Nose: Molasses, almonds, crème brûlée, orange concentrate, caramel, vanilla, tropical fruit and some prominent oak. It’s a sweetly fragrant nose, but also dry with leather, tobacco and spice (clove, allspice, nutmeg) notes. Very balanced, pleasant and remarkably mature for its age. Palate: The arrival is soft and fruity, but not overly sweet. Banana, citrus peel and vanilla in the development with notes of tobacco and spice. The palate has the same fragrant dryness as the nose and there is a faint funky dunder presence. The texture is light and delicate with just a hint of astringency. As with the nose, the palate suggests more maturity than you might expect. Finish: Medium/Short. The finish is OK, not remarkable but good for a rum at this price point. The palate flavours linger but it finishes on a spiky spice note with some hard tannins. Penny Blue VSOP is made in collaboration by the Medine distillery on Mauritius and spirits merchants Berry Bros. & Rudd. It contains rums that are at least 4 years old and matured in a combination of ex cognac, bourbon and whisky barrels, with the cognac barrels being the main proportion. It has no additives of any kind and is not chill-filtered. It has a demi-sec presentation that is reminiscent of young and sprightly Jamaican rum and also of some young Bajan rums. With time to rest it becomes sweeter and the vanilla and sweet nut aromas and flavours become more prominent. It would not be unreasonable to describe this as "Doorly's 12 Lite". An enjoyable sipping rum, and excellent stuff for mixing (it makes a very presentable Dark 'n Stormy). I purchased my bottle a few years ago when it first appeared but I've only just recently opened it. It seems to have disappeared from our shelves now which is a pity. Highly recommended, especially considering the reasonable price. I don't know how available this is now but if you see a bottle, grab it without hesitation. I certainly will. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)