Ron Matusalem 23 years Gran Reserva El ron de cuba Rum 40%

There are several Matusalem expressions, but the 23 is the one that feels like a culmination, the ultimate statement of the house's solera philosophy.

Expert description

Ron Matusalem 23 Year Gran Reserva is a Rum from the Dominican Republic, matured through the solera system in French oak casks and bottled at 40%.

The rum comes from Matusalem, a house founded in Santiago de Cuba that has produced in the Dominican Republic since the Cuban revolution in 1959. The number 23 refers to the oldest components in the solera blend, where rum of varying ages is continuously blended and drawn from the bottom casks. The use of French oak, unlike the more common American oak in the house's other expressions, gives this release an extra layer of elegance and complexity.

Tasting notes

Nose

Caramel, toasted oak, coffee and banana, with fresh honey, crisp almond and cedar wood.

Palate

Smoothly balanced, with honey, vanilla and molasses, alongside roasted almonds and leather.

Finish

Spiced and long-lasting, lightly bittersweet, with dark chocolate, roasted nuts and baking spices such as cinnamon and cloves.

Distillery: Matusalem
Region/Country: Dominican Republic
Type: Rum
Age: Solera 23
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: French oak casks, solera
EAN no.: 0766094110055
Serving suggestion: Neat, in a cognac glass

Flavour profile

Caramel · Coffee · Elegant · Spiced

Did you know?

Matusalem is one of very few rum houses to use French oak rather than American in its oldest solera releases, a technique borrowed directly from cognac production and part of why the 23 comes across as more elegant than the younger Matusalem expressions.

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Frequently asked questions about Ron Matusalem 23 Year Gran Reserva

What is Ron Matusalem 23 Year Gran Reserva?

It is a Rum from the Dominican Republic, matured through the solera system in French oak casks and bottled at 40%. The number 23 refers to the oldest components in the solera blend.

What does Ron Matusalem 23 Year Gran Reserva taste like?

Smoothly balanced with honey, vanilla and molasses, finishing spiced and long-lasting with dark chocolate and baking spices.

Is Ron Matusalem 23 Year Gran Reserva worth it?

The French oak and long solera maturation deliver an elegance and complexity beyond the house's other expressions, making it a solid choice for rum collectors.

What is special about the French oak in this rum?

French oak is unusual for rum maturation and borrowed directly from cognac tradition, giving the 23 a more elegant, less robust character than American oak typically delivers.

Is Ron Matusalem 23 Year Gran Reserva genuinely 23 years old?

The number refers to the age of the oldest components in the solera blend rather than a fixed age for the entire bottle's contents, in keeping with solera tradition.

Where does Ron Matusalem come from?

The house was founded in Santiago de Cuba but moved production to the Dominican Republic after the Cuban revolution in 1959.