Corman Collins Arturo Makasare 55th Ron Aniversario 2021

Corman Collins, the Belgian arm of the wider Bristol selection, picked this Arturo Makasare release to mark a fifty fifth anniversary, drawing on Dominican Republic rum in the unhurried Spanish style. It is molasses based and column distilled, so the long ageing and the cask carry the flavour rather than any pot still weight.

Twenty five years in ex-bourbon barrels gives the expected profile, vanilla, maple and toasted oak on the nose, then caramel, more vanilla and a milk chocolate softness across the palate. A thread of dried fruit and warm spice runs underneath, the familiar Spanish-style shape of sweet wood and gentle richness. Sugar status is undeclared and the sweetness reads as rounded rather than sharp, an easy after dinner pour at 42.8% for anyone who likes long aged ron that leans mellow and dessert like.