Rum Review: Siesta Key Coconut
Siesta Key Toasted Coconut Rum Review
If you read my review of Siesta Key Spiced Rum, you’re already aware that these guys know how to make fantastic flavored rums. Well, now Troy Roberts and his crew are back with another winner: Siesta Key Toasted Coconut Rum. In contrast to most coconut rum formulas, Siesta Key eschews liquid flavor agents in favor of (now stay with me here) actual coconut. Shredded toasted coconut is simply steeped in the rum for a few weeks along with a few freshly ground spices and then filtered (the most painfully laborious part of the process). The filtered rum is then sweetened ever so slightly with honey and bottled at 35% ABV so “you know you’re drinking rum” says Troy. It’s currently available at the distillery, and sometimes at Total Wine. At Total Wine, the Toasted Coconut retails for $22.
The bottle itself is the same as the others in the Siesta Key line: tall and upright with a hefty bit of glass at the base and ample space at the neck to form a sure grasp. The stopper is a synthetic cork topped with a plastic cap. Each bottle has the batch number hand-written in permanent marker; my bottle is from batch No. 1, and was provided by the distillery for review. If you look closely, you can see a few specks of colloidal coconut material floating in the bottle, which is a good sign of authenticity as far as I’m concerned.
In the glass, the rum is a bright straw color, and a swirl produces a nice ring around the snifter. The aromas wafting up and out of the glass nearly fill the room with a tantalizing mix of toasted coconut, melted butter, and Chantilly cream.
As the rum enters, my palate is rapidly and thoroughly coated with toasted coconut goodness. There is also a strong suggestion of sweet vanilla cream here as we noted on nosing. There is just the right amount of sweetness present to balance the bit of heat from the rum and amplify the coconut flavor. The combination is not terribly complex, but it is certainly delightful, evoking visions of my wife’s famous coconut macaroons. Subsequent sips yield more coconut, vanilla cream and brown butter. The medium length finish is smooth and pleasant, and I’m pleased to find none of the saccharin bitterness we taste in so many mass market flavored rums.
As the world’s only commercially available (at least to my knowledge) toasted coconut rum, this Siesta Key offering is truly unique. Can you use it in place of another coconut rum in mixed drinks? I don’t know; I’ll need to do some research on that and get back to you. Frankly, I’m enjoying it too much on its own to give it much thought at the moment. What I can tell you is that it doesn’t taste anything like Malibu, and that’s a good thing.
On to the scores:
- Appearance: 1/1
- Nose: 2/2
- Mouth feel: 1/1
- Taste: 3.5/4
- Aftertaste: 1.5/2
- Total Score: 9/10
Buy Siesta Key Toasted Coconut Rum online
Want to read more about coconut rum? Check out this article in which I blind tasted a dozen different coconut rums.
Have you tried Siesta Key Toasted Coconut rum? Let us know what you thought in the comments below.
Cheers,
Josh
Inu A Kena 
Josh, as always thanks for the review. As a Floridian of course we were interested in a Floridian dsitiller. We’ve had the silver and gold and we’re well impressed. Living in Florida we have access to fresh coconut water and milk, plus coconut meat from coconuts from our surrounding trees, not to mention the local stores are thick with Caribbean coconut products for our large Caribbean population.
Thus we are spoiled.
Until now the most authentic coconut – by far – was made by Brinleys. I know Zack Brinley, who assured me that all the components are REAL (not aritificial, and not the misused legal term “natural”) which means nothing. “Real” does. However, with the process you described – and I have no reason to doubt Siesta Key – I would imagine this is a terrific rum, and must now buy one. Thanks for the review…
Oops…
by “means nothing” I meant the term “natural”. According to US law a “natural” flavoring must only have one – any – natural component, to be called “natural”. For example “natural strawberry flavor” is natural only in the sense that it contains the extract of beaver rectum – I’m serious – which has less than nothing to do with strawberry. “Real” otoh, IS meaningful.
Love the Siesta Key Coconut Rum.
Ok for the professional review but Ron and Laurel think it’s GREAT!
Deliciously SMOOTH! LOVE IT!
Hello I was given this as a gift from a friend who won it as a prize and is not a fan of coconut. I was very appreciative to receive this tried it tonight and must say is the best fabulous flavour I have tasted. I love coconut since I was a little girl. I know this is a adult indulgence and is absolutely scrumptious. I live in Niagara on the Lake Ontario and only have access to this product while we are here in the wintertime. Would love to know if this is available in Canada or if it is available in Niagara Falls New York State USA? Please let me know and where I can purchase this. Regards
Sandy Sguigna
Hi Sandy, Siesta Key is available at Total Wine & More. I believe the nearest one to you is way down in New Jersey, but at least it’s closer than Florida! Cheers
Found this at Costco in a Tampa. Loved it! Grear flavor. Trying to find it up north.