Matusalem rum is a rum of Cuban origin, but became Dominican by force of circumstances following the revolution led by Fidel Castro. You have probably already come across its bottle given its relative success in most wine merchants and bars (alongside zcapa, angostura and other diplomatico).

It is aged using the solera method and made from a recipe that has been passed down through generations. Travel to the Dominican Republic with a Cuban named Matusalem…

Price : you can find it relatively easily for 30€ for 70cl. (40°) on the internet. A bit more expensive in stores.

Age : unknown to the battalion… like any good solera rum. So don’t trust the age indicated on the bottle, and let’s say to be optimistic that it must be something like 6 or 7 years old on average.

The Cuban company Matusalem has been managed by the same family since its creation in 1872. In 1960, the Castro revolution would undermine their business and it would take several decades before Matusalem rums (now made in the Dominican Republic) could be found on store shelves thanks to Claudio Alvarez, great-grandson of Eduardo Camp (one of the two brothers behind the creation of the brand) who decided one day to restart production. A bottle that catches the eye and will leave no one indifferent, hence part of its success.

This rum has a golden color, very clear and with slightly orange highlights. This may seem rather classic at first glance but not so much since we are here far from the darker colors that we usually find in rums aged in Solera. We therefore imagine it - with a certain pleasure and astonishment - without the addition of caramel. The legs are quite thick and fall rather slowly to the bottom of the glass.

The first smell to emerge is the woodiness of oak, spices (cinnamon) and vanilla; Here again a nose much less sweet and beguiling than its competitors. We discover in the glass touches of honey, banana and orange which settle gradually to give way - after rest - to the woodiness (always) but also to dried fruits (fig and plum) and dried.

The attack is rather soft, dominated once again by the woody (tobacco) which definitely takes a good place (too much?) in this tasting, with a good dose of vanilla. The orange is still there too, but more in the form of zest, and we can recognize almond which brings a little lightness but not enough to eclipse all this woody. This rum has a little whisky side, it does not however have any real complexity or too pronounced character.

The finish is moderately long, unsurprisingly woody and spicy, caramel, and a slight bitterness develops and leaves a fairly persistent vanilla note in the mouth.

A simple and unpretentious rum that would be closer to an entry-level whisky. The woodiness takes over quite quickly and brings a certain bitterness that breaks the atmosphere of the whole. We will at least find it has the merit of not resembling other rums aged in solera, more often sweet, thick and concentrated than this Matusalem 15. But that is not enough to convince, too bad... Rating: 74

To help you (and me) find your way around, regarding the notes:

90 and + : exceptional and unique rum, it is the best of the best
between 85 and 89 : highly recommended rum, with that little something that makes the difference
between 80 and 84 : recommendable rum
75-79 POINTS : above average
70-74 POINTS : in the low average
less than 70 : not very good

Review courtesy of DuRhum.com.

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