Deadhead 10 Years Old

Deadhead 10 Years Old is the older sibling in a Mexican rum range recognisable for its shrunken-head bottle, a molasses spirit aged ten years in ex-bourbon barrels and bottled at 40%. The extra time over the standard six year release is meant to deepen the profile, and it does add a more grown-up cast to the rum.

The nose is the strong suit, chocolate and tropical fruit over a fruity base, while the palate turns woody and leathery and the finish brings allspice alongside a slightly sharp, chemical edge that some find intrudes. It reads more mature and a little more layered than the younger bottling, though that spirity note on the close keeps it from full smoothness. Best taken neat or over ice as an everyday aged sipper, it offers honest bourbon-barrel character at modest strength, with the longer maturation justifying its place above the entry expression.