Worthy Park Single Estate 2006 is the latest addition to an already exciting lineup of rums. I was lucky to come across it at Chicago rumfest. I bugged Zan Kong for a while to give me a small sample for reviewing. Nice guy that he is, he agreed.
It’s their oldest rum at 12 years. Aged in ex bourbon barrel. It’s cask strength (56%), non chill filtered, no additives…not even caramel. Music to my ears! It’s the WPL mark, which stands for Worthy Park Light. This means it’s lower on esters. Don’t think this isn’t a funky rum though, it’s still very Jamaican. Just not Hampden DOK.
Nosing
The typical Worthy Park banana is front of the line. That's a bit of a signature for them. As this rum is truly aged for 12 years I was also expecting some oak, it doesn't disappoint. There is a little mint, molasses, brine, olives, citrus, vanilla and a beautiful smokey combo of tobacco and leather. All this is combined with a mild honey like sweetness
What an incredible nose, so many great things to discover! Wow!
Tasting
It's got a nice mild sweetness to it. I'm getting honey, oak, banana, citrus, a bit of smoke, mint and caramel. I'm having vague memories of a nice creamy dessert. The leather and tobacco return in the long and enjoyable finish. This is great.
Deceit-O-Meter
True age statement, clear label, no additives. This is how it should be. No deceit anywhere to be found.
Conclusion
Incredible. Do I need to say more?
It’s such a complex rum and so well balanced. The nose and taste are both super interesting. There is no single element that’s overwhelming, it’s made up of many small elements that together make a perfect blend.
Unfortunately this is a single bottling of 8000 bottles. When it’s gone, it’s gone. Good news is that it will soon be available in the US and Europe.
Score: 90
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