Rum Nation, Guatemala Gran Reserva, 40% ABV
Here we are talking about a rum from the DARSA distillery, short for Destiladora del Alcoholes y Rones, S.A. Tululà. According to Rumnation's website, the rum has a minimum age of four years and a sugar content of 15-20g/l, in addition to being a molasses-based and column distilled rum, aged exclusively in bourbon barrels. The nose is very light, a delicate honey sweetness with floral notes. At first glance, a rather quiet scent, perhaps a very light fruity touch, but not a great olfactory experience. The palette offers a little more than the scent, starting out very softly with a slightly creamy, buttery character, actually a little less sweet than expected, considering the sugar dosage. The light floral notes recur, perhaps a little more hidden behind the sweetness than they were in the nose, there is also a little vanilla, a faint spicy touch and perhaps a well-hidden hint of raisins. The aftertaste is not particularly strong or long, on the contrary, very light and sweet. A relatively common Spanish-style rum that is very straightforward, but it can also be a little too straightforward sometimes. It could use a little more body and a little less sugar.
Rum Nation Panama 10 Years Old, 40% ABV
This is one of those rums where Rum Nation doesn't say which distillery produced it, other than mentioning that it is the most famous distillery in Panama, so a reasonable guess would probably be Varela Hermanos. Again, this is a classic Spanish-style rum, column distilled and based on molasses. Bourbon barrels are used exclusively for the aging process. There is no information about sugar content, which is a bit strange when they are so good at disclosing it on the other bottles. The nose is very light, sweet, with honey notes and molasses, maybe a bit of cinnamon and milk chocolate. A very delicate, quiet and calm scent that is actually very inviting if you're in the mood for something light, on the sweeter end of the scale. The palette starts off delicately with a short fruity touch, possibly a little apricot, followed by notes of caramel. A very soft and round mouthfeel. The sweetness is actually very well integrated and plays well with a hint of chocolate. The finish is not super long, very light with a delicate, fresh fruity sweetness. It's certainly a worthy glass of rum in this style, but nothing that surprises at any point, it's more or less what you'd expect. That's not a bad thing, of course, and if you're in the mood for a light, quiet, Spanish-style rum, it's not far off the mark.
Rum Nation, Peruano 8 Years Old, 42%
Rum Nation also does not state which distillery this rum comes from, but only that it is located in northern Peru, in an area called Lambayeque. If I had to make my own educated guess as to which distillery it is, it would probably be the distillery in Pomalca, located near the region's capital Chiclayo. This is the distillery that produces the rum that forms the base for Rossi & Rossi's Millonario spirit drinks. The rum here is eight years old, with a sugar dosage of 10-15g/l. The nose offers something similar to Millonario, but less sweet and a little more structured, in my opinion. It's still sweet, Spanish-styled and column distilled, reasonably light with sweet and slightly creamy notes of butterscotch and milk chocolate. The palette is very soft, a bit of vanilla, distinct toffee notes and creamy milk chocolate, very similar to the aroma. However, there is also a slight "fresh breath" of pepper that gives a slightly spicy bite to the otherwise quite sweet flavor. The aftertaste is not very full-bodied, but reasonably creamy and sweet. Actually quite a reasonable glass, within the expected framework, and a better product than Millonario to my taste, as there is less sweetness, with better coherence in the final result.
Rum Nation, Demerara Solera N14, 40%
Rum from Guyana is where I feel most at home, I must honestly admit. This blend of distillates consists of a little bit of everything, both pot and column distillates. Which is pretty common practice when it comes to Guyana blends. Apparently, a little bit of old rum from Enmore has also been added to give it more depth and dark character, which makes me wonder if it shouldn't be some Versailles from 1988, when the kettle was at the Enmore distillery, as the nose has some of the notes I often associate with bottlings from that vintage. Well, speculation aside, Rum Nation also informs us that bourbon casks are primarily used, with a 12-month maturation in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. There is no mention of age anywhere, but there is a sugar dosage of 15-20g/l.
The nose is clearly characterized by pot still, more from Versailles. There are lots of very dark notes of molasses, coffee, wood, licorice, a rather classic Demerara blend scent. In the background of the heavy and dark notes, there is also a sense of the lighter column distillates, a more sweet and fruity touch, though somewhat hidden behind the heavy and dark notes. The palette offers licorice, raisins, lots of dark notes, coffee and molasses. The fruity and light touch from the column distillates comes out a little more in the taste. There are notes of dates and other dried fruits and a hint of eucalyptus.
The taste is quite sweet, which makes sense with the sugar content. The aftertaste offers plenty of dark sweetness with molasses and a slight bitterness that is well hidden under the sweetness. Of the four I've tasted here, this is without a doubt the most complex. There is something more going on in both aroma and taste, it is of course also a somewhat more complex composition of distillates.
I actually think it is quite off the mark, but it would suit the blend if there was less sugar in it, I think you could easily have settled for half, in my opinion.
