Ron Millonario 10 Aniversario Reserva. Ron Millonario is a rum brand which hails from Peru. It is owned by Fabio Rossi, who used to own and run the Rum Nation brand. It has been around since 1950 when the brand was formed, according the story on the rums website. In 2004 the brand came to the attention of Fabio Rossi.

There are now 4 rums in the brands portfolio. This the 10 Aniversario Reserva, a 10 Aniversario Cincuenta (which seems to be this blend but at a higher ABV), the 15 Reserva and finally the XO, which I reviewed a few years back here.

The two 10 Aniversario rums were introduced fairly recently. The tagline used for this rum on it’s website is Light and Easy, Fresh and Sweet. They don’t give any specifics on the rums make up. Just some tasting notes. They know their audience I guess.

Ron Millonario is produced at the Hacienda Agicola in Chiclayo, Peru. It is produced on a traditional column still which was brought over from Scotland in the 1930’s. This rum is said to be a “solera” blend of rums aged between 6 and 10 years. It is bottled at 40% ABV. It is aged in a combination of American and Slavonic oak casks, which have held various spirits before.

This as the numbers might suggest is the cheapest Ron Millonario available. Ron Millonario XO, which I reviewed a while back retails at around £85 here in the UK for a 70cl bottle. The 15 Solera which I haven’t reviewed comes in at around £45. This Ron Millonario 10 Aniversario Reserva retails at around the £35. To be honest from looking around it’s not as easily available or consistently priced in the UK, as I thought it would be.

Presentation wise it’s a bit gaudy to be honest but it does stand out. Particularly the glass “cork” on the bottle which gives what some would consider a more premium feel.

I’ve used the Hydrometer and we have 35g/L of additives in this rum, the exact make up of I do not know as there is nothing on their website highlighting any additives exist.

In the glass we have a medium coloured spirit a light golden brown with a slightly orange hue.

The nose is sweet with notes of orange sweets, vanilla and some cola cubes (English boiled sweets). There is a perfumed aroma about this rum. It’s very light and easy going. The nose is as unaggressive as a spirit can get pretty much. It smells like a childs sweet drink or bubblegum rather than a rum.

It’s not unpleasant as such. It just doesn’t smell of rum. It’s just a sweet confected nose.

Sipped Millonario 10 Aniversario Reserva offers little of any real excitement. It is pretty much what I have come to expect of the brand. There’s no notes of ageing or spices and there is no burn from the alcohol. It just tastes like a perfumed sugar syrup. Or maybe something like those cheap shots that you used to buy from the “shot girls” when you were 17 and thought you were being cool and witty trying to chat them up.

It’s ridiculously easy to drink but it’s also very bland and unforgettable. The initial sip gives you a sweet confected burst of bubblegum and oranges. It then briefly gives you a hint of raisin and maybe come Dr Pepper. It’s not really what I’m looking for in a rum.

Finish wise you get a tingle of sweetness and maybe the tiniest hint of actually drinking something alcoholic. This is to rum what Hooch was to lager and cider. It’s pretty much a distilled alcopop.

Weak, insipid, overly sweetened and frankly just plain boring. Like drinking sugary water. No bite, no burn, no rum.

The market for this type of rum is however, sadly there undoubtedly. A lot of people really enjoy this style of rum. I’m not 100% convinced that when you sugar and tart a rum up to this extent if the consumer really is liking the actual rum. It’s like when people really like Spiced Rum. It’s not the rum they actually are enjoying it’s the flavours. You could probably sub out the rum in most Spiced Rums and people would still enjoy them.

Probably no surprises from this review but I really do not like this brand. I’m not alone in these feelings despite the general positive reviews towards Millonario, mostly by people who really aren’t rum fans. Ivar over at Rum Revelations also did not enjoy this particular effort.