Flor De Caña Centenario 12 Rum

This delivers exactly what I seek in an outstanding rum. It's rich and intense but not excessively sweet. A perfect touch of sweetness remains on the palate with a pleasant, clean, and enduring finish. Many familiar scents are present but refined, with greater complexity including hints of whipped cream, buckwheat honey, and white grapes. The taste follows with warm spices, butterscotch, and a subtle citrus zest. Well-aged without being harsh or dusty from the barrels. Nothing needs to be hidden; it's one of the most balanced rums I've experienced. Medium-light body, not syrupy. This is genuine rum, not a pre-mixed cocktail.

Appearance: Brilliant deep copper with golden highlights. Thin head with thick, slow-moving legs. Nose: Smoked maple wood, caramelized oranges, crushed green bananas, dust, grassy notes with some vegetal undertones. Brown sugar, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon are present from the oak. Palate: Light sweetness, a faint tartness, cooked stone fruits, and sautéed bananas with brown sugar syrup. Elegant, rich smokiness with maple-like aromas. Grassy notes with hints of woody baking spices. Oily body with fine, velvety tannins. Finish: Woody, smoky, and caramelized tropical fruits. Overall: Slightly more refined than the Gran Reserva. It works well as a sipper and makes excellent spirit-forward cocktails like a Rum Old Fashioned.

Smells like vanilla, dark chocolate, caramel, hazelnut, and coconut that's been toasted. It has a rather full mouthfeel. Tasting notes include cinnamon, more vanilla and toasted coconut, oak that's been charred, and a touch of pineapple. There's some noticeable heat on the nose, but minimal heat on the finish – which lasts a decent while, though the charred oak is the main feature. 3.25/5.00 – Pretty Good (neat)

Very mild, quite thin...honestly a bit disappointing for a 12-year-old. Features a fresh, grassy-molasses aroma, similar to dry hay. The palate is light caramel with hardly any finish. The most generous description I can offer is that it's subtle, with nothing unpleasant...unfortunately, there's nothing here that makes me want another sip either.

A pleasant medium-bodied rum. It begins with a strong hint of caramel on the palate, accompanied by traces of honey, pears, and bananas. Overall, it's a subtle rum for sipping after dessert. It concludes with a sharp finish that can be somewhat bitter if consumed before a meal. Cigar pairings recommended: Padron 1964 Anniversario, Avo Domaine Maduro, Hoyo de Monterrey Coronation.

This rum typically presents a sweet, floral nose, followed by some oakiness and very mild sweetness. There was a hint of vanilla and possibly caramel. I found it to be mellower over ice. Generally, it had a smooth finish.