The rum world may not be “The Wild West” when it comes to standards, practices and authenticity, as I once argued. (Richard Seale of Barbados’ famous Foursquare distillery was taught to think differently.) But at the same time, the rum world is It’s full of tricks and marketing gimmicks. Undersea maturation, celebrity ties, funky bottles, X-rated overtones… Various rum producers use shtick like this to dress up what would always be lower-grade blends. You know, in an effort to entice you into buying it. This brings us to Goslings Spirited Seas…
Gosling’s good name
Now, the Goslings are not the type of brand that people would think would grovel. This is the brand that created Black Seal. It’s the same brand responsible for the Dark ‘n Stormy, one of the world’s only cocktails protected by copyright, and a whole range of divine Family Reserve Old Rum.
Gosling has pedigree. The rum-making tradition dates back to Bermuda in the 1850s. This is not a flying rum problem. There’s no such thing as Johnny wanting to eat a little pizza for attention these days.
Aging at sea?
And yet, according to Goslings… there’s Spirited Seas, a rum that’s “perfected in the Atlantic?” Uh, what on earth are you doing here? that average? On Goslings’ website…
Vintage bourbon barrels are filled with a superior blend of premium, aged dark Bermuda rums and then loaded onto ships where the rums travel back and forth from Bermuda to the mid-Atlantic, where they spend another year at sea. Stormy waves and sea air do wonders for the blend. Interacting with charred American white oak in each wave, the rum extracts every flavor from the barrel, creating an elegant and complex rum.
I’d like to say that it all sounded a bit strange to me. It certainly seemed unnecessary for a brand like the Goslings. What I mean is, there can’t really be any real scientific benefits to aging in the ocean. Right… ?
error…erroneous!!
As it turns out, the movement of the ocean can help spirits blend, mature, and adopt unique, unique flavors. The fine folks at Tres Hombres Rum have been proving this for years. Perhaps if Patrick had exaggerated a bit more in this long-ago post about the 2011 German Rum Festival, I wouldn’t have been so skeptical about Spirited Seas.
But even after learning about the legitimacy of aging during the voyage, I still had some doubts. I mean, could this thing be any good?
answer: yes!!
Goslings Spirited Seas Tasting Notes
What I like most about Goslings Spirited Seas is its slightly higher ABV. At least, if you’re a more extreme rum drinker like me, that’s the first thing you should love. We’re not talking excessive flamethrowers like J. Wray or Rum Fire. But at 44% ABV (88 proof), Spirited Seas sits well in the sweet spot occupied by my favorite rums these days.
When it comes to taste and overall sipping experience, I’d say Spirited Seas is impressive.
The nose is dominated by smoky notes of charred oak. It doesn’t smell sweet and the hint of spice is firmly restrained. The taste at first sip is all kinds of elegance. Like the nose, the sweetness is suppressed and the rich rum notes shine through. Notes of caramel and spice elevate the rum’s flavor profile and take the spotlight, while the surprisingly dry and smooth overall character of this particular Gosling blend makes it immediately approachable despite its slightly higher ABV.
Goslings Spirited Seas is certainly not a rum that lasts long around me. I enjoy it regularly and it’s too good not to share with my friends. With its roots in sailing, we think Spirited Seas is a great place to enjoy things, especially on the water.
hmm… Is there anyone out there with a boat who would like to enjoy a bottle with me? Let us know in the comments below…
Oh, and if you’d like to purchase a bottle of Goslings Spirited Seas for yourself, consider ordering it online from our fine friends at Total Wine.
Cheers!
