Papa’s Pilar Marquesas Blended Rum Review

BOTTLE DETAILS

• DISTILLER: Papa’s Pilar Distillery Hemingway Rum Company, Key West, Florida
• MASH BILL: Not Available. A blend of seven hand-selected rums sourced from countries spanning the Caribbean, U.S. and Central America, then finished in #4 Char Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrels
• AGE:No age statement. Blend of rums up to 24 years in age
• YEAR: 2019
• PROOF: 88 Proof (44% ABV)
• MSRP: $46.99
• BUY ONLINE: Wine-searcher.com

LEE'S NOTES

NOSE: Brown Sugar |  Orange Zest  |  Pepper  | Dark Fruit

TASTE:Pepper |  Brown Sugar  |  Orange Zest

FINISH: Pepper right off the bat, followed by vanilla. The mixture sits on the tongue with pepper spice on the back of the tongue after a few sips. A nice chest warming that I always enjoy.

SHARE WITH: I would share this with anyone interested in trying a good sipping rum.

WORTH THE PRICE: Yes. It is a very good sipping rum.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: If you are into sipping rums go with a bottle.

OVERALL: I don’t drink a huge amount of rum but have on occasion had the opportunity to try a number of high-end pours. I would put this rum in that category as well. The Papa’s Pilar Marquesas Blend Rum is “inspired by Ernest “Papa” Hemingway and his adventures on his boat, Pilar. The limited-edition blend pays homage to Hemingway’s experience with rum and whiskey in the Marquesas Keys, a wild group of uninhabited islands near Key West.”

This blend of seven rums, with ages up to 24 years old, is aged using the solera method (learn more here) and is then finished in #4 char bourbon barrels from the O.Z. Tyler distillery.  I found a lot of pepper on the nose and palate when tasting this rum. Something I wasn’t expecting. I wonder if that could be from the bourbon barrel finish. The brown sugar mixed with the pepper and orange zest provides a unique and deliciously satisfying experience.

This rum would go great with a slice of pumpkin pie or pumpkin cheesecake.

BRAND NOTES

Papa’s Pilar Marquesas Special Blend, Rum Finished in Whiskey Barrels, named “Best in Class” by the 2019 New York World Wine & Spirits Competition. The limited-edition release is born of a blend of seven hand-selected rums that are aged up to 24 years and sourced from countries spanning the Caribbean, U.S. and Central America, then finished in #4 Char Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrels.

Nose: Vanilla, coffee beans and honey, as well as hints of toasted almonds

Palate: Rich cocoa notes with slight hints of oak and vanilla

Finish: Growing spice and a long, smooth sweetness

PAPA’S PILAR RUM RELEASES AWARD-WINNING, LIMITED-EDITION PAPA’S PILAR MARQUESAS BLEND RUM FINISHED IN WHISKEY BARRELS

Finished in specifically-selected #4 Char Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrels, this limited-edition rum offers rich cocoa notes with hints of vanilla and oak, finishing with a growing spice and a smooth sweetness

The blend was inspired by Ernest “Papa” Hemingway’s adventures with rum and whiskey in the Marquesas Keys

KEY WEST, FLORIDA (September 16, 2019) – Papa's Pilar Rum®, the maker of award-winning Papa’s Pilar Dark and Blonde Rums, today announced the special release of Papa’s Pilar Marquesas Blend Rum Finished in Whiskey Barrels. The limited-edition release is born of a blend of seven hand-selected rums that are aged up to 24 years and sourced from countries spanning the Caribbean, U.S. and Central America, then finished in #4 Char Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrels. Papa’s Pilar Marquesas Blend Rum was awarded a Double Gold medal and named “Best in Class” Dark/Gold Rum by the 2019 New York World Wine & Spirits Competition.

As a second-generation distiller, Papa’s Pilar Master Blender Ron Call drew upon his 45 years of experience in both blending and distilling to create Papa’s Pilar Marquesas Blend Rum. “For this special blend, I wanted to create a more whiskey-forward experience with a smooth finish,” said Call. “I selected once-used #4 Char Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrels to get the profile I was looking for, then extended the finishing time to draw out more of the characteristic whiskey notes and that bolder flavor.”

Like all Papa’s Pilar expressions, Papa’s Pilar Marquesas Blend Rum was inspired by Ernest “Papa” Hemingway and his adventures on his boat, Pilar. The limited-edition blend pays homage to Hemingway’s experience with rum and whiskey in the Marquesas Keys, a wild group of uninhabited islands near Key West.

“One of the most iconic stories of Ernest Hemingway in the Marquesas involves a brutal storm that hit during a fishing expedition, stranding him and his group for two weeks. During that time, the group spent their days fishing, sharing stories and enjoying plenty of rum and whiskey long into the night,” said Mike Myatt, Papa’s Pilar Chief Communities & Conservation Officer. “Inspired by this story, The Marquesas Blend is a beautiful marriage of rum and whiskey that I think Hemingway would have really enjoyed during those nights in the Marquesas.”

At 88-proof, Papa’s Pilar Marquesas Blend Rum has a sweet nose with notes of vanilla, coffee beans and honey, as well as hints of toasted almonds. On the palate, it offers rich cocoa notes with slight hints of oak and vanilla, finishing with a growing spice and a long, smooth sweetness. Papa’s Pilar recommends savoring Papa’s Pilar Marquesas Blend Rum on the rocks, neat or in a Marquesas Manhattan.

Papa’s Pilar Marquesas Blend Rum Finished in Whiskey Barrels will be available beginning in October. SRP for a 750mL bottle is $46.99 and may vary by market.

Disclaimer: Papa's Pillar Distillery provided Bourbon & Banter with a sample of their product for this review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.