St. Nicholas Abbey Rum

[martincate]

Anyone else try this?

Comes from an old plantation in Barbados:

http://www.stnicholasabbey.com/index.html

Flyer and website say it's a blend- doubtful that it's made on site, looks like they're buying other Barbados rums and aging and blending at the plantation.

It's quite nice, with a medium to light gold color, some vanilla near the end, and a short, clean finish.

Ed, do you know the story behind this?

[Edward Hamilton]

Most of the story is on the website you linked above. The owners of St. Nicholas Abbey are blending rum they buy from other distillers on the island until they get their own distillery up and running. The still they are working on is small so production may not keep up with demand in the near term. And then there is the problem that all distillers face with aging fresh spirits though by using small barrels the time required can be reduced considerably.

The idea of this heritage site, as I understand it, is to make it self-supporting in a couple of years while continuing reconstruction where necessary and adding things like a distillery in an attempt to capture a realistic slice of the past without becoming strictly a tourist attraction.

Due to the present liquor importation laws in this country I haven't been able to taste their present blend.

[bajanlbw]

Ed,
Our intention is to build a premium product slowly to the point that it is sought after and respected. It is true that we do not currently make our rum, but it is not blended but rather a true 10 year old which is taken from the barrel where it is aged at 43%. We pride ourselves as one of the few Barbadian rums that can put a age label on the bottle as nothing has been done to the rum after it leaves the cask.

The whole venture is really geared towards establishing a unique product that complements St. Nicholas as a sustainable heritage site of great historic significance to the island. Our philosophy reflects a way of life which seems to be quickly disappearing where people used to make quality products for others in a smaller more intimate human scale. As a result our whole product is hand made without any machinery. We currently produce about 4000 bottles annually and expect that once the distillery is online that will peak at about 20,000. We have an 1890 steam mill attached to the distillery and 225 acres of sugar cane , so the rum will be made from juice rather than molasses and aged in "new" bourbon barrels.

In the next 10 year period I expect to have our own rum introduced to complete the authenticity of the product. In the intervening years, we will create that special recipe with the help of Richard Seale who is advising us. In the meantime we are going to age excellent rum in a premium package and bring our customers along for the journey so they feel like part of it and they will participate in tasting and the whole production.It is very exciting times as it is not everyday that a brand is born with such high expectations and with such an authentic home and brand name as St. Nicholas.
If you can let me have your shipping address I will ensure that a bottle is sent to you.
Larry

[The Rum Ambassador]

Hey Larry. It's great to see you here on the Ministry boards and can't wait until you come over to the UK RumFest with your fabulous 10 year Old rum to decanter. I nearly finished bottle you brought for me. For the rest of the MORer's Nicholas Abbey 10 definitely holds it's own against some of the best rums within it's range. And if packaging is your thing, then there aren't many other SPIRITS that are produced in a more elegant bottle.
Question. You say that you will produce rum from cane juice. Will you also distil to higher than 75% alc by vol. And will it be Pot or column stilled ?

[Paulipbartender]

Right on brother. Our bottle of St Nicholas Abbey is a firm favourite. True Bajan rum at once very smooth and deliciously spicy and a stunning engraved bottle.

Can't wait to see the reaction you guys get at the RumFest with that beautiful decanter........

[bajanlbw]

Thanks for the encouragement. We look forward to being at RumFest....my wife Anna and my Son Simon will be there bottling and also doing custom engraving on the bottles.
To answer Ian's question...we are using a pot still with 6 bubble plates and lots of copper which is capable of producing in excess of 75%, the final barreling will of course still have to be decided but I expect that it will be aged below 75%.
The opportunity to grow our own select variety of canes and crush the juice within minutes of starting fermentation will give us another dimension to work with in producing our own spirit.

[pbraun]

Larry - It was a great pleasure to meet you, Anna and Simon last December at St. Nicholas Abbey. The bottles we returned with have been consumed, and we are planning to return for some more in the next month.

Looking forward to another pleasant time at the abbey, seeing the progress and enjoying the good rum!

Peter B

[Count Silvio]

I have reviewed this rum on Refined Vices, just in. Can't wait to see how it evolves.

[TheRumelier]

I was fortunate to meet Larry in London and taste the rum from the attractive bottle. I look forward to returning to Barbados to try this rum at the Abbey. The Abbey looks fascinating on the website, a great concept, something I'm sure many of us only dream of doing with our life. My only regret is I didn't pick up a bottle while in London as I only had one siutcase and it was full after 10 days in the UK. Maybe next year.

[Count Silvio]

According to one of my members this is available in the UK now.