Plantation Panama 2012 Pauillac cask XO Rum (70cl, 49.6%)

A single cask rum from Panama, distilled by Alcoholes del Istmo from molasses. It was fermented for two to three days and distilled in a multi-column still. Tropical ageing lasted eight years in bourbon casks, followed by one year in Ferrand casks and a ten-month finish in a Pauillac wine cask. Cane sugar caramel E150a is between 0% and 0.1% by volume. The rum is limited to nine casks, with esters at 30, VC at 50 and dosage at 12. On the nose it is intense and complex, with iris and rose, blackcurrant and dark cherry, plus woody and smoky notes of cedar and frankincense and hints of tobacco, coffee and vanilla. The palate is sweet, with blackberry pie and dark plum, minerality on pencil lead and velvety tannins, developing on bigarreau cherry, toasted bread and violet with balsamic and peppery notes.