The Distillery English Harbour Madeira Cask Finish (Batch Number 001)

English Harbour Madeira Cask Finish, batch one, is a distillery bottling from Antigua, a column distilled molasses rum carrying around five years before a spell in Madeira wood. It sits at the point where drinkers move beyond sweet starter rums into drier, cask finished territory.

Bottled at 46% and certified unsweetened, its sweetness is wine driven rather than dosed. The Madeira finish brings honey, nuts and a winey lift over a base of chocolate, caramel and vanilla, with a woody, lightly roasted and spicy finish that can show a touch of bitterness. The intensity is moderate and the balance good, making it an honest, fairly priced introduction to wine finished rum that drinks well neat and survives a mix with cola. For those curious about cask finishes without committing to a heavily sweetened bottle, it is a sound step.