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Flor de Cana Rum Tasting

While passing through Panama’s very pleasant airport en route from Haiti to Guatemala I picked up a sample pack of Nicaragua’s Flor de Cana rum.В  While I had heard lots of goodthings about this rum I had never really tried it.

I have to be honest and say this rum did not exactly grab me.В  Mind you, I do not have anything very bad to say about it either.В  Flor de Cana make nice smooth rums.В  I just do not find them especially interesting.

Flor de Cana Extra Dry (4 year old rum at 40%):В  Light, dry, honeyish nose.В  Tasting reveals a pleasant, somewhat honeyish rum.В  There seems to be a faint hint of chocolate.В  Despite the honeyish profile this rum is not cloyingly sweet.В  There is a little burn, but I would consider it a smooth rum.В  While this rum goes down quite nicely I get an odd plastic note I do not much care for - this flavor seems to hang around in the background of both the nose and the taste.В  Overall, a smooth, unexciting mixing rum that is not offensive when taken straight.

Flor de Cana Gold (4 year old rum at 40%): Similar honeyish nose to the Extra Dry.В  The palate is a little sweeter than the extra dry, the honey is stronger, and there seems to be a faint hint of caramel.В  Unfortunately I also get an unpleasant suggestion of something astringent, on top of the same plastic note I got from the Extra Dry.В  I like this less than the Extra Dry and would not want to drink it unmixed.В  However, it mixes smoothly enough with coke.

Flor de Cana Black Label (5 year old rum at 40%):В  The same honey nose as above, but more intense and now carrying light floral notes.В  The palate is significantly smoother and fuller than the two younger rums.В  There is a fairly deep honey flavor, along with a hint of sharpness, and a suggestion of some kind of blossom - maybe orange blossom.В  I get a hint of the plasticiness I found in the two younger rums, but it is no longer distracting.В  This would make a flavorsome mixing rum.

Flor de Cana Grand Reserve (7 year old rum at 40%): Rich honey nose with an underlying spiciness, perhaps wild honey rather than generic mass-produced honey. The palate is full-flavored honey, with a rich toffee undercurrent.В  These smooth sweet tastes share the stage with some spicy, woody and vanilla notes.В  While the rum itself is not especially syrupy, flavorwise it is all about sweet and simple tastes - basically there is not that much going on.В  Incidentally, the plasticy note from the younger rums is gone.В  This rum strikes me as too boring to sip, but it could work for those who appreciate subtlety.В  As a mixer this stuff is clearly quality.В  Save it for drinks that will show up its rich smoothness.В  This rum makes a great rum and coke for those times when you want something smooth.В  Go easy when pouring the coke though since rum this smooth and mellow can easily get lost.

Flor de Cana Centenario (12 year old rum at 40%):В  This rum was not part of my airport sample pack.В  I tried it a couple of times in a bar in Antigua.В  Unlike with the above rums I never did a side-by-side comparison.В  In any case, the Centenario did not strike me as that much of a step up from the Grand Reserve.В  This is another rich, smooth, honeyish rum.В  Alongside the honey I got a little spice and woodiness, but there were not exactly layers upon layers of flavor to explore.В  I need to try this rum again.В  However, I think I will end up rating it similarly to the Grand Reserve - i.e. a sipper for people who appreciate subtlety and prefer a mainstream and inoffensive taste, and perhaps a high quality mixer for drinks that show off the rum.

My conclusion?В  I would be pleased to find the Flor de Cana rums at hand, but I would not make too much effort to seek them out.В  I do not find them interesting sipping rums, but they all make for a pleasant rum and coke in which rummy richness replaces rummy bite.В  As mixing rums, the longer aged offerings would work well in rum-heavy drinks that require smoothness and silkiness.В  I can see the Black Label or Grand Reserve making a great El Presidente.В  I usually prefer more assertive rums, but Flor de Cana could work on when something smooth, rich, and undemanding is required.

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on Sunday, May 3rd, 2009 at 2:31 am and is filed under Central American, rum.
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9 Responses to “Flor de Cana Rum Tasting”

1. seriousdarious Says:
   
   
   
   May 4th, 2009 at 10:07 am
   
   

   Good to see you back. I thought you got lost somewhere on your travels, never to be heard from again.

   
   
   





2. seamus Says:
   
   
   
   May 4th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
   
   

   Good to have my return so swiftly noted. . .

   
   

   Unfortunately I have left Latin America and headed to the arid deserts Central Asia, where good drinks are a rarity. However, I will get a little coverage of my South American trip up in the next few weeks. Guatemala, Cuba, Panama, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina still to come. . .

   
   

   It will just be a quick write up though. . .

   
   
   





3. Miss Sunalee Says:
   
   
   
   May 5th, 2009 at 1:04 am
   
   

   I was waiting, and waiting… and now I’m very happy to see you back !
   
   I know this is a cocktail blog, but will you write also about your travels in Central Asia ?

   
   
   





4. Jay Hepburn Says:
   
   
   
   May 5th, 2009 at 8:45 am
   
   

   Seamus, like seriousdarious I am glad to see you back posting again. Hope you’re well. Look forward to reading about more of your adventures. Cheers!

   
   
   





5. seriousdarious Says:
   
   
   
   May 11th, 2009 at 9:55 am
   
   

   You poor guy. You have to travel the world and the price you must pay is a shortage of good drinks. I understand the importance of a good drink (it is, after all, why we’re gathered here) but I’m having a little trouble feeling sorry for you.

   
   
   





6. tk Says:
   
   
   
   May 17th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
   
   

   welcome back!

   
   
   





7. Single Maria Says:
   
   
   
   May 20th, 2009 at 12:10 am
   
   

   Thanks for the post. Yes, this rum is really worth testing. Remember, I tried it some years ago while resting and I cant help stopping. Really very delicious. See, you really enjoy your travels

   
   
   





8. Seymour Says:
   
   
   
   July 14th, 2009 at 4:04 am
   
   

   Flor de cana used to be my favorite rum for the price. Recently the price went up $2.00 per bottle at our local Total Wine store and I have decided to switch rums. I’m having a hard time understanding in this economy how a company thinks it’s once loyal customers will follow them when they become greedy in such times. Oh well, my friends and I agreed to never buy Flor de cana ever again!!!

   
   
   





9. Alpha Cook (nat) Says:
   
   
   
   September 24th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
   
   

   I agree–the Flor de Cana rums are not particularly exciting. Maybe it was all the hype, but I was certainly expecting more. They weren’t bad…*yawns*…I would rather pick up a bottle of Cruzan white rum or Cruzan (dark) 2 year, both of which are more complex and a lot cheaper. Of course, that won’t keep me from trying the Centenario at some point–still curious about that one.

   
   
   

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