Velho Pescador Extra Premium Cachaca Aged 5 Years

Velho Pescador Extra Premium Cachaca Aged 5 Years rum cachaca review by the fat rum pirateVelho Pescador Extra Premium Cachaca Aged 5 Years.  Velho Pescador is actually a Weber Haus product. I was unaware of this. As a result of this my sample has remained untouched for a couple of months – as I had so many to try. I had not heard or seen of Velho Pescador before. My bad!

Weber Haus are quite a big deal in the Cachaca world and they are one of the producers trying to gain a foot hold in Europe. With my friend Leszek Wedzicha acting as their Brand Ambassador I am sure this will not take long!

For anyone who hasn’t already seen Leszek and his range of Weber Haus Cachaca, at a Rum Festival, I can thoroughly recommend spending some time with him and his cachaca.

Anyway, enough of all this butt kissing – it almost sounds like an advert doesn’t? Haha Not here, no free rides are given even if you are a friend.

Velho Pescador or the Fisherman is a cachaca aged for 5 years in American Oak barrels. It is produced on a Alembic Pot Still. Weber Haus are very clear that they do not produce Premium Cachaca in an Industrial manner (ie on a Continuous Column Still). Velho Pescador has been bottled at 38% ABV.

Weber Haus actually acquired this brand back in 2014. Which is perhaps why it is not immediately apparent it is a Weber Haus product. Velho Pescador is produced in Rio Grande do Sul.

Presentation wise you get a stubby style bottle with a very chunky cork stopper. The bottle and design remind me a little of Ron Vigia from Cuba. It looks expensive. In Brasil it is fairly pricy coming in at around $R95. This would equate to around £20 in the UK. I wouldn’t expect to see this for anything less than £50 should it make its way to the UK. Which it very well might!

In the glass Velho Pescador is a very light brown/yellow colour.

The nose is sweet with hints of molasses rather than sugar cane juice. It’s quite creamy but it also has a real kick of sweet alcohol which gives it a bit of oomph. Aromas of toffee, caramel and some really strong scents of vanilla are present in this very complex cachaça.

Some burnt toffee and some cashew nuts also put in an appearance. Nicely aged woody aromas combine to give this cachaça a really nice nose.

Sipped Velho Pescador is a very distinctive tasting cachaca. Not very grassy. It shows little evidence of being produced from sugar cane aside from the sweetness. The sweetness however is more of a toffee/treacle molasses type. There is a slight peppery note to this cachaça which cuts through the sweetness and adds a little balance. Some gentle spices from the wood combine with this to give the spirit a real edge and complexity.

The more you sip the more you notice the woodier influences of the ageing. The sweetness goes down a notch after a few mouthfuls. This is an incredibly light and easy to drink cachaça but at the same time it packs a really nice layer of complexity and balance.

Velho Pescador Extra Premium Cachaca Aged 5 Years rum cachaca review by the fat rum pirateThe mid palate takes you through a variety of flavours from sweet vanilla ice cream to spicy wood and some traces of cinnamon and tart-tartin. Maybe some Crème Brulee whilst we are on the French theme.

The finish is long but light – mild spices and the vanilla lead to a finish which gently cleanses and refreshes the palate. The light spices make this go down far too easily and before you know it – you have finished another glass.

Wonderfully balanced despite the overlying sweetness this is a really tasty easy to drink cachaça with enough complexity to retain your interest.

Dangerously drinkable. Highly recommended.

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  • Levy Lane Rum Co Tamosi Karaya

    Levy Lane Rum Co Tamosi Karaya rum review by the fat rum pirateLevy Lane Rum Co Tamosi Karaya. This review will round up all the releases to date that have been put on the market by Levy Lane Rum Co so far. From what I understand there are plenty more to follow.

    As well as having a “regular” Tamosi rum. Which is a blend of Caribbean rums, Levy Lane Rum Co also released, a limited release Port Cask finished Cask Strength version of roughly the same blend. This is the second of two single casks Demerara rums they released.

    Karaya is the Taino word for moon. She held immense power over people, and had a habit of enchanting those who lent her their gaze for too long.

    Levy Lane Rum Co Tamosi Karaya is the oldest rum in their portfolio, so far. So old, in fact they can legitimately call it an Uitvlugt rum. As it was actually distilled their. Way back in 1998. I don’t want to repeat details I have given in previous reviews, so I will instead direct you to the Tamosi Rum website. This should help should  you want to learn a bit more about the brand. You can of course read my previous reviews as well.

    This rum was distilled on the iconic Port Mourant Double Wooden Pot Still. This still is now housed at Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL). The Uitivlugt Distillery closed around 1999/2000.

    This rum was aged for 2 years in Guyana before being moved to Europe for a further 20 years of Continental Ageing. It was bottled in 2020, so it is 22 years old in total. Levy Lane Rum Co Tamosi Karaya comes in at Cask Strength of 61.1% ABV. I’m not sure how many bottles were produced but as it was a Single Cask we can take a guess at around the 250 mark. It has, unsurprisingly sold out pretty much everywhere but you can still find a bottle at retail price here.

    A 70cl bottle at original retail price will set you back around £/€180. In the grand scheme of things that is obviously a pretty price to pay but it’s certainly not expensive for what it is. Levy Lane Rum Co Tamosi Karaya rum review by the fat rum pirate

    So as we’ve covered Levy Lane Rum Co and Tamosi quite a bit lately, I’ll crack on with the nosing and tasting now. Does that grab you at all? Yes…..ok then.

    In the glass Levy Lane Rum Co Tamosi Karaya is a light to medium brown colour. It is yellow-ey brown, if you like. Which will be partly due to the Continental Ageing. It also shows that this was pre-DDL. So no “caramel” or “molasses” (depends on who’s telling the story) was added pre/post distillation. nor where the barrels coated prior to ageing.

    On the nose this is unmistakably a Port Mourant rum. The immediate slightly tannic notes alongside the familiar liquorice and aniseed aromas. Unsurprisingly, for a rum of this age it is quite “musty” and has a fair hit of woodiness on the nose. There is a really nice development of marmalade, cinnamon and raisin. This all seems to be wrapped up in something quite floral and spicy. A bit like Christmas cake.

    The nose is complex and has a lot going on. There is a brininess and a touch of tar. I’m getting some fresh mint and something a bit herbal which reminds me a little of Saint Lucia Distillers output.

    Sipping Karaya at Cask Strength, it is initially a bit more savoury and oak forward than the nose suggests. However, subsequent sips reveal a very concentrated almost floral sweetness. This balances incredibly well with the heavier tarry and briny notes that come into play on the mid palate.

    It has a really nice “orange” note running right through the rum from the initial sip right through to the finish. This works alongside the salty liquorice and deep dark fruit notes of blackcurrant and redberries.

    Each sip seems to be giving me something different to experience. This is indeed a very complex rum. One which is best taken very slowly and savoured to appreciate fully. It has some aspects I haven’t tasted before with a Port Mourant distillate. There is quite a big hit of citrus going on almost like a sweet Tangerine or Mandarin. Were it not for the spicy oak and brininess going on, this could have knocked this off kilter a little. It doesn’t thoLevy Lane Rum Co Tamosi Karaya rum review by the fat rum pirateugh, it just adds an extra layer and gives you something else to reach out for and enjoy.

    In terms of the finish it’s long and warming. The orange and Christmas cake like notes remain throughout. They fade a little as the finish develops into a much more savoury end. Salty liquorice and brine take over and the rum ends with a kind of pastry-like note.

    It is fair to say that the Levy Lane Rum Co and the Tamosi brand have made a pretty successful entry into the rum market. I must say I am looking forward to see what is coming next from them as they haven’t put a foot wrong so far!

  • Weber Haus 7 Madeiras Premium Cachaca Blend

    Weber Haus 7 Madeiras Premium Cachaca Blend review by the fat rum pirateWeber Haus 7 Madeiras Premium Cachaca Blend. When we think of Madeira we probably think of the Portuguese island or even the fortified wine which hails from said island. However Madeira when translated from Portuguese (which is the official language in Brasil) to English it simply means wood.

    So this cachaca is a blend of aged cachacas which have been aged in 7 different woods. Which is quite an interesting concept. I cannot recall trying a rum or cachaca or any other spirit for that matter which has as many different types of ageing in its blend.

    You may also wonder about the name of this cachaca producer Weber Haus. Which to anyone who has studied even rudimentary German in school will recognise the second word as being the German word for house. The name Weber may also come across as a fairly familiar German sounding name.

    The Weber family arrived in Brasil from Germany in 1824 is the simple explanation for this. Initially they settled in the forests on the slopes of the Sierra Gaucha, in a place now more popularly known as Ivoti. They initially produced Schnapps by planting potatoes.

    In 1848 they began planting Sugar Cane and in turn began producing cachaca on a very small scale for the family and friends only. It wasn’t a commercial exercise.

    Indeed it wasn’t until a century later in 1948 that the H. Weber Distillery became active.It initially consisted of a Sugar Mill which was powered by 4 mules. Over time however the distillery was modernised and has been passed down the generations.

    In 2001 the Weber Haus brand was born. By 2004 they had begun selling outside of their regional market (Ivoti, Dois Irmãos and Novo Hamburgo). In 2006 they exported to North America.

    Since then the company has expanded is one of the most recognised cachaca brands outside of Brasil with availability in 17 US states and a presence in most of mainland Europe and the UK. The distillery produces around 250,000 litres of cachaca per year. Should you seek more information on the brand/distillery they have their own website, which also included a blog.Weber Haus 7 Madeiras Premium Cachaca Blend review by the fat rum pirate

    Weber Haus 7 Madeiras Premium Cachaca Blend utilises all 7 varieties of wood that Weber Haus use to age their numerous cachacas. So we have a blend of cachaca aged in the following woods

    Amburana, Canela Sassafras, Balsamo, Grapia, American Oak, French Oak, Cabriuva.

    It is available in a tall modern looking and well branded 750ml bottle. It retails at around R$90 (which is approximately £/€13). Distribution in the UK is a bit hitty miss in the UK. I am not sure if this is currently available in the UK but you can buy other Weber Haus Cachaca over at Master of Malt. I have previously reviewed only one cachaca from Weber Haus.

    Weber Haus 7 Madeiras Premium Cachaca Blend is produced from fresh sugar cane juice and is distilled on Copper Pot Stills. The cachacas in this blend have been aged for around 2 years. It is bottled at 38% ABV.

    In the glass the cachaca is quite light. Some of the woods used in this blend do not impart much colour to a spirit when ageing. It is a white wine colour.

    The nose is quite sweet, with a soapy aroma and someslightly acidic white wine like notes. I’m getting touches of cinnamon and nutmeg on the nose. It’s not a huge nose at just 38% ABV. It has a slightly perfumed quality to it as well. Notes of sweet crystalised ginger. It’s all very pleasant and approachable.

    Sipped Weber Haus 7 Madeiras Premium Cachaca Blend is quite easy going. It’s very easy to sip on. There is a sweet spicy note which has a touch of acidity to it. Again a bit like a white wine. It’s sweet but quite dry at the same time.

    I can’t really pick out any particular woods that have been used in this cachaca. They have all kind of merged together. It’s quite oaky and spicy with a fair amount of vanilla and spice on the mid palate.

    Weber Haus 7 Madeiras Premium Cachaca Blend review by the fat rum pirateIt is perhaps just a bit too woody – which overwhelms some of the other notes that I was getting from the nose. The entry is quite sweet but dries out quite quickly leading to a reasonably spicy mid palate with a fair amount of woodiness. It’s a little muted for me at a higher ABV this could be a lot better. I do fear though that the woody notes might become even more prominent and drying.

    I’ts not hugely complex for me and the finish is a little short and a bit too easy going. It’s by no means a bad cachaca but I was expecting something a bit more interesting from a 7 wood blend. The oak elements seem to have taken over a bit too much.

    That said I wouldn’t turn down a glass of this if it were offered. It’s a solid cachaca rather than a great one.

     

     

     

     

     

  • ABOUT Brazil Artisanal Cachaca Gold

    About Brazil Artisanal Cachaca Gold Rum Review by the fat rum pirateABOUT Brazil Artisanal Cachaca Gold. The Engenho Buriti Distillery in Papagaios, Minas Gerais began production in 2010. They produce cachaca under the brand names such as of Famosinha de Minas, Santuario de Minas, Dona Branca, and Buriti.

    They also produce cachaca for Independent bottlers such as Jean Salvador of ABOUT Brazil.

    Despite Jean being Brasillian they currently operate out of Switzerland. Their Cachaca’s (I have also featured the Silver Organic Cachaca) are currently only available there but they are currently seeking out distribution in other parts of Western Europe.

    The process to create ABOUT Brazil Artisanal Cachaca Gold starts with the natural fermentation of freshly squeezed sugar cane with native yeasts. The resulting liquid is distilled in small batches, in copper stills. It is aged in Amburana, a native Brazilian wood. ABOUT Brazil Artisanal Cachaca Gold is  aged for 2 years and bottled at 40%.

    As mentioned already they are seeking to get further distribution in Europe. As a result they have a very good website which provides information on the brand and Cachaca in general.

    Presentation wise About Brazil Artisanal Cachaca Gold comes in a 70cl bottle – the bottle is fairly standard “bar” bottle with a slightly bulbous neck. A good quality metal screw cap completes the look. It is presented in a more modern, contempory style than many domestic Cachaca brands. It has been designed by artist Carlos MaAbout Brazil Artisanal Cachaca Gold Rum review by the fat rum piratetuck and the watercolour depicts the historical city of Ouro Preto.

    It’s sharp and well branded. The information on the bottle is clear and concise. It is not cluttered and old-fashioned like so many Cachacas. It will suit the European market presented like this.

    A very light coloured spirit presents itself in the glass – almost straw to white wine in colour, rather than gold.

    Nosed this is a very creamy Cachaca. Floral and with a really nice sweetness to it. The vegetal and grassy nature of the sugar cane are present but they are balanced by the subtle spiciness and creaminess of this cachaca.

    It’s slightly soapy with a hint of lavender and balsam wood – maybe a touch of light Pot Pourri. Notes of Double Cream, honey and vanilla. Lightly spiced and just enough woody-ness to give it a little bit extra body.

    Sipped it is nicely balanced – the entry is both creamy and soapy at the same time with a really nice burst of sweet sugar cane and vanilla. All manner of delicate spices flit in and out of the mix giving it a really nice clean and concise profile.

    It has relatively little burn and the finish is not particularly long. Or it is not particularly strong. You don’t get much alcohol burn when this spirit goes down. It is very light and delicate in aAbout Brazil Artisanal Cachaca Gold Rum review by the fat rum piratell aspects of its delivery.

    ABOUT Brazil Artisanal Cachaca Gold is slightly herbal on the mid palate with a slight hint of bitter licorice alongside the honey, vanilla and the spices from the native woods used in the production of this Cachaca.

    It mixes well but I found that the subtle nuances of this Cachaca were lost by doing so. This is a really enjoyable palate cleanser and easy sipper, should you be wishing for something flavourful but light at the same time.

    Really well-balanced, not as full flavoured or as intense as some Cachaca but nevertheless a well put together and balanced spirit. I found it highly enjoyable.

    Keep an eye out for this one.

     

  • Kill Devil Jamaica 24 Year Old

    Kill Devil Hampden Jamaica 24 year old cask strength rum review by the fat rum pirateScotch Whisky bottler Hunter Laing and Co Ltd, released their range of Kill Devil rums early in 2016.  Not so hidden amongst the interest were a number of comments on the strength of the rums.

    All the rums released initially were bottled at 46% ABV.  This disappointed quite a few rum connoisseur’s who had hoped to see Cask Strength releases.

    Quick to recognise this and following the success of their first releases (both critically and commercially) the team at Hunter Laing have returned with some Cask Strength offerings.

    The presentation of the rums remains the same aside from a slight change in colour scheme.  The lozenge labels are now a deep reddish/purple colour instead of grey.

    As well as releasing rum at Cask Strength Kill Devil have also used one of their older stocks from an iconic Jamaican distillery.  Famed for its Pot Still rums this Cask Strength release will be for many rum lovers an essential purchase.

    Which is probably just as well for Hunter Laing because this rum retails at around the £200 mark in the UK.  For this you get a 62.4% ABV rum which was distilled back in April 1992 and bottled in 2016.  So you are getting a Single Cask Jamaican Pot Still Rum.  Only 234 bottles of this are available worldwide so despite the price tag some people may still be left disappointed.

    From the information available I am unable to determine if this is all pot still rum or a blend.  From what I can gather Hampden Estate have only 4 Muller Pot Stills at the distillery.  I’m fairly certain this is Pot Still only.

    Hampden Estate rums are best known for being high ester.  If you aren’t sure what is meant by the term ester I’ll direct you here.  They explain it way better than me.  Tastewise it means the rums are very “funky”.  There are a number of articles about Hampden Estate and their processes.  Again as it has already been explained better elsewhere I’ll direct you to Rum Connection who have visited the distillery.

    This is very much a rum for someone who knows specifically what they are looking for.  If you want to try high ester Pot Still Jamaican rum then I wouldn’t advise beginning with a bottle as expensive as this.  You might get quite a shock.

    Kill Devil Hunter Laing Jamaica Hampden Estate Rum Review by the fat rum pirate

    In the glass the rum is a light gold/straw colour.  I might have perhaps expected a darker rum considering how long it has been aged.  As far as I am aware this rum has not been treated to any finishes – its spent its 24 years maturing in an ex bourbon cask.  It’s difficult really to determine what colour rum really should be – so many commercial bottlers colour theirs with caramel.

    The nose on this Hampden is huge.  You can smell it from across the room.  Unlike unaged Jamaican overproofs however it doesn’t smell quite as “boozy”.  It’s not as alcohol forward as you might expect as such a proof.

    Big wafts of black banana and mango combine with rich unsweetened slightly bitter toffee and caramel notes.  Despite all the big high ester Jamaican funk it also displays evidence of its time in the oak.

    There is a nice spice to the nose – hints of sweeter bourbon and some nice oak notes.  The oak notes are quite light and fragrant.  It is better and more rounded than the younger Hampden rums such as Hampden Gold or for instance Smith & Cross.

    So onto the sipping.  Like many whisky commentators I will always advocate adding water to any spirit which is more than 50% ABV.  I am more than happy drinking a spirit at between 46-50%.  I personally feel that any higher any my palate simply does not pick everything up from the rum it should.  I try rums such as this at Cask Strength for review purposes but I don’t routinely drink them at that strength.

    At Cask Strength you get a very big complex rum.  However, I add a couple of drops of water and I feel I get more from this rum.

    Everything that was found on the nose translates through with this on the sip.  It’s a big pot still rum but the ageing really has developed it beyond just that.

    It has a lovely spiceiness to it, full of flavour and sweet/sour notes which compare to the Foursquare 2004.  Slightly savoury and at times slightly bitter.  There’s a lot of fruit and the finish is long, balanced and warming.  Some notes which might not sound quite as appealing (but work surprisingly well to give this rum its complexity) would be varnish, shoe polish and even a little astringency.

    The sweet fruit flavours make this rum very moreish yet the finish is so good you feel like you mustn’t rush it too much.   You get that nice funky Jamaican black banana and tropical fruit hit, good notes of toffee and unsweetened caramel.

    As so few bottles of this are available I sincerely hope that the 200 or so people lucky (and rich) enough to get their hands on this fully appreciate what they are getting.  I hope it doesn’t fall into the hands of someone looking for another Ron Milonario XO or a replacement for his Zacapa XO.

    Expensive but rums this age from Hampden Estate do not come up very often.

    4.5 stars

     

     

     

     

     

  • Old Jamaique Long Pond 1977 Aged 35 Years

    Old Jamaique Rum Aged 35 Years Long Pond 1977 review by the fat rum piratOld Jamaique Long Pond 1977.  A rum older than me – just.  From the Long Pond Distillery in Jamaica.  A distillery which I have become increasingly interested in, over the past year or so.

    Old Jamaique is a collaboration between Scottish bottling giant Ian MacLeod and the Belgian Independent bottler Corman-Collins.

    I’ve not previously reviewed any of the Independent bottlings from Corman-Collins. Who often seem to collaborate with other independent bottlers, such as Samaroli for instance.

    I have however reviewed a few Ian MacLeod bottlings.  Though none as “high end” as this one. Ian MacLeod caters to the budget end of the rum market.  I have reviewed both Watson’s Demerara and Trawler rum.  They are predominantly though a whisky bottler.  With a portfolio of malt and blended whisky such as Tamdhu, Glengoyne, Sheep Dip and Black Shield.  They also have numerous gins and even some vodka.

    From the information I have been able to find on this rum, it is 35 years old. Well it was aged for 35 years anyway.  Distilled in 1977 and bottled in May 2013. Aged in an ex-bourbon barrel.  It is single cask (#10) and comes from an out turn of just 229 bottles.  It is bottled at a very rounded 50% ABV, so I assume it is not fully cask strength. The reduced ABV may have yielded a few extra bottles.  When released it would set you back around £400.  You’d be hard pushed to find a bottle now. If you do want one you may find yourself paying a lot more at auction.

    Finding rare pot still rums such as this especially from the Long Pond distillery is difficult.  Long Pond is due to re-open but has been out of commission for a number of years. Much of Long Pond’s output historically has been in the sale of bulk rum for blends. As far as I am aware there has never been a commercially distillery release of a “Long Pond” branded rum.  I’ve started buying any Long Pond rum I can find.  Such is the enjoyment I’ve had from the few I’ve been lucky enough to try.

    Long Pond rums are similar to Hampden. From my limited experience I have found them to be slightly more fruity but as I explore both distilleries more (and not forgetting Clarendon) I am finding more expressions which I could easily confuse for either distillery.

    Anyway I’m quite keen to put this rum through its paces so lets crack on with the nosing and tasting.

    Old Jamaique Long Pond 1977 presents itself in the glass as a light golden rum. As stated on the label no colourant has been added.

    The nose reveals the extensive ageing (albeit it a lot is European). It has quite high weight of oak on the nose.  It’s initially more Appleton Estate 21 than the more zesty, medicinal Long Pond I am more familiar with.

    A touch of pine cone, quite a bit of vanilla and spicy bourbon barrel.  Hint of char it’s clearly a very mature rum.  Heavy barrel influenced distillate.Old Jamaique Rum Aged 35 Years Long Pond 1977 review by the fat rum pirate

    Sipped it hits you with an initial tropical sweetness- mangoes, passion fruit and some black mushy banana which fades into a very oaky and rich toffee and caramel mid palate.

    It’s not the funkiest Long Pond. Lacking some of the dunder/esters I have tried before but it is certainly a very complex sip.  There are some notes of stewed English Breakfast tea and a hint of pipe tobacco.  I’ve noted Dave Broom refer to rums before as being like old leather sofas.  I’m with him on that with this one.

    It’s not what I was expecting from a Long Pond rum.  It definitely has more similarities to Appleton 21.  But it is excellent and very rewarding. Really tasty, oaky and a very rich rum – touch of Christmas pudding alongside those tobacco notes.  Plums, dates and more than a touch of raisin.

    The finish was nice, long, rich and warming.  Probably the most medicinal part of the experience as well.  As the finish progresses the oak subsides slightly and reveals just a touch more tree sap and a bit of the sweet funk. Black banana and pear drops.

    It’s expensive but its just about unique.  The Whisky Nectar bottled a 1977 Long Pond a few years ago that was aged until 2012.  Like this one you’ll struggle to find one of those.

    Really great stuff but take care, its not Long Pond as you might recognise.

  • Mezan Panama 1999

    Mezan Panama 1999 Rum review by the fat rum pirateAnother try out with a Mezan rum.  At these prices it would simply have been rude not to give Mezan a fair crack of the whip.  With Mezan trying to do things the “right way” (in many peoples eyes – including their own) I simply had to persevere with their range.

    This Panama 1999 is another one of my more unusual purchases.  The original idea was to finally try one of Francisco “Don Pancho” Fernandez’s rums.  I’d focused on the reasonably priced 7 year old celebrity cash in Ron De Jeremy.  Then I saw this Mezan distilled in 1999 and bottled between 2012 and 2014 (I have only seen that around on the net so it may well be wrong I cannot find a definitive age).

    For those who don’t know Francisco “Don Pancho” Fernandez is a former Blender with Havana Club and subsequently a Master Blender at the Don Jose Distillery in Panama for Valera Hermanos.  Valera Hermanos are responsible for the Ron Abuelo line of rums.  In more recent times Don Pancho has lent his skills to produce several premium products such as Zafra, Origienes series and of course the porn star rum Ron de Jeremy.

    I was overall a little non-plussed by the Abuelo 7 Year Old I previously reviewed.  Still I wanted to give Mezan another try out with something a little different.

    As Mezan often bottle single casks their portfolio is often changing.  It may be that it is quite difficult to find this rum now as it isn’t one of their 2015 releases.  I was able to pick up a bottle for £30.  It is usually around £35 in the UK.  The bottle is a 70cl and the rum comes in at a very exact 42.2% ABV. The rum is rather bizarrely only available in the UK and…..Russia!

    The presentation is signature Mezan – clear, uncluttered and distinctive shaped bottle.  The plastic closure on this bottle doesn’t seem as troublesome as on others and so far it has been easy to open and hasn’t got stuck or clogged.

    Mezan Panama 1991 Rum Review by the fat rum pirateI’ve been left a little underwhelmed by previous Mezan offerings but I am encouraged that this rum has been bottled at a slightly odd ABV.  This may present the rum at its best.

    The rum in this is column distilled.  It does not state this rum is single cask but single distillery. I can’t find a great deal of information, this is the best I can find “The rums in this small batch have been aged twice in separate sets of white oak American Bourbon casks, to give added structure to the spirit”.  It states on the rear of the bottle that is rum is unblended.

    So with all the information I can find lets move onto the tasting.

    The first surprise from a column distilled rum is just how fruity and full the nose is.  Most Hispanic/Spanish style “rons” get their flavour mainly from the oak and they tend to be spicy and/or tobacco/tar like. This has a very pleasant nose.   It smells of peaches and apricots, giving way to the more familiar oak aged notes.  Sweet alcohol notes also come through, but they are muted and again very pleasant.  Not at all harsh.

    Previously I have found the Mezan’s to have a muted nose – almost as if they have been diluted too much.  Especially full for a rum with no Pot Still distillate.

    Sipping (and I will only sip this) is a great experience as well.  The beautifully balanced yet complex nose reels you in and the sipping experience that follows is equally pleasant.  This rum has a wonderful honeyed sweetness to it. Muscavado and Demerara Brown sugar combine with light notes of caramel and a little butterscotch.  It is very almost dangerously shippable.  For some palates it may be slightly to sweet but I find that the finish each sip leaves, balances the sweetness out beautifully.  Gentle oak spices, a hint nutmeg and a lovely smooth long lasting finish.  The heat is just right in the mouth.

    Mezan Panama 1991 Rum Review by the fat rum pirateWith each sip you find more little nuances in the mix.  It coats the palate and delivers waves of flavour.  Mezan have well and truly hit the nail on the head with this.  This is one of my biggest surprises since I began the blog.  Often I have been disappointed but rarely have I took a bit of a punt and it pay off quite so well.

    At £35 you could pay double for one of the Super Duper Premium Packaged Ultra Sipping Rums (some of which Don Pancho puts his name to), this has to be regarded as a must have purchase at the price.

    As I write this review I am learning of a new rum from Panama called Duran – named after the “Hands of Stone” Roberto Duran the former 4 weight Boxing Champion.  All I will say at this point, is it is unlikely that you will ever say “No Mas” to this Panamanian rum.

    Ding, Ding Round 1 to Mezan……..

    4.5 stars