El Ron Prohibido Gran Reserva 15 years 40°.

El Ron Prohibido is an aged rum produced in the eponymous distillery in Penjamo, Mexico.

Three years older than the 12 year old version, this traditional molasses rum is column distilled and then aged in oak barrels in the solera system, a method commonly used in Spain for sherry wines.

Nico's tasting note

The nose of this rum opens with a well-known triptych: coffee, molasses, cocoa. A slight woodiness is also present, with an impression of wet cardboard that gives it a moist, tropical feel. The caramel is obviously part of it, trapping some nuts. Coffee and chocolate have been combined to create a creamy mocha. There is an impression of intense but coated roasting. Indeed, one feels the thickness of a very dark and sweet caramel. One could also think of a caramel flavoured infusion, or of a well buttered cake with pecans. At this point, I'd lean more towards a rum cake batter. If one were to sum up this first nose: gourmandise and pastry.

With time, the rum will confirm its roasted character and give up some of its sugar. The coffee, molasses and caramel are very dark. The liquorice side of the molasses now comes out clearly. It now seems as if the torch has just been passed over a crème brulée, the caramel still crackles and the cream exhales its perfume.

On the palate, liquorice molasses comes first, followed by toast and dark maple syrup. Then coffee and caramel come into play, all of the family of flavours we have already encountered on the nose. And then the cocoa is combined with a peppery and even spicy side reminiscent of dark chocolate with Espelette chilli, for a very spicy sensation.

The finish is very sweet, this sensation fills the mouth and is a sign of a rum with a sweet tooth.