Cadenhead‘s BBR 2000

A Barbados rum bottled by Cadenhead, the long established Scottish independent, from the 2000 vintage at 11 years. Drawn from West Indies Rum Distillery stock in Bridgetown, it sits in the smoky, characterful Rockley style rather than the soft toffee idiom, which sets it apart from typical island bottlings.

Matured in ex-bourbon oak and bottled at cask strength, it opens floral and smoky with honey and a solvent edge, then moves through dried fruit, earthy and fruity notes to a roasted finish of vanilla, smoke and leather. The smoky floral signature makes it an intriguing and slightly unexpected Barbados rum, dry and intense where many island bottlings are soft and gentle. Bottled unsweetened from West Indies stock at a robust 59.1%, it is a characterful sipper for drinkers who want the island's smokier face.