Cartavio XO 18 ans is a molasses rum from Peru. It is distilled in columns and iron stills.
Ageing was carried out using the Solera method. This technique, which originated in Andalusian wines, involves blending very old rums with younger ones. The oldest rums in theblend (30 years) "educate" the youngest (10 years). The average age of the blend is then estimated at 18 years.
The barrels used for this cuvée are French, American and Slovenian oak.
Nico's tasting notes
The nose of this rum is all about roasting, in all its forms and without restraint. Coffee frappé is the first to come to mind, before being joined by walnut brou, then by those same roasted, powdered walnuts. Molasses lightly coats the whole, and one might also think of a roasted licorice stick.
Aeration considerably rounds out the whole, which is now covered in caramel. A few dark, oily vanilla beans have also been caught in the wave. They settle quite naturally in the midst of this butterscotch ambiance.
On the palate, it's rather the roundness that takes over the attack. The rum even has the luxury of a few warm, tangy notes. These introduce other, more resolutely fruity flavors, such as the orange liqueur that soon takes possession of the palate.
The finish is vanilla and caramel. Finally, the roast remained very discreet as it rubbed against the taste buds.
"An extremely roasted nose, which gives way to a very coated rum on the palate..."
