Lee “Doc” Brown: From Radio Engineer to Rum Artisan
The black bottle with a caduceus, traditionally associated with healing, with a skull and crossed swords on top stopped us in our tracks. We’ve been saying for years that rum is the best medicine. Let’s see if Doc Brown Really Bad Rum Co. Dark is “exactly what the doctor ordered.”
Lee “Doc” Brown was an audio engineer at Radio Disney, tasked with growing the radio brand internationally. After years of business trips to the Caribbean and sampling countless rum cakes, he decided to perfect his own recipe. Over time Doc realized that it was not the cake but the rum that made a really “Bad” rum cake. He asked himself why he was purchasing jug handles of other people’s rum when he could make his own. Soon he found himself attending the Miami Renaissance Festival in 2016, with “nurses” serving his rum from syringes and handing out vanilla ice cream with a squirt of rum on top. The Doc Brown Really Bad Rum brand was born.
The Art of Crafting: A Taste of Doc Brown Really Bad Rum Co. Dark
The rum is proudly Made in the USA, using “exquisitely fine dark rum”; however, it’s not disclosed where this rum is from. We know they are infusing the dark rum with “natural flavors and caramel color.” That may be why Terry enjoyed this rum a little too much.
Tasting Notes – His Perspective:
There is an alcohol burn when bringing the glass to my nose, but it quickly gives way to apricot with subtle hints of nutmeg and oak. The liquid is thick and rich, satisfyingly coating my entire palate. The apricot is still front and center with some added sweetness, possibly from molasses. The nutmeg helps break the sweetness on the palate and carries the rum to a unique finish. The rum almost fizzes on the back of my tongue, then finishes with nutmeg and oak. I love the lingering of this finish. It allows me to take my time before another sip. Should I cut it with a bit of water, like bourbon, to thin out the syrupiness on the palate?
Tasting Notes – Her Perspective:
Dark Rum? Well, it’s more golden with a touch of amber. The rum coats the glass nicely, with long, slow legs dripping down the glass. A sweet aroma wafts from the glass as it sits on the table; however, that sweetness is not as intense on the nose. The smell takes me immediately to a pina colada with pineapple, coconut, and nutmeg sprinkled on the top. The rum is smooth, and I want to keep sipping and sipping like a cocktail. I’m not having the same finish experience as Clint, although the nutmeg stays with me from sip to sip.
An Overall Perspective:
You can tell that the producer cared about your experience with Doc Brown Really Bad Rum Co. Dark. The rum is sweeter than Clint typically likes but has some character to find if your palate allows it. At $30/bottle, it’s worth having in your cabinet for the beginner to intermediate rum connoisseur.
4 out of 5
About Clint and Terry: We have sampled many a dram over our 33 years of marriage and quite often we don’t fully agree. Could be the difference is male/female taste buds. Or, somebody is just wrong.
