Silver Seal Enmore Demerara Rum Wildlife Series No. 1 1996

Silver Seal, the Modena bottler long respected by collectors for its closed distillery single casks, drew this 1996 Enmore for its Wildlife Series. Enmore is home to the world's last working wooden Coffey still, and even at a relatively gentle proof its cedar and pencil character comes through. Aged in Europe rather than Guyana, this eleven year old keeps a light to medium colour and a softer, slower maturity than tropical ageing would impose.

The spirit is molasses based and pot still in character, matured in ex-bourbon oak. The nose runs to spice, saddle leather, toffee and liquorice, while the palate turns minty, salty and woody before a finish of dark chocolate and allspice. Bottled at 46% in the unsweetened independent style, it sits on the savoury, structured side of the Demerara spectrum, a slow after-dinner pour rather than an easy sweet one.