Siesta Key Spiced rum

The third offering from Drum Circle Distilling is their Spiced rum.  I first sampled a taste in 2011 and looked forward to experiencing the final product.  Drum Circle Distilling operates in Sarasota, Florida, where it distills the rum in its copper pot still, and ages and bottles its rums.  They use only Florida sugar cane for their product.  One of the things that separates their spiced rum from others is they use natural spices and honey from Florida instead of liquid flavorings or additives to create their rum. 

Appearance/Presentation

The rum comes in the signature Siesta Key bottle, which is tall on the shelf tapering to the base.  Each wooden cork is capped with a sand dollar and sealed with the Spiced rum label.  The front label depicts a sun setting over the water while a person looks out over the water.  Each label has a spot for the Batch number.  Our bottle comes from Batch number 7.  The back label shares the details of the rum, a recipe and the usual legal requirements.

The liquid in the bottle and glass maintain a copper hue that shines like a new penny.

Nose

Of the spiced rums I have tried this one has one of the most distinguished aromas.  Vanilla carries the base, on top of it I pick up ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, coconut, honey and allspice.  It is a solidly complex aroma that raises my expectation of what I will discover in the glass.

Palate

The first sip is surprisingly smooth for a spiced rum.  I pick up a honey pop followed by vanilla, coconut, hints of pepper, followed by the spices discovered in the aroma in one wonderful swirl.  This transitions into a pleasant finish that fades with notes of cinnamon and allspice. 

Review

One of the things I enjoy about this rum, as well as the other Siesta Key rums, is you can taste the passion in the product.  Troy Roberts and crew really think about what they want to put out in the market and do not settle.  The biggest obstacle is the limited availability of the rum; at this time it is only available in stores in Florida.  If you find yourself in the sunshine state this is worth tracking down.  If you find yourself in Sarasota Florida contact Drum Circle Distilling for a tour and see where the magic is made.

I experimented with Siesta Key Spiced in several cocktails and it held up nicely in all of them.  While the aroma and tasting notes are familiar to other spiced rums the native ingredients and special distillation methods distinguishes it.  When I was playing with cocktail combinations I really liked the flavor pops when I mixed this with citrus juices.  This led to me creating the Sunny Siesta, a simple cocktail that really pulls together the spices and creates a fun flavor experience.


Sunny Siesta

2 oz Siesta Key Spiced Rum

.5 oz lime juice

4 oz Orange juice

Build in shaker with ice, shake, and strain in Martini glass.

Float an Orange slice in the center.

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