Overview
Brand: Shakara
Origin: SangSom Co. Ltd, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
Still: Column
Age: 12 years
Finish: ex-Bourbon
ABV: 45.7%
There are a lot of misconceptions in the general public about rum that enthusiasts, brands, and producers all have to battle against. Column still rum is boring/neutral, rum only comes from the Caribbean, and rum is too sweet, to name a few common tropes. Well, one of La Maison & Velier's newest projects aims to challenge those three specific concepts that I cherry-picked.
Shakara comes from Nakhon Pathom in Thailand, with its name deriving from the Sanskrit word for sugar: shakar. Sugarcane cultivation has a long history in this region, and Thailand itself is one of the top growers of sugarcane in the world. Despite the lack of international availability (with an exception being recent Raising Glasses expressions), there is a domestically-produced rum named SangSom that is highly popular; more on that in a second.
Shakara 12 year is a molasses-based rum produced at an undisclosed distillery (however, informed speculation points to this being produced at the SangSom distillery) using a column still. The distillate is aged for 12 years in ex-Bourbon casks, before being blended and bottled at a strength of 45.7% ABV.
Unlike some of LM&V's limited edition products, Shakara is intended to be a regularly-available release, as confirmed by US market manager Kate Perry. Special thanks to my friend Will Hoekenga, co-host of The Rumcast, for providing me with this sample. (P.S. in episode #104, Will has his fellow co-host John go through a blind tasting of Shakara; check it out!)
Appearance
Burnt orange, low viscosity
Nose
Toasted macadamia nuts, vanilla, sesame oil, lemongrass, grilled peaches, brown sugar
Palate
Brown sugar, vanilla, lemongrass, butterscotch, almond butter, cinnamon, sesame oil
Finish
Medium length, complex, warming; vanilla, molasses, cinnamon, peach pit
Rating: 7/10
Summary
Shakara is a very approachable– and delicious– Thai rum. The proof point is excellent and the notes are unique but also familiar, with clear similarities to other regions' styles, but a distinct South Asian influence.
Straight from the first sniff, I get toasted macadamia nuts, vanilla, and sesame oil; searching more, I find lemongrass, grilled peaches, and heavy brown sugar. That leads into the palate, joined by butterscotch, sweet-and-nutty almond butter, and cinnamon. The lemongrass and sesame oil dance around in the background, bringing a slightly bitter, herbal foil to the more overt notes.
Great work from LM&V, and I'm excited for this to make its way to Memphis. Shakara is a solid pour that deserves to be enjoyed next to the finest rums from the Caribbean.