Review: Blue Chair Bay Coconut Spiced Rum   87/100
Review by Chip Dykstra (Aka The Rum Howler)
Published November 25, 2014

Fishbowl Spirits Llc. is a company wholly owned by Kenny Chesney, the well-known Country Music Singer from Knoxville, Tennessee. In May, 2013 Fishbowl Spirits launched Blue Chair Bay Rum, which features an assortment of rums which were apparently inspired by the relaxed island lifestyle of the country music star. The line-up includes an assortment of flavoured rums (a Coconut Rum, a Coconut Spiced Rum, a Banana Rum and a limited time only Coconut Spiced Rum Cream, as well as a standard White Rum. Although Blue Bay Chair Rum is based in Nashville, the assortment of rums they produce are distilled in Barbados and then bottled in Rochester NY by LiDestri Food & Beverage.

Three of these spirits, the Coconut and Coconut Spiced rums, as well as the White Rum have been brought into Alberta by Glazer’s Of Canada Llc, and they arranged for me to receive all three rums to review here on my website.

This is the review for the Coconut Spiced Rum, which according to the Blue Chair Bay Website is a melding of coconut with cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove spices.

In the Bottle 4.5/5

The climate here in Edmonton, Alberta (in mid November) does not necessarily lend itself to the island lifestyle which Kenny Chesney enjoys. I couldn’t resist snapping a picture of his Coconut Spiced Rum bottle complete with the Blue Chair Bay neck ringer on my snow-covered picnic table which is currently sitting upon my back deck. I guess I am just a little envious of Kenny’s island life right about now.

Having said that, the Coconut Spiced Rum bottle (despite the snow) looks nice with its smoky black colour which fades to clear at the bottom of the bottle. I like the solid synthetic corked topper which is used to seal the bottle as well as the slight taper through the body of the bottle which makes it easier to grip. I also like the splashy neck ringer which features Kenny Chesney lounging on a blue chair in the island sun. Incidentally this particular neck ringer features a nice recipe on its underside called ‘Cinnamon Sun‘ which mixes the Coconut Spiced Rum and coconut water in a cinnamon rimmed highball glass with a mint garnish.  I appreciate a recipe or two which gives me a starting point for enjoying myself with a new spirit.

A few other items of note which I glean from the label. The rum is bottled at 26.5 % alcohol by volume, and according to the ingredients list on the back, it is made from rum, water, cane or high fructose corn syrup, and natural flavours. I appreciate that the word ‘artificial’ does not appear anywhere in that ingredients list.

In the Glass 8.5/10

The flavoured/spiced rum is a clear spirit with a slightly thickened consistency. When I tilt and twirl my glass I see the crest which forms drops medium-sized drooplets which form medium-sized legs as the flavoured rum runs back into the bottom of the glass. The aroma seems mellow and relaxed with scents of sweetened coconut and light spices running through the breezes. Although I know the rum is spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and clove; It takes me a while before I can identify any of them in the air above the glass. But after a while a scent which I originally identify as coriander begins to ripple in the breezes and then separates itself into light baking spices of which cinnamon seems to be the dominant. And this a good thing as the judicious use of spice has allowed the coconut to remain the focus of the rum and the spices are welcome accents rather than show stoppers.

In the Mouth 52/60

The translation from nose to palate is seamless as the rum tastes exactly the way I have described it above. There is a sweetened coconut flavour (not so sweet as to be cloying) and a gentle spiciness which heats the palate only a little. As you sip the spirit the spiciness builds, but it never becomes annoying or uncomfortable. I’ll be honest, I was not expecting anything this good!

The rum mixes very easily into all manner of cocktails. I did not have any coconut water (it’s not really a Canadian favourite) so I could not make a Cinnamon Sun; but, I did do a little experimentation, and I found the rum mixes easily with ginger ale, cola, all manner of fruit juices, and even with iced tea. I even tried a little mixed with egg nog (it is almost Christmas Season after all), and I really enjoyed the results.

In the Throat 13.5/15

It was in the exit that the spices found their expression especially the cinnamon which left a nice heated trail of flavour on my palate which built up a little more with each swallow. Interestingly, when the glass is warmed, the spiciness intensifies which probably means that in the heat of summer this will be even more enjoyable.

The Afterburn 8.5/10

Kenny Chesney’s Coconut Spiced Rum seems to hit all the right spots for me. Both the coconut flavour and the additional sweetness within the rum are held in check such that they seem mild and relaxed rather than cloying. The spiciness from the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves is also held at bay such that they act as compliments to the aforementioned sweeten coconut flavour rather than as competing interests. The spiciness does kick in at the finish where it adds some welcome zip to the rum; yet the relaxed island style the rum is meant to evoke is maitained.

I think the spirit is very well put together. It is balanced and delicious. In fact my overall score of 87/90 represents the highest score I have given to a spiced rum to this point in my rum adventures!

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

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Suggested Recipes

As you can see by the picture of my cocktail to the right, my backyard is far from the Caribbean Islands. However, Blue Chair Bay’s Coconut Spiced Rum did bring me a bit of warm relaxed island style in the form of my latest cocktail creation, Allie’s Punch!

Allie’s Punch

2 oz Blue Chair Bay Coconut Spiced Rum
1 1/2 oz Orange Juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/4 oz sugar syrup
Ice
Ginger-ale
Fruit slice

Build in an ice filled Collins glass
Fruit juice, rum and sweetener first
Then complete with ginger ale
Garnish with a citrus fruit slice

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

And remember to please enjoy responsibly!