This pot column blend from multiple distilleries in Jamaica gave us notes of molasses and solvent, with subtler hints of pineapple, green apple, caramel, banana bread and vanilla.

In the lab we discovered another similarity to Smuggler’s Reserve: a density of 0.953g/cc, suggesting about 13g/L of added sugar, the same amount of dosage we estimated in Smuggler’s Reserve.

Cane Island Jamaica Rum is a lightly aged blend of pot and column still rums from a number of Jamaican distilleries bottled by Infinity Spirits at 40% ABV. While the bottle mentions maturation in “American white oak barrels for a period up to 5 years”, the Cane Island brand websites gives us a range of 3 to 5 years, but then adds “as well as high-ester unaged pot still rum”. On paper it has a lot in common with another bottling from Infinity Spirits, Smuggler’s Reserve Jamaica, though visually it trades Smuggler’s Reserve’s rum-runner pastiche for a more low key map of Jamaica.

On the nose it comes across mildly, but with distinct notes of solvent, green apple, and banana. It’s location is noticeable (a little Worthy Park pushes through), and as well as the addition of unaged high ester rum, and helps it fight against it’s relatively low proof. On the palate it’s pretty dang sweet, indexing on caramel, brown sugar and some vanilla notes, but if you push past that there’s some spice and banana bread. The finish is short and mild, with a little ginger, banana, and a whiff of poolside chlorine.

In our blind taste test we found it to be a passable but uninspired neat sipper (6.9/10), but to play perfectly well in a mix drink (8.0/10).

After measuring nearly identical levels of added sugar in Cane Island Jamaica and Smuggler’s Reserve Jamaica, and observing the very distinct bottling styles, you get the sense certain elements of the expression have been market tested to within an inch of their lives. And to be fair, with a certain demographic of proof-skeptical rum neophytes, I’ve observed this expression to work pretty well as an onramp to more interesting Jamaican rums—it suggests the broad Jamaican profile without hammering you over the head with hogo or proof. Personally though, more often than not I’d like to be hammered over the head a bit more.