Description

Plantation Pineapple

 

Plantation Pineapple Rum was quite a popular delicacy in the 19th century. In fact, in Charles Dickens first serial novel The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club (published in 19 monthly magazine installments, from March 1836 to October 1837), Pineapple Rum is the preferred tipple of the fictitious Reverend Stiggins, who while publicly preaching temperance, secretly enjoys his pineapple rum, usually mixed with hot tea.

 

Alexander Gabriel (President and Owner, of Cognac Ferrand) in collaboration with Dave Wondrich (cocktail guru and author of Imbibe) researched the original recipes of Pineapple Rum and then set about to re-create this lost libation.

 

For those who do not know, Cognac Ferrand is the cognac house that produces Plantation Rum which is a brand composed of unique styles of rum produced and aged in various parts of the Caribbean. These rums are purchased in the Caribbean and then sent to France to be aged for a further length of time in the cellars at Cognac Ferrand in used cognac barrels.

 

Plantation Pineapple In the Bottle

As you can see the presentation attempts to invoke a mid-nineteenth-century theme suitable for a spirit inspired by a character from a Dickens-era novel.

 

An illustration upon the label (in the 19th-century style) shows Reverend Stiggins sipping his tea (obviously infused with his treasured pineapple rum). In fact, the entire label looks like something we would encounter if we visited a rum museum and encountered a bottle of pineapple rum from that Dickens era.

 

Plantation Pineapple In the Glass

 

When poured into Glencairn glass, the pineapple rum displays itself as a nice vibrant copper liquid similar in hue to a brand new penny. When tilting the glass and giving it a twirl, thick droplets quickly form into medium-sized legs which run down the inside of the glass. The speed with which the legs form is an indication of the relative youth of the rum, and their ‘thickish’ nature indicates to me that some sweetness is present.

 

The aroma from the glass is very inviting. Rum-like scents of butterscotch toffee, vanilla, and baking spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves) lead out with both orange peel and yummy citrus pineapple scents riding along. There are light accents of almond and a mild sweep of tobacco that complete the nose.

 

the dark pungent scents of the Plantation Dark Rum have been tempered, by the addition of the Plantation 3 Star Silver Rum which allows the pineapple scent within to act more clearly as an accent upon the overall aroma of rum. The only distraction at this point is a light, but firm astringency rising from the glass warning us that the rum is youthful and may have a bit of bite when we sip.

 

Plantation Pineapple Flavour

 

The youthful astringency is quite obvious when sipping upon the rum as indeed the spirit bites a little at the palate and throat as we sip. The flavors across the palate match up well with the nose as the sweetness of butterscotch toffee leads out and the pineapple accent remains clearly in view. the glass alleviated the mild astringency and brought the sweetness into check. The pineapple rum is now very sippable.

 

Alexandre Gabriel and Dave Wondrich created this spirit with an eye towards cocktails, With the pineapple accent so obvious within the rum, flavor with lime makes the most sense. a bit of Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao, a dash of bitters, and a touch of sugar syrup and shook it over ice. The result is wonderful, and vouch for the appeal of the Stiggins’ Plantation Pineapple is a great starting point for mixologists.

 

The rum has a short exit with sweet butterscotch and citrus pineapple flavors dominating the exit. The pineapple rum does have a bit of bite that heats both the palate and the throat after each swallow. Ice alleviates this light burn, and in a cocktail, the burn disappears altogether.

 

Last Thought about Plantation Pineapple

 

Stiggins’ Plantation Pineapple Rum is a wonderful new addition to the Plantation family of rums. It is a spirit that maintains at its heart a lovely yummy rum flavor, but it is also a spirit that highlights the flavor of the Victorian Pineapple. Alexandre Gabriel has done it again,

 

It was an excellent day for cocktail nerds when Plantation Pineapple first saw the light of day. What distinguishes this “spiced” rum from others in the genre is the way it is made. No artificial aromas have been added here – instead, it is carefully produced according to an old recipe for pineapple rum from the 19th century.

 

The white rum, Plantation 3 Stars, is infused with the “bark” of the small, sweet Victoria pineapples, and the infusion is subsequently distilled. Meanwhile, place the pineapple meat in Plantation Original Dark and mix with the distilled infusion. This gives you both an incredible (and above all-natural) pineapple aroma and an extraordinary but attuned sweetness. Your daiquiris will never be the same!

 

Enjoy it with a great Cuban or New World Cigar!