Zaka Rum Single Distillery Panama 7 years old is a tribute to the men who work the land, through the voodoo god Zaka. Although Panama was a "late" rum producer (1908), it now has some of the world's largest stocks.
This blend comes to us from Pesé, in the province of Herrera, on the Azuero peninsula. It is a column-distilled molasses rum, aged between 7 and 12 years in American oak barrels.
Nico's tasting notes
On the nose, there's a softly roasted, caramelized and slightly spicy character. Toasted oak delivers notes of nuts, vanilla and a soft, white woodiness. This is followed by hints of toast, with a hint of molasses.
The aeration insists on the register of torrefaction, and one could even say carbonization. Indeed, burnt wood and charcoal completely envelop a rather light rum, whose fruity sparks occasionally rise to the surface.
The palate is very smooth, with an American oak-like woodiness (vanilla, coconut, blond tobacco) that caresses the taste buds while coating them with a balm of sweet spices. Toasted wood adds a little spiciness on the mid-palate, caramelizing the whole.
The finish is sweet too, with light rum wafting across the palate.
"A light rum coated with a reduction of sweet roasted spices..."
