Rating:

Made from four year aged rum, steeped with genuine spices, and named for the famous quote regarding “Rum, sodomy, and The Lash.” If you’re a typical Bilgemunky.com reader, then you’re already intrigued. Now how about I tell you that The Lash literally discourages mixing their spiced rum with anything save ice or nada – got your attention yet?

The Lash is a class act from the bottle onward. Short and squat with a synthec cork, this rum takes a far more old-world asthetic to its packaging. The cat-o-nine tails logo is present enough to lend the sense of high seas drama, but not so blatant as to make you feel like you should be wearing bondage gear to purchase the stuff. And the rich, deep amber color of the rum inside is not only warmly inviting, but gently swirls with a small amount of sediment left over from the spices.

To the nose, The Lash is spicy indeed. Nutmeg quickly rises to the top, followed shortly by allspice and cinnamon. As the rum sits in the glass and plays with the air, this initial spicy barrage is subdued a bit, and largely replaced with oranges and old pipe tobacco (the warm, friendly sensation walking into an old sea-captain’s study, not the less pleasant sensation of licking an ashtray.)

On tasting, the aforementioned spices quickly regroup, and they’re not exactly gentle. Much akin to drinking mulling spices, they definitely wake up your mouth before leaving a warm, spicy, slightly dry finish. I found that adding a splash of water nicely softened the blow on future sips, and resulted in a much more enjoyable experience.

In all this review, you might note that I’ve yet to mention much about the inherit flavors and smells of the rum itself, and this is no accident. Apart from the spices added, I really couldn’t get a fix on it. It’s clearly present, but in the case of The Lash, the rum is almost more of a spice delivery system than a flavor factor in its own right. This makes for a very unique drinking experience, and not one I’ve previously encountered. When splashed with water, it can be a very enjoyable beverage – especially for those who’ve yet to develop a full appreciation for aged sipping rum. However, I would disagree with The Lash’s creators on one point – this rum absolutely should be mixed. Not with coke, and not as a way of making the rum more palatable, as is the usual for “mixer” rums. But rather, The Lash carries so much flavor in its own right that it would make an incredible ingredient in an artfully crafted cocktail (one local mixologist suggested shaking it up with an egg to create a first rate “Flip”.) In the hands of a truly heroic bartender, The Lash could surely be the key to some legendary concoctions.

But meantime, a splash of water and you’ll do just fine 🙂