Kirk and Sweeney Burning Mast Rum

Kirk and Sweeney rum brand’s newest addition to their portfolio is the Burning Mast release.   This private label rum is produced in the Dominican Republic from molasses and aged in a combination of American and French oak barrels for up to 12 years (their Reserva blend).  A portion of the Reserva rum is aged an additional 11 to 19 days in red pepper barrels to provide the rum blend with its unique flavor experience. Appearance This bottling breaks from the traditional Kirk and Sweeney bulb bottle and is a squat, short necked bottle sealed with a cork and foil safety seal.The liquid holds a dark amber color in the bottle and lightens slightly when poured into the glass. Swirling the liquid created a thin band around the glass that thickened and dropped a series of fast-moving legs down the side of the glass. Nose The aroma of the rum delivers notes of sweet caramelized vanilla, spiced ginger, roasted almonds, baking spices, cinnamon, and cardamom. Palate The first sip delivers a rapid fire series of flavors to the palate of earthy vanilla, cinnamon, caramel, fresh nutmeg, roasted almonds and cashews, then a bit of oak char and finally a wash of red pepper, delivering a sweet and spicy finish. Subsequent sips revealed the baking spices, cardamom, and a transition from earthy vanilla to a sweeter vanilla cake icing, with the spiciness hitting a bit harder at the end of each sip, lingering in the sweet and spicy finish.