed Privateer's pot still rums in the past, including Fathom, which shares the double pot distillation style. This is a solid release that I appreciate, and is a great one to help celebrate the beginning of a new chapter in life (and rum review images). Cheers!