Dictador 25 Colombian Rum

Dictador 25 comes from Destileria Colombiana, one of the two names that define Colombian ron alongside La Hechicera. Distilled from molasses on a column still and carried through a solera leaning maturation in ex bourbon wood, it shows the coffee, cocoa and dried fruit signature that Colombia trades on. The 25 on the label points to the oldest component in the blend rather than a flat age statement, in the fractional blending tradition the style borrows from sherry.

On the palate this is unmistakably sweet, chocolate, nutty cappuccino and caramel sliding into a finish of dried fruit, cocoa and a touch of allspice. The softness and syrup here come as much from sugar as from time in oak, and it is honest to say so, this is a smooth, liqueur leaning after dinner pour rather than a dry, structural sipper. For anyone who enjoys Zacapa or Botucal and wants something even gentler and more coffee forward at 40%, it fits comfortably.