Overview
Brand: Transcontinental Rum Line
Origin: Beenleigh Rum Distillery, Eagleby, Queensland, Australia
Still: Pot
Age: 7 years
Finish: ex-Bourbon & ex-Cognac
ABV: 48%
Our final entry in Australia Week revisits the independent bottler that released the review that kicked off the week. Transcontinental Rum Line is back with freshly-designed packaging (that just looks fantastic), a new vintage, but very similar details as far as the still and cask maturation goes.
TCRL Australia 2014 is another 7 year old rum that started out as a product of pot distillation at Beenleigh. It aged for 5 years in ex-Bourbon casks in Queensland, before being transported to France and matured for an additional 2 years in ex-Cognac casks– much like the TCRL Australia 2013 release. Even the proof is the same, with this rum being bottled at a strength of 48% ABV.
Appearance
Gold, high clarity, medium-low viscosity
Nose
Molasses, rose water, red grapes, saltwater, Playdough, black cherries, honey, cardemom
Palate
Honey, rose petals, cardemom, nutmeg, medicated cough drop, orange marmalade, molasses
Finish
Medium-long, warming, floral; bourbon oak, honey, underripe grapes, nutmeg
Rating: 7/10
Summary
This is a great way to cap off Australia Week! TCRL Australia 2014 is very well-balanced and complex, which may be surprising given the lower proof point. The domestic aging in the humid subtropical Queensland climate helped embolden the distillate, while the further aging in cognac casks in a more temperate French climate brought forward enticing notes.
The rum is gold in color, with high clarity and medium-low viscosity.
Nosing Australia 2014, I get notes of molasses, rose water, and red grapes to start. It's savory, floral, and fruity at the outset, before stinging saltwater comes into the picture. The aroma of Playdough features heavily in the mid-nose, followed by black cherry, subtle honey, and cardemom. Lovely, complex, and quite heavy-bodied for the proof.
This palate is also remarkably full-bodied, given its strength. Common Beenleigh notes like honey and rose petals lead the way, followed by spices like cardemom and nutmeg. Medicated slightly bitter cough drop notes come through next, but this isn't astringent, and links together the spices and floral notes with orange marmalade and molasses on the rear palate.
The finish is medium-long in length, warming, and floral. It provides bourbon oak, sweet honey, underripe grapes, and nutmeg.
TCRL Australia 2014 is a fantastic entry into the recent TCRL core lineup, and expands upon the notes that were once noticeable in the 2013 expression. The complexity at this proof point is marvelous, which features both the Beenleigh notes and cognac cask maturation equally well. If you have an opportunity to grab this bottle, I definitely suggest taking it.
Thank you for joining me for a wonderful Australia Week! I hope this provided some insights into the different brands and bottlers that offer Australian rum (at least in the US), and perhaps offered some confidence in splashing some cash on some of these wonderful bottles.