It’s easy to wonder if Hogo Monsta, the latest release from Planteray Rum, is even a rum at all. Technically speaking, it fits the bill, being distilled from molasses and bottled at a hefty but perfectly reasonable 56.6% ABV. On the other hand, it’s rum in the same way that, say, orange juice concentrate is orange juice. Sipping a glass of Hogo Monsta seems about as reasonable as downing a shot of vanilla extract. So what the heckisthis stuff, anyway?

Hogo Monsta is, in fact, a rum, part of a tradition that stretches back to the 18th century but which appeals, in theory at least, to modern-day fans of funky, high-ester pot still rums. Those rums were originally made for the German market — not to be consumed on their own but to be blended with neutral spirits to create a reasonable approximation of a typical Caribbean rum. They were described as flavor concentrates or essences rather than rum, the purpose being to avoid high import taxes. Known asrum blendedthese blends are still available in Germany today.

The best-known ultra-high ester rums, or “heavy rums,” are made in Jamaica, but they’ve also historically been made in Barbados, where Hogo Monsta is produced.

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“Jamaica is the country that most consistently preserved and developed this heavy rum tradition into modern times,” says Alexandre Gabriel, Planteray’s founder and master blender. “At the same time, this style of rum in Barbados never completely disappeared.… For decades, it was produced in small quantities and supplied quietly to blenders, other spirits producers, and even high-end perfumers and pastry chefs. Barbados is a relatively discreet and secretive rum culture, and much of this know-how remained behind the scenes.”

Gabriel stresses that while this is the first time that a rum like Hogo Monsta has been made commercially available, “it’s a rum we already make, essentially every week, at the distillery. The real question wasn’t how to make it,” he says, “but whether it made sense to share it.

Ultimately, we came back to what defines us: sharing beautiful things, even when they’re bold, unconventional, or unexpected, especially when they’re deeply rooted in the heritage and history of our distillery. So we decided to release it.”

Hogo Monsta is produced at the Stade’s West Indies Rum Distillery, which has been active since 1893 and is currently owned by Gabriel. Rums with high concentrations of aromatic compounds are generally called “high-ester rums,” even though esters are only one of several players that contribute to a rum’s flavor. Hogo Monsta, from a chemical standpoint, blows other high-ester rums out of the water with a whopping 2,029 grams per hectoliter (100 liters) of aromatic compounds, making it the highest-ester commercially available rum in the world. By comparison, the highest legal number allowable in Jamaican rums is 1,600 grams per hectoliter.

Gabriel says the secret to producing Hogo Monsta has nothing to do with how it’s distilled. “Esters are created during fermentation,” he explains. “That’s where the real magic happens….  Specific yeasts, long fermentation, controlled bacteria, and acidification, are what allow us to create such concentrated, expressive rums, while still remaining true to a Barbadian identity.”

Unadulterated, Hogo Monsta features a powerful flavor profile described by the brand as overripe banana, pineapple, and mango — layered with varnish, brine, spice, and tropical funk, culminating in a long, unrestrained finish. It’s sold in diminutive 200-milliliter bottles, but a little goes a long way.

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“At home,” says Gabriel, “I enjoy using it in very simple ways. After a long day of tasting barrels, something like a good ginger beer with just a spoonful of Hogo Monsta can be incredibly satisfying, approachable, aromatic, and full of character.”

He’s intrigued, however, by how it’s used by bartenders. “I often say that I create the instruments, and then others play the music,” he says. “That’s especially true with bartenders. I’ve seen bartenders add just a couple of barspoons to a cocktail, and suddenly the whole profile opens up. One particularly memorable moment was a martini where the glass was simply rinsed with Hogo Monsta before pouring the drink. It was subtle, unexpected, and incredibly elegant. It also works beautifully in tropical or tiki-style cocktails.”

Hogo Monsta has been released with a small segment of rum aficionados in mind — in fact, Gabriel is quoted in the press release as saying, “Don’t buy this unless you know what it is!” Accordingly, only 5,000 bottles have been released to select markets worldwide. Depending on the response from the rum-buying public, however, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a second run once the first is gone.