There has always been diversity in rum- you get everything, light and sweet sipping rums through to the bold and high-proof which knock your senses. One of the most thrilling rum names currently on the contemporary rum market is Papalin which is a blend of rum produced in various locations skillfully and deliberately blended by Velier. Specifically, the Jamaican Papalin High Ester and Overproof are attracting interests with their aggressive tastes and wild personalities.
So how do they match in flavor, strength and style? Here at the blog we examine both Papalin 5 Year Old Jamaica High Ester Velier 70cl and Jamaica Papalin 5 Year old High Ester Overproof in a little more detail, looking at their flavor profiles, aroma and compare them to other exemplary rums. This guide is made specifically to help the interested decision maker, who is either wondering what these ester-rich spirits are or wants to expand his or her pool of strong sippers.
Papalin 5 Year Old Jamaica High Ester Velier 70cl
The Papalin 5 Year Old Jamaica High Ester Velier 70cl is a well blended Jamaican rum with spirits of some of the best Jamaican distilleries. It is bottled at an easy to drink strength which makes it funkalicious and fruity to drink neutrally as well as to mix. It is considered high ester and yet it is so drinkable.
The smell leaps out with ripe banana, nail polish, tropical fruit and slight brine. On the palate we experience the funkiness but it is balanced by soft sweet, wood and warm spice. The five years of the tropical aging give the richness without overpowering the freshness. The final has banana skin and clove.
Papalin 5 Year Old Jamaica High Ester Overproof
Into the frame steps the more daring brother Papalin 5 Year Old Jamaica High Ester Overproof. This version runs the same essence but turns it up a notch. The higher the ABV the more all the notes are enhanced, more fruit, more heat and more funk.
The nose is wild and punchy- picture overripe mango, varnish, pineapple skin and a hint of smoke. The taste is all-out with scorches of pepper, diesel, caramelized banana, and bitter orange. It is rough and strong, but at the same time strong enough to be drunk without mixing.
How They Compare High Ester vs Overproof
Also, when it comes to comparing Papalin 5 Year Old Jamaica High Ester Velier 70cl with Papalin 5 Year Old Jamaica High Ester Overproof, everything is about the intensity and purpose. They both have a common nature a fruity, funky, ester-rich, and Caribbean-aged drink. The only difference is in the way that profile is presented.
The refined version is the regular high ester version. It is less strong to taste and more approachable to those still new to Jamaican rum. It continues to provide complexity albeit with a less pronounced degree.
However, it is your attention that is required on the part of the overproof. It is more assertive on the nose, in the mouth. The overproof is the better choice when it comes to well-seasoned drinkers or collectors interested in trying the extreme side of Jamaican rum.
Rum Worth Comparing With
To get some clarity on the character of Papalin, it would be useful to draw some comparisons with other high-end rums. Papalin 4 Year Old Haiti Velier 70cl and Papalin 6 Year Old Haiti Ex-Sherry Casks Velier are something completely different. These Haitian rums are grassy, herby and a little bit floral. There is a sweet and rich finishing of the sherry-aged one, less funk, more finesse.
Then we have the Papalin 10 Year Old Reunion Velier 70cl which is produced in the Reunion Island. It provides lower esters of wood, spice and dried fruit. It is aged longer, more elegant and to the people who prefer deeper and calmer flavors.
Expanding the Range: Transcontinental and Daily Drams Picks
To make a contrast even bigger bottles such as Panama 14 Year Old 2006 The Nectar of The Daily Drams or Transcontinental Rum Line Panama 2013 should be tried. They are smoother molasses rums that have a rich vanilla, oak, and toffee flavour. They will present a totally different profile sweet and round where the fruity ones are sharp.
The elegance and the spice are also present in the Transcontinental Rum Line Trinidad 2006 Small Batch. It is long-aged, column-distilled and has a clean finish with the hint of dried fruit and spices of baking. Excellent as a balance to magniloquence as it were.
But when you love powerful Jamaican funk, you may also consider, e.g. the Monymusk 7 Year Old 2015 MMW Habitation Velier. It is rather well-controlled with a little bit of ester kick and so, it would be an excellent bridge to soft and wild.
Conclusion
The Papalin range reveals the way rum may change tremendously depending on strength, source and combination. The Papalin 5 Year Old Jamaica High Ester Velier 70cl is sweet and approachable and the Papalin 5 Year Old Jamaica High Ester Overproof is rude, obnoxious and fiery. Both have their home in a balanced rum cabinet. Explore the various options at Liquor Kingdom.
