House of Elrick Dark Rum, 70cl

House of Elrick is a small-batch, artisan spirits producer based on a restored 17th-century estate in Aberdeenshire, founded in 2018 by Stuart Ingram. Its Dark Rum draws on the region's history of coastal smuggling, taking Caribbean-sourced rum and enhancing it with a curated blend of spices — ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, caraway and cubeb — crafted in small runs using the distillery's handmade Scottish copper still.

Dark amber in the glass, it is bright, fresh and fragrant on the nose with a subtle spiced edge, opening onto a rich, warming palate of toasted sugar and honeyed fruit, building oak spice and gentle caramel notes through to a smooth, refreshing finish. A satisfying after-dinner sipper neat or over ice, it also stands up well to cola, ginger beer or a classic dark and stormy.