Overview
Brand: Holmes Cay
Origin: South Pacific Distillers, Lautoka, Viti Levu, Fiji
Still: Pot
Age: 17 years
Finish: ex-Bourbon
ABV: 58%
To kick off the month of March, we're turning an eye towards an island rum producer that gets some, but not much, attention in the American rum market; and no, it's not in the Caribbean.
South Pacific Distillers, Ltd., (aka "SPD") is the sole rum producer on the island of Fiji, where it crafts a range of rums in different styles, using different stills; it's similar to Guyana's Demerara Distillers, Ltd., and Trinidad Distillers, Ltd. of, well, Trinidad. Most of the rum that America sees from Fiji comes from the bulk rum market, from which independent bottlers like Transcontinental Rum Line, Bira!, Compagnie des Indes, or Holmes Cay source their single cask and/or blends.
Holmes Cay Fiji 2004 was one of my first introductions to both the Holmes Cay brand and Pacific rum. This is a molasses-based, 100% pot still, single cask rum produced by SPD in their facility in Lautoka, Fiji. It was aged initially on-island for 12 years, before spending a further 5 years in the UK– presumably in the care of the Main Rum Company– for a total of 17 years of aging in ex-Bourbon casks. It was released at 58% ABV.
Appearance
Amber, low viscosity
Nose
Vanilla, toasted cashews, banana pudding, caramel, nutmeg, grilled pineapple, black cherries
Palate
Vanilla, toasted cashews, nutmeg, banana chips, cinnamon, grilled pineapple, molasses
Finish
Long, warm, spiced; vanilla, nutmeg, oak, hint of bubblegum, brown sugar
Rating: 8/10
Summary
Fiji 2004 is an excellent single cask rum, and still one of my favorite Holmes Cay releases. It's not as wild or fruity as other, younger Fiji expressions that I've had, but that's perfectly fine to me.
Nosing this, I get a lot of confectionary notes off the bat: vanilla, pudding, black cherries, nuttiness in the form of cashews, and a pinch of nutmeg. There's grilled pineapple lingering in there, which appears on the palate along with banana chips, molasses, and cinnamon. The finish is lovely, and slightly spicy with vanilla, nutmeg, and oak seasoned with a hint of bubblegum.
I've really enjoyed this bottle, and hope to try the recent 13-year version to see how they compare. If you see a bottle of this 2004 17 year around though, I highly suggest picking it up.