On the occasion of its 130th anniversary, Flor de Caña unveils an anniversary vintage available in limited edition. It was over lunch in Paris that the distillery’s team presented us with this novelty, which we were then able to taste.
A fair trade single estate rum
Founded at the foot of the San Cristobal volcano in Nicaragua and owned by the same family since the beginning of the adventure, Flor de Caña Distillery offers a magnificent story, told through an anniversary vintage. For the country’s only distillery, it’s 131 years (no, there’s no mistake, COVID has been there) of an existence full of passion that António Oliveira, the representative in France, was able to tell us.
If Flor de Caña has been Fair Trade certified for several years, it is only the continuation of the efforts made since the beginning by the Pellas family, to ensure that all employees of the distillery have pleasant living and working conditions. After a school more than a hundred years ago, then a hospital in the mid-1950s, it is finally the entire policy of the distillery that is turned towards sustainable development, of the land but also of the people.
Certainly we are here to enjoy a rum and not praise the merits of this or that company, but when palpable and sustainable efforts are put in place, I felt it important to mention it.
The rum on offer today is just that, a 20 year old, which actually comes in between the 18 year old and the 25 year old, the current top of the range. It is a molasses rum that has been aged in small bourbon barrels and bottled without the addition of sugars or other additives, with a reduction to 45% alcohol. We already had the opportunity not long ago to taste the Flor de Caña 12 Year Old in our columns.
The Flor de Caña 130th Anniversary Tasting
Contrary to the majority of our tastings, which are done in the editorial office or in the quiet of our home, it was over a good meal that this Flor de Caña 130 anniversary was presented to us.
On the nose, hazelnut and chocolate open the ball, and then find their way to the palate, accompanied by small touches of spice. The woody side of the cask comes through, never smothering the other flavors; the wood will actually accompany us on the finish, with roasted nuts and perhaps a bit of coffee grounds on the final note, which lingers for a long time.
To return to the meal, the pairing proposed by the chef of the Anona restaurant was to associate the Flor de Caña 130 anniversary with an excellent duck filet smoked with hay.
The bottle of Flor de Caña 130th Anniversary
It’s not every day you turn 130, and to mark the occasion, it’s a new, all-crystal bottle that hosts this very old rum, topped with a gorgeous cork and volcanic rock stopper from the estate, all presented in a beautiful purple case.
Whether for yourself or as a gift, the bottle will certainly not leave you indifferent and fully participates in the brand’s premium positioning.
Our thoughts on the Flor de Caña 130th Anniversary
Flor de Caña shows us with this 130 anniversary edition that it is possible to age, long and well, rum in difficult tropical conditions with natural evaporation over the years. Thanks to large production volumes, and especially innovative preservation techniques, the distillery is able to offer this 20 year old in ideal conditions.
On the nose, and once on the palate, this 20 Year Old holds all its promises, with the typical roundness of very old rums, while preserving the precision of its aromas. An excellent work of Maestro Ronero Tomàs Cano, who knew how to propose a blend that perfectly pays tribute to the women and men of the distillery.
It’s hard not to be seduced by this Flor de Caña 130th Anniversary, a success for sure, and an invitation to discover the rest of the range.
With only a few bottles available by the end of the year worldwide, you won’t have to dawdle if you want to be one of the lucky ones, but more bottles are expected to land in 2022.
Where to buy Flor de Caña 130th Anniversary
This Flor de Caña 130th Anniversary, an aged rum with at least 20 years of age, is currently available online, at the very attractive price of $99.
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