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Rum Runner Press, Inc.
Selvarey Cacao Rum
Paul Senft reviews Selvarey Cacao Rum in the "Angel's Share" section of the 2014 February issue of "Got Rum?" magazine. Selvarey is Spanish for Jungle King and the rum is distilled in Panama using Copper Stills and then aged for five years in Bourbon casks.
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Paul Senft
Selvarey Cacao Rum
Selvarey Cacao rum presents an interesting challenge as it is so new that not much is known about this spirit. Through a little bit of research, a helpful bottle label and an email I was able to learn the following: Selvarey is Spanish for Jungle King and the rum is distilled in Panama using Copper Stills and then aged for five years in Bourbon casks.
From the casks the rum is blended by Don Francisco “Pancho” Fernandez with Panamanian Cocoa, bottled and imported by Pacific Plate Spirits of California. It is my hope that information about its availability and distribution will be provided on the Selvarey rum website later this year.
Appearance/Presentation
This tall, long handled 750 ml bottle is capped in gold with a synthetic cork. The neck wrap has the words Selvarey Cacao front and back. The labels have a gold, bronze and silver color scheme with black script. The silhouette of a gorilla is centered on the front label. The back label provides details about the rum and the expected legal requirements. The liquid has a cherry amber color that only lightens slightly when poured in the glass.
Nose
It is absolutely not a surprise that the aroma is comprised mainly of rich dark cocoa. After I let it sit for a few minutes I detect a slight hint of oak in the aroma.
Palate
Sipping this rum revealed an upfront dark chocolate flavor reminiscent of Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup. After the initial rush of chocolate there was a nice bite of true oak and rum flavor. The bite of the oak is just a tad bitter and lingers with the cocoa in the finish.
Review
I have tried many flavored rums and sometimes the company’s attempts at creating a product with a specific flavoring falls short. This is not the case with Selvarey Cacao Rum.
I truly enjoyed the blend of this rum. Too often the flavor of the rum is buried by the strong flavorings used or the artificial chemicals create an unrecognizable concoction. Instead the Blender demonstrated his skills by providing a nicely balanced product that accentuates both the cocoa and flavors of the rum in a nice rich blend.
Coming in at 70 proof, I believe this flavor balance will allow bartenders to experiment and be able to create both warm and cold cocktails as its flavors will play well with fruits and spices.
When you spot this bottle on the shelf, it is definitely worth purchasing for its cocktail potential.
Review by Mr. Paul Senft:
Mr. Senft currently serves as owner of www.rumjourney.com. He has a passion for rum and traveling. He has dedicated himself to describing to his readers about his travels through the Caribbean Islands and writing rum reviews. When he is not reviewing a rum, he is hard at work at trying different cocktail recipes.