Woodrow's of Edinburgh rum: 32-year-old Cuban rum, bottled in Scotland, tasted by Jan Ohrt

$Woodrow\'s of Edinburgh rum: 32-year-old Cuban rum, bottled in Scotland, tasted by Jan Ohrt$

Blogpost by Jan Ohrt

Woodrow’s of Edinburgh rum 32 years is a Cuban rum that a Scottish whisky merchant has brought home and bottled. Only 24 bottles are coming to Denmark, and Jan Ohrt has tasted it.

Quick overview: Woodrow’s of Edinburgh rum: can a rum from Scotland really be worth writing home about?

Woodrow’s of Edinburgh is a well-known independent whisky bottler that likes to trade in whole casks and keep them in its own warehouses until they are ready for bottling. They like to bottle their whisky at full cask strength and most often in small batches, and that is what they are known and respected for among many whisky enthusiasts. But apparently they like to trade in rum too, and they seem to be rather good at it. Here we say hello to their new bottling, a single 32-year-old cask that has spent its entire life in Cuba’s tropical heat, so you can count on the Caribbean angels having had their share of the cake.

This is not the first time this Scottish merchant has dealt in rum. I once saw an empty bottle at a good rum friend’s place, supposedly from a similar project, only bottled after 45 years in cask in Cuba. It is said to have been an exceptionally charming acquaintance, but since the barrel only gave 261 bottles, one is a rather costly affair today, if you can get your hands on one at all. For the record, we are still friends.

A very limited number of 24 bottles, specially bottled for the Danish market, of their 32-year-old rum has now landed at Whisky.dk. Even though the importer HSG Whisky calls Edinburgh almost daily asking whether we can have some more, we should probably not count on any. So with this new and younger charm troll too, we should expect only empty bottles to be left soon.

Tasting notes, facts about the bottle, podcast and frequently asked questions are further down the page.

Age	32 years
Distilled	1993, in Cuba
Strength	58.8% ABV, full cask strength
Cask	Single cask, natural colour
Bottler	Woodrow’s of Edinburgh
Bottles for Denmark	24
Taste in brief	Dark chocolate, molasses, Christmas Eve spices and a long, warm finish

Woodrow’s of Edinburgh: Scottish bottler with rum in the warehouse

Woodrow’s of Edinburgh is known as an independent whisky bottler. They trade in whole casks, let them rest in their own warehouses and prefer to bottle at full cask strength in small batches. Here they have found a Cuban rum cask. See more bottlings from them under Woodrow’s of Edinburgh, or read about more independent whisky bottlers with us.

Bottler	Woodrow’s of Edinburgh, Leith in Edinburgh
Type	Independent bottler
Typical style	Small batches, often full cask strength, natural colour
Website	woodrowswhisky.com

Podcast about Woodrow’s of Edinburgh

Listen to Woodrow’s of Edinburgh in the Whisky.dk Podcast

The episode is in English and runs a little over 11 minutes. It is about Woodrow’s as an independent bottler from Leith in Edinburgh, their small batches and their wish to show honestly what is in the bottle.

Tasting notes: Woodrow’s of Edinburgh rum 32 years

WOODROW’S of EDINBURGH Caribbean Rum, A Cuban Distillery 1993 (32 years), ABV: 58.8%

Colour and nose	The colour is a beautiful dark gold and the nose is wonderfully prickly in the nostrils with sugar, dark chocolate, cask and vanilla, plus a hint of tobacco.
Taste	The taste is deep, intense and wonderfully balanced, marked by molasses, spices like on Christmas Eve, tropical fruit and freshly tanned leather.
Finish	The finish is really good, warm, lingering and slightly oily, still with good dark chocolate and plenty of Christmas Eve.

Facts about the bottle: Woodrow’s of Edinburgh rum

Name	Woodrow’s of Edinburgh Caribbean Rum, A Cuban Distillery 1993/2026
Age	32 years
Strength	58.8% ABV
Origin	Cuba
Bottles for Denmark	24
Product page	See the rum at Whisky.dk

How to taste it

It is bottled at 58.8%, so give it a little time in the glass. Start with a small sip without water, and add only one drop at a time if it feels too sharp. A tulip-shaped glass helps the nose. Ice is not necessary, as you lose some of the dark chocolate and tobacco.

My verdict: is Woodrow’s of Edinburgh rum 32 years right for you?

This little test was a bit like a stormy holiday romance. For a brief moment you are blown away by the unexpected love affair, knowing full well you will probably never meet it again. Rumour has it, though, that these Scots, with their well-developed sense of circular economy, are considering pouring a carefully selected whisky into the now empty cask. So who knows, maybe this love will flare up again one day in the future, with a new face.

What makes it special is the combination of 32 years in one cask in Cuba, full cask strength and a Scottish bottler who normally works with whisky. If you like rum with dark chocolate, molasses and spices, this is an acquaintance worth making. If you want something light and sweet, it is probably not the one. There are only 24 bottles for Denmark, so do not wait too long.

Frequently asked questions about Woodrow’s of Edinburgh rum

How many bottles of Woodrow’s of Edinburgh rum 32 years are there in Denmark?

24 bottles have arrived for the Danish market. Jan Ohrt writes that you should not expect any more.

How old is the rum, and where has it been in cask?

It is 32 years old and has spent its whole life in a single cask in Cuba. It was distilled in 1993.

What is the alcohol percentage?

58.8% ABV. It is bottled at full cask strength.

Is Woodrow’s of Edinburgh rum a Cuban rum?

Yes. The rum was born and raised in Cuba. The distillery is not named on the bottle, which says “A Cuban Distillery”.

Who bottled the rum?

Woodrow’s of Edinburgh, an independent Scottish bottler that normally works with whisky. They trade in whole casks and keep them in their own warehouses until they are ready.

What does it taste like?

Jan Ohrt mentions sugar, dark chocolate, cask, vanilla and a hint of tobacco on the nose. On the palate there is molasses, spices like on Christmas Eve, tropical fruit and freshly tanned leather. The finish is warm, lingering and slightly oily.

Why do people talk about the angels’ share on Cuban rum?

The angels’ share is the part of the rum that evaporates from the cask during maturation. Jan Ohrt writes that the Caribbean angels have had their share of the cake after 32 years in Cuba’s tropical heat.

Can you get more bottles when they are sold out?

It is not likely. According to Jan, the importer HSG Whisky asks in Edinburgh almost daily, but there are probably no more coming.

How do you drink a cask strength rum?

Try it without water first in a small glass. If it is too sharp, add one drop at a time. Ice is not necessary.

Where can I hear more about Woodrow’s of Edinburgh?

The Whisky.dk Podcast has an English episode about Woodrow’s as an independent bottler. You will find it on this page, and you can read more on Woodrow’s own website.

What other rums do you have?

You can see the full selection under rum at Whisky.dk or have a look at Caribbean rum.

Read and listen on

See the rum on the product page, read about Woodrow’s of Edinburgh or find more in rum. Jan Ohrt has also tasted Ron Sostenible, and you can meet him on the blogger profile. Read more about rum in general on Wikipedia.