There's rum, and then there's rum that smells of varnish and copper before it turns fruity at all. Smith & Cross is the latter category, a faithful copy of the powerful style English bars once built their tiki drinks around.
Expert Description
Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaica Rum is a Jamaica Rum from pot still distillate and bottled at 57%.
The rum consists entirely of Wedderburn and Plummer pot still marks, two classic, high-ester Jamaican styles known for caramelised banana, exotic fruit and an earthy, funky finish. The brand is produced by Hayman Distillers, which considers itself the successor to the historic houses Smith & Tyers and White Cross, which once operated side by side for generations.
At 57% and with its powerful, pot still-driven character, Smith & Cross is built to carry through even the most flavour-intense tiki cocktails without drowning in ice, fruit and syrup.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Powerful varnish and glue-like aroma with a hint of copper, overripe banana, leather, spice and molasses.
Palate
Almost buttery start that quickly explodes into tobacco, tropical fruit, cinnamon and clove.
Finish
Surprisingly creamy with a lingering, spiced warmth and underlying tinned pineapple and tropical fruit.
Specifications
Name: Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaica Rum
Bottler: Hayman Distillers
Region/Country: Jamaica
Type: Rum
ABV: 57%
Size: 70 CL
Distillation Method: Pot still distillation (Wedderburn and Plummer)
EAN: 5021692500963
Serving Suggestion: In powerful tiki cocktails such as Mai Tai or Jungle Bird
Flavour Profile
Funky · Ester-rich · Powerful · Tropical · Spiced
Did You Know?
Wedderburn and Plummer aren't distilleries but the names of two classic, very high ester marks in Jamaican rum production, a technique dating back to 19th-century attempts to create as powerful and aromatic a rum as possible for the European market.
See our full range of Smith & Cross