The Manual Spirit Awards recognize the best craft liquors distilled in the U.S. We blind-tasted bottles from around the country in eight categories — Bourbon, Single Malt Whiskey, Rye Whiskey, Gin, Vodka, Unaged Rum, Aged Rum, and Liqueur — to determine our champions. Each of the winners was judged on aroma, palate, and finish. Cheers to your next drink and to American craft spirits.
Best Aged Rum
Boston Harbor Distillery Lawley’s Small Batch Dark Rum
Dorchester, Massachusetts
Aged rum is a distillate made from fermented sugar cane juice, sugar cane syrup, molasses, other sugarcane byproducts, or some combination thereof. The product is distilled at less than 190 proof and bottled at no less than 80 proof. The rum is then aged in a wide range of barrels — new or used, depending on the distillery — for varying periods of time.
Lawley’s Small Batch Dark Rum, the winner of the Aged Rum category in The Manual Spirit Awards 2019, is made from 100% distiller’s grade molasses before being aged in Putnam New England Rye barrels (another product from Boston Harbor Distillery). We enjoyed this rum for the balance of sweet, tropical flavors with the spice and oak dryness from the rye barrels. It makes for a great sipping spirit and a wonderful base for any number of cocktails, such as an Old Fashioned, where an aged rum can work as a substitution.
Lawley’s Small Batch Dark Rum is 40% alcohol by volume and available in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine.
About the Distillery
Boston Harbor Distillery’s founder’s name, Rhonda Kallman, might ring a bell if you’ve held even a passing fancy in the craft beer world at any time over the past few decades. Why is that? Oh, just a little brewery named Samuel Adams (OK, technically it’s Boston Beer Company, but still). Boston Harbor Distillery is Kallman’s current project and it’s housed in a historic building on the banks of Boston Harbor. In addition to Lawley’s Small Batch Dark Rum, Boston Harbor Distillery also makes Small Batch Rum (unaged rum), Coffee Liqueur, Maple Cream Liqueur, Putnam New England Whiskey, and the Spirit of Boston series, which are spirits distilled from Sam Adams beer.
Tasting Notes
| Nose | Tropical elements initially, with notes of cane sugar and pineapple overlaid by vanilla and caramel. |
| Palate | A smooth body exudes vanilla, some oak, and caramel. The tropical notes from the nose translate to the palate, with light spice to balance it out. |
| Finish | Dry oak and baking spice notes on a medium-long finish. |
How to Enjoy It in a Cocktail
Is there any cocktail more emblematic of tropical relaxation than the piña colada? We think not. While there are varying stories of its origin (some say it was invented by a 19th-century pirate, others say its inventor was a bartender), people have been enjoying this (most likely) Puerto Rican delight for decades now. The vanilla and caramel flavors from the rum round out the tropical notes of the fruit juices. If it’s toasty outside, the piña colada can easily be made into a frozen drink.
Piña Colada
Glass: Collins
Tools: Shaker
- 1.5 oz Lawley’s Small Batch Dark Rum
- 3 oz pineapple juice
- 1 oz coconut cream
- Pineapple slice, for garnish
- Cocktail cherry, for garnish
Method: Add ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake well and pour into a Collins glass with ice. Garnish with a slice of pineapple and a cocktail cherry.
Best Aged Rum Runners-Up
Queen’s Share Rum
Allegheny Distilling Maggie’s Farm Rum – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
This overproof reserve rum boasts a wonderful heat wrapped in caramel, oak, and more.
Ålander Aged Rum
Far North Spirits – Hallock, Minnesota
Aged for up to one year in rye barrels, this rum is rich in toffee, caramel, and spice flavors.
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Credits |
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Written by Sam Slaughter Copy editing by Nicole Raney and Jeremy Abrams Photography by Riley Young and Dan Baker Video by Riley Young Art direction and page layout by Genevieve Poblano Creative team: Will Hawkins and Chris Raymond |
