Being in the Caribbean Archipelago of Bocas Del Toro its only right that we indulge in some rum. The shops shelves are stacked high with Ron Abuelo Anejo so this seems the natural choice. My rusty Spanish translates this as Grandfathers rum. It’s cheap enough, the small bottle we have purchased is only $2, after all, it’s a product of Panama so it should be cheaper than other rums. But is this going to effect the taste?
The company Varela Hermanos has been making rums since 1908 and the 37.5% percentage is sure to add a few extra hairs on your chest. The rum is dark in colour and is “Reserva Especial”.
For this review we are going to first drink it straight and then try it mixed with coke. First for the unmixed glass, Leannes’s twisted face is not a good start. She says it tastes medicinal with a familiar smell of Savalon (an antiseptic spray).
I dive in for my turn and initially is smells strong, which is all my untrained pallet can distinguish. I quite like it, it does taste medicinal but with a distinct oak after taste. When mixed with coke I would be happy to drink it all night, Leanne still maintains it doesn’t taste good but continues to drink it anyway.
We may have set our standards too high after the roaring success of Nicaragua’s Flor De Cana which is now the benchmark for all our rum tasting. Either way this is the cheapest drink around and after a few glasses who cares what it tastes like.
