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Discover Mossburn Ephemera William Kidd 19-Year-Old Jamaican Rum, an exceptionally rare cask-strength release celebrating the legendary privateer turned pirate whose myth still echoes across the high seas. Masterfully crafted by blending 2000 first-fill bourbon barrels and 2005 refill bourbon barrels, this aged Jamaican rum undergoes a unique secondary maturation in peated quarter casks before being married in refill butts.
The result is a bold, beautifully complex spirit where rich tropical fruit and warm island spice meet a distinctive trail of peat smoke. Order Mossburn Ephemera William Kidd 19-Year-Old Jamaican Rum online for UK delivery, or pick up a bottle in-store at Fareham Wine Cellar today.
The Mossburn Ephemera Collection is a fascinating series of just 12 limited-edition bottlings, created by Mossburn Distillers & Blenders (owners of Torabhaig Distillery on Skye) under the direction of whisky maker Neil Macleod Mathieson.
Rather than following a conventional whisky range, Ephemera delves into Mossburn’s hidden archives to uncover unusual casks, experimental maturation techniques and spirits that have spent decades quietly developing their character. The result is a collection that feels as much like a journey through Scotland’s past as it does a showcase of whisky-making craft.
The 12 releases span 10 Scotch whiskies and 2 aged Caribbean rums, encompassing blended malts, blended grains and blended Scotch alongside some particularly unusual rum releases. Each bottling is produced in very small quantities, making the collection particularly appealing to collectors and whisky enthusiasts looking for something outside the mainstream.
Only around 1,100 bottles from the complete Ephemera Collection are available in the UK, with individual releases limited to approximately 150–250 bottles.
William Kidd is remembered as one of Scotland’s most infamous pirates, although he began his career as a privateer licensed to hunt enemies of the English Crown. His voyages took him across the Caribbean and the trade routes of the East Indies, but his pursuit of treasure eventually blurred the line between privateering and piracy.
After learning that warrants had been issued for his arrest, Kidd fled to the American colonies, where he was captured and returned to England. Tried for murder and five counts of piracy, he was convicted largely on evidence from former crew members who had secured pardons by testifying against him.
Kidd was hanged at Execution Dock in Wapping on 23 May 1701. In a grim twist, the rope broke during his first attempt, making him one of the few men to be hanged twice. His body was subsequently displayed in a gibbet over the River Thames at Tilbury Point for three years as a warning to other would-be pirates.
Nose: Immediate and unmistakable Jamaican funk – banana bread, walnuts, and pipe tobacco, with good ester weight and a warm tropical undercurrent of overripe mango and dried pineapple. The peated quarter cask influence sits quietly underneath, adding a subtle smokiness that complements rather than overwhelms.
Palate: Full-bodied and intensely flavoured at cask strength. Banana bread leads again, alongside complex warm spice, hay, and more ripe tropical fruit – unmistakably Jamaican in character. The peat smoke becomes more present mid-palate, weaving through the fruit in a way that feels genuinely original. Rich, layered, and completely compelling.
Finish: Long, warming, and complex – dried tropical fruit, gentle smoke, and a lingering spiced oak note that builds slowly and persists well beyond the last sip. A finish that rewards patience.
