Myers’s Signature Cask Collection Features 5 Rums, all Finished in Buffalo Trace Antique Collection Whiskeys

When it comes to Jamaican rum, Myers’s is one of the most traditional names in the game. The brand has changed little since it first launched back in 1879. But it’s about to undergo a premiumization as significant as anything throughout its 145-year history. This month the portfolio expands with the introduction of two new collections: Signature Cask as well as Signature Legends. Between them, a total of six top-shelf expressions are set for shelves. 

The appeal of the Signature Cask Collection is obvious. It features five separate aged rums, each finished in barrels previously used to mature whiskeys from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection — and each sold individually at a suggested retail price of $80 per bottle. This is the first time ever that those cult American whiskeys have been used to influence the flavor of rum. And you’re unlikely to ever see any other brand pull it off, considering Myers’s Rum and Buffalo Trace are now both owned by the same parent company: Sazerac.

“The idea to finish our Myers’s Rum in various whiskey barrels came from a desire to add several more layers of complexity and flavor to the rum. What better way to do that than using our award-winning Buffalo Trace Antique Collection barrels? Each expression of the Myers's Rum Signature Cask Collection would have a unique influence because of the type of whiskey barrel that it was finished in,” says Drew Mayville, Sazerac’s master blender. “The idea was to optimize each expression by not only the type of whiskey but also by adjusting the proof to maximize the impact of each.” 

“These whiskey cask finishes would pair well and add depth, richness and complexity with Myers’s intrinsic dark rum characteristics,” Mayville adds. “I would say that the vison that we had turned out to be a smashing success and definitely a dramatic change from typical rum finished in whiskey casks.”

The standout bottle of the bunch is Myers’s Rum Signature Cask Collection: Finished in George T. Stagg Barrels. The expression of cask strength bourbon has been deployed here to color a 100-proof cane spirit, resulting in assertive elements of cherry cola and treacle. The elevated ABV also allows for a lengthier finish, wherein toasted oak and campfire smoke come out of the literal woodwork. Yet make no mistake, this is very much a rum — albeit one for those who appreciate a full-flavored American whiskey.

Conversely, bourbon fans who want to comfortably explore the rum space ought to steer toward the Signature Cask Collection, finished in either William Larue Weller or Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old barrels. The convergence of caramel, vanilla, and baking spice will resonate with their proclivities. 

Those who prefer more tropical fruit fragrances from their rum, however, will want to turn their attention toward the Signature Cask expressions seasoned with rye: either the Thomas H. Handy, bottled at 84.5 proof, or Sazerac 18 clocking in at 86 proof. Both brim with notes of banana and pineapple, only slightly hinting at the savory pepper spice characterizing their respective whiskey adulterants. 

Joining the Signature Cask Collection on shelves is the inaugural release from the Myers’s Signature Legends Collection: Legacy Blend #1. The ongoing series will showcase new flavor profiles in partnership with industry legends, as the collection’s name implies. For the debut, that legend is Richard Seale, master distiller and blender of Barbados’ Foursquare Rum. He worked with Sazerac’s Mayville to come away with a warming-yet-balanced 94-proof sipping rum. 

Creamy in body and evolving from earthy funk to over-ripened mango fruit on the palate, this blend of Jamaican and Bajan juice exhibits the sort of profile that can only come with upwards of seven decades' worth of combined industry experience. 

“In crafting these rums, we focused on sourcing and experimenting with outstanding spirits and producers to create category-redefining products,” Mayville explains. “With these new collections, we’re crossing spirit categories to see how the flavors interact, challenging ourselves to think creatively to develop products that entice consumers to try something they may not have previously considered. The results are truly exceptional.”

Indeed, although it took over a century for the Myers’s brand to start getting experimental, these new offerings present strong proof that good things come to those who wait.