Denizen Merchant's Reserve 8 Year Rum

Denizen Merchant's Reserve 8 Year Rum shines in classic tiki cocktails and tropical drinks, where its rich blend of aged Jamaican and Martinique rums can take center stage. For a simpler approach, try sipping it neat or with a single large ice cube to open up its complex flavors, particularly on balmy summer evenings or when paired with spicy Caribbean cuisine.

Nose: Tropical fruit sweetness with notes of ripe banana and pineapple. Hints of vanilla and caramel. Subtle oak and spice undertones.

Palate: Rich and full-bodied. Initial burst of fruit flavors - mango, orange peel, and dried apricot. Molasses sweetness balanced by oak tannins. Warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg emerge.

Finish: Long and smooth. Lingering notes of dark chocolate and coffee. Gentle warmth with a slightly dry, oaky finish. Faint echoes of tropical fruit and spice.

Denizen Merchant's Reserve 8 Year Rum is a unique blend of aged Jamaican pot still rum and rare Martinique rhum agricole, crafted to recreate the flavor profile of the original "Mai Tai Rum" used by Trader Vic in 1944. The production process involves carefully selecting and marrying rums from different distilleries, with the Jamaican component aged for 8 years in ex-bourbon barrels and the Martinique rum aged for just 6 months to preserve its grassy, vegetal notes.

• Denizen Merchant's Reserve 8 Year Rum was specifically created to replicate the blend used in the original Mai Tai cocktail from 1944. It combines aged Jamaican pot still rum with rare "grande arôme" rum from Martinique, mirroring the now-extinct 17-year-old J. Wray & Nephew rum that Trader Vic used in his iconic recipe.
• Despite its name, Denizen Merchant's Reserve actually contains rums aged up to 12 years, not just 8. The "8 Year" designation refers to the minimum age of the spirits in the blend, but some components are significantly older, contributing to its rich complexity.
• The rum's unique flavor profile comes in part from its use of dunder pits - a traditional Jamaican fermentation method where leftover stillage from previous distillations is added to new batches. This process, rarely used in modern rum production, creates funky, ester-rich flavors that give Denizen its distinctive character.