Black Tot Rum Unveils Its Latest Master Blender’s Reserve

Black Tot Rum, a London-based brand, has announced the details of its latest limited release, the Master Blender’s Reserve for 2024. This annual release uses the same blend as its base, but each year, different additions are blended in to create a unique flavor experience.

Black Tot Rum’s latest Master Blender’s Reserve

“For this new release, we wanted to focus on the warmth and fruit of rums from Barbados, which has given us a foundation of juicy pineapple, lime, and sweet melon,” said master blender Oliver Chilton.

The latest edition will be a run of 3,000 bottles, and will come in at 54.5% abv. It has been aged in both American and European oak casks, and boasts aromas of pineapple, lime, chili, and coconut. These tastes of Barbados are key to this release, as the brand highlights Barbados as the “cultural birthplace of rum.”

“I knew I wanted to highlight Barbados, and then bring in some of the older Jamaican blends that we created a few years back, for added intensity,” said Chilton. “We also used some deep, rich rums from Guyana and Trinidad, including the one from the closed Caroni distillery.”

Black Tot is known for high-end rums like its British Royal Navy Rum, but its Master Blender’s Reserve has been a popular series since it debuted in 2020. A previous version, released last year, aimed to recreate original Navy rum using rum from Grenada.

The new 2024 version will sell for around $180 for a bottle of 700ml in size. It will be launched for sale around the world on July 1.

Rum Takes Center Stage

Highland Park, a highly regarded whisky brand, is coming out with another desirable release in its cask-strength series. Highland Park Cask Strength No. 5 comes from the distillery, which has been operating in the beautiful and remote islands of Orkney, located 10 miles off the coast of the Scottish mainland, since 1798.

Thanks to its high proof, the release promises a rich, full-bodied drinking experience. This whisky has been aged in European oak casks, including those used for Pedro Ximénez sherry, a Spanish variety of dark dessert wine, bourbon casks, and American oak casks.

Highland Park Cask Strength No. 5

A Twist on the Classic Manhattan

When it comes to classic cocktails, few are more iconic than the Manhattan. Popular since the 1800s, the combination of whiskey, sweet vermouth, and orange bitters has been delighting whiskey enthusiasts for decades and has seen a real resurgence in recent years as whiskey mania has swept the cocktail scene.

But like all good cocktails, the Manhattan is open to variations – from using different types of vermouth to adding a dash of absinthe, there are plenty of ways to change up this classic stirred drink. However, one option that might sound sacrilegious to some but is well worth a try is ditching the whiskey altogether and replacing it with rum instead.

How to Make a Rum Manhattan

The rum Manhattan combines 2 ounces of dark rum with 1 ounce of sweet vermouth, which is stirred together over ice. You can add a dash of either Angostura or orange bitters as you prefer, and strain into a cocktail glass before garnishing with either an orange twist or the traditional cherry.

Rum Manhattan

New Rum Options from Puerto Rico

Who doesn’t love new rum options? Today sees the launch of a new spirit from Puerto Rico: Sonrisa rum. The brand offers three styles of rum: the aged Reserva, the gold Oro Especial, and the silver Platino, which are currently available in restaurants, bars, and retail stores in Florida, Nevada, and New York. It’s also available in 32 states via a new e-commerce platform that enables online ordering and delivery to your doorstep.

The rums have already been recognized with awards at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, including a gold medal for the Reserva with its notes of cacao and clove, and a silver medal each for the Oro Especial – with notes of caramel and marshmallow – and Platino with notes of cane and vanilla.