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Mezan Panama (2006)
Panama
40%
£40
Industrial Rum – from a modern multi column still.

ABV Hydrometer Test: 40% ABV @ 20°
* M

“Mezan: The Untouched Rum.”
I do like Mezan’s concept of taking a rum from its country of origin and ageing them in ex-Bourbon casks before releasing them with no additives or colourings and only light filtration. What you are left with is a rum that represents where it comes from and how it was made.

This Mezan rum is from Panama, aged for nine years and bottled in 2015. Mezan describe the rum as “small batch” and “aged twice in separate sets of white oak American Bourbon casks, to give added structure to the spirit.” No information is given regarding which distillery is used and I have had to do a little digging around on the Internet to find out that it was from a modern multi-column still. I think that more and more rum drinkers are rightly wanting to know where their drink has come from, not just which country, but from which distillery. Furthermore, rum drinkers want information about what kind(s) of still have been used.

Mezan, please take note!

Under Richard Seale’s/Luca Gargano’s proposed rum categorisation, this would most-likely be classed as “Industrial Rum” – from a modern multi column still.

Bottle/Presentation       1/3
This is presented in Mezan’s usual format…An outer box with their usual stubby bottle contained within. All fine, but Mezan do not include enough information regarding the origin of the rum – the distillery or amount of ageing. Some [Mezan] contain more info than others – this one needs more info.

 

Glass/Aroma       7/10
Gold to amber in the glass. Quite thick and sticky legs. The nose offers molasses and brown sugar with some subtle oak. There is a little spice and banana present, too.

 

 

Taste, Initial-middle       33/40
This rum starts off soft and gentle with some brown sugar and spice. I can taste some of the banana aromas, too. The more you sip this rum, the more you can detect the molasses and also some caramel. It is not sweet to taste, but it has a sweet profile (if that makes sense).

Taste, Middle/Throat       36/40
As the rum moves to the back of the mouth, the sweet profile softens somewhat and some oak develops. The spice continues nicely along with a little orange and peach. Further tasting leads to a greater oak presence and more orange – really, rather tasty. The more you sip, the more the flavours develop.

Afterburn       6/7
The burn is soft at first but with multiple tastings, the burn grows. The dry oak lingers long after swallowing and coats your throat.

Morning After Aroma
Lots of brown sugar aromas and a hint of oak.

TOTAL       83/100

Overall
This is a well balanced rum – it hints at being overly sweet, but has a dry oakey profile that develops as you sip, which stops the rum from being overly sweet. The spice and fruits combine well to give this lots of interesting flavours.

At £40 this is very good value for a day-to-day rum.

 

 

More on MEZAN rums.

 

My Mezan XO Jamaica Review

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*
P Denotes the rum contains POT still distillate.
C Denotes the rum contains traditional/Coffey COLUMN still distillate.
B Denotes the rum contains a BLEND of POT and COLUMN still distillate.
M Denotes the rum contains MULTI-COLUMN still distillate or is a MODERN rum.
A Denotes the rum is an AGRICOLE i.e. from Cane Juice.
S Denotes the rum is presented in a SWEETENED style.

Marking Guide:
Bottle/Presentation Out of 3
Glass/Aroma Out of 10
Taste, Initial-middle Out of 40
Taste, Middle/Throat Out of 40
Afterburn Out of 7