Abuelo XII Two Oaks

Abuelo XII Two Oaks comes from Varela Hermanos in Panama, made at the Destileria Don Jose on multi-column stills in the smooth Spanish-style tradition. The new-make is light and clean, so its character is built in the wood, here across two cask types, giving the bottling its name and a pronounced oak-driven profile.

Twelve years of ageing bring soft American oak to the fore, with vanilla, caramel and a gentle, subtle smoke that several tasters single out, finishing round with a touch of coffee. On the palate it is smooth and gently sweet, leaning toward the dessert-friendly end of the Spanish-style school, with a woodiness that can read almost like an entry whisky. At 40% it is easy and low on burn, an unfussy after-dinner sipper for drinkers who want oak-forward character with minimal effort, best enjoyed for its mellow polish rather than dissected for complexity.