Launched in August 2020, Don Q Reserva 7 is an aged Puerto Rican rum made by blending together multi-column distilled light rums and heavier single copper column distilled rums, all of which were aged for a minimum of seven years in American white oak barrels.
The spirit pours medium-amber in the glass and has a nose typified by unripe bananas, cacao, vanilla bean and tropical fruit. It is light in body and texture, and starts with lightly sweet notes of shaved coconut that soon match with rich, creamily vanilla for an effect that’s not unlike a coconut cream cake.
From there we hit the less-sweet notes of white banana and initial flavors of oak, which run into astringent hints of tropical fruit, raisin and apricot as we approach the finish. Sweetness returns to the climax in the form of fruity bubblegum, which is coupled to a snappy touch of wood spice that ends the experience with a dry, decently long finish.
The influence of the light and heavy rums used to make Don Q Reserva 7 are evident in the experience, which represents a great blend of tropical fruit flavors and light body with creamy vanilla and subtle spiced barrel notes. You might consider it the lightest of heavy rums, or alternatively the heaviest of light rums. Either way, it’s certainly worthy of consideration for solo sipping and Daiquiri-making, particularly when its highly reasonable price tag is taken into account.
★★★
Stats:
— 40% ABV
— $25
