Transcontinental Rum Line Panama 2013 43% 700mL

Line #34, ex-Bourbon barrel, Traditional Rum. Natural colour, non-sugared. In 1936, nearly three decades after establishing Panama’s first sugar mill in 1908, Don Jose Varelo’s three sons persuaded him to set up a distillery—and so, Hermanos Veralo (otherwise known as the Don Jose Distillery) was born.

Made from molasses and distilled in column stills at Don Jose Distillery, the maturation for this spirit took place under tropical conditions near the Panama Canal. Here, the Rum was stored for five years in ex-Bourbon barrels, after which it made its journey to Europe for a further year maturation.

The nose has exotic fruits and more floral tones than expected considering its years in ex-Bourbon oak. There’s a sweet coconut lift and a hint of aniseed. The palate is open and generous with more of those floral and fruity notes and a touch of manzanilla overlaying clove and nutmeg spice.