The 50 Best Spirits of 2021

The publication of VinePair’s annual 50 Best Spirits list marks a special moment on our calendar. The collection represents the culmination of hundreds of bottles, tasted across dozens of categories. Not just an annual release, it stands as a whole year’s work in the making.

Worthy Park 2012 Special Cask Double Matured “Oloroso” Jamaican Rum – Review

Depending on who you talk to, it’s a toss up whether Hampden or Worthy Park is the best of the New Jamaican distilleries. Appleton / J. Wray is the market leader (in both sales and recognition); Longpond, Monymusk, New Yarmouth and Clarendon have some brand awareness from Jamaican rum cultists and indie bottlers – though of course your average Joe could care less, let alone distinguish among them – but when it comes to artisanal pot still rums, it’s all down to those two.

RUM-BAR RUM CREAM

Rum-Bar Rum Cream from Worthy Park Estate, Jamaica. Until recently only rums and spiced rums have featured for review on the site. With Christmas upon us I figured, we may as well continue the festive theme of the Rumvent Calendar with a liqueur!
Whisky based liqueurs such as Baileys are very popular in the UK, especially in the run up to Christmas. Most Supermarkets discount them and price-wars frequently break out.

WORTHY PARK SINGLE ESTATE RESERVE

Worthy Park Single Estate Reserve. I’ve been waiting quite a while for this one. I’m a big fan of Worthy Park’s Rum-Bar range. Which include a White Overproof, a Gold rum and a very tasty Rum Cream.

Over the past couple of years Independent bottlers have been releasing quite a lot of rums from Worthy Park.

RUM-BAR GOLD PREMIUM JAMAICA RUM

Rum-Bar Gold is a barrel aged Jamaican Rum from the Worthy Park Estate. The Estate has been involved in Sugar Production since 1720.
However, due to events described in this interview, I conducted with Alexander Kong they have been absent from the Rum Market until fairly recently.
Back in 2004/5 they set about building a new state of the art distillery in order to begin producing rum again.

TASTING NOTES

Very Smooth. Worthy Park’s Rum-Bar is immaculately, transparently clear. Sniffing reveals a pleasing, if not-quite delicate rum, with an initial bouquet.

RUM-BAR RUM CREAM

For whatever reason Rum Creams, so popular in Jamaica for example have failed to penetrate the UK market. I can’t think of single Rum Cream which is readily available in the UK – Rum Chata perhaps.

RUM-BAR WHITE OVERPROOF

Rum-Bar Rum is a brand which is part of the Rum-Bar Brand family.

They have two types of rum; Overproof and Gold, plus a Rum Cream Liqueur and even a Vodka all from the Worthy Park Estate in Jamaica.