Objective Notes

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

Old New Orleans Crystal Rum is completely clear in color due to a charcoal filtering process. On the nose you find moderate amount of alcohol (but not overpowering), a hint of vanilla (which was add into the batch I’m told), and a few others like green bananas, toffee, and fresh cane juice.  First taste reveals a nice mouth feel, a light body, and peppery sweetness with flavors of vanilla (more pronounced than on the nose), cane juice, and butterscotch. It’s much tamer in the mouth than the nose predicts. The finish is smooth, dry, and swift.

Anecdotal Notes

Dave and I first were introduced to the folks at Old New Orleans at the Tales of the Cocktail in 2007. Mike "Elvis" Karnowski, the head distiller at Celebration Distillation, was a judge at the Ministry of Rum Tasting Competition that year and invited us over for a tour of their distillery. What a tour it was. Elvis showed us their entire process including their charcoal filtering process used with the production of their Crystal Rum (see pictures below on left).  Of course I ended up in the “RnD” room (in this case the research and development room) and sampled a few of their rum “projects” and Elvis’s homemade Absinthe.

Old New Orleans Crystal Rum is distilled in a special pot and column combined still from fermented Louisiana sugar cane molasses. It is not aged but still gets charcoal filtered to remove any color. It’s bottled at 40% or 80 proof in a clear tall round bottle with a white label.  Each bottle of Old New Orleans Rum has a picture inside its back label. The founder and owner of Celebration Distillation is artist James Michalopoulos. It’s his unique and vivid expressive architectural paintings of New Orleans which are featured.

Taster’s Opinion

Roger - Old New Orleans Crystal Rum is a good crystal clear, white rum from one of the better American rum distillers. It makes a very nice cocktail or tiki drink. It’s not really meant to be enjoyed neat but I recommend  you still try it that way just to experience the flavors of this rum. If it is available in your area I’d recommend obtaining it.

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

Most recently tasted by: Roger in October, 2009 in RnD’s North Tasting Rooms USA.

*750ml unless otherwise stated.