We're back in what might be my favorite place in the US for rum, namely New Orleans LA. There's a couple of cool new variations on the Cheramie rum from Porchjam I reviewed last year (   • Random Cane Juice Trio: Cheramie Rum ...   ) - including one bottled for charity! - and I've got some bostons of them that I've really been waiting to try out. And to round out the flight I'm also throwing in a bottle from Roulaison (last seen at    • American Rum Reviews for the 4th: Rou...   ), this time an aged version. So off we go: unaged versus aged, cane juice versus molasses. Stats:

Turning Tables NOLA Rhum Pou Moun-La (Porchjam Distilling, New Orleans; pot/column distilled fresh cane juice, distilled 2020 and then aged in glass demijohn until bottling in 2023; 50% ABV), 84/100
Cheramie Rum "Aged Gold" (Porchjam Distilling, New Orleans; distilled fresh cane juice, aged in oak a minimum of two years, bottled circa 2023; 46% ABV), 80/100
Roulaison Barrel Aged Reserve Rum, Batch 10 (New Orleans, LA; pot-distilled Louisiana molasses aged in oak, bottled circa 2023; 47% ABV), 85/100
Cheramie Rum Cask Select for Cane and Table (Porchjam Distilling, New Orleans; distilled fresh cane juice aged in oak, bottled circa 2023; 55.4% ABV), 83+/100

The Pou Moun-La is wonderful, and honestly it's kind of what I'd wished the Cheramie Blanc had been. Yes, it's a bit simple on the palate, but you only notice because the nose is terrific. Overall it's just a lovely example of a savory cane juice rum, and it doesn't hurt that it's for a good cause. The two Cheramies, meanwhile, are... well, light and disappointing. The Aged Gold feels like a case in point for my "aging ditch" theory (   • The Aging Ditch (Or, When Barrel Agin...   ), there's really not much to it beyond American oak and a bit of citrus. The Cask Select is considerably better, but there's still just not much distillate character to be found. This sort of thing can be done right - see, say, the Uruapan Añejo at    • My Shopping Bag 3: Yokka Koji Awamori...   - but between these three I'm going for the Pou Moun-La every time.

But the Roulaison wins the flight, annoyingly so because it's a distillery I've hyped a lot in the past and I don't want to seem too partial. This Batch 10 is still young, yes, and it's actually pretty subtle: I could easily see this getting lost in a more competitive lineup. It's only when you really start to pay attention that you notice the torrent of different notes it throws at you. Pumpkin bread and peppermint patties in an American rum? You'd better believe it. Fun and absolutely worth a try.

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

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