CDI (Premium Spirits) 2016

This CDI 2016 is an Ecuadorian single cask bottled by Compagnie des Indes, the respected French house known for terroir led releases. Drawn from a 2016 vintage at around eight years old, matured in ex-bourbon wood and certified unsweetened, it arrives at a forceful 60.2% cask strength.

Ecuador is an uncommon origin, and this molasses rum shows a fresh, fruity character beneath considerable power. The nose offers dried fruit, coconut, spice and barrel, the palate brings dried fruit, spice, herbal notes and oak, and the finish turns peppery, herbal and earthy. There is a natural sweetness in the mouth that turns spicy, but at full strength the alcohol runs hot and needs a little water to open up and settle. This is a bold, characterful single cask that rewards patience and dilution, one for explorers who enjoy higher proof rums and want to chart a less travelled origin, provided they treat the strength with respect.