Spytail Black Ginger

It's Saturday night and time for the rum review. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was inspired by the French submarine designs of old. One particular plan was found by the distillery owned by Biggar and Leith's distillery of New York. The plans were found near where they blend and age the rum, in Cognac, France. The namesake comes from the name of that ships planned name call the Spytail. France is where the first mechanical submarines were invented and tested within the Charente River which flows nearby the distillery.
The production of Spytail is actually based on a 19th century recipe using fresh ginger aged with spices and rum. Blended and bottled using Carribean rumthen placed in the charred aging barrels with the fresh ginger and spices. Spytail Black Ginger Rum is a good black spiced rum for the money, 24 dollars at my local store. They've given black spiced rum a new spin using ginger instead of the pepper and cinnamon most others use to "spice" it up. 84 proof and a great taste with this one, I can see the crew of the Nautilus drinking this during the days at sea. Even the bottle itself is reminiscent of the old style Bathesphere, a spherical vessel made and used for deep water exploration and observation.
Deep dark amber in color typical of black spiced rum, the legs are slow to drop and taper as the alcohol evaporates.
Sweet aromas of ginger, vanilla, caramel and orange peel are apparent to the nose.
The entry is slightly astringent but I'm thinking it's due to the spicy ginger flavor more than the alcohol. It rounds out to a light taste of brown sugar and that spicy oriental ginger.
The finish has notes of freshly prepared orange marmalade just off the stove as the peel is added. Light cinnamon and of course the all familiar vanilla from the oak barrels.
A card on the side of the bottle gives suggestions for mixing and drinking Spytail. Neat, over ice, with cola, and ginger based soda. I'm drinking this 4 ways neat for the taste description, over ice in the skull glass, with my golden ginger ale from the local Atlanta company Red Rock. I also decided to experiment with it and try it with a new root beer I found from Stubborn Soda Company and will describe that now. The ginger melds with the rootbeer perfectly, a definite summer drink to enjoy on the top side of the deck or in that secret cove while waiting out the english to pass you by.
So for the remaining weekend keep that weathered eye on the horizon and watch for sails and the other eye on the prize. I'll just say, stay safe stay alert stay alive and drink responsibly. Till the next week, down the hatch.