Plantation Australia 2009 Single Cask Rum

This complex, sherry-finished rum shines when sipped neat or with a single large ice cube, allowing its layered fruit and spice notes to unfold gradually—though it also brings remarkable depth to stirred, spirit-forward cocktails during cooler evenings. Its dried fruit and oxidative sherry character pairs beautifully with aged cheeses, dark chocolate desserts, or nutty charcuterie, making it an excellent choice for contemplative autumn and winter sipping.

Nose: Opens with bright mandarin jam and grapefruit zest, followed by layers of dried apricot and ripe pear. The palo cortado sherry cask influence brings oxidative, nutty notes reminiscent of roasted almonds and pistachios. Warming spices emerge—cloves, cinnamon, and star anise—alongside a subtle peppery edge. There's a vinous quality that adds complexity, like a well-aged fortified wine meeting tropical fruit.

Palate: The fruit-forward character continues with tangy mandarin preserve and candied citrus peel. Pear and apricot flavors blend with the sherried nuttiness, particularly pistachio and marzipan. Spice notes build throughout—black pepper, cinnamon bark, and anise create warmth without overwhelming the fruit. The palo cortado influence shows through with oxidative dried fruit notes and a subtle savory complexity that balances the sweetness.

Finish: Medium to long, with lingering spice and dried fruit. The peppery warmth fades into toasted nuts and a gentle tannic grip from the sherry cask. Citrus zest and cinnamon persist, leaving a dry, slightly oxidative character that invites another sip. Clean and refined without any rough edges.

This Australian rum undergoes an unusual two-stage fermentation process—first spending 12 days with Schizosaccharomyces pombe yeast, then transitioning to a 3-day fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae before pot still distillation, followed by 11 years aging in bourbon casks in Australia's tropical climate, an additional year in Ferrand casks in France, and a final 4-month finish in rare Palo Cortado sherry casks that add distinctive oxidative and vinous complexity.

• This rum undergoes a wild fermentation journey that starts with Schizosaccharomyces pombe (a yeast usually associated with African beer) for 12 days before switching to the more common Saccharomyces cerevisiae for 3 days—creating complex flavors you won't find in typical rums that use just one yeast strain.
• After spending 11 years aging in tropical Queensland (where heat accelerates maturation), this rum got a second life in France's Cognac region before finishing in a rare Palo Cortado sherry cask—one of the most mysterious and prized sherry styles that develops naturally and unpredictably in the cellar, making each barrel unique.
• With 277 grams per hectoliter of volatile substances (including 110 g/hL of esters), this rum packs nearly three times the aromatic compounds of a typical aged rum, giving it an explosive fruitiness and complexity that punches well above its 45% ABV—all without any added sugar or caramel coloring.