Barbados is where rum was born, and the sun on Brighton Beach has spent well over a century working its way into barrels of sugarcane spirit. But the journey doesn't end on the island. The casks cross the Atlantic to the quiet cellars of Cognac, where the rum settles into its final shape. That's the story behind Planteray Barbados Rum 5 Years.
Expert Description
Planteray Barbados Rum 5 Years is a Barbados Rum matured in bourbon casks and Ex-Ferrand cognac casks and bottled at 40%. The rum comes from the West Indies Rum Distillery, also known as Stade's Rum Distillery, founded in 1893 by George Stade in Blackrock, Barbados. Since 2017 the distillery has been owned by the French cognac house Maison Ferrand, and that link is exactly what sets this bottle apart.
The rum is a blend of both pot still and column still distillate, made from molasses and fermented for 3 to 4 days. The first stage of maturation happens in used bourbon casks under Barbados' tropical sun for roughly 3 years, where the heat pulls colour and character quickly from the wood. The casks then sail to Château de Bonbonnet in France, where the rum spends around 2 more years in casks that previously held Ferrand Cognac. This is the double ageing Planteray is known for, and together it adds up to the 5 years stated on the label. Until 2024 the range was called Plantation Rum, but the brand renamed itself Planteray to move away from the word's colonial associations — the name combines "plant" for the sugarcane and "ray" for the sun that ripens it.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Baked goods and brown sugar meet honey and dark caramel, with a hint of pipe tobacco and toasted marshmallow underneath. Give it a moment and prune and dark raisin start to show too.
Palate
Bittersweet and toasty, with baked fruit and a faint resinous edge. Midway through it turns almost fruity, like warm apple cake fresh from the oven, carried by a clear oak sweetness.
Finish
Medium length and chocolatey, with one last trace of spice that lingers well after the sip.
Specifications
Name: Planteray Barbados Rum 5 Years
Region/Country: Barbados
Type: Barbados Rum
Age: 5 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon Casks and Ex-Ferrand Cognac Casks
Distillation method: Pot Still and Column Still
EAN no.: 3460410538529
Serving suggestion: Best enjoyed neat or on the rocks, and works equally well in classic cocktails like a Mai Tai or a Rum Old Fashioned
Distillery: West Indies Rum Distillery
Bottler: Maison Ferrand's
Flavour Profile
Rich · Fruity · Spiced · Round
Did You Know?
The West Indies Rum Distillery sits right on Brighton Beach and is the only distillery on Barbados located directly on the coastline — just steps from the waves the casks later cross on their way to France.
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