Relicario is a blend of rums aged between 5 and 10 years in American oak barrels (it's not a solera).
The cellar master who developed Relicario is Cuban Juan Alberto Alvarez, renowned in the world of traditional Spanish ron.
Nico's tasting notes
Summary: caramel - tobacco - nuts - vanilla - woody - round
The first nose is rather fruity, a round fruitiness that then wraps itself in vanilla and blond tobacco. The toasty woodiness brings out greedy but roasted nutty aromas. It gradually becomes rounder, turning more towards caramel. The molasses is soft, not too black or reglissed, but rather reminiscent of brown honey. The woodiness is definitely mellowed, even sweetened with cane sugar syrup and a fruity hint of grenadine. The nuts, too, are increasingly greedy and fatty.
Aeration and time allow the rum to strike a pleasant balance between wood, nuts and fruit. These aromas then melt into a buttery caramel. The sweetness tends to bog down the dynamics a little, but spices in the form of exotic barks add a little spice. The rum then finds another balance between coconut and vanilla woodiness, this facet being rather pleasant too.
The attack on the palate is gentle, though dominated by rather dark notes of coffee and molasses. Caramelized toasted wood gives a balanced texture. This woodiness is well-seasoned, with a hint of vanilla. A little more complexity follows, with a touch of licorice and a slight wineiness reminiscent of sherry. This takes the classic profile to a new, more interesting level.
The finish is quite familiar, with flavors of toasted wood and pipe tobacco.
JBG
Good value for money