This is a 21 year old rum from Panama, from the Rum Nation range (created by Fabio Rossi, an independent Italian bottler). The result of the work of Don Francisco (Pancho) Fernández, a Cuban master distiller with over 40 years of experience, this rum is aged in bourbon and sherry casks. It should be noted that everything that is at the origin of this rum comes from the Varela plantation in Panama, from the sugar cane from which the molasses are made, to the sugar used for the caramel which is added here in small quantities before bottling (something quite common in the world of rum, but often hidden, or at least never explicitly mentioned). The color is dark amber, with orange highlights ; the body is fat and oily as you would expect from such an old rum; the legs that appear on the walls of the glass are thick and descend as slowly as you might imagine.

The nose is very fruity, dry at first : we recognize the grape, date and plum, which gives this rum a smell of dessert wine; the caramel is revealed and accompanies grilled spices and the woodiness of the oak which take place as the glass rests. A light smell of tobacco floats in the air

On the palate, the attack is silky, mellow and sweet . It is very aromatic and complex. The fruitiness is still there (dried fruits present on the nose), but becomes more candied (orange, peach) and exotic; the woodiness and spices wonderfully counterbalance the sweeter (fruity) aromas. The caramel is also present, mixed with a sweet note of tobacco in the background.

The finish is still as sweet and dry, still on dried fruit, spices (cinnamon, cloves) and a woody note. Citrus zest slightly warms the throat but vanilla and caramel soften the exit.

A rum with a complex and very well-balanced aromatic profile: everything seems to work wonderfully, nothing really takes over. Note the very good quality/price ratio for its age, in the same vein as an El Dorado 21, but rarer since this is an 'occasional' bottling.

Rating : 80

Thanks to Lance ( The Lone Caner ) for the photo.

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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