Rum recipe advice, please?

[Steve Broady]

I just want to run this by people who know more than I do, in case I’m about to make some kind of stupid mistake. I know we all have to experiment and explore, which I’m happy to do, but you guys have helped guide me in the past and I value your advice on my sometimes crazy ideas.

I’ve got 5 gallons of blackstrap molasses here now, and 24 lbs of panella en route. Naturally, I’m planning on making some rum. I’ve also got a couple gallons of dunder saved from the last time I made rum earlier the year. I’m intrigued by SBB rum, but the comments about it being a bit rough white and needing mints or years on oak have me a little concerned. On one hand, I love long aged spirits with complex flavors. On the other hand, I have a good friend that I like to share things with, and she prefers white rum. I make no claims about the sophistication of her palate, but since I can make more than I can drink, it makes sense to me to make something I can share and know will be enjoyed.

This is what propose to do. Divide my 5 gallons of molasses equally into four 1.25 gallon units, and make four batches of rum. Supplement each with 2 lbs of panella. If my math is right a 5-6 gallon wash ought to yield roughly 10-12% alcohol. For the first one, use one gallon of the dunder which I have saved, after boiling it of course. For each successive batch, use a gallon of the dunder from the previous one. In other words, follow the process as laid out by SBB, but dial the intensity back a little by using panella to (hopefully) turn the molasses into something more like what would have been around a few hundred years ago.

Am I about to do something silly? Would I be better off making straight SBB and then a separate panella rum? I’ll be making the latter anyway, since I have enough coming for a couple more washes easily. I know some of you have a lot of experience with rum, and I have no doubt you’ll pull no punches when it comes to telling me the truth. I appreciate that about you, even when it smarts. Thanks in advance!