Tanduay tasting

I don’t know what it is about Tanduay rum, but we always seem to have some quality time together every time I visit the Philippines. Ironically, although Tanduay advertisements are common on almost every sari-sari-store, and that Tanduay is probably among the top 3 rum purveyors in the world next to Bacardi, you’d think Tanduay rum would be the most popular drink in the Philippines.

As it turns out, Philippine rum has two other competitors to deal with, gin, largely consumed by younger folks, and brandy, by the oldies. And then there’s beer, consumed by everyone else and their mamas.

A week before I left back to the US, I decided to have a mini-despedida (departure party) by tasting as many Tanduay bottles I could find at the supermarket I was visiting. We weren’t able to get the complete line of Tanduay’s offerings, but we were able to grab bottles I had never seen before, like Tanduay 100 proof, and Tanduay White.

Please keep in mind im not an expert at rum or a aficionado of alcohol whatsover, but I am a person who enjoys a drink or two once and a while and even better, a drink that tastes as good as it is effective in making me “feel good.”

Now join me on a journey you will never forget. Kinda like Lord of the Rings but with a line of Tanduay rums. On second thought, if you don’t drink responsibly, you actually might forget such a journey.

Tanduay Rhum Dark, 80 proof / 40% alcohol

The original and most popular of the rums sold in the Philippines. Out of all the Tanduay rums we tried, it was the one that tasted the best despite its high alcohol content. It went down smooth but hit the blood stream nicely. It is also one of the most affordable in the line, about under a $1 for a 250ml bottle in some places.

On the back label of Tanduay Dark is a list of international medals it had won over the past 150 years.

Tanduay 65, 65 proof / 32.5% alcohol

Tanduay 65 in my opinion was one of the most “isog” or hard-tasting of the rums. A lot of flavor and overly sweet. It seemed to be the “least refined” of all the bottles we tried. If you like your sips to be more like slaps in the face, 65 is your bottle.

Tanduay Rhum ESQ (Extra Smooth Quality), 65 proof / 32.5% alcohol

Smooth indeed! It had the same proof as Tanduay 65, but it didn’t burn as bad. In fact, it was the smoothest of all the rums we tried. If it wasn’t for such a low alcohol percentage (for a Tanduay), i’d drink this over Tanduay Rhum Dark. Actually, with such a low alcohol percentage, I’ll drink this over water. Ok maybe not.

Tanduay White, 72 proof / 36% alcohol

Unlike the other darker rums that had unique flavors and smells, white had only one flavor, sweet. Apparently light rums like Tanduay White are actually aged over short periods or in stainless steel tanks, leaving them clear as opposed to darker rums like Tanduay Dark and the rest of the darker rums on this list that are aged in oak barrels. The darker rums come with certain flavors that can be enjoyed straight, while light or white rums are usually used in mixed cocktails.

Tanduay Extra Strong, 100 proof / 50% alcohol

From what I’ve been told this is new to the Tanduay line. It instantly reminded me of Bacardi 151, a popular rum sold in the United States containing 75.5% alcohol. Honestly, if its 50% alcohol or more, whether its Bacardi 151 or Tanduay Extra Strong, the drink will be NASTY.

They’re best mixed into a cocktail like a hard-hitting Mango Daquiri. Now that sounds good! Other than that, taking them straight is going to MELT YOUR FACE. With that said, I have photos of “how to drink Tanduay Extra Strong straight” below.

Tanduay Superior, 98 proof / 49% alcohol

Superior is 12 years old and for my noob (beginner) palate, it was also pretty “isog” or hard. But unlike 65, it has more alcohol and tastes much better lol. Why? Because its 12 years old and comes in a cool a**box thats why.

If you aren’t satisfied with my description, here is one from someone with more experience drinking rums, people who appreciate every aspect of rum drinking, even down to its scent:

“On the nose the 12 year was spicy and immediately assertive with equal parts vanilla, caramel and lemon zest in some kind of crazy harmony, as if Michael Jackson suddenly joined up with the Bee Gees and they created a song of their own that just missed being nuts by some strange unknown alchemy. It was bold and immediate, but after allowing it to breathe, a sly delicate note of flowers came stealing around the more powerful notes. Yes there was some sting, but this died away after a while and the medicinal reek I so dislike in younger rums was utterly absent.“

-Lance, Liquorature.com (original link can no longer be found)

Tanduay 1854, 80 proof / 40% alcohol

I call this “linaw-ganiha-sa-bagyo” or “calm-before-the-storm” because at first sip, you’ll find it pleasantly fruity and it will remind you of butterflies and orchids. And then one second later the burn arrives and the butterflies turn into scorpions with jet packs and the orchids turn into Rosie O’Donnell.

Once again, I should probably leave the premium rum descriptions to the premium rum connoisseurs. Here’s one that translates my trite description above with some added hints and tactics:

“A thin, oily body to the rum is introduced to your tongue right from the get-go. The entry is only slightly sweet and full of the same banana and pineapple notes that were found on the nose. This gives way to a light taste of toasted sugar and vanilla. There’s a bit of a straw taste riding on top of the vanilla before finishing with a peppery vanilla flavor with a hint of banana. The aftertaste has a slight chemical quality to it – which unfortunately detracts a bit from the rest of the experience.

Allowing the rum to breathe a bit before sipping promotes the citrus to the forefront of the flavors while allowing the chemical notes to diminish significantly. If you’re looking to sip this rum, I’d recommend letting your glass sit for a few minutes or add a few drops of water or an ice cube.“

–Matt Robold, Rumdood.com

At $7, a bottle of 1854 isn’t regularly enjoyed by “the masa” or the general Philippine public. But for folks overseas with pounds, euros, and dollars, its a sweet deal for its quality.

Enough with the tasting, tagay na ta

Into the night my cousin Christopher and I went, taking the Tanduay tasting session less and less seriously over time.

And despite its high alcohol content (or because of it) we went for the Tanduay Extra Strong again and again, just to make sure the previous sip was accurate and unbiased. There is no room for error when it comes to rum critique and appreciation.

The first sip.

The second sip (shot). Here we learned that using a chaser made from fresh calamansi added another dimension to our scientific method.

We observed that by the third shot, the rum was tasting better and better. To ensure the accuracy of this observation, we took more shots.

Our hypothesis was correct. We felt good. About it. Time for bed!

In the end, Christopher and I agreed that the top two bottles were the 1854 and the ESQ. I think i’ll be buying the ESQ more often though, I don’t have enough patience to wait for the “chemical notes to diminish significantly” after opening an expensive bottle of 1854.

ESQ, for your smooth yet quick buzz, you make a cheap companion ($1) during good times and bad. Lupig sila nimo pare (they can’t touch you). You win.

For some history on Tanduay, visit Tanduay’s history page on their website or view a collection of history sources on Tanduay here.

Rum is made from fermented sugar cane, and then a whole bunch of complex processes after that. More info from The Manual, or good old Wikipedia.