Dictador 100 Amber

Dictador 100 Amber is a Colombian ron made from sugar cane honey rather than straight molasses, distilled on a combination of pot and column stills and aged eight years. Bottled at 40% and declared unsweetened, it sits drier and more savoury than much of the Spanish style category, which is part of what makes it polarising.

The nose carries licorice, a caramelised note, tobacco and a noticeable alcohol edge, while the palate runs thin with cocoa, brown sugar tones and alcohol, finishing on tobacco, a medicinal note, some sweetness and an oily texture. Reviewers are divided, some finding it a solid if plain everyday rum and others put off by the thin body and medicinal edge. Because it carries no added sugar, it shows the spirit honestly, including its rough edges, a dry, tobacco led Colombian that will suit drinkers who value an undosed profile over softness.