Botran Ron Añejo 12 Years

Botran is made by Industrias Licoreras de Guatemala, and this 12 Years works from sugar cane honey rather than molasses, a column still rum in the highland Guatemalan tradition. Bottled at 40% and left unsweetened, it offers a drier reading of the Spanish style than many of its sweeter neighbours.

The profile is light and approachable, with caramel, honey and vanilla joined by a touch of cocoa and wood, and a finish that turns caramelised and woody. The absence of added sugar is a genuine point in its favour, though at this proof it can read a little spirit-forward. It is honest, decent value and easy to drink, landing more naturally as a mixer or a Cuba Libre base than as a slow, contemplative sipper.