cartavio
Cartavio 12
The Cartavio rum line is produced in Trujillo, Peru, by Destilerias Unidas S.A.C. using locally produced molasses. The company uses a combination of a continuous column and copper pot stills to distill their rums.
Cartavio 12 is created using a “Solera method” using rums between five and fifteen years old. They aged their rums using a combination of used American and European Oak barrels, finally blending their rum to 40% ABV before bottling.
Appearance/Presentation
The 750 ml standard wine bottle has a black foil neck wrap that encases the plastic cork. The front label provides the basic details while the back lists some details about the product along with the normal legal requirements.
The rum holds a dark amber color in the bottle and glass. When I swirled the liquid a medium sized line formed around the glass which slowly beaded up and produced a combination of thick and thin legs that slid down the glass.
Nose
The aroma revealed sweet caramel, coffee, cocoa, cooked bananas and toasted almonds.
Palate
On the palate what smelled like caramel transitions to a solid toffee with dark cocoa with notes of toasted almonds playing across the middle. As these notes fade I discovered notes of dried apricot, cooked banana, and sweet vanilla. As it turns toward the finish I pick up light acidity accompanied by notes of tobacco, clove and ginger in a long finish.
Review
Less sweet and just as dynamic as the XO, Ron Cartavio 12 Year Solera has a lot going on. When creating the product the cellar master uses three different kinds of barrels from France, Slovenia, and the United States to help create this interesting blend of flavors. The alcohol of the rum pops around the edges proving a pleasant tingle at the finish.
The flavor profile is diverse enough for classic rum cocktails but some of the flavors and acidity may complicate pineapple based drinks.
I found it was a decent sipper; after I added a drop of water the fruitiness of the profile really came out to play along with some of the oak notes.
-Review by Paul Senft-
paul,senft
My name is Paul Senft - Rum Reviewer, Tasting host, Judge and Writer. My exploration of Rums began by learning to craft Tiki cocktails for friends. I quickly learned that not all rums are created equally and that the uniqueness of the spirit can be as varied as the locales they are from. This inspired me to travel with my wife around the Caribbean, Central America, and
United States visiting distilleries and learning about how each one creates their rums. I have
also had the pleasure of learning from bar tenders, brand ambassadors, and other enthusiasts from around the world; each one providing their own unique point of view, adding another chapter to the modern story of rum.
The desire to share this information led me to create www.RumJourney.com where I share
my experiences and reviews in the hopes that I would inspire others in their own explorations.
It is my wish in the pages of “Got Rum?” to be your host and provide you with my impressions of rums available in the world market. Hopefully my tasting notes will inspire you to tr y the rums and make your own opinions. The wor ld is full of good rums and the journey is always best experienced with others. Cheers!