Brinley Gold Shipwreck Rum

The Brinley Gold Shipwreck Rum distillery was founded in 1986 on the island of St. Kitts in the Caribbean just south of Anguilla, and got a distribution deal from Opici in 2005. While I haven't written about rum in a long time, I am still a fan of the spirit when made in the proper fashion. And over the years, I have tended to stay away from the flavored versions. However, the Brinley family has a commitment to all-natural ingredients and a focus on producing a smooth product, so I was eager to try these two bottles.

Brinley Gold Shipwreck Spiced Rum
$26/750mL bottle, 36% abv.

Blended with vanilla, cloves, orange, nutmeg, and other spices. I get a little pepper and allspice on the finish, and there's just a touch of sweetness. Far more reserved than most spiced rums on the market, and one that will work out well on the rocks. You can certainly mix it with Coke, but that has so many other spices involved that you're basically combining a string quartet with an orchestra and hoping that the end result sounds good.

Brinley Gold Shipwreck Vanilla Rum
$26/750mL bottle, 36% abv.

This is an interesting product. Most vanilla rums are very sweet and also as clear as water. This one, on the other hand is black as night. It has a dominant profile of blackstrap molasses (which I love), and in the glass it is thick, creamy, and hangs for a bit. It's really not until you let it breathe for a while that the molasses aroma fades back to reveal the Madagascar vanilla scent and flavor. The sweetness means that you'll definitely want to enjoy this as an after dinner dessert liqueur, though I can definitely see incorporating it into various recipes like pecan pie, cheesecake, or even chocolate chip cookies.

Note: These rums were provided as samples for review.