Rum Nation Panama 18 Year Old – 2014
Rum Nation are an Italian Independent bottler headed up by Fabio Rossi. It was formed in 1999 and has the tagline Single Domaine Rum.
In keeping with many Independent bottlers Rum Nation do not give specific information on the distillery and or still. In most instances you just get the country of origin.
This rum was released in 2014, unlike the 2015 and 2016 release it is not marked as an solera rum. So this is a rum which should be wholly at least 18 years old………
It is likely that this rum hails from the Don Jose Distillery in Panama – home of Ron Abuelo. As far as I am aware all rum made in Panama is produced on a column still. My previous experience of an aged Panama Rum was also a Independent bottling by Mezan. I’ll be very happy with this if it matches that rum!
A bottle will set you back around £55 (it is still available online) and it comes in a very nice cut out card sleeve with the Rum Nation logo and a little information on the brand. The bottle is a nice stubby style bottle with a nice cork enclosure. The distinctive thing about the Rum Nation bottlings is that each has a picture of a stamp from the country of origin. A kind of homage to Fabio’s stamp collecting grandfather. It is bottled at 40% ABV.
When poured the rum is rich golden brown (almost suspiciously so). The nose is very gentle and there is little by way of any alcohol burn. It is very wine/cognac like and reminiscent equally of Ron Abuelo and Barbancourt rums.
It is however, notably sweeter than Barbancourt and you quickly get past the wine like notes into rich raisins and prunes. There are some notes of oak ageing and a slightly spicy note, but not a great deal.
Sipping the rum you get an initial rush of sweetness. Strong sugary notes, a little toffee and hints of liquorice. These quickly give way to what can only be described as a slightly peculiar almost red wine like note mixed with oak chips. There is even an almost soapy note. Which is actually slightly more pleasant than it sounds.
The finish is quite long and overall quite pleasant and warming. It’s very light, buttery and easy to drink.
The rum has a couple of off notes. It is almost vinegary at times and the soapiness is a little odd. It has 23 g/L of “additives” – which may not all be entirely down to Rum Nation as Don Jose Distillery are noted as adding sugar (or something) to their rums.
The additives certainly do smooth out this rum. A little too much for me. I would much rather taste the distillate as is – even with the rougher edges. I don’t expect when sipping rum to get Bailey’s after all!
I’ve read the notes on the Rum Nation website and to be honest I agree with very little of them. It is nowhere as near as complex as they are trying to make out.
The rum sadly has a little bit of the Ron Millonario feel to it. Admittedly it is much better, buts its still disappointing. For £55-60, which is how much this retails for I could be well on the way to owning a bottle of both Barbancourt 5 Star and a Mezan Panama.
Whilst this doesn’t hit the depths of the atrocious Ron Millonario XO it is still pretty disappointing for an 18 year old rum of any origin. It’s a direction I think Rum Nation do themselves a dis-service by heading in.
Bang average and vastly overrated.
Worthy Park 2007 12 Year Old Thompson Brothers for TWE. So what do we have hear then? I rather think most of that has been answered by the title of this rum. Back to Jamaica we are going (via Scotland) for another dose of Pot Still goodness from Worthy Park Distillery.
This is without the doubt the most difficult rum review I have done so far. When I first got into rum this was the first rum I bought online.
The rum is quite a dark not navy or demerara rum dark but definitely darker than say a Mount Gay or Bacardi Gold. The extra ageing is noticeable.
Pusser’s “Nelson’s Blood” Aged 15 Years is their marquee expression. I think, (and I will get this all confirmed) that the rum is a different blend to the Blue Label. It is not just a more aged version of it. However, I also understand that despite this it is still a blend of Trini rum with a hefty dose of the famous Port Mourant wooden still distillate.
into the rum.
I would love to give a few tasting notes on the Pusser’s 15 but I’m finding that with each visit I’m finding something more. There are few rums which can exhibit so many different facets of the various rum styles but Pusser’s 15 is one of them. The only common trait in rum which I cannot really detect with this rum is oakiness. It has the sweetness of an El Dorado Demerara and the tread carefully” menace of a Caroni, it has deep fruity “funk” of a Jamaican. Okay I’ll give it shot…..
Don Q Double Cask Finish Puerto Rican Rum Finished in Sherry Casks. Snappy little name for it eh? Maybe not but at least it goes some way to describing the contents of this bottle.
The Duchess Beenleigh Artisan Distillery Australia 13 Years Old. It’s good to see independent bottlers releasing rums from distilleries/locations that have perhaps not had the attention from Independent brokers they perhaps deserve.
e. Lots of varnish and petrol fumes.
Dave Marsland aka Drinks Enthusiast is Brand Ambassador for Chairman’s Reserve rum, here in the UK. So (like me) he knows a decent r(h)um when he sees one. Here is a little news on another rum brand he is working his magic on.
Julian Piler of Bohemian Brands went further stating “This is a fabulous opportunity for all of us. R. St Barth is an extremely versatile brand and we can’t wait to spread the word!”
