Objective Notes

Smooth (on the RnD scale of Harsh-Smooth-Very Smooth-Extremely Smooth)

Arundel rum is golden copper in color. On the nose you uncover aromas of sweet fresh cut cane, very light oak, lemon grass, vanilla, and some light fusels. Initial taste reveals a medium body, lighter than expected, and a dry and slight musty combination of vanilla, leather, and cinnamon. The finish is long and begins mid-palate warm and semi-sweet then slowly fades further back in your mouth and throat and ends nice and dry with just a hint of sweetness.

Anecdotal Notes 

We had been hearing rumors of a 10 year old aged Arundel Rum by the Callwood’s for several years and now and were happy to obtain some this past December. The 375ml bottle is flask shaped plastic bottle with a black screw cap top. It’s adorned with a homemade label that has been consistent for many years. Nothing donates that this is the special 10 year old version of their rum. 

If you get the chance to visit Tortola in the BVI’s, we highly recommend a day-trip to the beautiful Cane Garden Bay and the Callwood Distillery. A visit to the Callwood’s is like a walk back through time. Strewn variously around the original two-centuries old stone building, you’ll see the history of a small Caribbean distillery.  From rusting and discarded condensing coils, to ancient processing machinery two or three generations old, to engines and belts for powering the cane press and a couple of original copper pot stills – Callwood’s distillery is an observable history. It’s just a short walk from the gorgeous beach and watering holes that line Cane Garden Bay.  During the busy season you’ll take a brief tour complete with tasting room and photo opportunities.  In the off season you can still get a great sense of the operation, since most of the crushing equipment and stills are located outside the small building. See “A Guided Tour Of Tortola’s Historic Distilleries”.

Callwood is claimed to be the oldest continuous pot still rum distillery in operation in the Caribbean. It’s not exactly known when it started operation but the style of architecture and bricks of the structures date roughly to the mid-1700s. In the late 1800’s Richard Callwood bought the Arundel Estate for his son, Richard Jr., 3 generations later Michael Callwood is still keeping the family tradition going and preserving an important Tortola cultural and historical site.

Taster’s Opinion

Roger - Arundel 10 year old rum is a real treat. It’s slightly smoother than its 4 year old sibling. But you aren’t buying this rum for its smoothness, refinement, or price, but rather for its rawness, rarity, and novelty. It’s likely the closest thing to what copper pot still rum tasted like 200 years ago when they started making it there with some of the same equipment still used today. If you are lucky enough to find yourself on Tortola in the BVIs, I’d recommend driving over the hill to Cane Garden Bay and visiting Michael Callwood at his distillery. Arundel 10 year old isn’t available off of Tortola so if you find it definitely buy it.

Dave - The Callwood distillery is a real as they come.  Outside the centuries-old stone building you’ll find an ancient cane crusher driven by long wide leather belt, allowing fresh cane juice to run freely down a cement sluice into original iron coppers.  Around back are small pot stills fired with various pieces of wood, discarded shipping pallets, etc.  Inside, you’ll see large, original glass balloon-shaped bottles used for holding tanks.  Overall, you gain an appreciation for rum making as it once was, and still is, on Tortola’s Cane Garden Bay at Callwood.  Naturally, there’s nothing artificial about the rum produced by Callwood either.

Callwood’s aging barrels appear as if they’ve been around for many decades, and their oak tannins and charcoal filtering properties may have faded somewhat with time and use. Thus, their Arundel four year old rum is not quite as smooth as you might desrire, so in mid-2009 Callwood released a 10 year old Cane Rum to augment their authentic, ancient style four year old. I was hopeful that the 10 year old could squeeze a bit more magic out of those old casks.  The verdict: Darn right they can.  There’s more life in that old wood!

Callwood’s Arundel 10 year old Cane rum shows pleasant aromas of musty cane and damp oak, only slightly sweet, a bit of caramel and green tobacco.  The initial taste is smoother and more full-bodied than their four year old rum, and presents slight oaky flavors with subtle vanilla and sweet butter, in a medium-light body.  No surprises at the finish, which is consistent with the aromas and flavors, but moderates quickly until a longer lasting essence is left on the tongue.

Probably not the most refined spirit in your collection; Callwood’s Arundel 10 year old Cane Rum is nonetheless worth owning.  It‘s the real McCoy, and can only be purchased at the distillery, where you’re treated to a visual feast and a complimentary sip.  You will leave far richer in your appreciation of rum and its making than the rather high $20 half-bottle price suggests. 

Taster's Rating (10 is best):

Roger - 7.5 Flasks; Dave - 8 Flasks

Most recently tasted by: Roger and Dave, January 2010 at RnD’s North and South Tasting Rooms, USA.