Country: El Salvador
ABV: 40%
Cost at Time of Purchase: £39.60
Type of Rum: Modern Rum
– M * (See End)
Hydrometer Test: 40% (No detectable added sugars)
“El Salvador’s first rum, crafted by hand in the heart of the Cihuatán valley.”
It is always enjoyable to discover new rums and from different countries. I must admit that gets harder and is becoming few and far between. So, when I was sent a bottle of rum from El Salvador to evaluate, I was genuinely excited.
What we have is a four year old “white” rum. The ageing has been in American oak ex-Bourbon barrels in the Cihuatán valley in El Salvador. Whilst it does not specifically say it, the rum has obviously been filtered to remove naturally occurring colouring following the ageing process although a nominal amount does remain. The Licorera Cihuatán distillery has produced Ron Cihuatán since 2004. The brand itself is named after an ancient pre-hispanic city, Cihuatán, which translates as “the land beside the sleeping woman.” The name “Jade” comes from the jade talismans that are said to have been used by the Mayan goddess of the arts, Chac Chel.
Ron Cihuatán Jade is a Modern Rum: From a modern multi column still.
When tested with my hydrometer, Cihuatán Jade measured a reassuring 40% implying no detectable additives were present.
Here is a link to all of my hydrometer tests:
RumShopBoy Hydrometer Tests
Tasting Notes:
The rum is clear, and colourless with a water-white intensity. The nose is clean and light offering aromas of cream soda, vanilla custard and lemon. This leads to a captivating bouquet that combines fruity and spicy notes. Additional aromas of tropical fruits (pineapple and banana) mingle with hints of vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. There’s a subtle floral undertone that adds a touch of intrigue and complexity.
It is a dry spirit and light in flavour. Taking the first sip, the rum envelops the palate with a smooth and velvety texture. It is creamy with hints of vanilla, which comes from the oak ageing. Through the mid-palate we have some sweet caramel notes, with ripe tropical fruits (mango and papaya) that leads to a sweeter rear palate where the vanilla becomes more like custard and is more pronounced. Hints of lemon acidity and caramel lead to a short finish, which continues to be smooth. The use of ex-bourbon barrels in the aging process imparts subtle oak influences, contributing a touch of elegance and sophistication to the overall taste leading to a mildly warm peppery feel in the finish and subtle astringency.
Overall:
Clearly (pardon the pun), Cihuatán Jade is aimed at the cocktail and mixing sector, not necessarily at someone who just wants to sip. Otherwise, they would not have bothered filtering it and would have put the number “4” front-row, centre on the label.
I have put this into a frozen daiquiri, it performs well. It does not bring tons of character, but then again, it is designed to bring some flavour rather than to dominate as a flavour – the rum is from El Salvador, not Jamaica! It mixes well with diet cola and my go-to mixer, clementine juice.
As you may already know, when I review rums such as these, I usually do not include a mark, since my marks are aimed at consumers merely sipping a spirit.
Value: 5/10
This is good quality, but at almost £40, it is quite a bit more pricey than other aged white rums (Doorly’s 3 year old at £20-25 ish for example) with which it will be competing.
Flavour Profile:
Links / Notes:
Please note, as always, I openly disclose any interests or details of relevance. This sample bottle was provided to me for writing a review. Let me be clear that it in NO WAY influences my comments or opinions.
For those wondering why I have had a break from rum writing. Amongst other things, I have been studying – I have passed WSET Spirits Level 1 and 2 (with Distinction) and WSET Wine Level 1 and 2 (with Distinction).
Review No: 179
Why are rums marked out of 100? Click HERE to read about how I mark a rum.
*
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.
Single Blended Rum: A blend of pot still and traditional column still from a single distillery.
Pure Single Rum: 100% Pot Still from a single distillery
Pure Single Agricole Rum: 100% Pot Still from cane juice
Single Blended Rum – A blend of pot still and traditional column still from a single distillery.
Traditional Rum: From a traditional column still.
Modern Rum: From a modern multi column still.
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