Review: Ron Abuelo 12 Anos

Review: Ron Abuelo 12 Anos

Review: Ron Abuelo 12 Anos

12 years is a lot to ask for a rum. Well, some rums handle that kind of time without complaint. Some end up begging for mercy.

When last we visited Ron Abuelo I was gushing over the Panamanian rum company’s seven-year old expression, and I stand by that. Tasting it fresh today, it’s still delicious, chocolatey, with a touch of Christmas spice, very nice on its own or as a mixer.

Abuelo’s 12 year is a considerably different animal. Quite a bit darker than the 7, this is a much richer and more full-bodied rum. That richness, though, comes in the form of a whole lot of wood, giving Abuelo 12 Anos an intense smokiness that dominates the drink.

Abuelo 12 demands ice — it’s too hot to drink without cooling its jets and watering it down a touch — and after that its charms become more apparent. But that smokiness and a greenish character still controls the body, even if it dominates the rum’s natural sweetness somewhat less on the rocks that it does when consumed neat. I like the 12 quite nicely, but the 7 is marginally more satisfying.

80 proof.

B+ / $35

Ron Abuelo 12 Anos

$35
8.5

Rating

8.5/10

A veteran journalist, the author of four books, a published poet, and an award-winning winemaker, Christopher Null has more than 25 years of experience writing about wine and spirits. He founded Drinkhacker in 2007. He also writes regularly about the science of booze for WIRED and is an occasional contributor to ADI's Distiller magazine. He has been a judge for both the American Distilling Institute Judging of Craft Spirits and Whiskies of the World spirits competitions and often works as a consultant, developing formal tasting notes for spirits brands around the world.

3 Comments

  1. Dana P. on June 14, 2009 at 9:20 am

    An outstanding 12 yr old is the Appleton Extra Estate 12 year old rum . It is a dark rich rum with a super long finish. Drink neat year round after a hard Day

    It retails around 25 dollars on average in the Twin Cities area.

    This rum is ideal for Single Malt and small batch bourbon devotees.

  2. mayziemedyansky brassfield-crosby on August 12, 2009 at 6:07 pm

    hello how r u 2day? i was wondering where i can get ron abuelo here in ft.bragg nc and ron cortez? plz let me know plz thanks…

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