Blackadder Beenleigh Raw Cask Rum 2007

Blackadder's Raw Cask line bottles single casks with minimal intervention, and this 2007 Beenleigh is a striking example: a thirteen year old Australian molasses rum drawn straight from one ex-bourbon cask at a towering 65.5%. Beenleigh is one of Australia's oldest distilleries, and this release shows off a distinctly herbal, aromatic side of its make.

The nose is unusual and inviting, all mint, eucalyptus and herbal, vegetal florals rather than the expected caramel. The palate stays in that lane, spicy and flowery with crisp apple, while the finish returns to mint, eucalyptus and tropical fruit. At this strength it carries genuine heat, so a drop of water helps the greener notes bloom, and there is a honeyed sweetness underneath that balances the spice. For drinkers chasing cask-strength rum with a green, almost botanical personality, this is a memorable and very individual bottling.