Background
Savanna is one of those distilleries I wish I had appreciated much more a few years ago, back before their surge in popularity and pricing. I’m a huge fan of the sherry-finished 2006 Savanna bottled by Rum Nation, and today I get to taste another IB Savanna: a grand arôme bottled by Danish company RomDeluxe. It was column distilled from molasses, aged in Europe for eight years in casks which once held red wine, and bottled at a cask strength of 55.6%.
Tasting
On the nose, I get sandalwood, fresh pear, wood ash, allspice, clove, sage, chocolate pudding, and wet leaves. I’m getting a lot of notes which I’ve come to expect from aged Savanna, but not a whole lot of funk.
Going for a sip, I get first get lots of pears covered in citric acid; then, a blend of chocolate and tapioca pudding, redcurrant, raspberries, allspice, clove, and lavender syrup. It’s lightly sweet and not nearly as funky as I would have expected from a grand arôme. The influence of the wine cask is prominent both in terms of oakiness and the presence of wine tannins.
Verdict
Very nice! This is a rich and fruity rum which tastes much older than I would have expected with only eight years of continental aging. I’m a little let down by the absence of funk, as it comes across much more like a traditionelle than a grand arôme. Nonetheless, it’s a great option for aged Savanna. (7/10)