Have you heard that they make rum at Islay? - our rum blogger Jan Ohrt dives into the phenomenon

Rum blogger Jan Ohrt has set out to taste Islay Rum: Today I'm going to try something as exotic as a rum from Scotland(!) from a small island slightly larger than Falster in the so-called Inner Hebrides. Islay is probably best known for its whisky with both the taste and smell of smoked peat, but now they're also making rum.

Post by Jan Ohrt
The first distillery licensed to produce rum on the island Islay is The Islay Rum Company and they released the first 1,200 bottles of Geal White Rum in January 2022. The rum is clean and clear with a very short distillation in copper pot stills before bottling, and the producer says it is inspired by all things Caribbean with, as they put it, an iconic Scottish twist. Let's see if we can find it. ISLAY RUM INAUGURAL RELEASE 2022 THE ORIGINAL PORT ELLEN GEAL PURE SINGLE RUM 45%

The nose isn't crazy impressive, it's mostly sugar, some fruit, mostly apricot, but is largely devoid of the funk that suits the Caribbean rum we all love. However, it eventually finds some notes of both peat and smoke and it must be this that characterizes and justifies this rum's existence. Maybe that's what this island smells like, I don't know. In the mouth it continues to not surprise much, with a bit of varnish and a bit of balloon gum on top of all the sugar, but hey, the smoke and peat came out on the tongue as well and made it a bit more interesting. I'm not a big whisky drinker and certainly not of the heavy smoky varieties, but in this otherwise quite simple rum, the calm back palette of light smoke, a little tar and a bit of peat is quite charming. And makes the rum at least a little extraordinary.

Let's see if we can take it to new heights with a light snack and see if a piece of rimmed Scottish salmon, some yellow Danish beets with some creamy smoked cheese can help it along.

You start by sugar/salting your salmon:
Mix a spoonful of cane sugar with a spoonful of good sea salt and spread the mixture over the flesh side of the fish. Wrap it tightly in cling film and let it rest in the fridge overnight on a plate, as some liquid may leak out, which is not very tasty. Remove the fish, unwrap it, rinse it and now it's ready to cut and eat.

Boil your yellow beet in lightly salted water for half an hour and immediately cool it in cold water. Now it can be peeled, rinsed again and cut into suitable slices. Whip some whipped cream, stir in some smoked cheese to taste and add some freshly ground black pepper. Serve on a piece of toasted rye bread and garnish with a little fox sauce, some spring onions and some whole rose pepper.

Cheers and enjoy!

Would I buy another bottle of islay Rum?
Hardly Maybe Probably Yes

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