Review: LMD Spiced Rum Flavoured Alcohol Beverage   (85/100)
a review by Chip Dykstra (Aka Arctic Wolf)
Posted on April 27, 2017

The Last Mountain Distillery is part of a small wave of Micro-Distillers which have began to appear on the Canadian landscape over the last few years. These are small ‘mom and pop’ operations which make their spirits in small batches usually only a barrel or two at a time. This particular distillery is located in Lumsden, Saskatchewan, and it is owned and operated by the husband and wife team of Colin and Meredith Schmidt.

Colin Schmidt took a rather round about road into the distilling business as his original dream was to play pro hockey. He was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in 1992 and signed his first pro contract in 1996. Unfortunately Colin’s pro hockey experience was brief, cut off by a few shoulder injuries after a brief stint with the big club playing what Colin referred to as “left bench”.

Fortunately for us, Colin had aspirations beyond a hockey career. It was a few years later, after Colin left hockey behind, that he and his wife, Meredith began to look for business opportunities in Saskatchewan and the idea of starting up their own micro-distillery still appealed strongly to both of them. To make a long story short, in August of 2010, the ambitions and hard work of Colin and Meredith paid off when they opened Saskatchewan’s first micro-distillery, in Lumsden, Saskatchewan, called the Last Mountain Distillery.

Last Mountain Distillery’s LMD Spiced Rum Flavoured Alcohol Beverage is produced from a blend of both aged and an un-aged cane spirits. It is flavoured with 5 different natural spices and Madagascar Vanilla. Although it is labelled as a Rum Flavoured beverage, if the spirit was produced (or sold) in the USA it could accurately be labelled as a Spiced Rum. Because it is being sold in Canada where the regulations concerning rum labelling are more stringent than in the USA, the spirit cannot be labelled as a Rum. This is because Canadian law does not allow for a spirit to be labelled as Rum unless all of its contents are aged for 1 year. (A produced made with un-aged cane spirit may be called rum is the USA but not in Canada)

I suggest that those reading my review should bear in mind that many of the more famous spiced rums sold in the USA may actually have less aged rum in their make-up than does the LMD Spiced Rum Flavoured Alcohol Beverage.

In the Bottle 4/5

Last Mountain bottles LMD SPiced in the tall long-necked bottle shown to the left. I like the synthetic cork topper, which adds a bit of ambiance to the presentation. The front label is nice and I like how Colin likes to prominently display the fact that the Last Mountain Distillery is Saskatchewan’s First Micro-distillery on the front label of the bottle.

The graphics feature a pirate (perhaps that is that famous Last Saskatchewan Pirate that the Arrogant Worms like to sing about), and perhaps Colin is daring us to compare his spirit to the best-selling Spiced Rum in the World which also prominantly features a pirate (er Privateer) on its label. (I have a bottle of Captain Morgan Spiced Rum on hand so a comparison between brands will be inevitable.)

LMD Spiced is bottled at 35 % alcohol by volume.

In the Glass 8.5/10

When I poured the LMD Spiced into my glencairn glass, my initial impression was one of surprise, the spirit does not bring any unwanted astringency into the air, and the aroma is much more appealing than the scents and smells which are meandering above the glencairn of Captain MorganSpiced Rum which I poured as well.

The spirit displays itself with a straw colour and the initial nose features a light sweetness combined with an appealing vanilla aroma accented with a firm updraft of spice. I sense a indications of cinnamon and ginger and perhaps a dusting of coriander (or perhaps cardamom) as well. Whether these are some of the spices used is unknown to me (any of these impression can be created by barrel aging); but they are all in the breezes and the combined effect is very engaging. (Captain Morgan Spiced Lost this round.)

In the Mouth 51/60

The first sip brings a beguiling smoothness forward as the LMD Spiced brings a pleasant but light sweetness forward. Light flavours of vanilla and butterscotch are complemented by a firm (but not aggressive) spicy thrust. There is a light sense of earthiness, and I receive mild impressions of both licorice and angelica root as well as perhaps a hint of a mineral content in the dram. The balance between all of the flavours and impressions is impressive. Everything seems to fit well (and taste) together.

When I add a touch of ice the spiced rum is easy to sip and easy to enjoy. When I sipped a bit of the Captain Morgan I had in my other glass the difference was very obvious. LMD Spiced is much smoother, and has a richer more balanced spice flavour. (Captain Morgan Loses this round as well.)

I decided to build a few mixed drinks starting with the common spiced rum and cola (served with ice). I liked how the LMD Spiced pushed its flavour profile through the cola giving me a deck drink with a little more character, yet one that retains the pleasant easy-going nature of the standard rum and cola. LMD Spiced has more to offer though than just being a mixer with cola. I mixed another cocktail with lemon juice, triple sec and a splash of ginger ale and the result (see recipe below) was even better. Then I mixed a sour cocktail with orange and lemon juice creating a new serving which I enjoyed even more again (recipe shown below).

I had to bump the score up just a little more based on the great cocktails I made.

In the Throat 13/15

LMD Spiced is a very young light bodied spirit yet it carries a smoothness which belies its youth. When I was writing my tasting notes for the spirit I wrote this down as my initial impression of the finish:

Smooth with the spices glowing very softly on the back of the throat and palate.

I think that statement sums up my felling of the finish quite well.

The Afterburn 8.5/10

Last Mountain Distillery has created a well constructed spiced rum. I really appreciate how balanced the flavour profile is, and the relative smoothness of the spirit. It can be sipped easily, it works great in tall deck drinks, and it definitely has a place in in short cocktails as well. Frankly, Colin knocked this on out of the park!

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

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Suggested Recipes:

The Flying Machine

1 1/2 oz LMD Spiced
1/2 oz Bols Triple Sec
1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
Dash Angostura Bitters
Ice
2 oz Ginger-ale

Add a slice of Lime to the bottom of your favourite tall drinking glass
Fill with Ice
Pour the first three ingredients into the glass over the ice
Add bitters and complete with Ginger-ale
Stir to mix thoroughly
Enjoy Responsibly!

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The LMD Boxcar

1 1/2 oz LMD Spiced
1/2 oz Bols Triple Sec
1/2 oz Orange Juice
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Sugar Syrup (to taste)
Dash Fees Cocktail Bitters
Ice
Orange peel

Add the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice
Shake until the outside of the shaker begins to frost
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
Garnish with a thin coil of orange peel and a small lump of ice

Please Enjoy 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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Each Vodka Review contains a rating or score out of 100, and these scores can be interpreted using the following scale:

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 spirit.  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)