This has been in the pipeline for a bit of time. We long-realised we’ve got capacity constraints on the whisky and rum side,” Kersley said. “We’re a whisky distillery that’s got a serious gin problem, as we like to describe it. With the Raspberry and Lime, Kersley and his team found “raspberry distils really well into vodka” and took inspiration from a traditional raspberry-flavoured Scottish dessert, cranachan. Some people think it might go to whisky and there are some that think it might go to rum, so strategically creating a bridge between people that understand the language of gin and transferring that to rum could be helpful.”

Some of the other spices used were: Clove, Lavender, Cardamom, Mace, and All Spice. All are illustrated on the label. And then we wanted to play on a classic but do our way authentically. Coconut and rum have been best buds for however many years now, and this is probably my favourite of the three. We’ve taken toasted coconut and infused that into the rum, which balances out with the molasses and complements the burnt-sugar flavour, while making a super bright drink.” New innovation: Seven Day Vodka joins the growing Brewdog Distilling spirits portfolio New vodka range: Seven Day Vodka Brewdog Distilling also has a number of new products ready to launch, and has rebranded its Lonewolf Gin range and 500 Cuts botanical rum brand. While the products will retain their names, the new identities will unify each line under the Brewdog brand. Now the brewer and distiller is growing its spirits portfolio with the launch of Gunpowder Gin, a punchy 57% ABV bottling recommended for sipping straight, or for mixing in a Martini or Negroni. BrewDog Distilling Co. Five Hundred Cuts Botanical Rum. Those of you outside of the UK might not be familiar with BrewDog. Those from the UK will probably not be all that surprised to seeing me reviewing this “Botanical Rum”.BrewDog Distilling Co. Five Hundred Cuts Botanical Rum starts with a white base rum. This is actually distilled here in the UK by BrewDog on the worlds first triple-bubble still, after a five-day fermentation it is then double pot distilled to produce the white rum. The BrewDog Distilling Company is charged with a single mission; to challenge perceptions of what a spirit can be. This is done with a meticulous eye for detail and an approach born of non-compromise – meaning everything is done under one roof, from scratch. Nothing is rushed. For a case in point we unveil their incredible hand-made rum Five Hundred Cuts – which took six months and thirty-five recipes to uncover. But their work has been very much worth it. The Five Hundred Cuts Botanical rum is “distilled in the world’s first triple-bubble still, after a five-day fermentation it is then double-pot distilled to create a white rum rich in flavour of tropical fruit and dark berries.” We had the opportunity to attend the launch of the new Botanical/Spiced rum created byBrewDog,which was held at the Chelsea Physic Garden, where we had a chat with Steven Kersley, the young master blender behind this new spirit.

Part of the rum is then infused with Tonka Beans,Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger and spices. The remainder is then Pot Distilled again with a mixture of fresh orange peel, Schezuan peppercorn, green cardamom and cloves. After distillation, Five Hundred Cuts Botanical Rum is aged in casks and is bottled at 40% ABV without artificial flavourings. As a mixer it makes a pretty heavy Rum and Coke and one which can be a little difficult – theres too much going on. With lemonade or tonic it fairs a bit better. In some ways the lemonade adds a touch of sweetness. Ginger Beer/Ale is a no-no it just ends up far too spicy. Again like Dark Matter this perhaps shines best in a Bloody Mary. That is a very tasty mix.

Winner of 2 spirit awards

The ferment is then distilledand once done, they then “infuse a combination of this white rum with Tonka beans, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and spices; the remainder is pot-distilled with an abundance of fresh orange peel,Schezuanpeppercorn,green cardamom and cloves, over four hours, with a little unrefined muscovado added for subtle sweetness.” Where we have the most volume and demand is on our vodka, gin and rum, so what time is left over is where we put our efforts into making whisky. The purpose of the 10,000-litre pot still is to reset the balance a little, dedicate time and become even more innovative with our whisky programme; just open the floodgates in terms of whisky production.” It’s not at all bad, though I must say it does taste like it would benefit from just a bit of sugar to maybe brighten some of the spices up a little. Some seem a little washed out. Almost as if there is too much going on at times. The Rhubarb and Lemon expression brings a “little yuzu and lemongrass to create a level of complexity and difference, which I think takes our vodkas to another level”, Kersley added. This authentic, handcrafted rum exists to subvert the Status Quo when it comes to the bloodline of this spirit. Distilled in the world’s first triple-bubble still, after a five-day fermentation it is then double-pot distilled to create a white rum rich in flavour of tropical fruit and dark berries.

Kersley and his team pulled together various flavours they enjoyed to create a “melting pot of ideas” for the series.We wanted to kind of rescue rum and make a genuine, authentic spiced rum. So we get our spirit and we get those botanicals and infuse and macerate the liquid with those botanicals – we are calling it botanical rum because that’s what it is.”

Pretty much all the “botanicals” noted in the rum can be tasted and the orange peel really tempers the sweetness of the clove and the tonka beans. Making it much more balanced.That said with all these botanicals we are still getting a lot of additives. Not something that concerns me with a Spiced Rum but we have around 50g/L of additives. We wanted to take the tropical expectations of rum in a slightly different direction and so we looked at what flavours would work with the rum we have,” Kersley said. “We immediately had a clear tropical direction, and pineapple and mango are lead flavours in that segment. BrewDog Distilling Co’s latest release is made using sugar cane molasses that has been fermented using red wine yeast. The spirit is double-distilled using the brand’s copper pot stills and is infused with whole botanicals to produce a rum that tastes like “like Christmas cake in a glass”. In October 2021, Brewdog overhauled its spirits selection to coincide with the opening of its new distillery in Ellon, Scotland. So far, this is reminding me very much of Dark Matter Spiced Rum. Which like Five Hundred Cuts uses only fresh spices – no artificial essences etc. More than can be said for a lot of Spiced Rums on the market.