{"id":11014,"date":"2020-04-23T17:24:28","date_gmt":"2020-04-23T15:24:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/leblogaroger.eu\/?p=11014"},"modified":"2020-04-23T17:39:05","modified_gmt":"2020-04-23T15:39:05","slug":"the-duchess-2020-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leblogaroger.eu\/index.php\/2020\/04\/23\/the-duchess-2020-2\/","title":{"rendered":"The Duchess 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Duchess returns to us in this year 2020 with its brand new collection, \u00ab\u00a0Hummingbirds<\/strong>\u00a0\u00bb always dressed by the talented Hans Dillesse<\/strong>. The concept being to represent a bird native to the country where the rum comes from \u2026 concept like any other, it’s nice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So here we are with two samples kindly sent by Nils <\/strong>to make us taste this \u2026 and on the program, we are entitled to a rum from Martinique <\/strong>and one from Barbados<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, Martinique<\/strong>, this is rare enough to underline it, so the Martinicans are less inclined to let other people bottle their rums. Barbados <\/strong>and more specifically Foursquare, I seem to have seen a little more though \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So , stop speaking and let’s see what these rums tell us of beautiful!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Le Simon 2004<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Distilled at Le Simon in 2004, this rum will have aged 15 year<\/strong>s in a barrel of ex bourbon. I think that most of this aging will have taken place on our good old continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unofficial bottlings from Martinique are quite rare, apart from Chantal Comte and a few Compagnie des Indes, Velier and Excellence Rhum, I have no memory of others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, this Rum comes from Le Simon which does not really have its own brand \u2026 Which does not mean anything negative, but it is no longer really a \u00ab\u00a0semi official\u00a0\u00bb bottling as can be Chantal Comte or other Velier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rum has been aged in Europe for many years, where La Mauny, HSE, La favorite and recently Neisson have kept their rum for IBs at home throughout aging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, the Simon distillery is in fact the one that produces the rums for HSE <\/strong>and Cl\u00e9ment<\/strong>. From there to say that what leaves for Europe is what the others two didn’t want, there is only one step\u2026. which doesn’t mean bad, but it still means something \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bottling was done without reduction, the alcohol level shows a solid 61%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Color<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Straw<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nose<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pastry on almond <\/strong>paste and a rubber <\/strong>tip \u2026 a lot of spices <\/strong>with nutmeg, liquorice and wood with tobacco<\/strong>, a smoked veil, a little camphor and oak<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ginger <\/strong>and lemon <\/strong>bring a nice fresh side and over time and some dried fruits <\/strong>appear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A strong nose marked by the barrel <\/strong>in fact. The alcohol is rather well integrated for a liquid grading almost 61%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Palate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Woody, quite worn on tobacco <\/strong>and a hint of liquorice<\/strong>, like a chewing stick. The spices <\/strong>are not left out either, and contribute a little more to this \u00ab\u00a0dusty<\/strong>\u00a0\u00bb side I would say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the second mouth, I find a little more fruit <\/strong>from the orchard but it is still quite marked by the barrel in fact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The alcohol is lively but it is not annoying, the finish gives us a not nice wet cardboard side \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Price<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

89\u20ac<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Moderately convinced by this Martinican in fact. I find the latter very woody<\/strong>, not greedy and fruity enough \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Could a reduction have erased this woody too present for me? Maybe it would have been nice to have both versions to verify this. I didn’t put a drop in my glass on my side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I like woody rums, but I need other things to counterbalance these aspects, like on a Saint James 2003<\/strong> or a Bally 18 year<\/strong>s old for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here, I do not find this delicacy and so, I would say that I am disappointed <\/strong>by this rum. Without being bad for the cause, just that it’s not as I like those ones from Martinique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Score<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

82\/100<\/p>\n\n\n\n