What is it? Molasses based rum from Venezuela. Mixture of column still rum (heavy and light) and pot still rum. Solera matured with rums from 4 years old up to around 35 years old, blended and married in Limousin oak for a further year – so no age statement.

Coloured, filtered and 40% abv.

Sugar: Minimal. On-line tests show between 0 and 7 grams per litre. I can’t detect any when reviewing it.

Nose: Honey, cinnamon, brown sugar. Bananas, vanilla and a little smoke/incense. Some oak prickle and a little bit of pepper, maybe from the French oak?

Palate: Rounded and soft mouth feel. Dry but with taste of maple. Pineapple, dried tropical fruit (papaya, guava, mango) and banana again. Oak (some age showing), caramels and cinnamon again.

Finish: Dry, medium and fresh. Spicier than the palate with some candied stem ginger, cracked black pepper and a faint hint of something from the spice cabinet, maybe some cumin, cayenne or paprika.

Thoughts: Really lovely. It took about a third of a bottle before it started to open up and at that point started to show it’s complexity. Nice to see a Solera rum that hasn’t been topped up with sugar and shows the benefits you can get some maturing in this way. I’d definitely buy again and it’s bang on for price/quality ratio.