About this rum

Gold Reserve is Old Monk's answer to the drinker who loves the house character but wants more age and depth. Mohan Meakin distils it from cane molasses at Ghaziabad and leaves it in oak for at least 12 years before blending. India's heat moves a spirit and its cask together much faster than a cool cellar would, so 12 years here gives real concentration and a firm oak backbone. It comes in a tall, clear whisky-style bottle, a deliberate step away from the familiar ribbed XXX.

Pour it and you'll find dark brown sugar, roasted nuts, vanilla and a hint of tropical fruit, then a drier, more structured palate than the XXX, with burnt caramel, cocoa, liquorice and baking spice before a long, toasty finish. It is a sipping rum for the Old Monk fan who has graduated to a snifter, and a thoughtful, very Indian gift for someone who appreciates aged spirits.

Key facts

• Blended rum aged for a minimum of 12 years in oak in India's tropical climate
• Distilled from cane molasses by Mohan Meakin in Ghaziabad
• A longer-aged, more refined take on the classic Old Monk XXX
• Bottled in a tall, clear whisky-style bottle rather than the ribbed XXX bottle

Tasting notes

Nose:

dark brown sugar, roasted nuts, vanilla and ripe tropical fruit

Palate:

burnt caramel, molasses, cocoa and peppery oak spice

Finish:

long and dry with liquorice, walnut and toasted wood

Serve

Neat in a tumbler or snifter, or over one large ice cube; a few drops of water bring out the fruit.

Food pairing

Pair with dark chocolate, walnut brownies or a slice of rich fruit cake; on the savoury side, slow-cooked mutton rezala.