Twice I’ve tried Ron Pampero Aniversario Rum over a interval of a number of days and each instances I’ve made a observe to purchase it once more after I get dwelling. Then after I acquired dwelling, I by no means see it in a retailer.
Which may be as a result of this nice “unique reserve” rum is from Venezuela. Again in 2016 I wrote on this weblog, “There’s not a lot of something good popping out of Venezuela today. The financial system is in shambles, oil manufacturing was dropping quick even earlier than the worth drop socked their revenues, and in 2015 Caracas had the best murder charge on the earth. After so a few years of dangerous authorities, it’s onerous to see an upscale journey scene rising up right here in my lifetime, so we’ve mainly ignored the nation in Luxurious Latin America.”
Properly, right here I’m penning this within the second half of 2024 and it’s much more bleak. There are extra Venezuelans dwelling exterior of the nation now than there are left in it. After one other stolen election and the U.S. confiscating the election cheat’s airplane, the one good issues left there appear to be their oil, their sugar cane, and their rum. And Ron Pampero Aniversario is an excellent nice rum, not only a good Venezuelan rum.
When You Discover This Aged Rum, Don’t Hesitate
I as soon as sat down with a companion on the Explora Atacama Lodge in Chile and because it was all-inclusive, I mentioned to the bartender, “Pour us the perfect rum you’ve acquired.” He didn’t hesitate, pulling a bottle off the shelf that was inside an embossed leather-based pouch.
“That is my favourite,” he mentioned, and after we mentioned we’d by no means heard of it, he mentioned, “No one has heard of it, however it’s actually good.”
We each took a couple of sips, let it roll round in our mouths, and agreed that he knew what he was speaking about. Pampero turned my nightly companion after a day of adventures.
I then purchased an entire bottle a couple of weeks in the past after I was headed to a Caribbean island and wished one thing for the condominium with a kitchen and bar. I hadn’t had any luck discovering this model in Tampa liquor shops, so after I noticed Ron Pampero Aniversario for $40 on the Ft. Lauderdale airport obligation free store, I pounced on it.
Ron Pampero Aniversario Tasting Notes
This a clean and candy, well-rounded rum that manages to hit each style bud and fill your mouth with taste, however with out the same old burn and backbite you get from some decrease high quality various. Plus you don’t get the overwhelming alcohol style or aroma that you simply do with many Caribbean variations blended with much less finesse.
I frankly didn’t count on something popping out of Venezuela to be greatest described as “balanced,” however there’s clearly a real grasp distiller at work within the Pampero tasting room. This Aniversario model begins clean and finishes clean, with simply the correct amount of heft from the oak barrels growing old to make it critical.
In case your palate is absolutely refined you’ll most likely style nutmeg, vanilla, candy espresso, and dried fruit within the combine. In any other case it’ll remind you of the perfect piece of caramel or butterscotch you’ve ever eaten, the brown sugar nonetheless making an look however with out being cloying.
My authentic bartender in Chile made an offhand remark that we must always “let it open up a bit” and pattern it over an hour or two. Perhaps it’s as a result of we had been feeling good by the top, however it did appear to clean out slightly.
I attempted that once more with the bottle I purchased and what appears to occur is a few of the alcohol nostril dissipates because it sits within the glass or will get swirled. Then there’s a fragile spice style, slightly vanilla, and a touch of leather-based that will get stronger. The flavour complexity of this particular rum simply will get higher.
Pampero Mixing and Packaging
The principle criticism I can muster for this Venezuelan rum is for the packaging contained in the pouch. The leather-based bag is far more engaging than the label with the unusual medieval font that’s inside. Plus the squat bottle design makes it dribble when pouring till it’s half empty. As soon as it was in my glass and I used to be sipping, nevertheless, I forgot about all that.
This Solera system rum is seemingly created from a mix of 4-year and 5-year barrels, which matches to point out you it’s doable that longer doesn’t essentially imply higher within the rum world, particularly if it’s aged close to sea degree as an alternative of within the highlands. I’m not letting this one knock Ron Zacapa off as my high choose, but when yow will discover Pampero Aniversario for lower than $40 (as appears to be the case in liquor shops when accessible), snag a bottle for you and one for a good friend. With the great leather-based pouch packaging and most different exports from Venezuela disappearing, this can be a nice reward that has a narrative to go together with it.
If you wish to strive a distinct model, in addition they put out a Seleccion 1938 model that’s lighter than the darkish mahogany colour of the sister with extra age on her. It’s a mix as nicely, from 10 completely different barrels apparently, so it’s onerous to place any sort of age assertion on it. At the very least a few of the mix on this one is from rum that’s solely been within the barrels (used bourbon and ex-sherry casks) for 2 years.
I can’t vouch for that one as I haven’t tried it, however it ought to be comparable, however much less critical. Should you don’t like it, use it for cocktails.
This rum is distributed by Diageo, however you received’t discover something about it on their website. Final time I attempted to analysis this rum, Pamero.com redirected to one thing known as TheBar.com, however it appears to be like like they wrangled their area again and it’s a nice-looking web site too.
The location exhibits a couple of awards they’ve received, together with a couple of Gold and Silver medals from blind tastings on the San Francisco World Spirits Awards and different competitions. The corporate has an extended historical past and loads of expertise too: they’ve been at it for round 85 years now.
Ron Pampero Aniversario Reserva Exclusiva rum remains to be on my search record after I’m looking at a liquor retailer and if I see it at obligation free after I’m happening trip, I’ll be including it to my cart once more. The wealthy taste of this premium rum, which evolves over time as you sip it, is an actual delight.
Article by Timothy
Timothy Scott is the founder and editor of Luxurious Latin America and has been masking the area as a journey journalist for the reason that mid-2000s. He has visited every nation we cowl a number of instances and is predicated in a UNESCO World Heritage metropolis in central Mexico, the place he owns a house. See contact info right here.
