Rum is a Caribbean product, but one Florida-based challenger is making waves from northern shores with Wicked Dolphin Artisan Rum.
Wicked Dolphin is a small-batch Florida distillery, and they put out just two varieties of their product right now: a silver version, and an aged and spiced version with a deep amber color.
Like many American craft distilleries these days, Wicked Dolphin finishes their spirit in bourbon casks. They also use copper stills, which, while common in bourbon country, are not employed that often in the spiced rum world, which is dominated by captains and sailors.
Wicked Dolphin also has a silver expression of their spirit, but we gravitated toward their spiced rum. Given the number of competitors already seeding the spiced rum market, it was nice to see a well-rounded challenger step forward.
Ironically, while it may come from one of the few states in the U.S. that doesn’t see major mercury drops over the holidays, this may be the perfect spiced rum for hot cocktails when the weather turns nippy. Besides, being from Florida, Wicked is considered “northerners” in the rum world.
And the flavors are just right. The sweet honey and orange flavors (yes, from real Florida oranges) are rich and prominent, especially on top of the hints of bourbon from its year in cask aging. The wood and bourbon also give the rum hints of butterscotch too, that result in a great beverage for carrying some heat, like in a Toddy recipe or a warm rum punch.
Wicked Dolphin Spiced Rum may be the best bet for a tropical holiday season in our book, since it gives you a chance to escape somewhere warmer for a little while without even hopping on a plane.
Distillery: Wicked Dolphin Distillery
City: Cape Coral, Fla.
Style: Spiced Rum
Proof: 80
Availability: Limited