Diamond 8 Year Wooden Coffey Still (Hamilton Single Cask Cask Strength Collection) (Marque MDE) (Barrel No. 16244)

Purchased 3 rums from Mission Wine & Spirits to get a chance at Weller Full Proof near retail. The entire group was less expensive than buying the Weller alone elsewhere, and the rums seemed promising, so I gave it a shot. This is the initial one I'm sampling. Appearance: This is quite light, comparable to reposado tequila. Considering it's only about 8.8 years old, its lightness is surprising. The back of the bottle notes its primary aging occurred in the UK, which explains the character. I'm hoping the slow aging imparts some subtle complexity. Nose: Banana Laffy Taffy notes with a peppery heat reminiscent of young grain whisky. There's an oily quality and a hint of lemon. It lacks depth and smells prematurely aged. Taste: At full proof, it has a significant burn, but a pleasant sweetness with tropical notes like orange, banana, and pineapple. The burn then dominates with sharp pepper and an oily, lemon-rind flavor. Tropical fruits briefly reappear but are not prominent. It presents a clean Coffey still profile, which I don't particularly favor. Occasionally, hints of bubblegum emerge. Diluting it with water intensifies the oily bitterness and diminishes the sweet tropical fruits. Later, I detect notes of baking spices alongside wood and faint chocolate (and a whisper of sawdust). While these flavors are appealing, much of the drink is quite harsh and requires substantial dilution to become palatable. Even these appreciated flavors need some water, which unfortunately drowns out the fruit notes. Finish: The bitter flavors of pepper and oil persist. There might be some woodiness adding dimension, along with subtle hints of tropical fruits. Perhaps a touch of lime now. It's mildly intriguing, but not exceptional. A hint of light caramel is present. - Conclusion - This is rough. It's not the worst, but it's clearly not fully matured. Somewhat interesting, perhaps? Not intensely so, but the similarity to single grain Scotch is somewhat curious. The longer I drink it, the more the sweet fruits fade. Signatory's Caledonian 29 (1987) (12/23) is richer, with more coconut and vanilla. This is more abrasive. I prefer the Caledonian. This is not significantly worse, but it is worse. I'm estimating a score around 10. The Sexton (9/23) is less intense but more bitter. Frankly, this is quite similar in quality to that – and the harshness might place it lower, though the full body from the high ABV could make this one superior. I don't fault the distillery for this outcome. Aging this for 8 years in the UK is an unusual choice. Overall, this is either an 8 or a 9. I'd prefer to give it a 9, but the harshness makes an 8 more appropriate. I'm sure it will be enjoyable in cocktails, but I believe its value is at most $20. Revisiting this, it's definitely better than Jim Beam (8-9/23). The improvement isn't dramatic, though. I do appreciate the sweetness. I'm leaning towards a 9 now, maybe even a 10. The issue is its harshness. I think I'll settle on an 8 or 9.