Doctor Bird Private Barrel Cask Strength Pajarete Finish Rum

Doctor Bird Rum, named for the national bird of Jamaica which is also emblazoned on the colorful label, is a blend of pot-still rums from Jamaica's famous Worthy Park Distillery. The blend is made up of two very high ester unaged rums, as well as a lower ester 6 year old rum for depth. The standard bottling is then finished in Moscatel casks before being bottled at 50% abv, and has over the last few years developed a cult following among the funk seeking rum heads. For this cask strength (59.9% abv) single cask selection, Detroit's Two James Spirits (the blenders and bottlers of Doctor Bird) finished the rum in Pajarete wine from southern Spain, in place of the usual Moscatel the brand uses. Pajarete is a dessert wine made from Pedro Ximenez grape must that is boiled down to a concentrate, then blended with either Pedro Ximenez Sherry, Oloroso Sherry, or a blend of both. In the 19th century, Pajarete barrels were very popular in the production of many Scotch whiskies, both for the flavor imparted and the intensity of color they provided (oftentimes the casks weren't even fully emptied of Pajarete before the whisky was added, for an especially robust influence). In modern times, the use of Pajarete has almost disappeared, as Oloroso has become the dominant Sherry cask, E150 caramel coloring has become a simpler avenue for quick color, and Spanish dessert wines in general have become forgotten relics. But the rum world has become a great new avenue for rediscovering traditions, exploring new flavor profiles, and Doctor Bird is certainly at the front of the herd in terms of these cask experiments. 

The marriage of Doctor Bird's rich, funky, pineapple, spice, passionfruit, smoked ham extravaganza with the concentrated, oxidized, and almost tart jamminess of the Pajarete is a technicolor fever dream of the palate. The bright tropical fruits make way for a wave of nutty spice, carrying cinnamon, allspice, sharp pepper, and hazelnuts, alongside sweet-tart cherries, thyme, and just a touch of oak. The oxidized white wine note that comes through on the back end of the palate almost reminds one more of fino sherry than the rich dark nature of Oloroso or especially PX, but carries a lovely sharpness that makes this one of the sassiest Bird barrels we've tried. Bottled at 59.9% abv.