Overview
Brand: Transcontinental Rum Line
Origin: Beenleigh Rum Distillery, Eagleby, Queensland, Australia
Still: Pot
Age: 15 years
Finish: ex-Bourbon
ABV: 65.7%
While he's better known in whiskey circles as one of the moderators of r/Bourbon and a prolific reviewer of bourbon and other spirits, Jay West (aka "t8ke") is no stranger to rum (incidentally, he's also a moderator on r/rum).
His r/Bourbon Single Barrel program initially focused on bourbon, but t8ke has since selected a number of rums that enjoyed high praise from the rum community. Examples include a 26 year old New Yarmouth, an exclusive cask of Alambique Serrano's Vida Nativa series, and this TCRL release.
Transcontinental Rum Line Australia 2007 is a molasses-based, pot still rum from Beenleigh in Eagleby, Queensland; this used the much-acclaimed, and since discontinued, S. Pombe yeast strain during fermentation. It aged for 10 years in an ex-Bourbon cask in Australia, before being transported to Europe for an additional 5 years of aging, for a total of 15 years. It was bottled at 65.7% ABV, yielding 250 bottles.
Appearance
Amber, low viscosity
Nose
Honeysuckle, vanilla, fresh pastry dough, sunflower seed, orange zest, butterscotch
Palate
Honeycomb, orange marmalade, pastry dough, sunflower seed oil, vanilla, nutmeg
Finish
Long, warm, floral; honeysuckle, butterscotch, vanilla, orange zest, nutmeg
Rating: 9/10
Summary
Another Aussie single cask, another knockout rum. This has all the hallmarks of Beenleigh rum, paired with a level of maturity thanks to the extended cask aging.
This is floral and sweet, with honeysuckle, butterscotch, vanilla, and orange zest coming throughout the tasting. This has less of a medicinal quality than its younger siblings, although that is detectable on the rear palate and finish.
My first pour after opening the bottle was pretty hot and uncontrolled, but as it has had time to settle, this has shone itself to be a complex, highly enjoyable rum. Excellent work by t8ke with this selection.