Ableforth’s Rumbullion! XO

Ableforth's Rumbullion! XO, bottled under Atom Supplies, takes molasses rum and steeps it with warming spices and orange into a heavily spiced expression carrying the character of older stock at 46.2%. This is firmly a flavoured spirit rather than a straight aged rum, and it makes no secret of leaning toward herbal-liqueur and festive-spice territory.

The nose is woody and resinous with tobacco, liquorice and barrel notes. The palate turns sweet and full, all burnt sugar, orange and cinnamon, with anise threading through to a sweet, burnt, orange-peel finish. There is real strength behind the spice, which keeps it from feeling thin, but the sweetness and the wall of seasoning are the point. Anyone after clean, unsweetened rum character should look elsewhere; anyone who enjoys sweet spiced rum or a dessert-style cocktail will find plenty to like.