CoR Long Pond No. 8 LPS 2001

The Colours of Rum, the Polish purist bottler, selected this Long Pond LPS distilled in 2001 and aged 21 years, mostly in cooler continental conditions. Long Pond is the historic Wedderburn house, funky and fruit-forward, and continental ageing gives a softer, more elegant result than tropical heat would.

Distilled from molasses on a double-retort pot still and matured in ex-bourbon wood, it leads with pineapple, varnish and funky esters, then turns sweet and fruity with banana and glue over a clear oak spine, finishing on almond and marzipan. Bottled at 56.4% and unsweetened, the long, gentle maturation brings warmth and an inviting roundness, with the ester character present but balanced rather than brutal. Some find the palate a touch lean, but the fruit and funk are well judged, a strong pick for drinkers who like Hampden-style esters with more polish than power.