Beenleigh Plantation 2007 (One-Time Limited Edition)

Beenleigh is one of Australia's oldest distilleries, and this 2007 vintage is a single-island, pot still rum selected and re-aged by Maison Ferrand for its Plantation collection, finished in a cognac cask in the Charente. Unusually for the house, it is bottled unsweetened and at cask strength, 49.3%, so this is the brand's transparent, collector-facing side rather than its dosed core range.

The pot still molasses spirit aged tropically before its French finish, and the cognac cask leaves a clear stamp. Aromas are floral and fruity, apricot, peach and tropical fruit over vanilla, while the palate turns to raisin, chocolate and a cognac-led oak. The finish is woody and cocoa-tinged. At full proof it is flavourful and a touch sharp, a characterful, slightly funky snapshot of what unsweetened Plantation and a cognac cask can draw out of Australian juice rather than a soft crowd-pleaser.