Levy Lane Diamond Tamosi Demarara Rum (Diamond Still) SV 2008

Levy Lane bottled this Tamosi as a single cask of Diamond at twelve years, drawn from the Savalle-family stills at the lighter, cleaner end of Demerara and given a finish in Irish whiskey casks. Bottled at cask strength, 55%, it shows a different, fruitier side of Diamond shaped by that unusual cask choice.

The nose carries caramel, apple, wood and grapes, the palate turns to vanilla, green apple, caramel and spice, and the finish stays fruity and spiced with caramel and a barrel-driven, tangy edge. A sweet-and-sour, wine-cellar character runs through it from the whiskey finish, adding extra oak and a vinous tang to the burnt-caramel base. The alcohol is not always fully integrated, so it rewards a slow, attentive glass. This is a rewarding indie Diamond for drinkers who like their Demerara punchy yet rounded and do not mind a whiskey-cask twist on the usual profile.