This non-alcoholic rum from Ish utilizes a novel dealcoholization method, and is itself quite novel. While it's a bit challenging as a neat sipper, it shows up nicely in cocktails and captures a funkiness elusive to most NA rums.

A year ago when we first did a blind zero proof rum taste test I omitted Ish on the basis that it was meant to imitate a “spiced” rum, but as reddit user Historical_Suspect97 called out in response to that exclusion, all zero proof spirits are essentially spiced, in that there is no true base flavor—it’s all added. Though according to ISH they have a pretty nifty approach that may come as close to technically capturing the “base flavor” of rum: “Based on a de-alcoholized full strength spirit, originating from the Caribbean Islands of Jamaica and Martinique, we strive to deliver the most authentic experience for the mindful drinker.” To my knowledge ISH is the only offering publicly claiming to dealcoholize actual rum which, in my opinion, is pretty cool.

The nose is, in my opinion, less cool. Though it does come across as funky-fruity in a way that totally convinces me some pot still Jamaican rum was involved, there’s a latex-y chemical scent that makes it very clear this isn’t straight out of Worthy Park or Hampden Estate. There’s also a bubble gum note that’s just a touch to strong to register as naturally rummy. The palate is a bit acidic, a bit sweet, and a bit bitter with herbal and floral notes leading into a capsaicin-like burn at the back of the mouth (they do us the favor of calling out capsicum extract in the ingredient list). The moderate-light finish is mostly bitter, with a whiff of pineapple.

In our blind taste test ISH Caribbean Spiced Spirit scored decently as a neat sipper (6.8/10) and great mixed into a daiquiri (8.1/10). Straight in a snifter ISH wasn’t really my cup of tea, though by their own admission it’s “not intended to be enjoyed neat”. Zero proof is a game of tradeoffs, and given one of my biggest gripes in general is lack of flavor strength, I appreciate the choice to optimize they way they did. This is one of your better options for adding a funky kick to a rum focused cocktail.

The Superficial: While not particularly eye-catching, the label looks nice and feels nice. The bottle and wooden stopper both feel quality. My biggest gripe is that it comes in a 500ml bottle rather than a standard 700ml or 750ml.

Tags:  Standard Release | Zero Proof