Grander 8-Year

A little reference to the VanHalen song to get started. Pretty good rum. Nice smell good taste, with a fair amount of burn at close to 100 proof. The usual rum flavor with a little bit of Bourbon toward the end. Pretty smooth for the high alcohol content. I’m not sure Panama is known for it’s rum, but this is a good import.

It was a special offer here on the web.
I got it because it has 45% alcohol.
In the nose i smell wood, oak, spices.
If you let it stay for 15 minutes, the burn is gone and smooth vanilla and berries are exploring your mouth. Long lasting.
But i expected a little more.

I enjoyed it better slightly chilled, good for sipping, definitely present the bourbon hints.

Has a fairly strong alcohol bite (server said 108 proof), but was good to sip over ice.

First off, let me say I really like the bottle's overall design with the heavy glass, image of a marlin, and cursive font. This make it stand out visually from most of the rums on the shelf. Secondly the information on the bottle itself intrigued me. Namely that it "wouldn't require any coloring, flavoring or blending additives". This rum, according to the bottle as well as their website (http://granderrum.com/) the rum is made from molasses that originates from sugar cane which came from Herrara, Panama and distilled in "1922 American Copper and Brass Works copper stills ". It is then aged in "ex-bourbon barrels from Kentucky". In this rum's case it is aged for 8 years in Panama (they do have a 12-year rum but the store I obtained this rum did not carry the 12-year...too bad). It also is present at 90 proof (45% ABV) which is higher than standard rums so keep that in mind when sipping this rum.

The aroma of this rum in my snifter is crisp, clear, and nice. Definitely tickles the nose. It is a light amber color and has very good legs.

The flavors reveals no sugaring whatsoever IMHO. It has a hint of sweetness with some caramel tones and some definite pepperiness. There is a mild burn all the way through from the tongue to the back of the throat. There is some oak bitterness from the tannin in the barrels that lasts through the finish. Not objectionable.

This is definitely not a rum for the novice rum drinker. Instead I think this would be a good sipping rum for the bourbon connoisseurs.

Love the general profile but the proof is lower than I prefer. If you can find private barrels then that's where it's at with the higher proof!

A new find. Said to be an 8y laid on bourbon barrels. Slight spicy notes with an oaky undertone.
The taste follows through with the smell. Starts smooth but immediately follows through with spicy notes akin to an OP Rum.
For an 8y I was expecting the flavor to be a little more subdued, with rounded mellow flavored.

I have yet to try it as it is still on my bar untouched for a few months. I just wanted to give it the benefit of doubt with the scoring prior to me tasting and adjusting accordingly.

I have been seeing this rum for sale at around $30 US, but I saw a bottle today going for only $17. Thinking that I had little to lose, I brought it home. It is an 8 year old dry Panamanian rum with no additives. The aroma is almost nothing. However, the 90 proof burn is quite high and obliterates any flavors that could be hiding underneath. Thankfully, the fine print etched onto the back of the bottle was too difficult to read in the store, but this rum clearly does not live up to it's claims. Think of this as a much cheaper competitor to R.L. Seale rums and you can't go wrong. However, this one is just too boring for me. If ice cubes bring out the flavors on a later date, then I will update this review.

Forward tones of banana, vanilla, fruit, and sweet. A bit of oak underneath. It’s pleasant for a few sips but then becomes a bit too dry and uninspiring.