Review: Bayou Spiced Rum   84.5/100
a review by Chip Dykstra (Aka Arctic Wolf)
Posted on July 07, 2015

Louisiana Spirits was formed in 2011 with the stated aim to produce a world-class rum in Lacassine, Louisiana from Louisiana sugarcane.  By 2013 their distillery located a few miles east of Lake Charles, Louisiana, was producing a craft rum in what they call the largest privately owned rum distillery in the USA. They produce three rums, (a spiced, a flavoured, and a white rum) all of which have made their way into the Alberta market via Lifford Wines who distribute and market the spirit here in my home Province of Alberta.

Bayou Rums are distilled upon a traditional copper pot still using 100% locally (Louisiana) produced cane sugar and molasses. According to the company website:

Spiced Bayou Rum is infused with classic traditional spices with a Louisiana twist. Featuring Louisiana grown ingredients, this special gumbo of spices creates a unique and satisfying blend that makes it the perfect rum for mixing. Spiced Bayou Rum livens up everything from a rum and cola to unsweet tea or an ice cube.

In the Bottle 4.5/5

The Spiced Bayou Rum arrives in the tall rectangular bottle shown to the left. The label features an iconic image of a Louisianan gator which helps to identify the product as an authentic Louisiana Rum. To further aid us in identifying the rum as from the gator state, the bottle features a small embossing of the State of Louisiana just below the neck on the front of the bottle. The rum is sealed with a solid plastic cork which gives me that satisfying ‘pop’ when I open it.

I like the presentation, and I love how the owners of the rum are proud of the State where it is produced.

Note: Bayou Spiced Rum is bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume.

In the Glass 8.5/10

I poured a sample of the Spiced Rum into my glencairn glass and began to examine it. The rum has a nice amber/caramel colour, and a quick tilt of the glass and a slow swirl reveal a moderately thick coating of rum on the side of the glass which coalesce into sluggish legs which meander down the inside of the glass.

When I brought the rum to my nose, I noticed a butterscotch and vanilla sweetness rode in the breezes alongside a pleasant, somewhat pungent, spiciness. The spiciness reminded me of nutmeg and allspice, with perhaps a touch of cardamom and ginger as well. I also seemed to sense some sharper aromatic spices akin to cinnamon and cloves. Whether these are the spices used to construct the spiced rum is unknown to me; what is more important is that the mixture of spice and rum in the breezes was very pleasant and enticing.

In the Mouth 51/60

The sweetness within the rum combines very well with its overt spiciness as flavours of butterscotch mingle with the rum’s pungent spices. I taste that same combination of vanilla, nutmeg and allspice, with touches of cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and ginger which I had noticed in the breezes above the glass. There seems to be a few additional flavour elements present, some spicy orange peel perhaps, as well as a hint of tropical fruit. I noticed these same flavours in the Bayou Silver rum (see review here), and I suspect a dimension of flavour resulting from the rum’s pot still distillation lies side by side with the added spices.

As I sip, the spiciness builds, and for me the obvious way to enjoy the spirit is with a well placed ice-cube. I am not saying the rum needs an ice-cube; it does not. However for myself, the addition of the ice-cube mutes the sweetness just a tad and gives the spices more expression. I am a Rum and Cola nut; so I decide that I should also try that combination in my mixing glass with the aforementioned ice. I am hooked pretty much on the first sip, as the laid back deck drink has just enough attitude to be enjoyable without being demanding in any way.

In the Throat 12/15

The exit begins lightly sweet in the throat and finishes with a pop of spicy ginger, nutmeg, allspice and a lingering hint of cinnamon. There is just enough sweetness mixed in to keep the finish pleasant and relaxed.

The Afterburn 8.5/10

Bayou Spiced Rum has been crafted very well. Although we have a young underlying rum, this rum is from a Pot Still, and it carries a certain amount of its own character into the flavour experience. Along with that Pot Still character we have a very nice butterscotch and vanilla sweetness combined with pungent spiciness. I am definitely a fan! This rum mixes very easily with cola, and for that reason alone, the Bayou Spiced Rum with Cola promises to be on my menu for many a barbeque this summer.

I think the folks at Bayou Rum have a real winner here!

If you are interested in comparing more scores, here is a link to my other published Rum Reviews.

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Suggested Recipes:

Bayou Spiced Rum and Cola

1 to 2 oz Bayou Spiced Rum
3 to 6 oz Cola
Lots of Ice
Slice of Lime (optional)

Fill a bar glass full of ice
Add 2 ounce of Bayou Spiced Rum
Fill with Cola
If desired garnish with a slice of lime.

Please consume responsibly!

Note: If  you are interested in more of my original cocktail recipes, please click this link (Cocktails and Recipes) for more of my mixed drink recipes!

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My Final Score is out of 100 and you may (loosely) interpret the score as follows:

0-25     A spirit with a rating this low would actually kill you.
26-49   Depending upon your fortitude you might actually survive this.
50 -59  You are safe to drink this…but you shouldn’t.
60-69   Substandard swill which you may offer to people you do not want to see again.
70-74    Now we have a fair mixing rum or whisky.  Accept this but make sure it is mixed into a cocktail.
75-79    You may begin to serve this to friends, again probably still cocktail territory.
80-84    We begin to enjoy this spirit neat or on the rocks. (I will still primarily mix cocktails)
85-89    Excellent for sipping or for mixing!
90-94    Definitely a primary sipping spirit, in fact you may want to hoard this for yourself.
95-97.5 The Cream of the Crop
98+       I haven’t met this bottle yet…but I want to.

Very loosely we may put my scores into terms that you may be familiar with on a Gold, Silver, and  Bronze medal  scale as follows:

70 – 79.5    Bronze Medal (Recommended only as a mixer)
80 – 89.5     Silver Medal (Recommended for sipping and or a high quality mixer)
90 – 95         Gold Medal (Highly recommended for sipping and for sublime cocktails.)
95.5+            Platinum Award (Highest Recommendation)