Santiago de Ron Extra Añejo Gran Reserva 2023

Santiago de Ron Extra Anejo Gran Reserva is a Cuban ron from the Santiago de Cuba house, presented with a twenty-year statement at a gentle 40%. It belongs to the island's refined ron ligero tradition, where the aim is elegance and balance rather than weight, an aged expression pitched at the more serious end of the Cuban range.

Matured in ex-bourbon oak, it shows a notably dry, savoury profile for the category. The nose carries dried fruit, vanilla, cocoa and tobacco, the palate turns to cocoa, oak and a spicy edge with vanilla, and the finish is dry with lingering oak. Tasters note a classic Cuban character that stays restrained rather than sweet, with a dryness that flatters the modest strength. It is a refined, understated after-dinner pour and a natural cigar companion, prized for its balance and savoury depth rather than any bold intensity.