Bumbu Review

Bumbu starts with sugarcane sourced from all over Latin America and represents West Indies Rum Distillery’s approach to spiced rum production at the minimum legal alcohol threshold. The rum is aged in first-fill bourbon casks with the oldest spirit aged 15 years and bottled at 35% ABV. This expression positions itself between authentic rum and flavored spirit categories.

Technical Assessment

Technically Bumbu Rum is not a real rum as it contains only 35% of alcohol, less than the minimum amount required for distilled spirits in most jurisdictions. The cane is taken back to the West Indies Rum Distillery in Barbados where it is column-distilled using yeast that dates back as far as 1840. The rums are blended with natural flavors before bottling, with the company stating they use no artificial flavors or coloring.

Nose Evaluation

The aromatic presentation delivers sweet vanilla and banana characteristics documented in testing notes. A butterscotch-y base gets all tooty fruity with banana, pineapple, mango, peaches and orange zest. The spice integration provides cinnamon notes consistent with quality assurance observations. The nose demonstrates competent development for a heavily spiced expression targeting accessible consumption.

Palate Analysis

The palate execution reflects the tested medium sweetness with pronounced vanilla and banana characteristics. The spirit’s flavor profile contains a blend of spices and warm notes of vanilla, chocolate, banana, and molasses. The sweet vanilla and banana documented in testing represent the primary flavor components enhanced by spice integration. The spicy characteristics noted align with the cinnamon-forward spice profile.

Finish Assessment

The finish demonstrates medium persistence with sweet vanilla characteristics maintained through the conclusion. The subtle spices add sage, cinnamon, ginger and cardamom with a hint of spearmint in the finish. The sweet vanilla and cinnamon noted in testing provide adequate closure despite the abbreviated alcohol strength limiting structural development.

Final Assessment

Bumbu executes its role as entry-level spiced rum with technical limitations imposed by minimal alcohol content and heavy flavoring approach. For non-rum drinkers, the original Bumbu is an ideal serve - easy to sip, not too harsh, and complex in taste. The expression functions primarily as a sweetened mixer rather than traditional rum, though maintains competent spice integration within its accessibility-focused category.