Rum Trail Australia 2007 17 Y.O.

Why it’s different

The Rum Trail is the new range created by Sukhinder Singh of Elixir Distillers, the result of extensive research and exploration into the world of sugarcane spirits. The project responds to the market’s growing curiosity with a range of uncompromising bottlings that carry a strong sense of place, ranging from the great Caribbean classics to the new frontiers of rum worldwide. The collection highlights the use of local sugarcane or molasses, spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts and traditional distillation techniques, emphasising column distillation as well as the classic pot still. These are completely pure rums, free from sugar, sweeteners or colourings: the aromatic profile and colour are 100 per cent the result of the distillate and the wood.

It is against this backdrop that the Australia 2007 Vintage comes into its own: a true rarity from Queensland, distilled at the country’s oldest licensed distillery, founded in 1884. This 17-year-old rum is produced through a double distillation process – using both a column still and a pot still – of local Queensland molasses. Its profile has been shaped by a long period of ageing in both continental and tropical climates: 10 years spent in American oak casks in Australia, followed by a further 7 years of maturation in Scotland in ex-bourbon casks. It has been bottled at 48% ABV in a limited edition of just 450 bottles.