Saint James 2008 VSGB 13yo 47%

Colour: Dark amber, orange lights. Heavy irregular tears.

Nose: Full of gentian and anise. Rosemary/apricot jam (if you haven’t tried this combination yet, well…), a surprising but delicious mix. Black olive tapenade, roasted thyme, candied carrot, quince liqueur.

Palate: Stunning entrance on vivid tangerine juice. Baked apple with Christmas spices. Borderies-like brightness with floral aromas (jasmine, rosewater, violet syrup) and heathery shades. I really like the balance between earthiness, fruitiness, and oak structure here.

Last Notes: With air, the nose turns rich and woody, with tea-ish tones and a bright tropical fruitiness (mango, banana, tinned peach). And still this floating young (10/12yo) Borderies impression.

Very precise and elegant. My favorite among the first six rums.