Fellow Traveller – For Fellows X.O. Rum
If you ask me whether you should use expensive bottles of alcohol to make cocktails, my answer is definitely yes! Obviously, it depends on the drink you want to make, but all the other ingredients should be of the best possible quality too. In this case, I added some exotic flavours to the delicious For Fellows rum.
Hans Reisetbauer uses molasses from a small cooperative on Mauritius to make his rum. Additionally, very soft Alpine spring water is used during the production of the For Fellows rum. Hans ferments the molasses with different yeast strains at controlled temperatures. Afterwards, he distils the mash on Carl stills equipped with the latest sensor technology. The ageing process first takes place in 8,000-litre Pichon-Longueville casks for two months. Then, the rum spends more time in 500-litre Ysper oak barrels.
Well balanced ester notes
The For Fellows X.O. rum opens with ester notes. They are accompanied by hints of molasses and spices. After the initial hit, I noticed dried and overripe bananas, cloves as well as nutmeg. Furthermore, I also tasted cherries and a hint of marzipan. The aftertaste is extremely long with bitter almonds and esters. Overall, the rum is very smooth without becoming boring, and the ester notes are kept in check.
Ginger and Esters
Yes, this rum is designed to be enjoyed neat. However, I could not resist creating an Old-Fashioned variation with it. To emphasise the “travelling” aspect of the drink’s name, I added some Reisetbauer ginger eau de vie. The MS Better Bitters Fuji bitters just seemed like the right choice here. Yet, regular Angostura will do, too. Last but not least, I added a bit of Demerara simple syrup with a bit of salt as well as some vanilla.
2 Dashes MS Better Bitters Fuji
1 Bsp. Homemade Salted Demerara Syrup**
Stir – strain –Old-Fashioned glass over large ice cube;
Garnish: Three Pieces of Candied Ginger
Song: Sea Wolf – Dear Fellow Traveller;
The “Fellow Traveller” starts with clear ester notes from the rum. Yet, the ginger introduces itself to your palate after a little while. The bitters with their apple flavours fit the other ingredients very well. In the end, this is a balanced and very tasty Rum Old-Fashioned!
*The fact that I received a product reviewed in this article for free, did not – in any way – influence the rating of said product. I received the rum for free from Reisetbauer.
