Cana Fuerte Gran Anejo 16-Year

I tried my first bottle of this rum months ago and never bothered to submit my review, so here goes on my second bottle just opened. At only $40 US from Total Wine, this is a pleasant surprise. My initial rating of 7 remains the same.The bitter finish may put some off, but a few ice cubes mellows that out a bit. The age statement is honest and there are no additives. It's younger brother at 7 years is also the best rum that I found for under $20 US. I only hope that these rums keep coming to the shelves over here.

Update December 5, 2023: It has been quite a while since I bought a bottle of this. When I got it home and opened it up a few days later, I asked myself, "What is this shit?!!!". Other reviews with low ratings seemed to also ask themselves the same question. This impression was from drinking it neat. Using my basic knowledge on how to tame some unruly rums, I added a few drops of lime juice and Angostura Bitters. Then came LOTS of ice cubes. This tamed the beast and made it drinkable! Then I checked my original review to find the same suggestion for taming this one. It also pays to know of it's heritage. It is made from cane juice and distilled in Nicaragua, so it cannot qualify to the very strict standards for rhum agricoles from the French West Indies. But at only $40 US, something tells me that most of the cost goes into this fancy bottle.

Oak followed by spicy fruit. A smal cube or a tiche of water tames the initial oak burn. For the price, an honest oak forward sipping rum.

So far I'm impressed, except for the slight burn on the finish.

Extremely smooth and velvet mouth and throat feel with a cozy warmness that creeps up shortly afterwards. Very dry all around (which I like). Dry carmel, charred oak, spices, then closes out with some ripe fruit. The finish can become a bit harsh at times, leading me to add a few drops of water. All flavors (except for the heavy oak notes) are subtle which leaves me searching for a bit more in a 16yr. old. I guess I was expecting just a shade more from all that ageing.

Overall, this is a good sipping rum for me. Good quality and not to sweet. I think it matches its price point well.

Update a month later: The flavors are becoming more pronounced in the open bottle. Also, letting this breathe for 20+ minutes intensifies the complexity. Tastes are more defined and not muddled together. Moving to an 8.

A pleasant surprise. Strong oaky flavor. With a little burn, but not too much. Straight over mixed. The rectangular bottle’s nice too.

The rum has a very light sweet/fruity smell. It is sweet on the front end followed by a very good fruity taste in the middle to end. It has a relatively smooth finish with a heavy fruit aftertaste.

Great box. Great looking bottle. Nice dark amber color. Been down this road before... and then the aroma and taste are disappointing. Except this not the case with this rum. It is a bit dry, a hint of spice and just the right amount of sweetness with a nice lingering aftertaste with minimal burn, at least for me and I drink almost all rums neat. Fair price at TW under $45. Absolutely would recommend.

Harsh. I was hoping for so much better from this rum. The nose was thin and mostly wood. The initial taste reminded me of tongue depressors from back in the day. Then the burn started. For only 80 proof, I wasn't expecting so long and hot of a burn. Adding an ice cube helped marginally with the burn but did not improve the flavor. Next I tried it in a rum and Coke, maybe I could salvage the bottle? Nope, that is the only rum and Coke I have poured down the drain.

All in all, I regret buying this rum.

Picked this up at Total Wine for $40 based on the previous reviews. I was not impressed. It wasn't bad, but didn't really have much character. There are definitely better rums at this price range. The Total Wines around me have Ron Diplomatica Reserva Exclusiva for around the same price or cheaper, defintely grab that over this.

Really enjoyed this Rum. I’ve been moving away from the sweeter aged rums with added sugar and vanilla flavor. There is a definite spice on the first sip,
a little ice really opens it up. Closest thing to a whiskey you will find in a rum.
Great up after dinner or with ice. Without a doubt my new favorite.. hard to get sometimes my local Total Wines is out but I have 2 bottles on reserve.