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

Cockspur Fine shows a brilliant medium amber color and is very easy on the nose, especially for such an affordable rum. Bicely aromatic too; with caramel, dried fruit (fig, dates), orange peel, vanilla, and cinnamon all easy to discern, and a trace of might hide inside.  The initial taste introduces a welcome oak depth to the wonderful caramel, vanilla, spice and mild ginger.  The medium body is a pleasant surprise, being more full than expected, and leading well to a finish that’s slightly sweet with caramel, milk chocolate, while a hint of cinnamon adds an interesting spicy ending.

Anecdotal Notes

Dave – Cockspur Rum was established in 1884.  Fine is the distillery’s most affordable aged rum.  The West Indies Rum Distillery (WIRD ), located in Spring Garden just north of Bridgetown is idyllically situated.  Bordered on the West by a beach overlooking the calm eastern Caribbean Sea with a beautiful white sand beach, home to the Cockspur Beach Club, where many a tourist has learned to love Bajan rum.  Across the street from the distillery is a water production plant situated on top of a coral filtered spring, which ensures an endless supply of pure spring water for making fine rum.  It’s well worth a visit.

Cockspur employs two types of stills: a four column continuous still for high volume output of light rum; and two pot stills of smaller output that produce heavier, more full-bodied, aromatic and deeply flavorful rums. Cockspur rums are matured in  American oak barrels previously used for aging bourbon.

The basic no-frills tall bottle is sealed with a screw cap, befitting a rum expected to be consumed rapidly in cocktails both at home and in better bars.

Taster’s Opinion

Dave – Mixer or Sipper? Cockspur Fine saddles up that question and rides it like a dilemma.  Cockspur Fine is affordable, suitably complex and smooth enough to enjoy solo or mixed.  Use Cockspur Fine Rum in cocktails that come alive with a substantial rum flavor, but also enjoy a glass neat for it’s smooth easy sipping, perfect balance of aromas and flavors.  Ladies and Gentlemen:  I believe we have a contender here.

Roger – Cockspur Fine Rum is a well balanced rum that’s just smooth enough to enjoy on the rocks or even neat. It is versatile enough and well priced to be an everyday rum that can meet multiple needs including using it in your favorite rum based cocktails. It’s bold enough to not get lost in most drinks. Cockspur Fine is a blend of young aged rums from both pot and continuous column stills. The skilled master blender carefully marries the two unique rum styles resulting in a nice medium to full body and well balanced rum.  Widely available in the USA, UK, Western Europe, and Australia it should be easy to find and add to your collection. A very fine bottle to take to a friends home or party.

Taster's Rating (10 is best):
Dave - 8 Flasks; Roger - 7.5 Flasks

Most recently reviewed by: Dave and Roger, February 2011 at RnD’s South and North Tasting Rooms, USA.

*750ml unless otherwise stated.