Pussers Rum Blue Label has been relaunched in the UK bottled at 40% abv rather than the old 54.5%. Do not worry however, the Pussers Rum bottled at 54.5% will not disappear from the UK markets, so there is succour for all those old sailors out there. It is being rebranded as Pussers Rum Gunpowder Proof and will have a black and gold, instead of a blue label. You can read more about the reasons for this change and the more about Gunpowder Proof at my earlier blog post. This is part of a slight modernisation by Pussers which also saw the lauch of Pussers Spiced Rum in autumn 2014.
Buy Pussers Rum Blue Label at Fareham Wine Cellar.
I have not tried the 54.5% bottling for quite some time but the good news the sample of the 40% bottling that I tried smells, and tastes, remarkably like the old 54.5% bottling. All that is missing is the slightly fiery kick at the end of the palate and a little bit of viscous texture in the mouth.
Pussers Rum Blue Label 40% Tasting Notes by FWC
Pussers Rum Blue Label has a good burnished golden colour. It has a classic Pussers demerara nose with a good amount of brown sugar and molasses aromas. There are also smokey, leathery notes complimented by baking spices (cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg etc.) and caramel and toffee aromas. The palate is full and rich. It is initially sweet on entry but dries out with time. There are rich, buttery, creamy and toffee flavours. There are some woody / rancio notes, spicy cinnamon, raisins and something somewhat reminiscent of Cognac (the rancio-type notes). It has a good long and lingering finish but without so much of the alcohol burn one gets from the 54.5% bottling.
So then, a welcome addition to the Pussers range and hopefully one that will bring Pussers to a much wider audience. The 40% bottling means that (due to the massive difference in duty between 40 and 54.5%) it will be on sale for a little over £20 a bottle, a good £12 to £15 a bottle cheaper than the 54.5% bottling’s retail price. This makes it much more attractive to the on-trade and cocktail bars where price has previously been prohibitive. It is also at a retail price that fits along side other golden and dark rums. I predict an increase in sales!