Based on the casks I’ve tasted from Holmes Cay, Travellers is moving higher and higher on my list of personal favorite rum distilleries. Pouring a deep copper color, this one is as savory as it gets. A huge aromatic profile leads with diesel engine, petrol, and dark dried fruits – raisins, Medjool dates, and black currants. The nose is extremely detailed as clear notes of maple granola, oatmeal raisin cookies, and old leather chair play out in succession, while time in the glass brings out fantastic tertiary scents of potpourri, teriyaki barbecue, and spicy gingerbread. The palate is a bruiser out of the gate, so don’t be afraid of a little water to tame the imposing mouthfeel. Once it settles out, the flavor profile is almost regal in its depth and poise. The same dried dark fruits from the nose play prominently on the entry, extremely concentrated and persistent, with additional hints of elderberry and dried black cherry showing up. Well-defined, sweet baking spices are next up alongside a medicinal, amaro-like character around the edges, as the medium weight and grippy texture lead into a very long finish with notes of gingersnap cookies and a new rubber industrial touch. This is a fantastic example of Travellers’ signature triple-column still distillate as it approaches maturity, and it shows a singular character that can stand toe-to-toe with much more expensive (and older) casks from better-known distilleries.
95 points, Andrew Kitz, B-21 Spirits Buyer (Sep 2025)
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