Plantation Isle of Fiji

Think back to the first time you tried a heavily peated scotch. What thoughts were going through your mind? What associations did you try to make to describe the experience? Was it a funky adventure you never forgot? Nosing and tasting this rum brings back a lot of those memories of the first Talisker 10 I bought all those years ago, and folks, it's a lovely ride. Now, I'm always down for a funky adventure. Diving further down the rum rabbit hole brought me to this dram. Plantation (outdated name aside...) seems to be what is best described as a rum independent bottler/finisher. Sort of a cross between a Signatory and Angels Envy. They're a French Cognac producer that sources aged and unaged rums from all over the world, brings them to SW France to age further in their French Oak barrels, imparting all the spicy, fruity, yummy goodness they do, and then bottle the rums and sell to our fine selves. This one hails from the Isle of Figi, and on this damp, rainy, humid summer night, it's the perfect funky adventure to go on. Nosing this you're immediately greeted with a fusel quality, like you caught a whiff of the jet fuel from the plane that just brought you to the island. As a veteran of heavily peated drams, I know to dig deeper past the funk, and doing so brings out mango, coconut, unripened bananas, vanillas, some nutmeg, ginger, and molasses. Very complex, and a nose you can sit and enjoy for some time. But this rum was made for drinking! It enters a bit thin, but quickly turns to viscous and mouth coating. The fruity elements from the nose carry over, with the addition of dates, raisins, and almond notes on the palate. If I hadn't done my research already, I might have guessed it had spent some time in a sherry cask. Must be the Cognac notes coming through. The spice is lovely without overpowering the fruit or the funk. The finish is sweet, but a bit short, with the fruity, spicy elements lingering. Well now this was a fun trip! If I had to compare it to something, it reminds me the most of a peated, sherry matured Highland single malt. It's got fruit and spice, with a good coating mouthfeel, but a meaty, funky element on the nose. Time and patient nosing reward the thoughtful drinker with this dram, and at $23, I continue to wonder why I pay so much for whiskey. Were there really days when whisky was also under the radar and cost next to nothing for an amazing bottle (not that the rare gem isn't still out there, like Evan Williams BiB or Early Times BiB)? I found this at a bigger local liquor store with dust on the bottle. It's clearly flying under the radar, but if you're a fan of fruit and spice and up for a funky adventure, check out a bottle for yourself. Cheers!

Neat. Glencairn. Freshly uncorked. As is typical for the brand, the packaging is attractive although the brightly-painted tropical mural motif is counterproductively informal. The netting remains iconic, if a touch kitschy - no longer a packaging justification but possibly functional in bartender's slippery hand. I appreciate Plantation's (now standard) transparency regarding the moderate 16 g/L sugar dosage. A light golden orange. Moderately oily texture and nicely spaced legs, albeit aided by the extra sucrose. Wildly aromatic even sitting outside, an arm's length away. Perhaps typical to a Fijian rum, but shares a clear kinship with assertive Jamaican rum hogo. Tropical fruit and esters plus a thread of cleaning solution. Papaya and vanilla. Cognac grape eau de vie is present as well. The funkiness avoids dominating the experience and stays "on top", allowing a surprisingly clean nosing "underneath". No ethanol whatsoever. Quite nice and memorable. On the palate it is again relatively clean. Gives the impression of a gentle Agricole Vieux. Initial sweetness transitions quickly to pineapple-laced vanilla and cavendish tobacco. Cooked carrots. A tingle of spice and aspartame dashes across the mouth before returning to sweet cane. Probably too sweet but not offensive. The closest comparable that comes immediately to mind is Denizen Merchant's Reserve. This might be its little brother - clearly the same structure and maybe 75-80% in most categories - quality, depth, assertiveness, and character. For the asking price, I think that's a very reasonable accomplishment. Ultimately, the dosage seems to limit its potential, but may also hide the warts. Regardless, it is quite tasty, if a touch too sweet. I'd have preferred somewhere around 6-9 g/L, if any at all, but can't really complain. I will enjoy the bottle, and the price was more than fair.

Nose: Diesel fuel, a touch of hogo, mango, pineapple, apricot, orange. There is a solvent-like aroma but it is neither prominent nor objectionable. Palate: Estery arrival, dunder molasses, a mélange of over-ripe tropical fruit, grassy herbs, dried dates and figs, brown sugar. Slightly metallic and a little tart towards the later palate. The texture is mouth-coating and satisfying, partly due to the dosage it has been given, but it’s by no means cloying or over-sweetened. In fact as the palate develops it veers towards a dry profile and there is a mild white pepper spice note lurking in the undergrowth. Finish: Medium. Well balanced but just a bit muddled in the aftertaste - sweet and metallic/dry notes fight for supremacy, but neither side wins. A good rum that is acceptable as a sipper, but preferably with lots of ice as metallic and tart notes stand out a little too much otherwise. It shines most brightly as a mixer and pairs excellently with fruit juices, falernum, ginger syrup, bitters and so on. So yes, primarily a cocktail rum but I’d happily drink this neat if it was offered. It has a side to it that is vaguely agricole-like, but it’s subtle. It's like a mixture of Jamaican and Haitian rum. A lot of reviewers mention banana but I did not really notice that strongly as either an aroma or flavor. For the money it is good value and maybe it’s the power of suggestion from its Pacific origin but I think this would be excellent as a base for tiki drinks. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)

The Bottle: A much more colorful and vibrant take on the familiar Plantation style. I'm not sure why Fiji should be more colorful than Barbados, but I'll take it. It's a bit heavier on the marketing fluff than their more bespoke offerings, but that's what happens when there are fewer interesting things to say about the actual spirit. In the Glass: Light gold. On the Nose: Soft, sweet and fruity. There's nothing stand-out about it, but by that same token, there is nothing off-putting either. It's a simple, approachable rum. Taste: In many ways, this reminds me of the 5 year old offering from Plantation. There's no real "identity" to it where I can hone in on the fact that the spirit is from Fiji (the same as with the 5 year and it's Caribbean pedigree). It's smooth, sweet and finishes nicely with a touch of banana. This would be a good one for two different purposes. First, as an introduction to aged rum for someone without much experience. Second, as a mixer for any cocktail that calls for a light or aged rum. It's certainly serviceable as a sipper for those with a more experienced palate, but honestly...there are better single pour experiences out there to be had (especially from Plantation). They also do a more expensive, higher quality expression from Fiji; which I am totally interested in trying after giving this one a go.

COLOUR: Copper still. LEGS: Thin, watery, messy clothesline; no real legs developed, but there was a loose and general moistening of the glass. NOSE: Delicate (2/5); sugary sweet tropical fruit; coconut; juicy over-ripe mangoes, etc.; sunblock lotion; Sharpie marker; mangrove swamp; floral perfume; slight citrus; herbal; wet leaves. WITH WATER (5 drops into 15mL): more Sharpie and tropical fruit; lots of sweetness. Score 8/10 TASTE: Powerful; thick and mouth-coating; rich; very sweet; ripe tropical fruits; vanilla; very sharp and tart; delicious, satisfying, and morish. WITH WATER: smoother and gentler; the flavours are subdued. Score 9.5/10 FINISH: Very long; mouth-coating; sweet; a little tannic burn; stays around for a long time with happy memories; I'll take this taste to bed with me. WITH WATER: sweeter and gentler; thinner; the burn disappears. Score 9/10 OVERALL: A very delicious and sweet sipping rum; excellent value for the money; best without water; put this one on auto-reload. Weighted Score 9.0/10 IMAGERY: Relaxing on a Fijian beach, with the local dance show going on, crashing waves, tropical breeze, rich aromas from the local fauna.

So I have had this bottle for a little while but I have not tried to do a review until now. Plantation Isle of Fiji is a very good and flavorful rum and I enjoy it. The nose is light but sweet with fruity notes like hints of apple or pear. The body is smooth and full of flavor I get hints of vanilla and coconut and the body lasts a long time. The finish is long and smooth with the vanilla lingering the longest. I have only made a few drinks with this like the rum and coke. One drink I do try with rum is a Brunswick Sour which has 3 oz of rum, 1 oz of lime juice, and 1 oz of simple syurp then drizzle sweet red wine over the top. It is an excellent drink. This is a very nice easy drinking rum that has more flavor than I was expecting. Enjoy.