The Big Daiquiri Challenge - Chapter 5
Last daiquiri challenge was a year and half ago. Time for another fun chapter!
If you've never read any of the big daiquiri challenge articles, I'll paint a picture of what it's like. I gather 6 pairs of rums and a crew of four to five friends to have a tasting. In this case Bev Wooding, Hamish Grant, Matthew Wise (and his partner Vicki), Andrew Toplack, Mariangela and myself. All are experienced rum and cocktail drinkers. Dr Andrew always makes the cocktails following the same recipe: two rum, one lime, half sweet. We then taste them, Rum A vs Rum B, single knockout. Apart from tasting the daiquiris, I also have a notepad on my lap where I'm frantically writing down as many of everyone's comments as I can. I miss out on some of them or course, as I can't always keep up. I publish all the comments as is. Don't expect much from a scientific perspective, but they are usually rather fun to read through.
If you want to check out the previous chapters, here are chapter one, chapter two, chapter three and chapter four.
As a reminder, the winners from chapter 4 were: Appleton 8, Doorly's 12, Clairin Sajous, Longueteau Le 50, Mhoba Strand 101 and Rum Nation Jamaica Pot Still 2015.
The Cast
Rum Fire, Hampden, Jamaica, 63%
Sample Seventeen Pot Still Jamaica, Hampden, Jamaica, 60.5%
Bacardi Superior, Bacardi, Puerto Rico, 40%
Rum Bar Overproof, Worthy Park, Jamaica, 63%
Rum Bar Silver, Worthy Park, Jamaica, 40%
Sugar House White Rum, Sugar House, Scotland, 43%
Savanna HERR, Savanna, Reunion, 57%
Carroll's RHE, Carroll's Distillery, Canada, 65.1%
Clairin Sonson, Distillerie Sonson Pierre Gilles, Haiti, 53.2%
Holmes Cay Jamaica C<>H 2007, Hampden, Jamaica, 65.9%
Compagnie Des Indes Jamaica 2009, Hampden, Jamaica, 55%
Savanna Creol 52, Savanna, Reunion, 52%
The Tasting
Sugar House White Rum vs Bacardi Superior
Sugar House
Hamish: Love the nose
Beverly: Funky rum
Hamish: Tastes like the rum is beating down the lime
Matt: Some unfortunate notes of bleach
Ivar: Has a little Jamaica on the nose
Hamish: Beach time daiquiri -> sun tan lotion
Ivar: Sweet, red berries
Mariangela: Floral and refreshing
Bacardi
Bev: Smells like lime only
Ma: Like hard lemonade
Matt: If Smirnoff Ice was a rum
Iv: I don’t smell rum
Ha: Balanced, it’s fine
Ma: If I go into a bowling alley and ask for a daiquiri, I’d expect this
Iv: I don’t taste rum
Top: It’s very pleasant
Matt: It’s fine. Mass market
Vote
Bev: Sugar House
Ma: Sugar House
Iv: Sugar House
Ha: Sugar House
Matt: Sugar House
Top: Sugar House
Conclusion
This was an easy one. Sugar house white is very flavourful compared to Bacardi white. It provides much more of an experience without being overpowering in a daiquiri. The Bacardi daiq, which some call a “real” daiquiri, is a refreshing limey alcoholic beverage that doesn’t offer much to explore.
Winner: Sugar House White Rum
Rum Bar Overproof vs Rum Bar Silver
Rum Bar Overproof
Ma: Band aid flavour. I like this
Bev: That’s got to be Jamaican
Top: Lovely but short
Iv: Bit metallic to me
Top: This has such a punch, you need a band aid after
Bev: Keeps going in my throat
Top: It’s not a slap in the face though. It’s a half slap
Rum Bar Silver
Bev: Chocolate raisins
Ma: White chocolate. I like it
Iv: More flavour, less punch. These two need to be blended
Bev: If beets were rum. It has a dirt taste
Ha: If sporty spice was a rum
Iv: Easier to drink than Overproof
Bev: This one is short. The Overproof moved in as my domestic partner
Vote
Bev: Rum Bar Overproof
Ma: Rum Bar Overproof
Iv: Rum Bar Overproof
Ha: Rum Bar Overproof
Matt: Rum Bar Overproof
Top: Rum Bar Silver
Conclusion
I was personally quite surprised by the outcome of this one. I feel Rum Bar Silver is underrated. I’ve been using it a lot for mixing and blending. Much more than Rum Bar Overproof. I was expecting it to win. This is the first time using it as the sole rum in a daiquiri though and it disappointed a little. It shows the power of alcohol. The lower abv makes it disappear somewhat in the daiquiri, while the Overproof is standing firm. I personally feel a blend of the two is the best option.
Winner: Rum Bar Overproof
Savanna Creol 52 vs Clairin Sonson
Savanna Creol 52
Ma: Tastes like honey. Nice, but not what I’d want for a daiquiri
Bev: Yeah, very much. A raw honey
Iv: Smells like honey indeed. Tastes like it too
Ha: Grapey. I appreciate it, but not as a daiquiri
Iv: Slightly medicinal. Honey and pine
Bev: It’s green tasting with some herbal flavours
Matt: Welch’s grape juice. I wouldn’t even sip this neat
Clairin SonSon
Bev: Could smell it before lifting the glass
Iv: Ham sandwich with a medicinal twist
Vicki: This one stays with you
Ha: Produces a nice balance between all parts
Bev: I don’t like high ester, but it works in a daiquiri
Iv: I’m finishing this one
Bev: It’s scratching my throat a little
Matt: That’s Covid
Vote
Bev: Clairin SonSon
Ma: Clairin SonSon
Iv: Clairin SonSon
Ha: Clairin SonSon
Matt: Clairin SonSon
Top: Clairin SonSon
Conclusion
I had high hopes for Savanna Creol 52, which I like as a sipper. However, it wasn’t that great as a daiquiri. So much honey! Clairin Sonson on the other hand……it was delicious. So flavourful and refreshing at the same time. Clairin in general remains an all time daiquiri favourite for this group.
Winner: Clairin Sonson
Savanna HERR vs Carroll's RHE High Ester
Savanna HERR
Ma: Pineapple soda
Bev: Exactly
Ha: Just before the dentist puts me under
Top: Has a rancidy kind of flavour somewhere. It’s rather unpleasant
Bev: It’s weird as a daiquiri, but I might like this rum
Matt: Lots of pineapple. Different from previous HERR
Iv: Medicinal pineapple and strawberry combo
Ha: Give me a shot of the rum instead
Matt: And some penicillin, as it might kill you
Ma: I wouldn’t call this a daiquiri
Iv: It’s so red candy like
Carrol's RHE High Ester
Iv: Has a sick smell to it. Baby vomit
Matt: Unpleasant cheese
Matt: There was a hipster company that blended mint and cheese -> they are out of business
Ha: The crime scene cleaning of cocktails
Matt: It’s like being at a nice tasting but you just brushed your teeth
Iv: Horrible. I’m pulling faces
Iv: Bitter peppery after taste
Ma: Smells like road kill
Bev: No, it smells like farts
Ha: Horrible nose, not so bad on the palate
Iv: Agreed, nose is worse than the palate
Bev: I don’t hate it
Matt: What’s the story?! I paid good money to be here
Top: It smells like something died nearby
Vote
Bev: Savanna Herr
Ma: Savanna Herr
Iv: Savanna Herr
Ha: Savanna Herr
Matt: Savanna Herr
Top: Savanna Herr
Conclusion
Easy win for Savanna, even though neither were favourites on the night. The reason why it won are the sour off notes in Carroll’s RHE. It was hard to get through, especially on the nose. Which is unfortunate, as this is a Canadian product we really wanted to like. Carroll’s has gone the extra mile, took some risk and created the first Canadian high ester rum (567 g/hlaa). Amazing and courageous idea. The flavour profile is clearly in the direction of Savanna Herr, which is why I put the two together. Can’t really compare it to high ester Jamaican. We are all fairly used to the massive variety of rum flavours and smells, we embrace its diversity wholeheartedly and tend to lean towards higher ester expressions when it comes to enjoying daiquiris. But this rum’s off notes were very obvious in this cocktail.
However, let’s see what happens when having it neat. The nose is a lot more pleasant this way. It’s strong in bubble gum and red fruits, with a lot less of the unappealing notes we found in the daiquiri, of sour milk and cheese that’s three years past its date. Sour apples come up strongly. Bird food and some hay. It’s quite metallic. Sipping it is a very peppery and metallic endeavour. Bubble gum and red fruits carry through from the nose, some mint and licorice. It’s interesting. It didn’t work in a daquiri at all. However, it might work in a blended cocktail with multiple rums. Would I grab this instead of Savanna HERR? No, but….Savanna can’t be bought in Canada. So for Canadians who love their HERR, this is a decent alternative.
Winner: Savanna HERR
Sample Seventeen Pot Still Jamaica vs Rum Fire
Sample Seventeen Pot Still Jamaica
Top: This is proof there might be a god
Ma: Nice band aid flavour
Bev: On the nose too
Ha: Yeah it’s clinical
Bev: Jamaican? And I like it???!!!
Iv: So good. Keeps going and going
Ha: Finished it in 3 seconds. It’s pleasant and balanced
Top: A little short in flavour, but it’s pleasant. I’d order another
Ma: It lingers a lot
Bev: Present and balanced. Some pineapple. I like it
Matt: Top 3 for tonight so far
Rum Fire
Top: Coconut on the nose, gorgeous
Iv: God like. Super fruity
Ham: This seems specifically designed for a daiquiri, you can taste the rum while it’s balanced
Bev: Too funky for me. (Hands it to Toplack)
Matt: I’d only have one
Vote
Bev: Sample Seventeen
Ma: Sample Seventeen
Iv: Sample Seventeen
Ha: Rum Fire
Matt: Rum Fire
Top: Rum Fire
Conclusion
Our first and only stalemate of the night. This was a tough one, in a good way. Rum Fire has been a favourite of us for a long time. I LOVE Rum Fire. It’s featured in Daiquiri Challenge 2. I’ve also reviewed it here. These are both higher ester rums, however not stratosphere ester levels. They create a very fruity, flavourful daiquiri, while keeping some sort of balance. It’s very hard to choose between the two. They are both awesome. Sample Seventeen is slightly ahead for me as a cocktail ingredient and as a sipper.
Winner: Both
Compagnie Des Indes Jamaica 2009 vs Holmes Cay Jamaica C<>H 2007
Compagnie Des Indes Jamaica 2009
Ha: Sort of a tobacco thing, smokey
Ma: Dusty finish
Top: Tiny little unpleasant thing in the middle
Matt: Better sipper than daiquiri
Bev: Chewing on a hyacinth
Iv: Steak and mushrooms
Bev: Real bitter in the back of my throat
Matt: There’s a whole eco system in the back of your throat
Iv: Agreed, bitter finish. Meh. Good sipper though
Holmes Cay Jamaica C<>H 2007
Iv: Smells good
Ma: Pineapple smell. Too rich for me
Ha: Very sweet forward
Top: It’s not showcasing the rum well
Iv: Perhaps it’s too woody for that
Matt: Most interesting daiquiri, not the best. It’s multi genre, like a blend
Ma: Too sweet. Crystalized fruit
Ha: Maybe doesn’t need as much simple syrup
Iv: Better neat
Bev: It’s fine, nothing particularly special
Vote
Bev: Holmes Cay
Ma: Compagnie Des Indes
Iv: Holmes Cay
Ha: Holmes Cay
Matt: Holmes Cay
Top: Holmes Cay
Conclusion
Easy win for Holmes Cay, it simply worked better as a daiquiri than the CDI. Perhaps too many esters in the CDI, since it's the highest ester mark from Hampden (DOK). It's clear again though that our general preference for daiquiris leans towards unaged rums, as nobody was overly enthusiastic with these two.
Winner: Holmes Cay
Final notes
As usual, I asked people for their top 3 of the night. Well, actually, I used to ask for a top 2…..since three seems a bit much to ask for after consuming this much alcohol. However, everyone managed a top three this time.
Bev: Clairin Sonson, Sample Seventeen, Sugar House
Ma: Clairin Sonson, Sample Seventeen, Sugar House
Iv: Sample Seventeen, Clairin Sonson, Rum Fire
Ha: Clairin Sonson, Rum Fire, Sample Seventeen
Matt: Clairin Sonson, Rum Fire, Holmes Cay
Top: Clairin Sonson, Rum Fire, Sample Seventeen
Overall winner is Clairin Sonson with 6 votes, closely followed by Sample Seventeen with 5. Third place is Rum Fire with four votes. Sugar House received a couple of votes and Holmes Cay got one.
When looking into the history of these daiquiri sessions, it becomes clear that Clairin is always a massive favourite. It might be a good idea to do one with just Clairins battling it out for the win. Should we?