A.H.Riise 1888 Gold Medal 0,7l 40%

A.H. Riise 1888 Gold Medal, now also marketed as Old St. Croix XO Reserve 1888 Copenhagen Medal, pays homage to the historic blend that won a medal at the Great Nordic Exhibition in Copenhagen in 1888. This edition combines the brand’s history with a rich, warm, and distinctly aromatic style.

It is based on extra-long-aged, double-distilled components sourced from renowned distilleries in the West Indies and Central America. The resulting blend is further aged in oak barrels that previously held sweet dessert wines. It is precisely this aging process that gives it depth, a subtler sweetness, and a complex, fruity-spicy character.

Tasting Profile:

Color: Amber.

Aroma: Subtle oak, aged leather, and dried apricots.

Taste: Warm spices, Christmas cookies, and orange zest, rounded out on the finish with a subtle note of fruit-flavored jelly candies.

Finish: Dried fruit, matured oak, and a light hint of sherry.

The aroma reveals subtle oak, old leather, and dried apricots. The taste features warm spices, notes of Christmas cookies and orange peel, complemented by a slight fruity candy note. The finish is long and warm, with dried fruit, matured oak, and a subtle hint of sherry.

Medal from 1888:

The history of this edition dates back to 1888, when Albert Heinrich Riise’s sons, Karl and Valdemar, accepted a medal at the Great Nordic Exhibition in Copenhagen in recognition of their father’s skills as a master blender. The current 1888 Copenhagen Medal edition commemorates this historic event and reinterprets it in the form of a modern XO blend.

About the A.H. Riise brand:

A.H. Riise is a premium brand of rum blends inspired by the legacy of Danish pharmacist Albert Heinrich Riise, who worked on the island of Saint Thomas in the former Danish West Indies starting in 1838. The brand builds on the historical tradition of Caribbean spirits and focuses on rich, elegant, and distinctly aromatic blended products.

Interestingly, in 2025, the A.H. Riise brand was officially renamed Old St. Croix, a move the brand itself describes as a return to its original roots and historical name. As a result, you may encounter both the A.H. Riise label and the newer branding under the name Old St. Croix on the market today.