Bristol Reserve Rum of 2010

Bristol Classic Rum, the long running English bottler known for closed distillery and origin rums in a mostly purist style, releases this 2010 Panamanian at twelve years old. Distilled from molasses on a column still and aged in ex bourbon wood, it takes Panama's soft, vanilla led base and adds the depth of age, with a nose of roasted notes, cocoa, oak and vanilla. Bottled at 47%, it has more structure than the country's entry level norm.

The palate brings sweet vanilla with a sharp nail polish lift from the spirit, finishing on caramel, sweetness and a strawberry note. What surprises here is the depth and even a touch of ester, along with unexpected floral notes that lift it beyond a typical Panama profile. It drinks as a pleasant, fairly priced sipper that offers more interest than its origin might suggest, rewarding drinkers who enjoy a soft Panamanian with a few unexpected aromatic turns.