Cotton and Reed Mellow Gold Rum 750ml

Cotton & Reed was founded by Reed Walker and Jordan Cotton, two former aerospace strategists who bonded over a shared interest in spirits and left their desk jobs to open Washington, D.C.'s first rum distillery in the Union Market neighborhood. Working alongside distiller Chas Jefferson, the team built the operation around a philosophy of embracing the natural complexity of each ingredient, using wild yeast strains and gentle hand distillation on a custom still.

Mellow Gold starts from the same base used in the distillery's White Rum, made from fermented and distilled sugarcane. That base then rests for six to nine months in used bourbon barrels, a step that draws out vanilla, honey, and spice notes from the wood while keeping the underlying rum soft and fruity. Before bottling, the rum receives a small addition of sweet woodruff, an aromatic herb that adds further complexity. It reaches the bottle at 40 percent alcohol by volume with no added color.

The rum shows a golden hay color, free of haze. The nose is gentle and inviting, offering vanilla, honey, and white flower aromas. On the palate, it carries medium weight with soft oak, vanilla, banana, and coconut, finishing with lingering baking spice, vanilla cookie, and molasses.