Wood plays an important role in the taste of aged spirits, like whisky and rum. These two categories very often cross use barrels in their ageing processes to impart characters from the other.

While there are more whiskies aged in rum barrels then rum in whisky barrels simply because there is more whisky production than rum, the flavours and characters of both spirit categories seem like a natural match.

Just like the collaboration between Plantation Rum and Teeling Whiskey. Alexandre Gabriel (Maison Ferrand), owner and Plantation Rum Master Blender, and Alex Chasko, Master Distiller and Blender at Dublin’s Teeling Whiskey Distillery share the same passion about experimenting with both traditional and innovative techniques in distilling and maturing spirits.

Teeling Whiskey Plantation Rum Small Batch Collaboration 46% abv

In the exchange of rum and whiskey barrels, Teeling Whiskey Plantation Rum Small Batch Collaboration was first aged in bourbon casks for 6 years and finished in Plantation Rum casks for 12 months. The limited edition whisky released in 2019 had a run of 12,500 bottles was said to have “a remarkable depth of flavour; accented by smoky notes and aromas of tropical fruit, ripe pineapple and banana, citrus peel and a touch of clove”.

Plantation Rum Stiggins’ Fancy Smoky Formula 40% abv

The Plantation’s signature pineapple rum is a marriage of the distillate from soaking their white rum with Queen Victoria pineapples for a week and dark rum which has been infused with the pineapple fruit for three months. This limited edition Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple rum with a 5,000 bottles run is a result of aging in Teeling’s peated Irish single malt whiskey for 6 months.

Plantation Rum Stiggins' Fancy Smoky Formula cocktails at Panamericana: (from left) Mojito, Old Fashioned and Daiquiri. (Photo: Kim Choong)

The tasting notes of the rum is described as such:

“On the nose, expect a rich and delicious bouquet, accented by smoky notes and aromas of tropical fruit, pineapple, citrus peel, a touch of clove and a hint of dry peat. The palate opens with a structured, pleasant sensation of ripe banana, pineapple, and spices layered in a distinctive smoky finish.”

Plantation Rum Stiggins’ Fancy Smoky Formula launched on 20 June 2022 in Panamericana is available in cocktails at BarBary Coast, Lime House, Employees Only, Mandala Club, Moonstone Bar, Potato Head and Panamericana during July 2022.

The limited edition rum is distributed by EC Proof.  

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