Review: Killowen Bonded Experimental Series: Jamaican Dark Rum

Key Details

• Whiskey Name: Killowen Bonded Experimental Series: Jamaican Dark Rum
• Distillery: Killowen
• ABV: 54.9%
• Age: 10yr
• Type: Blended Irish Whiskey
• Website: https://killowendistillery.com
• Price: €90

This is the first release in Killowen’s ‘Bonded Experimental Series’. There are two releases so far, so this is part 1 of 2, but there has been talk of 6 releases in total.
This one is the Jamaican Dark Rum of which there were only 348 bottles sold. It’s non chill filtered and natural colour, so no E150 caramel added to the honey coloured whiskey. It packs a punch at 54.9% but you wouldn’t think that picking up a glass and taking a nose.

I really love the transparency from Killowen, who tell us this blend is distilled in Ireland and made up of 75% Grain Irish Whiskey distilled in 2009, 5% Malt Irish whiskey distilled in 2008 and 20% Malt Irish Whiskey distilled in Northern Ireland in 2008.
The combination of single grain and single malt whiskey started out in ex-bourbon barrels, blended and aged further in Sherry butts. Killowen then married that with another ex-bourbon aged single malt and finished the whole lot in a Dark Rum barrel.

Nose

Vanilla, citricy nose with dried fruits coming through from the Sherry aged whiskey. The dark rum barrel seems to leave a hint of coconut and bananas with a hint of honey like sweetness.

Taste

This hits you immediately when you drink it. If you don’t generally find flavour in a whiskey you should try this. There’s an overpowering vanilla taste in this with some stewed apples and apricots hiding behind it.

Finish

Short and sweet with a lot of brown sugar, fudge and spent coffee grounds.

Score

8/10

Overall a great and exciting whiskey. Can’t wait to see the next in the series. Next up I’ll be reviewing the second release: Txakolina Acacia.

Please let me know on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter if you’ve tried it and agree or disagree and share your notes.