Oxenham Craft Distillery Bougainville Gold Rum

Oxenham distils this Bougainville Gold from molasses on Mauritius, using a pot still, and gives it a year in ex-bourbon oak. It is a molasses-based rum rather than cane-juice agricole, bottled at 40%, and the brief ageing keeps it young and sweet-leaning.

The pot still and short maturation give a fruity, sugary profile, with caramelised, syrupy notes and fruit on the nose, then honey, green apple and a sweet, fruity palate. The finish brings marzipan, cinnamon and spice. Although listed without confirmed additives, it tastes distinctly sweet, and for some drinkers that tips toward too much. It is a distinctive young rum that reads a little like a Spanish-style pour without relying on dosage, best for those who like a soft, honeyed, fruit-driven style.