Again this year, the Danish masterminds of 1423 have prepared the rum advent calendar. A perfect choice for those who never stopped loving the advent calendars of their childhood. Last year, the rum advent calendar was available at Alkohol.cz which sold thousands of them.
Rum advent calendar of 2019
The choice of rums was made by the pros from 1423 group, who again picked 24 samples.
Joshua Singh, who invented the whole concept of this calendar, calls it a 24-day “school of rum”.
The first rum calendar, named 24 Days of Rum was introduced in 2015. There were 3000 pieces and all were sold within a week. Since that year, this scenario keeps repeating every year, even though the volume keeps rising.
Apart from 24 sample bottles, you get your “tasting notes“. A little notebook where you can jot down your notes on the individual rums. The packaging also contains a tasting glass. 2019 brings a change, there are even 2 glasses! So that you can enjoy your calendar better.
Rum advent calendar as a gift
To have 24 tasting samples of rum, one day each, is a great idea. The rums are picked by someone who does not know your taste, so you get to try rums you don’t know and get the chance of discovering awesome ones (which you would not try otherwise). Those you may purchase in full bottles. I did this last year.
The rum calendar is a gorgeous paper gift box with 26 (24 including rums and 2 with glasses) perforated windows, same as the common advent calendar. This year, there was a colour change – the calendar got an elegant black hue.
In 24 windows, you find a small sample (20 ml) of cane rum for each day from December 1st to Christmas. Every December day, you get to experience a magic rum moment. Each miniature has a simple label and an item in the tasting notes with name, alcohol content and country of origin.
Tips for enjoying rum calendar
- the bottles are quite hard to pry out, In my experience you have to shake and tear them out 🙂
- it is really just a tasting sample, each “bottle” has 20 ml, which is a little under a small shot glass
What was the rum advent calendar of 2018 like?
Read about my 24 days with rum advent calendar from last year. It confirmed that agricole rums or rums on the bitter side are a problem but I have no issues with strong rums. Yes, I have not finished all the bottles last year. Of other bottles, I would have finished a big one.
What’s new this year?
New box design, which is now black. And 2 tasting glasses, which make it ideal for couple tasting.
What were the rums of 2018 rum calendar like?
- Day 1 – strong and sweet Dictador rum from Colombia
- Day 2 – flat Whisper Antigua
- Day 3 – bitterish New Grove Old Tradition 8y
- Day 4 – chocolatey Cihuatán
- Day 5 – bitterish agricole Domaine de Severin VO 3y
- Day 6 – young, sourish Cachacca
- Day 7 – smooth NAUD 15y.o.
- Day 8 – Enghaven Blackstrap for the family
- Day 9 – young and promising Flying Dutchman
- Day 10 – deliciously chocolatey Deadhead
- Day 11 – light Magec XO
- Day 12 – wonderful sweet rum of Fiji
- Day 13 – unfinished Matugga Golden
- Day 14 – light and slightly sweet Cane Island from Trinidad
- Day 15 – light and slightly sweet Cane Island from Jamaica
- Day 16 – agricole St. James
- Day 17 – German Neptun’s rum
- Day 18 – light and slightly sweet Cane Island Cuba
- Day 19 – not overly interesting Borgoe Reserve
- Day 20 – wonderful volcanic Mobacho
- Day 21 – really rather bad Old New Orleans Amber
- Day 22 – truly bitter agricole Tres Hombres
- Day 23 – caramel-flavoured Travellers
- Day 24 – bitter Barcelo
Which were the top rums of 2018?
This year brought a lot of young rums and also a lot of agricole rums. Which were the best? You will find my personal top 7 below.
- Day 4 – chocolatey Cihuatán
- Day 7 – smooth NAUD 15y.o.
- Day 8 – Enghaven Blackstrap for the family
- Day 9 – young and promising Flying Dutchman
- Day 10 – deliciously chocolatey Deadhead
- Day 12 – wonderful sweet rum of Fiji
- Day 20 – wonderful volcanic Mobacho
Like last year, I liked 7 rums out of 24. The ratio stays the same in 2018 and I look forward to 2019, when I’ll certainly buy the rum calendar of 2019 again.
