Objective Notes

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

Old Monk Rum is a dark brown copper color. My first whiff from the bottle revealed a strong maple syrup aroma. Upon pouring it into a glass and allowing it to sit for several minutes the maple syrup aroma subdued slightly and other flavors came forward including caramel, vanilla, and mild off-alcohols. Initial taste reveals a light body, a slight mouth numbing feeling, and flavors of dark molasses, oak, char, vanilla, pepper, and some off flavor alcohols. The finish is dry, with flavors of bitter dark chocolate and molasses, and quickly fades into a memory.

Anecdotal Notes

The origin of Mohan Meakin traces back to 1820 where Edward Dyer from United Kingdom who set up the first-ever brewery and made indigenous beer available to the Indians as well as Britons. Another entrepreneur, H G Meakin, came to India from Britain and bought a couple Breweries from Dyer. A distillery was then set up at Kasauli. The companies merged in 1937. Later N.N. Mohan raised funds and acquired a majority stake in Dyer Meakin Breweries. The company name was changed to Mohan Meakin Breweries in 1967. Subsequently the word brewery was dropped from the company name in 1982 to remove the impression that the company was engaged only in beer making. Today, Mohan Meakin's principal brands are Old Monk rum and Golden Eagle beer. Old Monk is a vatted Indian Rum, blended and aged for 7 years. It is available in all parts of India and all over the world. Old Monk is also the third largest selling Rum in the world behind Bacardi and Tanduay. 

The short squat bottle has rounded sides and an inverse crackle raised finish with dark label and black screw top cap.  

Taster’s Opinion

Roger - I’ve been looking forward to trying Old Monk Rum for some time. I’d hoped to find the older 12 year old sibling.  I found the 7 year old version best suited for sipping on the rocks or in a cocktail that calls for darker rum. I assume color was added as it’s the darkest rum aged less than 15 years I’ve ever seen. Overall it’s a worth a try as you’ll have a hard time finding any 7 year old rum for under $15 in the USA.

Dave - First you notice some rough smells like fusil oils that disguise most of the other aromas, and it takes some effort to coax out any further complexity, but with practice you’ll discover some waxy teakwood and musty old leather essences creeping underneath before some desired sweetness and scents of dried apricot relieve your senses, finally some subtle smooth spice like vanilla, clove and cardamom.  Initial tastes are oily and industrial, followed with charred butter and wood, then slight vanilla.  A medium-light body spreads across the palate quickly, before a surprisingly bittersweet chocolate finish ensures, with some warmth and those annoying fusel oils returning in moderation.

While Old Monk is just barely sippable, I find its somewhat crude aromas to be a bit offensive, making it best suited for mixing with other rums in cocktails that require some bitters and an edginess to spice them up.

Taster's Rating (10 is best):  Roger - 6.5 Flasks; Dave - 6 Flasks

Most recently tasted by: Roger and Dave in December, 2009 in RnD’s North and South tasting rooms, USA.