Beenleigh Artisan Distillery 2007 Rum, The Duchess

There's a lovely platypus on the label, but I believe the old Beenleigh distillery is not located in Tasmania, rather in Queensland. It really is an old rum distillery as it started fuming in the late 19th century. See the old advert above, it's from 1921 (Wikipedia). Colour: gold. Nose: sure it is a little hot and burning, with rather excessive varnishes and other rougher elements, but I have a good feeling… With water:  asparagus and fruit peelings, fresh bark, surely sugarcane dregs, Wulong tea, menthol, camphor, then bananas and diesel oil. Mouth (neat): a little rich and hot but there's something Guyanian to this one, seemingly. Varnish, petrol, green grapefruits, cane juice … With water: indeed, one of the softer Guyanians, but with more tropical fruits, pink bananas, papayas for sure, peaches, pomegranates… Finish: rather long, relatively softer than expected, but perfectly balanced. Awesome notes of fermenting sugarcane juice (vesou). Comments: not quite a surprise as I had already tried one or two very good indie Beenleighs. The OB I could try had been rather less convincing.

SGP:562 - 85 points.