New Faultline Rums (and, again, there's not much)

I've been doing everything I can to actually slow the sales of these rums in anticipation of today's spirits newsletter. However, when you manage to snag a 15 year old beauty from Nicaragua and a 17 year stunner from Cub....I mean....from the Caribbean, people tend to get excited. The Faultline Caribbean blend (another teaspooned cask, a la the Balvenie malt I posted about a few days back) is indeed full of delicious, forbidden fruit. Despite my best efforts, we've already sold more than 30% of our inventory with absolutely zero marketing, zero blog posts, and zero emails. That's because all your spirits dudes and dudettes are so savvy these days. In any case, these both say "Product of Scotland" on the label because they were aged in and purchased from Scottish warehouses, but they are indeed from Nicaragua and Cub...I mean...somewhere in the Caribbean. They're bottled at 100 proof and without additional sweeteners or additives. Rum fans, rejoice!

2000 Faultline 15 Year Old "K&L Exclusive" Single Barrel Nicaraguan Rum $59.99 - Those in search of "smooth" when it comes to rum will want to check out this special single-cask bottling of Faultline from Nicaragua; especially because the richness and roundness of the spirit is entirely natural and not due to additives like caramel or sugar. This 100-proof beauty comes from the distillery in Nicaragua widely considered to be the finest Spanish-style distillery outside of Cuba. In fact, many have speculated that this distillery is responsible for much of the expansion of Cuba’s rum exports due to the stark similarities in style and unprecedented growth in that category. There is a big nose of fudge, caramel, sweet earth, slight barnyard and burning wood. After some time, there are coffee and darker smoke flavors. On the palate it remains phenolic, with a good bit of funk to balance out the elegant, sweet, dark flavors. This is as complex a smooth-styled sipping rum as we've ever bottled under the Faultline label.

1998 Faultline 17 Year Old "K&L Exclusive" Caribbean Blend Single Barrel Rum $79.99 - We don't expect this single cask of 17 year old "Caribbean" rum to last very long, partly because it's so delicious and partly because of its origins. We can't say where it's from exactly, just that it's from somewhere in the CUribBeAN region. This incredibly complex and fragrant rum combines many of the ester-driven flavors we love about rum from Jamaica and St-Lucia with the richness and elegance of the Spanish style. The flavor profile is drier and more old school in character. There's a big dusty mineral note framed by tropical pineapple, overripe banana and powerful baking spice. On the palate, fresh grassy cane, touches of mint and anise and dried fruit that meanders in between tea and cola. It's a rum you absolutely do not want to miss, especially if you're interested in forbidden fruits.

-David Driscoll