Fernandes might be the least known, and the least talked about Trinidad rum company. Angostura is the only local rum company still in existence, so their rum can be found everywhere. The Caroni Distillery is now closed, but their rum is still a popular topic of discussion; Both because of the interesting character of Caroni rum, and because of the astronomical prices that independent bottlings manage to reach. This means that conversations about Trinidad rum are almost entirely focused on Caroni and Angostura. Fernandes is simply seen as a rum company that once existed before it was acquired by Angostura, and treated simply as a footnote in the history of Angostura.
This is just my opinion, but I think that Fernandes was the most important rum company in the history of Trinidad and Tobago. They were responsible for defining the light, floral style that defines much of the rum that comes from Trinidad, and they are more important than Caroni or Angostura in Trinidad Rum History.
While the brand no longer exists, several examples serve as testimony to the tenacity of the Fernandes brand and the power that the name still holds. For example, in the late 1990s, Fernandes Black Label was the leading local rum brand, while Fernandes 1919 was the rum that Angostura chose to base their premium line of products on when they released Angostura 1919. Even today, Fernandes Forres Park is still somehow wildly popular, and Angostura recently made a limited run of an old Fernandes rum called Ferdi’s Premium Rum to mark the sixtieth anniversary of Trinbagonian Independence.
It’s easy to learn about some aspects of Fernandes rum history, sampling the rum is a bit more difficult. Getting a hold of VAT 19, Fernandes Black Label, or Forres Park Puncheon might require a trip to Trinidad and Tobago. There are independent bottlers using the name Fernandes, but this may not actually be a Fernandes marque or Fernandes blend being bottled. It might simply be a case of the Independent bottler preferring the name Fernandes over the words Trinidad Distillers Limited.
Fernandes Black Label
At different points in time, Fernandes Black Label was the top selling rum in Trinidad and Tobago, and Angostura describes it as “the undisputed leader in the amber rum category in Trinidad and Tobago”.
The most interesting thing about Fernandes Black Label is how different it is from White Oak Rum. It lacks the lightly toasted coconut notes and instead has a vegetal dryness reminiscent of boiled plantains. This is an entry level rum meant for mixing, and it’s not much different from rums like Mount Gay Eclipse or Kingston 62 except that it’s a tad bit lighter than either of those. There is the occasional wisp of VAT 19 that quickly dissipates into an otherwise boring and ethanol dominated aroma.
Rhumb Runner is a line of single cask rums bottled with no added water, coloring, or flavorings. The name is a homage to the rum runners that shipped rum from the Caribbean to Europe and North America, as well as a line that appears as a straight line on a Mercator projection map that can be used to plot the course of a sailing vessel. They’ve sold two rums under the Fernandes name, and on their website state; “The Fernades family was an important player in Trinidadian rum history. In 1973, Angostura Holdings acquired the assets and name of the Fernandes distillery that had been located across the street. The rums produced for both labels are quite different in style with the Fernandes being the most diverse in the islands.”
Rhumb Runner Fernandes 8 Year Old
This is bottled at a slightly higher proof than Forres Park Puncheon which is already 75% alcohol, so intensity is expected. Initial notes are of olive brine and dried seaweed, very little oak. There is also some gingerbread and gasoline on the nose as opposed to any strong ethanol aroma. Some time exposed to the air allows the gingerbread notes to come forward, and they bring with them some notes of baked apricots and oranges. It’s an interesting rum. I can’t understand why someone would choose this barrel and bottle it at cask strength because it’s pretty light, but I’m glad that they did.
Rhumb Runner Fernandes 18 Year Old
This is longer aged at a lesser proof, but essentially the same rum so a lot of the initial notes are reminiscent of the 8 year old version. On the nose, there is paprika, nutmeg, and a bit of the olive brine. The spice note is a bit more intense, but it comes across as musty and incense-like, and somewhat mellowed by a wood smoke aroma. There are some notes of dried apricots, dried mangoes, marmalade, and gasoline but it is surprisingly light for a rum that spent almost two decades in oak barrels.
The common notes across these three rums give an idea of what the Fernandes rum brand is about. It also helps put into perspective what some of the better Angostura rums manage to achieve. They find a balance between the floral delicacy of Fernandes, and the intense, oily notes of the heavy Caroni rums.
These Rhumb Runner Fernandes rums are not for everyone. Anyone expecting to find complex Caroni notes might come away disappointed. However, they’re ideal for any enthusiast of lighter Trinidadian rum. Together with the Diamond Distillery rums sourced from Guyana, the entire Rhumb Runner line is recommended drinking for anyone interested in the history of the Portuguese rum blenders of Trinidad and Guyana.
