Objective Notes

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

Old Mill Gold Rum is Pale straw in color. On the nose you are introduced to aromas of sweet light brown sugar, vanilla, and alcohol. The initial taste reveals a medium body rum, moderately viscous, and mouth warming. Flavors of buttery vanilla are discovered. A lingering warm finish pleasantly satisfies.

Anecdotal Notes

Roger - I was fortunate enough to be able to sit down with H. Malarkey Wall and listen to the great story of his company, which really is his family’s history. In 1917, the United States Government purchased St. Croix from Denmark for $25 million, an early Caribbean bargain indeed. The prohibition that curtailed all legal distillation and consumer sales of liquor in the US also forced the St. Croix’s Cruzan Distillery to close. In the 1930’s, Malarkey’s father, Howard M. Wall, decided to venture southeast from his Oregon home to search the Caribbean for fine rum – a far more involved adventure than today, as the area was mostly inaccessible by airplane. In that post-prohibition/depression era, Mr. Wall had an import/export business and wanted to import to the Northwest, duty free.

Arriving on St. Croix, Wall habitually befriended everyone he met, and convinced the people at the closed Cruzan Distillery to start producing rum again for export. The connection solidified over several generations, to the extent that the family of the Cruzan Distillers stayed with Howard Wall in Oregon during their college days.

By 1996, Malarkey was fond of his adventures growing up in St. Croix and Oregon, so decided to import a rum for the Northwest American market, he contacted his friend (and master distiller for Cruzan Rum) Donald Nelthropp, Sr., for assistance. “It’s been a long process,” says Malarkey and more of a “push it through the distribution system” rather than the typical pull done by the big distillers.

Today, Old Mill Gold Rum is made from molasses distillate that passed through Cruzan’s finely controlled, multi-million-dollar five column still, yielding a more pure spirit that is free of nasty tasting heads and tails.  Malarkey imports the unaged rum at full strength (147 proof), then ages it in small oak bourbon barrels in the Portland area for 2-4 years before blending and bottling.  Old Mill Gold Rum is shipped in a classically-shaped bottle produced in Chile from a mold owned by Malarkey. A crisp, tasteful label features gold highlights superimposed over line art of one of Cruzan’s old sugar mills.

Dave - While Roger was researching his review and preparing to meet with Old Mill’s top brass in Oregon, I decided to taste the rum in situ. By December 2008 I sailed through the Virgin Islands, accompanied by my faithful RnD-monogrammed flask, filled this time with Old Mill Gold Rum. I was having a ball comparing the Oregon-aged spirit with other Cruzan-based rums, some spiced by local rum shops and some blended to create, umm, delicacies. After several rigorous tasting sessions, I determined that Old Mill nicely expresses the spirit of St. Croix, and tastes right whether you’re relaxing on a sunny beach in the tropics or in the cooler climates of home.

Tasters Opinion

Roger - This is nice rum that you can use every day.  It can stand on its own when enjoyed neat or on the rocks. But it’s better in cocktails and rum based drinks like a Mojito or The Old Mill Gold Rum Pumpkin Cider.   Old Mill Gold Rum compares very favorably to other rums in its price range. You’ll have to look hard to find something better at its price point in the US markets.

Dave - Smooth, mellow, almost candy-like flavors— Old Mill is an easy and inexpensive choice when you’re looking for a sipper on a hot summer’s day, or for mixing in a simple cocktail that would benefit from the butterscotch-vanilla flavors.

Taster's Rating (10 is best):

Roger - 8  Flasks;  Dave - 7.5 Flasks 

Most recently tasted by: Roger in January, 2009 in RnD’s North tasting room USA, and Dave in December 2008 in the Virgin Islands.

*750ml unless otherwise stated.