John Watling's has made available 5,000 bottles of newly launched John Watlings' Single Barrel Rum, a four-year-old rum that has been bottled at a cask strength of 66.2 percent alcohol by volume, or 132.4 proof. It has been aged at the hostoric 1789 Buena Vista Estate in Downtown, Nassau. (Photo: John Watling's Distillery)

John Watling’s has made available 5,000 bottles of newly launched John Watlings’ Single Barrel rum, a four-year-old rum that has been bottled at a cask strength of 66.2 percent alcohol by volume, or 132.4° proof. It has been aged at the historic 1789 Buena Vista Estate in Downtown Nassau.

John Watling’s Single Barrel rum was conceived after casks of aged rum were opened after their long repose in the company’s storehouse. The company’s sixth generation master blender, Guillermo E. García-Lay deemed the aged rum excellent and approved it for bottling at cask strength. He instructed that no water be added to bring its strength to 40 percent alcohol and that the rum was not to be touched, before bottling, in any way.

This is the first instance, in the company’s knowledge, where a rum from the Caribbean has been bottled directly from the barrel, one barrel at a time, at cask strength.

“It is the company’s intention to continue to offer Bahamians and visitors alike, new, über premium and differentiated rums that have been crafted by Bahamian hands at John Watling’s Distillery,” said John Watling’s Managing Director Jose B. Portuondo. “We believe that John Watling’s Single Barrel will be sought after by rum connoisseurs the world-over. It is after all the quintessential sipping rum. We believe the Single Barrel rum will appeal to bourbon and single malt drinkers.

John Watling’s Single Barrel rum was sampled in early April 2016 at the Miami Rum Renaissance Fair & Trade Expo. Rum experts who were provided with a tasting described John Watling’s Single Barrel rum as both a nice sipper and a fine tasting rum.

Aged for four years in once-used bourbon barrels, the Bahamian aged rum’s initial aroma opens up to reveal complexity, richness and a perfect balance of oak wood, concentrated dry fruits, raisins and vanilla. Its taste is smooth with an agreeable heat that leads to a spicy mouth-feel.ottle sales for the product started on May 9 at John Watling’s Distillery’s retail store at the Buena Vista Estate.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian