Malecon Rare Proof 20 ans is a very old rum from Panama. Francisco Fernandez, the house's Cuban cellar master, oversaw this vintage. This is a molasses rum that has been carefully distilled in a single column. After 20 years' ageing in the tropics, a few casks were selected to be bottled as single casks. Barrel no. 74 was chosen for this cuvée, containing a rum distilled in 1999.
Nico's tasting notes
The nose is full of caramelized nuts reduced to a gourmet paste. Their sweetness and woodiness soon bring us closer to maple syrup, with a hint of roasting and toasted wood.
With aeration, the rum reveals a more concentrated core, with more generous, enthusiastic aromas. These are carried by a light iodine note that excites the palate, like a flavor enhancer. There's a hint of leather, followed by pecans, past exotic fruits and a handful of sweet roasted spices.
The palate is both round and toasty, and our roasted nuts are more than ever coated in a ladleful of sweet-spiced caramel. Vanilla reigns supreme on the mid-palate, and its boldness sticks to the lips. A slight hint of more concentrated, animalic rum follows.
The finish is still very sweet, and deploys even more sweet spices, almost like a spiced.
"A very smooth, gourmet rum, with a very successful roasted nuts side..."
Paul Iverno
Pleasant on the palate
Nose too