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Grander 12-Year rum

Grander 12-Year

Panama | Aged

Aged for a minimum 12 years in re-used ex-bourbon American White Oak barrels, some which previously held sherry.

93 Points, 2019 Ultimate Spirits Challenge

6.8/10
10 ratings
Tasty, but not quite great
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10 Grander 12-Year Ratings

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Durbs (BASIC) πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ | 17 ratings
Posted almost 5 years ago

Not heard if Grander before but pesky social media brought them to my attention.
Really nice, almost floral flavour. Unsweetened, but the sherry finish is present enough to make me wonder how empty the sherry cask was...
Reminds me of Cane Island Nicaragua, but better.
Great value for money too for a 12, interested to try the 8 now

Jaybird (BASIC) πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ | 48 ratings
Posted 4 years ago

Grander 12 Year is bottled at 45% abv. Poured neat in a snifter and allowed to breathe for 5 minutes or so. Predominate ethanol with soft fruity character and hints of sweetness and molasses. Alcohol softens after a few moments. I get very little oak or barrel character at first but it gets stronger with subsequent tasting and becomes quite strong as the palate adjusts to the warmth. The overall aroma is not overly strong but understated.
First sip is a bit warm and numbing. Warmer than I expected. Soft sweetness and fruit, ripe banana. Quite a bit of oak in the finish which is medium long and softly bitter. Second sip is smoother but flavors remain consistent. As I continue to sip the more oak forward it becomes.
The body is lighter as expected from a Panama rum.
I added a cube and let it sit for a minute of two and the flavor smoothed out considerably. Sweetness comes forward as does a nice fruity character. Much more enjoyable over ice for me as I think its a bit warm and oaky neat.
Overall a good product. If you like unadulterated spirits I'd give this a try but if you like sweet rum then this probably isn't for you. $38 at the Party Source in Kentucky.
I also have an 8 year single barrel bottling for the Party Source that I will be sampling soon so it should be interesting to compare.

Co Ka (BASIC) πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ | 88 ratings
Posted almost 5 years ago

Fantastic piece of rum, I like!
No coloring, flavoring or sweeteners added, for this price! Cool stuff!
In the nose is vanilla present, in the mouth wood and nuts. And long lasting.
Great!

Little Frank (BASIC) πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ | 12 ratings
Posted 3 months ago

As others have said, it's a little bland. Can taste vanilla but not very complex.Still, it is sippable - though I prefer to use as a mixer when the other flavors add some depth.

Alas (BASIC) πŸ‡΅πŸ‡· | 498 ratings
Posted 8 months ago

Falls flat a bit, a bit watered down with a slight burn that lasts a bit. Can see the smoothness of the 12 years but not getting much of the barrel. Read the label and says its aged in barrels that were already used several times which might explain it. Still pleasant to sip but not a go-to

Mujuru (BASIC) πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ | 152 ratings
Posted 3 years ago

Nose: Light Maple Syrup, Banana, Orange, Raw Cane Sugar
Palate: Strong Maple Syrup, Pear, Cinnamon bite, Salted Caramel, Oak
Aftertaste: Vanilla, Brine, Lemon, faint notes of Pear, long faint aftertaste of Diet Coke

This is a rum I have been meaning to try for some time now. It is a creation of Don Pancho Fernandez in collaboration with Dan DeHart of the Bourbon scene. Don Pancho Fernandez is the former Master Blender and Distiller of Havana Club in Cuba prior to settling in Panama 1994.

This is a true 12 year aged rum and contains no additives whatsoever, not even coloring. It is tropically aged in reused barrels which give it a light, true gold color in the glass. It also comes in a beautiful rectangular bottle.

The nose is one of the more fruity aromas I have experienced on a Spanish/Cuban style rum to date. The nose is a complex but pleasant combination of Light Maple Syrup, Banana, Orange, and Raw Cane Sugar (like the smell of Sugar in the Raw). The aroma is present and direct but not overpowering. I also get a touch of ethanol on the nose but not in the off-putting sense, more like it just lets you know that its there.

On the palate I get immediately bum rushed by strong dark Maple syrup. I have noticed that the Maple Syrup note seems to be a characteristic throughout nearly all of Don Pancho's longer aged distillates, but in this rum it packs a serious punch of flavor up front. Then just as the Maple syrup starts to dissipate, and as I take more sips, I get a rush lot of fresh Pear overlaid with Cinnamon-like spiciness mid-palate which gradually dissipates into Salted Caramel and light notes of Oak further back in the mouth. The presentation is fairly intense and quite tasty.

Unfortunately, the finish lets me down some, though it may not for others. After the Salted Caramel and Oak begin to fade on the palate after swallowing it turns into a strong but short lasting combination of Vanilla and Brine fading into Lemon. I also just barely pick up a faint note of Pear on the finish as well, but the Brine flavor is quite strong. A while after I put the glass down I get a rather dry, and very faint, taste of Diet Coke flavor in my cheeks. While interesting and some may love that coming from a completely additive free rum, its just not for me. I usually love an ultra long finish, but in this case given the Vanilla, Brine, Lemon, and faint Diet Coke combination, I am glad it is rather short. That combination is strong and complex enough for some to enjoy, but it's just not for me. So thankfully, in this case the total finish is fairly short.

This a case where the nose is above average and rather interesting for a Spanish/Cuban style rum, the palate is a delightful and complex mix of unexpected flavors, and the finish is powerful but just not quite to my flavor preferences. Its by no means unpleasant; it just isn't fantastic like it is on most Don Pancho rums. That said, the nose and the palate more than make up for my slight disappointment on the finish to produce a total experience that on the whole is quite positive and enjoyable. While this could probably work quite well in a few cocktails (El Presidente comes to mind) its profile may not work as well universally. I will enjoy the bottle I have and the experience is good enough that it makes me curious about the Single Barrel and other rums on this line, but this specific iteration, while enjoyable, is just short of excellent for my tastes.

Nose: 8
Palate: 9
Finish: 6
Smoothness: 7
Versatility: 7
Price: 7

Total: 7.3

Paul B (BASIC) πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ | 472 ratings
Posted over 3 years ago

About two years ago, I tried the darker Grander 8 Year at a bargain price. I was neither repulsed nor delighted. Just boring. This older brother is actually lighter in color, which tells me that less charring was used in the barrels. Well, the aroma is like nothing at all after the alcohol breathes off. The taste is also like nothing at all. This rum will not offend anyone nor will it ever be memorable. It's main calling card is like the dry rums of Barbados, with no added sugar or additives. Well this one is $33 US. I now have this one ranked right below the much cheaper Doorly's 8, Doorly's 5, and R.L. Seale 10. Hey, I at least gave it a try.

This is one of the very few rums that does not go well with coconut water. However, it goes very well with premium coffee. Go figure! This one is 90 proof with no burn. No easy feat to achieve!

I also must mention that there were four different Grander rums on the shelf of this liquor store. Upon closer inspection, the other two besides the 8 year and 12 year are special blends bottled in Louisiana specifically for that store. Therefore, it was no point in me giving them a try for something that can only be found locally.

mackemsrule (BASIC) πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ | 1 rating
Posted 4 years ago

this little beauty came in my monthly craft rum club box, initial thoughts where it looks a bit pale, too light. but it tastes like you would want your last nip of rum to taste like. I'm no expert or good at saying this tastes like a 20 yr old pubs carpet or it tastes of fried banana and ripened pineapple I just know there's no sweet sugary taste to it and it's one of the best I've had in a few months

JeffBuck (BASIC) πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ | 80 ratings
Posted 4 years ago

Not a fan of the twice used barrels as it seems thin and nothing really holding it together. Would love to try it in once used barrels.

Tony Sanders (PREMIUM) πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ | 77 ratings
Posted over 4 years ago

Light amber color. Allspice orange and vanilla. Hot at first then mellows to floral and aged oak. Not overly sweet. No additives but the barrel.




Brand Details

Company: Grander
Name: 12-Year
Years Aged: 12
Type: Aged
Raw Material: Unknown
Process: Unknown
Distillation: Unknown

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