According to the barrage of press releases hitting our inbox, August 16th is National Rum Day. Oh, who are we kidding… it’s been marked on our calendar for months. So now seems like a good time to pull out these bottles of Selvarey Rum we’ve been sitting on. Selvarey hails from Panama, where they’re producing two rums: Selvarey White and Selvarey Cacao. The former is a blend of three and five year old rums that’ve been aged in bourbon casks. It’s filtered through carbon to remove the color. And Selvarey Cacao is a five year old rum that’s infused with local chocolate. No artificial syrups or flavors go into this one.
Let’s see how they stack up.
Selvarey Cacao Rum
On the nose, Selvarey Cacao is full of rich, toasted chocolate aromas, plus hints of coffee and mild spice. It’s absent that off putting chemical note present in many flavored rums. Take a sip, and things remain consistent. It’s smooth, medium bodied and not too sweet. The whole thing tastes a lot like a chocolate Tootsie Pop, but in the best way possible. It finishes with a light sweetness. This here is a nicely-crafted flavored rum, and it succeeds where most flavored rums fail. It’s neither too sweet nor too chemical-y, and while it’s admirable as a sipping rum, we’re excited to mix this into a milk punch. 35% ABV / $30
CE Rating: ★★★★
Selvarey
Selvarey White Rum
Selvarey White Rum starts soft and mild, with pleasant aromas of vanilla and fruit. Things quickly pick up on the palate, where those flavors become bolder. The vanilla is richer, the fruit becomes lush and tropical, and notes of coconut and fresh, grassy sugar cane begin to show themselves. Things move drier toward the finish, as the vanilla gives way to mild oak and spice. This is good rum. 40% ABV / $25
CE Rating: ★★★★
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