Rumcast Reserve, Journey #1: Liverpool

On January 27, 2025, we tasted our way through the warehouse at the legendary Main Rum Company with one goal: select a single cask that’s not only evocative of the rum’s origin, but also of Main Rum’s unique aging environment and cask management skills. Instead of one cask, we walked away with two. When you taste them, we don’t think you’ll hold it against us.

Below, you’ll find all the details we have on each cask, along with the Rumcast episodes that take you behind the scenes of our journey. If you’ve already snagged the bottles, pour yourself a dram of either and enjoy. If not, you can find them at the retailers linked here.

Cheers!

- John & Will

Cask #1: Guyana VSG

  • Distillation Date: December 2014

  • Distillery: Diamond Distillery in Diamond, Guyana

  • Still: Versailles single wooden pot still

  • Base Material: Molasses

  • ABV: 50.6% — bottled at cask strength

  • Cask Type: Heavy char ex-rum cask

  • Aging Location: The Main Rum Company’s Plutus and Dempster warehouses in Liverpool, England

  • Age: 9 years, 11 months

  • Notes: The unaged rum was shipped to Liverpool in an IBC tote and then filled into cask on March 27, 2015. The cask was filled to 136.5 RLPA at a strength of 59.6% ABV. It was decanted into a drum for shipping to the U.S. on February 25, 2025.

Want to learn more about the rums of Guyana? Check out our guide to Guyana rum.

Cask #2: Mauritius MLM0

  • Distillation Date: December 2015

  • Distillery: Distillerie de Labourdonnais in Mapou, Mauritius

  • Still: Single column still

  • Base Material: Fresh sugarcane juice

  • ABV: 63.0% — bottled at cask strength

  • Cask Type: Ex-English malt whisky cask (from. Cotswolds Distillery) that previously held red wine — Main Rum refers to these as “wine malt” casks

  • Aging Location: The Main Rum Company’s Plutus and Dempster warehouses in Liverpool, England

  • Age: 5 years, 5 months

  • Notes: The unaged rum was initially rested in a stainless steel tank at origin until February 2017, when it was decanted into a stainless steel drum and shipped to the UK. It remained in that drum until it was filled into cask on September 30, 2019. The cask was filled to 156.9 RLPA at a strength of 69.5% ABV. It was decanted into a drum for shipping to the U.S. on February 25, 2025. MLM0 is an internal Main Rum mark that stands for Main Rum - Labourdonnais - Mauritius - 0 years aged at origin.

The Story Behind Rumcast Reserve Journey #1

The following Rumcast episodes document this release from start to finish, including the conception of the idea, tasting 20+ casks in Liverpool, selecting bottles, and beyond.

Part 1: Launching the Project — This episode offers background on the idea behind Rumcast Reserve, debating the name, and more.

Part 2: Bottles & Names — In Part 2, we take you inside the fun process of bottle shopping and discuss why we chose the name Rumcast Reserve.

Part 3: Inside Our Main Rum Trip — Join us inside Main Rum’s warehouse as we taste these rums (and many more) for the first time.

Part 4: The Guyana VSG Deep Dive — In this episode, we revealed the Guyana VSG selection and discussed everything that makes this rum so special.

Part 5: The Mauritius MLM0 Deep Dive — The companion to Part 4, best enjoyed as you sip on a dram of Mauritius MLM0.

Have thoughts or questions? Let us know!

We’d love your feedback on the rums and the project as a whole. Whether you have tasting notes, suggestions for Journey #2, or general questions, send them our way!

Special Thanks

This release would not have been possible without the following people:

  • Our Rumcast Patreon members — Your support and encouragement made it possible for us to take on the risk of funding this release. We truly cannot thank you enough. Y’all made this happen!

  • John & Lorri Hsu of Raising Glasses — We would have been lost without you. From importing the casks, to helping with distribution, to answering all of our many, many, many questions along the way, your knowledge, patience, and senses of humor were invaluable. Everyone reading this: buy John and Lorri’s rum too!

  • The Main Rum Company and E&A Scheer teams — You made this an amazing experience and helped us come away with some damn fine rums. Thank you for your hospitality, guidance, and education around Liverpudlian slang.

  • Everyone who has ever listened to an episode of The Rumcast — It all started with you. Whether you buy a bottle of Rumcast Reserve or not, thank you so much for listening. It means the world to us.