Diego Urdaneta
Abuelo rum is produced by Varela Hermanos SA in Panama. The company’s history started in 1908, when Don José Varela Blanco created his first sugar refinery in the recently formed Panama Republic. In 1935 they started distilling sugarcane juice and nowadays they produce close to a million boxes every year, including Abuelo rum, which is just one of the multiple brands the group owns.
The Finish Collection is a family of rums that have been aged in ex-bourbon casks for around 14 years and then spend an extra year in one of three barrels. The name of each product refers to the origin of those barrels. Hence, the Tawny version is finished in ex-tawny port casks from Portugal, the Oloroso version is ex-oloroso sherry casks, and this Napoleon is finished in ex-cognac casks.
Read in the magazine (rotate your device for a better reading experience):
Made by: Varela Hermanos SA
Name of the rum: XV Napoleon Finish
Brand: Abuelo
Origin: Panama
Age: up to 15 years
Price: $60
Nose: As soon as I serve it in the glass, there are scents of oak, caramel, vanilla, figs and raisins. A few minutes later, I come back to it and there are also notes of tobacco, Christmas cake, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Palate: It is definitely dosed, so keep that in mind. There are loads of flavors of raisins, caramel, milk chocolate, pepper, Port wine (or some other sweetened wine), some coffee, too. With some ice there is black licorice as well.
Retrohale/Finish: raisins and dark chocolate.
Rating: 9 on the t8ke Scoring Scale.
Conclusion: Before trying this rum, my experience with Abuelo was very negative. I had tried the Añejo and the 7 and found both to be horrible. I liked the 12, but found it too expensive. I was also lucky enough to try the three rums comprising this Finish Collection in one sitting and ended up buying a couple of these Napoleon. I really enjoy this as a sipping rum and if I’m smoking a cigar, it’s heaven. I don’t usually mind dosed rums, unless they go overboard, but anything below 20 grs/hL is usually okay with me. I don’t know how much is in this one, but it’s amazing.
