Guatemala brings more to the table than Zacapa and Ron Botran. This 10 year old rum from the rather overlooked (and might I say industrial) Darsa distillery packs one of the smoothest punches I’ve experienced in a while. In a good way. Independent bottler Wm Cadenhead’s has a special place in most whisky lovers’ hearts, and their overall expertise in picking good casks and maturing them to perfection applies to rum as well.
The Facts
Origin: Licores de Guatemala, Destileria Darsa, Mixco, Guatemala Raw material: ? Fermentation: ? Distillation: ? Year of distillation: ? ABV: 58.6 % Esters (g/hL AA): ? Ageing: 10 years Additives: No data found.
My tasting notes
Nose: Pleasantly sweet, with a nice balance of sweet liquorice (Panda), rubber, vanilla and muscovado sugar. Mild tropical fruits (pineapple, papaya and coconut), confectionary sweetness and a touch of umami. After some time and a few drops of water: additional notes of gunpowder, tapioca pudding and a touch of chocolate.
Taste: Fantastically smooth arrival considering the abv, oily mouthfeel, fruity, then sligthly drying towards the end. Grapefruit, Turkish delight, coconut shavings, menthol, liquorice (both brown and black), demerara sugar, fried bananas and french toast. O2, H2O and time: Absolutely stunning. Slightly increased bitterness that balances the sweetness to perfection.
Finish: Balanced, slightly dry, but still fresh and fruity. Grape soda, (very) mild tannins, toasted oak and candied pineapple. Soft, slightly spiced (nutmeg and cloves).
Comment: What an absolute stunner! The balance, the oily mouthfeel and the contained strength alone speaks volumes. Based on nose and taste I would have never guessed that this rum was bottled at a whopping 58.6 % abv. Never in a million years.
Score 90/100
PS! Check out whisky reviews by Rasmus on Skotsk Taake (in Norwegian).
