Botucal Mantuano (70cl, 40%)

A Venezuelan rum from Destilerías Unidas S.A., named after the wealthy upper class of 19th-century Venezuela. It is made from a combination of pot still, column still and batch kettle distillates, matured for up to eight years in oak casks. The profile balances fruit, spice and cask maturity, and it works neat, over ice or in cocktails. On the nose there are vanilla, dried fruit, caramel, a hint of spice and oak. The palate is full-bodied with toffee, plum, dark chocolate and fine spice notes, supported by pleasant sweetness and a soft texture. The finish is long, warm and balanced, with oak, vanilla and spice.