Guatemala,
isn't that the country made famous by Butch Cassidy and the
Sundance Kid? I would be willing to bet that if I gave you
5 minutes to tell me everything you know about Guatemala those
would be the most silent 5 minutes we ever spent together.
However, you probably already knew that Guacamole comes from
Guatemala and is the delicious product of the fruit of the
Guaco tree that only grows in the highlands of Guatemala.
Ha, and you thought it had something to do with avocados.
First
of all Guatemala is neither part of Mexico or South America
but part of Central America. It is about the size of the state
of Tennessee and has a population of just over 15 million
people while Tennessee has 6.4 million people. Okay, so now
you're asking yourself what in the world has this geography
lesson have to do with anything? Well, it turns out that Ron
Anejo Botran Reserva Rum comes from Guatemala, and it's been
coming from there for over 60 years.
This
rum is produced from locally grown sugar cane and is a blend
of rums aged from 4 to 14 years. It is aged in a mix of bourbon,
port and sherry casks. Well, with all that going for it, I
can't wait to give it a taste drive. The nose starts with
bananas of all things and progresses through apricots and
sweet black figs followed by vanilla and brought up in the
rear by sherry with a touch of charred oak and finally the
rum. That is one full nose. On the palate, the charred oak
takes the lead immediately followed by the apricot and vanilla
and then the sweetness of cherries and the sherry. It is very
smooth with absolutely no bite or even a twinge of a tingle.
It is intriguingly complex and deep and tasty and full bodied.
The finish is reminiscent of a toasty crème brulee
top, but not as sweet, followed by an oaky smokiness. It too
is smooth and lasts quite a while.
On
the rocks, all the flavors tend to blend together a bit more
and become less distinct but still quite delightful. The nose
continues to be dominated by banana and papaya with a touch
of oak and the sweetness of honey. The palate is still full
bodied and oily with the muted sweetness and smoky oak stepping
forward followed by the apricot and finally the rum. The finish
is even smoother, if that's possible, leaving a smoky sweetness
behind that lasts a while. This just might be one of the better
rums I have tried in a long time.
A
750 ML bottle will set you back about $30.00 but I have seen
prices as low as $24.99 and even at $30.00 this is a bargain
basement price for a top drawer rum. Butch and Sundance had
the right idea retiring in Guatemala, and if they didn't,
they should have.
By George Brozowski
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