Hello and cheers!

[Thanatos]

Just getting into my rum and found this forum so thought I'd join and hang around for a bit.

Also had a specific question...

A friend gave me a bottle of Pussers that had been sitting on her shelf for a while. When I opened it, the cork was a bit crumbly and mouldy and the rum had a harsh chemically taste and smell to it.

I let is sit breathing on the side for a while and the nastiness mellowed a bit and made it all a bit more palletable but now a bit concerned I shouldn't be drinking this.

Having compared it to the smell of my Lambs, the Pussers still smells quite harsh compared to a sort of Muscavado sugar smell of the Lambs. Before comparing, it seemed ok to me.

Should I drink this or bin it?

[forrest]

Welcome to the for-rum Thanatos..

That is a tough quandary. An easy way to check it is to find some Pussers and compare. Or if you trust your taster to remember, head down to the local and order a shot of it.

If you are not sure of how it has been cared for-- i hate to say it-- it is probably safer in the garbage.

That being said i'd at least decant and strain any of the particulate out of it.

[Arctic Wolf]

Hello Thonatos,

Welcome to our little place where we discuss the rum.

As to your particular question, I am wondering whether the cork was just crumbly, in which case I do not believe there is any problem with the spirit. (Pusser's does smell quite a bit different from Lambs and I can see how someone might consider that smell to be harsh and chemically. ) I am concerned however with the term "moldy". If there was indeed mold on the cork, my instinct would be to believe that the liquid is compromised. I would not drink it myself in that case, as mold can be particularly nasty.

I know some will say that the alcohol will kill any nasties, but that is only a substantial portion of the alcohol did not evaporate. Your description of the cork leads me to believe it might have.

So if there was mold, don't be bold, as drinking it may leave you cold, just flush it down the hold.


Cheers!

[Edward Hamilton]

Welcome to the forums, I trust you're find your time here to be well spent. As for your rum, Pusser's and Lambs are two very different rums, though both are labeled as Navy rums. For me, if the taste changed by letting it breath your probably just noticing a release of some of the lighter alcohols that were in it when it was bottled. I'd drink it slowly and see if there are any ill effects as opposed to slugging down the rest of the bottle and hoping for the best.

[Thanatos]

Thanks for the welcome and your thoughts. I'm still in two minds myself about this and wonder whether I am being a bit paranoid. Think I'll order some in the pub sometime and see where that gets me. Would seem a shame to throw away a good-enough bottle. I've had a few glugs of it and no ill-effects so far....