About this rum

Few bottles carry as much memory in India as the squat, ribbed Old Monk with the friendly monk on the label. Mohan Meakin, a company whose roots go back to a brewery set up in Kasauli in 1855, launched it in 1954, and it became a household name without ever running a mainstream advertising campaign. Generations of old friends, army messes and family get-togethers have done the talking instead.

The XXX is the original: a molasses rum aged in oak for at least seven years before it is vatted and blended. Expect a deep mahogany colour, a nose of dark molasses, vanilla and caramel, and a soft, warm palate with a gentle spice and a long, sweet finish. It is the rum most people in Kolkata already know, which is exactly why it belongs on the shelf: a reliable crowd-pleaser for a winter evening, a hot toddy when the weather turns, or a nostalgic gift for an old friend.

Key facts

• Launched in 1954
• Molasses rum aged in oak for a minimum of seven years, then vatted and blended
• Made by Mohan Meakin, whose roots go back to Edward Dyer's 1855 brewery in Kasauli
• Famously built its following by word of mouth, without advertising

Tasting notes

Nose:

dark molasses, vanilla and caramel

Palate:

soft and rounded, brown sugar, raisin and warm spice

Finish:

long, sweet and warming

Serve

Classically with cola and a squeeze of lime, or neat with a splash of water; in winter, as a hot toddy with warm water, honey, lemon and a clove.

Food pairing

A natural with kosha mangsho, chilli chicken or fish fry; for something sweeter, plum cake or Christmas pudding.