Selvarey Owner's Reserve

I'm surprised to be the first to review this, as it seems easy to find at Total Wines & More in the S.F. Bay Area (7 Total Wines & More stores in the Bay Area have it in stock as of this review).

What really stood out to me about this rum is how smooth and easy drinking it is compared to other rums at a similar price point and abv. And I prefer the taste to other Panama giants like Panamonte Reserva XXV, and Zafra Master Reserve 30-Year.

Smells and tastes of caramel, brown sugar, spice, oak, raisins, toffee, and vanilla. This is a really good rum - I highly recommend it!

When this rum first appeared on the market more than a year ago, I came close to driving about 400 miles to pick up my bottle in Texas. Instead I waited until it came close to me. It can now be found at 3 Total Wine stores fairly close to me, and I bought the only bottle from the closest store just as they opened this morning. And lucky me saw that it was priced only one penny below my $150 limit per bottle.

What is the appeal for me in this rum? One word, Don Pancho. Ask me who makes the best rum in the Caribbean and I will answer Don Pancho without hesitation. This line of Selvarey rums is partially owned by pop star Bruno Mars. His team took two years searching for the perfect rum that they could bottle and be proud to put their brand name upon. Heck, had he asked me, I could have saved him two years by telling him to go to Panama and meet up with Don Pancho. That Maestro Ronero is a living legend and his story is too long for this review.

The back of the gift box states, "From the owner's private collection". Gift boxes are always excuses to jack up the price. I am now wondering if Bruno told Don Pancho what he wanted in this 15-25 year blend or that he just picked from Don Pancho's best rums. I am sure that Bruno has a few casks of this one.

So what do I think of this one? It is now good enough for me to rank it as my overall best rum tried in almost five years. I seriously doubt that I will find another rum that I like better! Don't ask me about the tasting notes, since I am terrible with those. It is rich and super smooth with no after burn. Absolute perfection!!!

The shape of the bottle has finally dawned on me that it is not just for looks. Most rums will have a large surface area exposed to air after the first pour. Not this one. As one pours some every now and then, the surface area gradually gets larger. By the time one gets near the bottom of this bottle, the surface area is still smaller than those of most other bottles. This is a brilliant design that minimizes the deterioration of taste, even though this one is too tall to fit on my regular shelf.

Ready to dig into this dark skinned Beauty! Initially I saw this read about it and shrugged it off as another celebrity spirit, until I heard it’s from Don Pancho Panama who makes some of my favorite rums. Very dark brown in the glass something I like, very faint mild scent not getting an alcohol burn. Sweet liquid nectar with a very smooth lingering finish neat, which I suggest as how to drink. I thought I tasted a hint of port but don’t know if it had a second aging. Unusual and attractive bottle, looks first class for the $100 plus’s cost. I think it is similar to Zafra, better than 21, but just a notch below 30, but very damn good. Second tasting with a small square cube, which is what I use these days, I have an ice ball maker but with such a large ice ball I find it dilutes my great rums too fast. Just as I expected still taste great with one cube but dilutes the longer lingering finish down some. Best served neat, great full bodied rum.

A rum above all. SO yummy and complex. A perfect balance. Did a blind taste test with this and Zacapa XO. All of us picked Selvarey. And the box and bottle are the best looking bottle on my back bar. Super impressive.

Interesting rum. Deep aromas of darker fruit, some smoke, a mapley oak. Tastes great with little bite, some smoke and finishes quickly on the palate. It isn't heavy or syrupy.

This is a very good rum. Slightly better than Zafra Master 30. Falcon 91’s flavor notes are spot on. It is a smooth sipper with great nose and finish. The bottle and box are show stoppers. Found under lock and key at my local store in Mandeville, LA. Paid $150 But it was a ten minute drive. Will acquire some more.

Wow! I’m blown away this rum doesn’t cost more! Worth the price and perfect sipper!

This is such a delicious rum and I can’t get enough of it. If I could afford it this is one I would drink all day, I mean everyday. 😬. I know it is a more expensive rum but this one is worth it. Do yourself a favor, spend the money and enjoy this rum.

This rum is so delicious. When I smelled it I was a little scared. I thought it’d really knock my socks off. After drinking it, it was way smoother that what I initially thought after judging it by its scent. After swallowing it, I got hit by its sweetness. It is perfectly balanced. I strongly recommend it. The money was worth it and im pretty money conscious. Cheers to Panama! Thanks Bruno Mars.

This is the first of the Selvarey lineup that I have tried and I regret not trying it sooner! It’s absolutely delicious, and the balance of sweet/dry is perfectly on point.