In this video, I am talking Bumbu Spiced Rum, so if you want to know all about it, what it tastes like, what it smells like, what recommended highballs, mixers, work very well with this, and cocktail serves. Stay tuned.
This is Bumbu, and this is a 35 percenter. So, not officially a Spiced Rum, this is Rum based spirit drink, however, the only bone of contention for me, if you are producing a 35% spirit-based drink, then don't price it as a premium Rum. £28. I've just filmed Bounty, which comes all the way from Saint Lucia, it's a cracking Spiced Rum, less than £20, 40% ABV. However, ignoring all that, ignoring the price, ignoring the ABV, what does the actual liquid taste like? Because that is essentially the only thing that matters with our drinks. So let's tell you a bit more about it.
Buy Bumbu Spiced Rum online
So, Bumbu, is a Bajan Spiced Rum, Barbados. The Rums are distilled over there in Barbados. And they're using sugar cane from all over the West Indies. They kind of source the sugar cane from different islands and the mainland as well, just to kind of get the best of the best and distil it to make their base Rum. Right, so we haven't got too much of marketing going on here, not too much for a story, the only thing I can tell you about is the brand, where it comes from, Bumbu. Bumbu is the technical West Indian name given to a grog, kind of a blend of different spices. And it kind of dates back to the old sort of pirate era. Lots of different Rums blended together, lots of different spices. So that's what the brand name is all about. Bumbu is literally, translates into, lots of different spices.
What does Bumbu Rum smell like?
Right, so smell-wise, we're going, when I say sweet, we're going right to the other end of the sweet scale, this for me does smell really, really sweet. I get a lot of caramel coming off there, bits of vanilla. The one thing it kind of does remind me of, because I get a little bit of toffee on there as well, I get kind of, the whole Banoffee, it's one of my favourite, favourite desserts. That's what it kind of reminds me of. I don't get too much citrus, or anything like that, just getting that whole kind of caramel, vanilla, toffee thing going on with that. That's what it smells like.
What does Bumbu Original Taste Like?
Right, so taste-wise, this is really quite interesting. A lot sweeter than the last video that came out, Bounty. A hell of a lot sweeter than Bounty, a lot of caramel has been added to that, caramel sweetness, so a lot of sugar has been added to that, but the interesting thing I think I get off that, I kind of get little hints of chocolate, banana going off there. The Banoffee thing really kind of comes through for me. I don't get an alcohol bite at all, which is expected for a 35 percenter, you know, it's just a kind of sipping liqueur, in that sort of sense of the word, but it has got quite a decent sort of spice balance to it. And, it's not going down as a sickly sweet, it's going down with that little bit of spicy, peppery, all spice kind of kick going down the back of your throat. For me, the finish is actually very smooth, quite sweet, but actually quite light.
Now, the reason I say light is the one that jumps into my head when I taste that is Lamb's Spiced Rum. Lamb's has a lovely taste to it, and I think it was only a 30% ABV, so even more of a liqueur than what that is, however, it did have that cloying thickness, syrupy sweetness to it, and that is a step up from that. It's actually, even though it's got a sweetness, and that sugar added to it, I would say that's actually quite a light-finishing Spiced spirit-based drink. If you want to call it that. It's actually quite pleasant to drink neat.
Bumbu Rum Mixed Drinks.
What mixes well with that as a highball, or as a long mixed drink?
Well, because of the sweetness, and I know there's a couple of you that are gonna be watching this that have already hit me up in the comments saying this is your favourite Spiced Rum and Coke, for me, I'm really sorry, I'm really sorry to disagree with you guys, I think the sweetness, the same as kind of the Lamb's as well, is too sweet to hold up the Coke. For me, it's just, you need that little bit of bite, or that little bit of fruitiness, just to take away from the sweetness for me. So, yes, while, if we're gonna score it out of five, I would give something like that, a solid... Just making sure you see that, nothing you need to explain, it's Coca-Cola. I'm gonna give that a sort-of solid 3.5/5. It's just too sweet for me. Then also, because of the sweetness, again, I'm scoring this slightly higher than Coke, I'm giving these both a 4/5 in the grand scheme. I never give twos and ones, or anything like that. You know, you've all got your own opinions, you've all got different palettes, I don't need to give a 2/5 or a 1/5, that's just absolutely ludicrous. For me, these are 4/5 drinks. Absolutely really tasty, but, you can do better in my opinion. So this is Fentimans Tropical Soda, Schweppes's Muscovado mixer, they do work, but just not quite right. But for me, they are better than Coca-Cola. So in second place, this is where I'm going for second place, this is Old Jamaica's Pineapple Soda. I think because of the Banoffee and the toffee kind of element in that, that just works exceptionally well with pineapple. You need that little bit of extra sweetness from this, compared to the Fentimans Tropical Soda, just to kind of balance the pineapple toffee thing going on, so for me, that's my second favourite pick.
But for me, where this came out in its own, and just was an exceptional, exceptional long spirit, long mixed drink, highball serve, whatever you want to call it, this is Cawston Press Apple and Ginger Juice. Pressed apple, bit of ginger in there. Absolutely lovely. The ginger is fiery enough to balance out the sweetness in there, the apple juice just works well with toffee. Go and try this, Cawston Press. Most supermarkets will have this. It's quite expensive juice, I think for a couple quid, £2,40, I think, for a litre. Something like that. But, oh boy, for me, for my palette, and I've got quite a fruity, sort of sweeter palette compared to most people, hands down. Hands down. If you go, if that's your favourite, try that, and then come back to me. Because I think you will be converted if that, if you really, really love that, if you're Bumbu die-hard fans, try it with that. Let me know in the comments below which you prefer.
Cocktail Serves for Bumbu Original
Right, cocktail o'clock. I'm going to stop mentioning this in videos soon, hopefully you're slightly getting the rhythm now. Cocktails are not coming in the videos, cocktails are going on my Instagram stories, @SteveTheBarman. This should get featured on the same day the videos go live, if not, it will be the next day, so go and check me out, https://www.Instagram.com/SteveTheBarman , and all the old ones you will see in my highlights reel as well.
