Marauda Steelpan Premium Rum

Marauda's Steelpan is a blended Caribbean rum at a standard 40%, and it is one of those bottlings that splits opinion, described more than once as strange and atypical. The nose is the most inviting part, fruity and oily with molasses, pineapple and a marmalade-and-orange lift that stays on the savoury side of sweet.

The palate is where it turns unconventional, with bitterness, green pepper and a peppery, fermented edge leading into a bitter finish. There are flashes of dark chocolate and roasted character for those who go looking, but the overall effect is earthy and angular rather than rounded or sweet. This is a rum for the curious drinker who enjoys something offbeat and vegetal, best explored neat in small pours to take its measure. Those after an easy, sweet sipper will likely find it too unusual.