DDL Plantation One-Time Limited Edition 2007

This One-Time Limited Edition is a 2007 Diamond rum from Guyana, a collection bottling from Maison Ferrand under the Plantation name. Ferrand is best known for its smooth, double-aged, lightly sweetened core range, but this single-origin Demerara is a different proposition: bottled at a higher 51% and, unusually for the brand, with no added sugar, so the Diamond character comes through cleanly.

Matured in ex-bourbon oak, it leans chocolatey and rounded rather than heavy or funky. The nose carries vanilla, cocoa and soft spice, while the palate brings vanilla, coconut, nuts, gentle fruit and chocolate over moderate wood, finishing on spice, warmth and a little more cocoa. It shows the lighter, more approachable side of Guyana rum, closer to a softer Foursquare than the oily wooden-still powerhouses, and stays dry and balanced thanks to the absence of dosage. An easy, fair-value Demerara for drinkers who want chocolatey Guyana character neat or in a daiquiri.