El Ron del Artesano 2008 Virgin Oak Cask 12-Year

The El Ron del Artesano Virgin Oak Cask is a Panama Rum that was distilated in 2008 and then, after about 10-12 years of storage ot got its finish in the german Black forest in a fresh American oak barrel. 120 bottles were bottled with 55.9% barrel thickness. Without additives or sugar.

The gold yellow rum should get a few minutes of air. In the nose it has a mild sweetness. Vanilla and oak are recognizable. Light with molasses tones, the rum remains mysterious for the time being. On the palate, the rum is incredibly warm. Secured in the warmth, sweet fruity vanilla notes come to light with a light wood note. The Virgin Cask is present and nestles the Panama Rum in a soft bed of fresh spicy aromas. The finish is long and accompanied by woody barrel notes that remain long.

The Artesano is intense and has for me a perfect blend of the world of dry and sweet rum. Here's something for everyone without him becoming intrusive in one direction. Everyone should try this. Unfortunately, there are only 120 bottles. Damn...

Der El Ron del Artesano Virgin Oak Cask ist ein Panama Rum welcher 2008 distiliert wurde und dann nach ca. 10-12 Jahren Lagerung abschließend im Schwarzwald in Deutschland sein Finish in einem frischen amerikanischen Eichenholz Fass bekommen hat. Es wurden 120 Flaschen mit 55,9% Fass Stärke abgefüllt. Ohne Zusatzstoffe oder Zucker.

Der Gold gelbe Rum sollte ein paar Minuten Luft bekommen. In der Nase hat er eine milde Süße. Vanille und Eiche sind erkennbar. Leicht mit Melasse Tönen bleibt der Rum erst einmal mysteriös. Am Gaumen ist der Rum unheimlich warm. Geborgen in der Wärme kommen süße fruchtige Vanille Noten mit einer leichten Holz Note zum Vorschein. Das Virgin Cask ist präsent und schmiegt den Panama Rum in ein weiches Bett aus frischen würzigen Aromen. Der Abgang ist lang und begleitet durch holzige Fassnoten welche lange bleiben.

Der Artesano ist intensiv und hat für mich eine perfekte Mischung aus der Welt der Trockenen und süßen Rums. Hier ist für alle was dabei ohne das er in eine Richtung aufdringlich wird.
Sollte jeder einmal probiert haben. Leider gibt es nur 120 Flaschen. Damn...

Panama Virgin Oak 2008 in 41.9%
The rum was matured for 10 years in an ex-bourbon barrel and then for another 1.5 years in a fresh oak barrel. I don't know many of these rums, I would expect light notes and lots of vanilla.

Smell: I actually mainly perceive vanilla with light wood. The smell is sweet, the dilution is not particularly noticeable. There is also an aroma of fermented sugar cane and star fruit. That reminds me of Agricole. In the background I smell the Panama distillate, it smells slightly metallic and of lime.
The smell is not complex.

Taste: Starts immediately with vanilla and a lot of bright wood, as if it had just been sawn up and doused with water. Unfortunately the dilution is noticeable. The rum gets warm, I notice the fermented sugar cane, the rum gets sweeter and more spicy. Bitter substances develop in the form of tannins, the rum now tastes slightly metallic.
The finish is a bit spicy, with tannins, the metallic aromas, a little lime and the wood.

Aftertaste: tannins, wood

Overall a little better than I expected. The profile is light, the rum doesn't seem particularly complex to me. It has parallels to Agricole, I guess it's made from sugar cane juice.

Overall rating: 68 points

Sweetness: 2/5
Fruit: 1.5 / 5
Spice: 3/5
Complexity: 2/5
PL (49 €): 2/5