Whyte&Mackay, Glasgow Four Bells Navy Rum

Whyte and Mackay Four Bells Navy Rum is a Guyanese blend in the classic Navy mould, a style the Demerara stills practically defined. Dark, full-bodied and bottled at Navy strength of 57%, it carries the old house character that buyers of vintage Navy rum look for, with the heavier wooden-still marques lending the backbone behind the blend.

The nose is rich with caramel, prunes, a floral lift and a biscuity note, while the palate turns to liquorice, tobacco, dried dates and dark wood. The finish is long and bittersweet with dark chocolate, coffee and more tobacco. The wood is very present and leaves an intense bitter edge, offset by the sweetish pull of dark and red fruit. This is a robust, old-school Demerara built for sipping neat or anchoring a serious rum cocktail, all dark fruit, timber and roasted depth.