When it made its debut four years ago, Harbour Island’s Afrohead rum sent a shockwave through the industry.

Its superb design — and its drinkability — were a refreshing addition to the Caribbean’s rum offering.

It was bold, it was cool — and, unlike so many rum launches in recent years – it wasn’t trite or cheesy.

It was just what the rum industry needed — and still needs more of — a reminder to consumers that this is a sophisticated, premium spirit — not simply a mundane mixing partner for Coca-Cola.

Now, the man behind Afrohead, master blender Toby Tyler, has launched his newest project — and it’s another important new rum.

This is One Drop Rum, a rum hand-bottled in Harbour Island in The Bahamas that is a blend of 10- and 12-year-old Jamaican rum.

The design is totally different from Afrohead, but it’s equally cool, with a tall, round-edged flat bottle (one that reminds of some of our favorite bottlings of Martinique’s Rhum Saint James), with a simple, sleek black-and-white logo and a tall, pouring-friendly neck.

And if you’re wondering about the name, it gets its inspiration from the Bob Marley song “One Drop.”

So what is it like?

The aroma is a delight, with notes of apricot, mango and candied tropical fruit (it’s a delicious aroma that almost, remarkably, reminds of a rhum agricole).

The flavor profile is marked by buttery apricot, pure vanilla bean and even a hint of stone fruit — with wonderful balance and a hint of a dried-fruit edge.

This is a medium-bodied, velvety rum — and the best part is the finish.

While too many rums from Jamaica simply punch you in the face with their over-the-top funkiness, One Drop is a welcome departure — its got real drinkability.

It’s funky, yes — but it’s also elegant and smooth, and the 43-degree bottling makes for an even smoother, rounder, controlled finish that almost reminds of a Whisky.

It’s that happiest of results for a new rum: it isn’t just a cool bottle — this is a terrific Caribbean rum, one of the best we’ve tried all year.

Rum Journal Review

93 Points