Matugga Dhahabu "Raising Glasses" High Ester Scottish Golden Rum (375ml)

Paul and Jacine Rutasikwa's Matugga distillery in Livingston brings Jamaican rum traditions and Ugandan heritage into Scotland's distilling landscape. Paul, a former civil engineer who developed his distilling skills at Heriot-Watt University, oversees production from molasses fermentation through copper pot distillation. Fermentation includes wild microbial activity, and Dhahabu's production incorporates dunder, the liquid left after a previous distillation. Returning this material to production can supply acids and nutrients that help shape subsequent fermentations, making it an important part of the rum's character before wood enters the picture. This is the technical substance behind Matugga's cultural connections: Jamaican influence expressed through fermentation practice, with the rum actually fermented and distilled in Scotland. For the producer's American debut, Raising Glasses selected this special 58.8% ABV version of Matugga's ex-bourbon-cask-aged Golden Rum. Named for the Swahili word for gold, Dhahabu offers a particularly interesting perspective on how traditional rum methods translate to a Scottish distillery.