War at 54.5%: Pussers Gunpowder Proof Rum versus Worthy Park 109 Jamaica Rum

Are you looking for a "black rum" at least a little bit better than Goslings to throw into your Jungle Birds and such? Then man do I have some options for you.

Today I've got the classic Pusser's Gunpowder Proof, foremost product of the earliest of the commercial heirs to the British Navy rum blend recipe (even though it's now made entirely at Diamond in Guyana), and it's going up against the brand new 109 from Worthy Park in Jamaica. The Worthy Park is entirely pot distilled and, uh, quite a bit darker, but despite the unnerving color it's the Pusser's which has all been aged - plus it's got Diamond's crazy wooden stills on its side and, uh, a dab of sugar. Both are bottled at a pretty-darn-strong-but-still-technically-"underproof" 54.5%. Here we go:

Pusser's Gunpowder Proof Rum (Guyana; 3+ year old blended rum, bottled circa 2021; 54.5% ABV), 84+/100
Worthy Park 109 Jamaica Rum (unaged and aged pot-distilled rum, bottled circa 2021; 54.5% ABV), 83-/100

With the WP I was really, really hoping for something like a stronger version of my beloved Rum Bar Gold (   • Denizen Merchant's Reserve v. Rum-Bar...   ), and this... isn't that. It's fine and, yes, way better than Gosling's, but it does get very awkward and ashy on the finish. Meanwhile the Pusser's kind of surprised me here: I was expecting basically a variation on what Hamilton 151 is already doing (   • Overproof Dark Rum Comparison: Hamilt...   ) plus some extra sugar - the Rum Project master list of hydrometer readings at https://rumproject.com/rumforum/viewt... says 7 grams per liter - and instead it's a gloriously soupy, savory, complex, and rather balanced young blend. Neither perfect, both thoroughly recommendable for different reasons, but I do have a favorite and it's not the one I was expecting.

Extra special thanks to my Different Spirits on Patreon (  / differentspirits  ) -

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