A combination of rums originating from the 5 islands of Trinidad, Jamaica, Guyana, Barbados and Indonesia, the rums are aged between a period of a few months up to five years. Prior to bottling, Banks uses a single charcoal filtration system to remove the amber hue that comes from the aging process. The folks behind Banks hope the removal of the amber hue that aging bestows will aid in the end presentation of cocktails by not adding any additional color that might not mesh well with other ingredients.

Banks 5 Islands starts off with touches of funk aka hogo, that segues into a rum that’s brimming with so many flavors my mind started going nuts with cocktail ideas after a few tastes.

Once you get past the funk that many rums have Banks 5 Island hits you with flavors of espresso,lime, vanilla, bitter orange, and a back end of cocoa married to touches of grapefruit. On further tastes, flavors of ripe strawberries, hazelnut, cardamom, blackpepper and harvest spices.

Banks 5 Island is one of those rare spirits that you could consider “inspiration in a bottle.”

Rating: 9.5/ 10

*Hogo-The funky, weird aroma and often taste that sugarcane spirits throw off.

And without further ado those recipes I mentioned above that sprang to life during the tasting of Banks 5 Island.

Those Bitter Harpies

Those Bitter Harpies. A combination of Banks 5 Island Rum, Beefeater London Dry Gin, Campari, Lillet Blanc, Orgeat, Vanilla and Green Chartreuse.

1 1/2 oz Banks 5 Island
1/2 oz Beefeater London Dry Gin
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Lillet Blanc
1/2 oz Orgeat
½ oz Vanilla Syrup
2 Dashes Green Chartreuse

Directions: Shake all ingredients except Yellow Chartreuse with ice.
Strain and pour into Zombie Mug that’s filled with crushed ice.
Garnish with grapefruit peel that’s been soaked with Green Chartreuse.
Ignite. Serve

The Time Warp

The Time Warp. A combination of Banks 5 Island Rum, Creme De Cacao, Cocchi Americano, Lime Juice, Cinnamon Syrup, Pernod Absinthe, Mole and Angostura Bitters.

1 3/4 oz Banks 5 Rum
1/2 oz Crème De Cacao
1/2 oz Cocchi Americano
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup
2 Dashes Pernod Absinthe
1 Dash Mole Bitters
1 Dash Angostura Bitters

Directions: Combine ingredients in shaker. Shake with Ice. Strain and serve in cocktail glass.

Down the Wishing Well

Down the Wishing Well. A combination of Banks 5 Islands Rum, St. Germain, Aperol, Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth, and Bittermens Xocalti Mole Bitters.

1 1/2 oz Banks 5 Island Rum
1/2 oz St. Germain
1/2 oz Aperol
1/2 Carpano Antica
2 Dash Bittermens Xocalti Mole Bitters

Directions:Combine Ingredients in mixing glass. Stir with ice. Strain into cocktail glass.

Amélie’s Adventure. A combination of Don Q Anejo Rum, Aperol, Green Chartreuse, Cinnamon Syrup, and Peychaud Bitters.

As a member of the NY Chapter of the United States Bartenders Guild (www.usbg.org) the opportunity often arises to enter cocktail competitions. Recently Don Q Rums held a contest looking for new original recipes with one of their Rum offerings, including Cristal(White), Mojito Flavored, Coconut Flavored, Gold, Anejo, and Grand Anejo.

Each chapter of the USBG had it’s own local competition, with the winner moving on the semi-finals, which will be held at the Manhattan Cocktail Classic in New York City in May. Whoever wins this competition will move on to the International Final Competition with competitors from all the world competing for a Final Prize of $2,000, a $5,000 donation for the charity of the winners choice, and media exposure in Don Q Promotional Video’s and mention in Esquire Magazine.

After tasting through a portion of the line in order to begin to formulate my recipe and plan of attack, I decided to use the Don Q Anejo offering. When I first tasted through Don Q Anejo I was hit with notes of cocoa, hints of cinnamon and caramel, along with nuances of hazelnut and vanilla with a finish that introduced flavors of candied oranges.

With the flavors of cinnamon and orange in mind, I decided to combine the Anejo with some Aperol, some cinnamon syrup, and some Green Chartreuse to add a bit of a kick. Continuing to play off those cinnamon flavors I added 2 dashes of Peychaud bitters and garnished the drink with a piece of burnt orange zest.

While I didn’t win the local competition, my drink seemed to be very well received during the event. So I figured I’d share the recipe. Inspired and the French origin of Chartruese and the playfulness of how the ingredients seemed to work together, I named the cocktail after the famous French movie, Amélie as the drink seemed to be a bit playful as the title character was.

Amélie’s Adventure

2oz Don Q Anejo Rum
½ oz Aperol
¼ Bar Spoon Green Chartreuse
¾ Cinnamon Syrup
2 Dashes Peychaud Bitters
Shake with Ice, Strain
Serve up in Coupe
Garnish with a piece of burnt orange zest

Originating from St. Pierre, Martinque, at the very heart of the Chateau Depaz Estate, comes Depaz Blue Cane based Agricole.

Utilizing pure blue sugar cane of the highest quality that goes immediately from harvest to distillation, each step from harvest to bottling is performed perfectly.

Once distillation is complete, the spirit is placed in small, lightly charred oak barrels until deemed flavorful enough to be placed in the bottle.
The end result is an incredibly impressive specimen of agricole. With a nose that’s brimming with scents of cinnamon, nutmeg, cocoa, orange spice and baking dough your left wondering what’s in store for you once you taste this seductive spirit.

Not to lead you on, the Depaz Blue Cane Agricole is anything but a tease. Those scents that toyed with you previously fully reveal themselves in each sip. Flavors of orange zest, cinnamon and bits of sweet cocoa show themselves vividly within each sip. Nuances of cinnamon, and nutmeg play with the senses and just as you think you’ve figured out all the flavors in this lovely spirit, something else will show itself. Whether it’s allspice, or the slight hint of caramel this spirit is constantly turning your concept of Agricole on its head.

Final Score: 9.5/10

Some recipes utilizing both the Depaz Blue Cane Agricole and Depaz Sugar Cane Syrup.

With Love from San Francisco
1 ¾ oz Depaz Blue Cane Agricole
½ oz Depaz Cane Syrup
¼ oz Fernet Branca
3 Dashes Regans Orange Bitters
Burnt Orange Zest
Serve in Coupe

With Love from San Francisco. A combination of Depaz Blue Cane Agricole, Depaz Cane Syrup, Fernet Branca and Orange Bitters.

Count vs. Monk
2 oz Depaz Blue Cane Agricole Rhum
¾ oz Depaz Sugar Cane Syrup
½ oz Yellow Chartreuse
Barspoon Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
2 Dashes Whiskey Barrel Bitters
Top with Club Soda
(A riff on the classic Negroni-The Count’s version topped with Club Soda)

Count vs. Monk A Combination of Depaz Blue Cane Agricole, Depaz Sugar Cane Syrup Yellow Chartreuse, Carpano Antica, topped with Club Soda.

Jumping forward to a product that happens to be the older sibling to the Cruzan White Rum we recently took a look at, we decided to take a look at Cruzan’s Single Barrel offering.

Starting off with the same American oak barrels used to age Cruzan’s white offering, the single barrel is aged up to twelve years with that final year being in a new oak cask barrel.

While the Cruzan Single Barrel offering keeps some of that forward coconut flavor we found in their white rum offering it also brings a cornucopia of additional flavor notes to the playground that is your palate. Once those first hints of coconut hit your taste buds, deep notes of sweet caramel and oak jump out and scream “look at me”. Moving past these ambitious little guys, the forefront of the show is truly the delicate combination of cinnamon, orange zest and cocoa that sweep everything else out of their way.

An impressive example of a rum, that can stand on its and be sipped neat in the same fashion you would an elegant bourbon or scotch.

Final Score: 9.5/10

While mainly marketed as a sipping rum, the incredible flavors of the Cruzan Single Barrel seemed to lend themselves to working well in a cocktail, so we decided to see what we can come up with.
A Spontaneous Thought
1 ¾ oz Cruzan Single Barrel
¾ oz Navan Vanilla Liquor
¾ oz Aperol
1 oz Zico Coconut Water
¾ Demerara Syrup
2 Dash Mole Bitters
Serve in Coupe

A Spontaneous Thought. A combination of Cruzan Single Barrel Rum, Navan Vanilla Liquor, Aperol, Zico Coconut Water, Mole Bitters.

Originating in St. Croix, the Cruzan line of rums is both reasonable priced and a gift to your palate.

We started out by taking a look at Cruzan’s White Rum offering. Aged in American oak barrels for a minimum period of one year, and priced at a shockingly low $11.99 a bottle, this spirit does not disappoint.
With that first your palate is greeted with a forward hit of coconut that’s followed up by blissful sweet vanilla and follows through with a sweet finish.

Final Score 8.5/10

Now for some recipes with the Cruzan Aged White Rum

The 3rd Apple
2 Oz Cruzan Aged Rum
1oz Buffalo Trace Whiskey
¾ oz Batavia Arrack
Half a Barspoon Allspice Dram
1oz Apple Cinnamon Syrup
2 Dashes Whiskey Barrel Bitters
Burnt Orange Zest
Serve in Coupe

The 3rd Apple. A combination of Cruzan White Rum, Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Batavia Arrack, Allspice Dram, Apple Cinnamon Syrup

A Smokey Situation
2 oz Cruzan Aged Rum
1 oz Lapsong Souchan Infused Zico Coconut Water
¼ oz Green Chartreuse
¾ oz Batavia Arrack
2 Dash Peychaud Bitters
Egg White
Shake Dry with Eggwhite
Then Shake with Ice
Serve in Coupe

A Smokey Situation. Cruzan Aged Rum, Lapsong Souchan Infused Coconut Water, Green Chartreuse and Batavia Arrack.

Following up my previous look at Rhum J.M.’s Blanc and Gold offering’s I decided to take a look at Rhum J.M.’s VSOP offering.

Starting off with the unaged rhum that’s used in their blanc offering, Rhum J.M. ages this offering in a combination of American oak barrels and French Limousin barrels for a final product that is a combination of rhums aged up to ten years.

Any time sampling a spirit brings a smile to your face upon that first taste you know that’s a good sign. Rhum JM’s VSOP Rhum did just that.

Starting with a hint of caramel, the spirit takes over each and every one of your taste buds and fills them with pure joy. That first hint of a caramel is nearly forgotten as you’re hit with notes of espresso that are in constant battle for attention with notes of cocoa for the life of the party. While not as attention hogging as the flavors of espresso and cocoa, the presence of nuances of orange zest and orange marmalade jump out towards the end of the show, with a final finish that conjures a hint of tobacco.

Final Score: 9/10

And now for a new cocktail using Rhum J.M.’s VSOP Rhum:

The Wednesday Pick Me Up

2oz Rhum J.M. VSOP Rhum
¾ oz Creole Shrubb Orange Liqueur
¼ oz Cynar
1 Dash Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters
1 oz Espresso Syrup
Garnish with Burnt Orange Zest

Wednesday Pick Me Up. A combination of Rhum J.M. VSOP Rhum, Cynar, Creole Shrubb Orange Liqueur, Espresso Syrup and Chocolate Bitters

Rhum J.M. Gold teases you with a nose of caramel, and sugar cane that’s reminiscent of a sweet bourbon. This is no doubt due to the use of American oak barrels to age Rhum J.M. Gold. This magnificent nose is followed up notes of caramel, sweet vanilla, and the occasional hint of cocoa. These flavors of black and white are joined by notes of soft fruit and floral tones that end in a smooth and sweet finish.

Final Score:9/10

Why oh Why?
2 Dash Regans Orange Bitter
1 ¾ oz Rhum JM Gold
1 oz Bols Genever
¼ oz Lime Juice
1 oz Banana Syrup
Burnt Orange Zest
Serve in Coupe Glass

Why Oh Why. A combination of Rhum J.M. Gold, Bols Genever, Banana Syrup and Regans Orange Bitters.

Em’s Summer Fizz
Rhum JM Gold Rum- 2 oz
St. Germain ¾ oz
Simple Syrup- ¾ oz
Lime Juice ¾ oz
Muddle two strawberries with the simple syrup
Shake with Eggwhite
Top with Zipang Sparkling Sake
Garnish with Half Strawberry

Em's Summer Fizz. A combination of Rhum J.M. Gold, St. Germain, Simple Syrup, Lime Juice, topped with Zipang Sparkling Sake.

The quality of the sugarcane used in producing Rhum J.M. Blanc shows itself throughout the entire product. The Blanc (or white) offering starts off with a nose of luscious sugar cane and doesn’t falter upon hitting your palate. Once you being to take that first sip your presented with notes of rich baked apple, and that sweet sugar cane you that tempted you as you were nosing the rum. As the liquid passes through your mouth it ends with a smooth finish that manages to balance hints of black pepper, salt, and lime undertones.

Final Score 8.5/10

The Before and After
Rhum J.M. Blanc-1 3/4oz
3/4 Cynar
3/4 Cherry Heering
1/4 Averna
2 Dash Rhubarb Bitters
1 Dash Whiskey Barrel Bitters

The Before and After. A Combination of Rhum J.M. Blanc Rum, Cynar, Averna, Cherry Heering, Rhubarb and Whiskey Barrel Bitters.

Friday, Bitter, Friday
Rhum JM Blanc-2oz
Campari-3/4 oz
Lime Juice-½ oz
Allspice Dram-¼ oz
Demera Syrup-¾ oz
2 Dashes Grapefruit Bitters
Burnt Orange Zest

Friday, Bitter, Friday. A Combination of Rhum J.M. Blanc, Campari, Allspice Dram, Grapefruit Bitters, Demera Syrup.

This unique blending creates a flavor rich offering that starts off with nuances of sweet cane sugar followed up by the presence of baked apples, and spicy cinnamon. Throughout each sip the occasional hint of charcoal and ripe bananas show themselves . All these flavors along with hints of floral create a straight forward and balanced rum, that works both as a spirit that can be sipped as well as a spirit that makes for a great cocktail.

G. & R. Special
Appleton Estate Reserve-1 ¾ oz
G’Vine Floraison 1 oz
1/4 Allspice
¾ Aperol
1 Dash Regan Gary Bitters
1 Dash Fee’s West Indian Orange Bitters
Burnt Orange Zest

A G.& R. Special. A Combination of Appleton Estate Reserve, G'vine Floraison, Allspice Dram, Aperol, and Orange Bitters

One Eyed Willy’s Rootbeer Float. A Combination of Appleton Estate Reserve,Cherry Heering Liquor, Grand Navan Vanilla Liquor, Eggwhite and Mole Bitters.

One Eyed Willy’s Rootbeer Float
Appleton Estate Reserve-1 ¾ oz
¾ Cherry Heering Liquor
½ oz Grand Navan Vanilla Liquor
½ oz Simple Syrup
¼ oz Lime Juice
2 Dashs Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters
Shake dry with Eggwhite
Then Shake with Ice

Appleton Estate starts off their rums by using sugar cane that’s picked from Jamaica’s Nassau Valley. This is then combined with a yeast that utilizes that same freshly picked sugar cane in the distillation process.

Taking precise steps to create the highest quality rums during each step in the creation of each bottling, Appleton Rum uses a series of small copper pot stills during the distillation process. Once distillation has completed, Appleton ages their rums in American oak barrels until the time that they are tested and chosen by the Master Distiller.

The end result of this precise process is Appleton Estates 12 Year. With a nose that’s brimming with notes of sweet sugar cane, caramel and a hint of cocoa, it grabs you before you’ve even had a chance to taste it. Once you actually manage to get past the near perfect aromas, your palate is hit with tones of sweet sugar cane, and bananas. Following up this first act of flavors, your taste buds are then hit with nuances of orange zest along with minor inklings of cocoa and a finish that includes mild spice.

All these flavors work together in unison to create an elegant,
and remarkable example of a brown spirit.

Final Score: 9.5/10

Playing off the various flavor nuances that I came across in the Appleton Estate 12 year, I decided to come up with a new cocktail.

A Pirate’s Life for Me

Appleton Estate 12- 1 ½ oz
Aperol-3/4 oz
Cynar-1/4oz
Banana Syrup-3/4 oz
Lime Juice-1/2 oz
BIttermens Mole Bitters-2 Dashes
Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Bitters-1 Dash