Ferrand Plantation O.F.T.D. Rum, 70 cl

Product Information

It’s critical to understand that “ester” and “volatile element” measurements don’t tell you anything about a rum’s flavor profile, however. Martinique rhum agricole is also high in volatile elements, yet tastes very different than Jamaican rum, also known for high levels. Ester and volatile elements counts are about intensity, not flavor notes. Update, March 2021: Plantation tells me that the current blend no longer contains Foursquare rums in it. Also, Mr. Seale disputes that 13-year aged Foursquare was used in the original O.F.T.D. blend. I have left the original component description provided to me for historical context below] It’s perhaps unsurprising, then, that the casual rum drinker and the serious rum geek often have wildly differing reactions and estimation of a company like Plantation Rum. This is a complex topic; one that takes into account ownership, secondary finishing practices, legal lobbying and transparency in labeling. Suffice to say, the Plantation brand has long been something of a lightning rod for discussion among rum devotees. Took me a few sips to get some of a flavor profile because in each sip, once the taste buds detected something, my throat and tongue got a sound thrashing from the 69% ABV (138 proof).

This rum comes in at 69% ABV which, in my opinion is too strong to consume neat. My previous experience with overproof rums had been limited to Lemon Hart 151 rum (75% ABV) which I really enjoyed when blended in equal parts with a 40% dry rum (Newfoundland Screech), diluting the concoction to a robust (57.5% ABV) but enjoyable and flavourful blend. So we best move onto the tasting part of the review and see if this rum really is worth all the hype.

Plantation O.F.T.D Rum – In Cocktails

Transformácia cukru na alkohol je vyvolaná pôsobením kvasiniek. Fermentácia môže trvať od niekoľkých hodín (v prípade ľahkých rumov) po niekoľko dní (v prípade zložitejších rumov) až po niekoľko týždňov.

Essentially the extra-aged version of the company’s flagship Barbados 5 Year Rum, Plantation XO was unsurprisingly created for the brand’s 20th anniversary, but is a regular part of the rotation and the most “premium” of the standard Plantation brands. This one is significantly older on average, being a blend of column and pot still Barbados rums aged tropically for 8-15 years, before spending at least 2 and as many as 10 years in secondary maturation in France before final blending. Plantation notes that the French aging takes place in “many different types of casks, ranging from new white oak to bourbon casks, as well as Ferrand casks, each with different level of toasting.” Complexity is no doubt what they’re shooting for, though one wishes that such a product would have been released at a strength above 80 proof. This one also has moderate dosage. Echoing the “no dosage” message is Martin Cate, who’s measured the actual ABV with his fancy Anton Parr hydrometer. His measured ABV is effectively identical to the labeled ABV, which is generally taken to mean that there’s essentially no sugar present, assuming the label ABV is accurate. Whether you enjoy sipping on an overproof rum, dilute it with water or another rum, this is definitely worth trying.Overproof spirits are undoubtedly hot, and Plantation O.F.T.D Rum is no exception. You would be advised to keep this away from your nose and avoid holding it for too long on your tongue on diluted – lest you enjoy the burning sensation. However, if you’re careful you can find a rather beautiful rum hiding behind the heat. One of the few Plantation rums with an age statement on the label, this might be considered the flagship of Plantation’s “signature blends” lineup, and is one of the brands they’ve been offering longest. The five year age statement is nice, if not particularly impressive—it makes this a “moderately aged” rum. It’s important to note that 3-4 years of that time is tropical aging in Barbados, and the remaining 1-2 years is aging in France in “Ferrand casks” previously used to mature cognac. That’s a significant period, which makes this ultimately a product substantially different than simply a Bajan rum—there’s also the moderate dosage to consider as well. Products like this are at the heart of the dispute between Maison Ferrand and the other Barbados distilleries. Together they came up with this blend of Guyana, Jamaica and Barbados rums, bottled at 69 percent alcohol. In this enlightened era of bespoke, high-end distilled spirits, we celebrate the soloist – the carefully nurtured, single estate gems rising to the top of category: Pappy Van Winkle 23 year bourbon, Fuenteseca Reserva 21 year tequila, Appleton 50 year rum, Macallan M Single Malt, and so on. Each represents a high point, a moment in time and the essence of a particular place. A pinnacle of individuality and greatness.

The label tasting notes say: “It bursts with caramel cream, chocolate, and vanilla notes. It continues on with cinnamon, raisins, nutmeg, oak, and molasses with smoky accents.” I really like the O.F.T.D. in rum and cola’s. It is similar in many ways to Pusser’s. It’s quite sweet but at the same time has quite a lot of “oommph” to it. Which I think is what you want in a rum and cola – especially on a cold night. Taste: Obviously warm – but also extremely smooth. Raisins and dates and other preserved fruits play with molasses, creamy caramel, and dark brown sugar. Hints of mellow oak and vanilla come through as well. The ending is full of dark sugar, toasted oak, spice, and caramel. Alexandre Gabriel : “At Maison Ferrand, I often feel that we are a team of misfits having fun. With the O.F.T.D. band of rum geeks, I felt at home. I will never forget the special moments we had creating this rum: the secret meeting at Arnaud’s, the week in Cognac, the many samples tasted and the discussions about the true nature of overproof rum spoken with the same gravitas and intensity of statesmen discussing peace treaties. And all the time we were having a ball! These special moments of communion with a talented and passionate team are the reason I love my job.Cask type/Age: ex-Bourbon, ex-Cognac casks, 1997 distillation. 18 years in ex-Bourbon, then 1.5 years minimum in ex-cognac casks Pôvodne boli všetky rumy destilované v malých bankách. Dnes sa však väčšina rumov destiluje kontinuálne v stĺpcoch. Táto moderná destilačná metóda, ktorú Kuba prvýkrát prijala v 19. storočí, umožňuje rýchlejšiu a plynulejšiu výrobu. Destilácia v kotli je stále dlhšia a ťažko zvládnuteľná, ale stále sa praktizuje na Jamajke, na Barbadose, v Svätej Lucii, na Haiti a v Guyane. Zrenie On the nose of this one there’s plenty of brown sugar and some grilled pineapple, although it’s not particularly punchy—I genuinely think that if you gave this to someone blind and told them that it was simply “aged rum,” they wouldn’t suspect that there had been actual pineapple involved. On the palate I’m getting some roasted cane flavor, and a bit of that “raw” booze I was tasting in the Original Dark, paired with citrus, green apple and a puff of smoke. It honestly seems like a moderately aged rum that could be used in practically any application, rather than doubling down on drinks that already call for pineapple elements.