Mad River Px Rum

Px Rum from Mad River is, going by its name, a rum associated with Pedro Ximénez (PX), the sweet, raisin-heavy Spanish sherry style. The product details don't say whether it is finished in PX casks, flavored, or blended with PX, so treat the notes below as what to expect from PX-influenced rums. They aren't a measured profile of this bottle. Check the label for the age statement, ABV, and production method. Rums in this vein usually pour deep amber to mahogany. Expect dried fig, raisin, and date on the nose, with dark brown sugar, molasses, toasted nuts, and a little cocoa or coffee behind them. The palate tends to be rich and round, with a sweetness closer to dessert wine than to a dry aged rum. That makes it more of a sipper than a general-purpose mixer, although it works in cocktails that call for a dark, sweet backbone. For sipping, serve it neat at cool room temperature in a snifter or tulip glass. A small splash of water or one large ice cube in a rocks glass opens up the dried-fruit notes and tempers the sweetness. A Rum Old Fashioned is the best cocktail use. Stir it with ice and two dashes of aromatic or orange bitters, and use only a bar spoon of syrup or none, because the rum already supplies sweetness. Garnish with an orange peel. In a Dark 'n' Stormy, it makes a fruitier, softer drink than the usual blackstrap or Gosling's version. Pair it with a sharp ginger beer and plenty of lime so the ginger doesn't get buried. It is a poor fit for a Daiquiri, Mojito, or Piña Colada. A rum this dark and sweet would overpower the lime and mint and muddy a coconut-pineapple blend. For those drinks, a white or light gold rum is the better choice. At the table it goes well with dark chocolate, blue cheese, roasted nuts, dried fruit, and desserts such as sticky toffee pudding or vanilla ice cream. For the ice cream, pour a small measure over the top.