Don Q Gold

Don Q Gold is an entry-level añejo from Destileria Serralles in Ponce, Puerto Rico, a 5 year column-still molasses rum bottled unsweetened at 40%. It is aimed squarely at the mixing shelf, a clean and affordable workhorse in the light Puerto Rican tradition rather than a rum built for neat sipping.

The ex-bourbon ageing leaves soft vanilla, brown sugar and a faint dried-fruit note, with a touch of young wood and nail polish on the nose, and a mild, lightly sweet palate that turns a little bitter and spicy on the finish. The profile is thin and neutral by design, which is exactly what makes it disappear cleanly into a rum and cola or a simple cocktail. Credit where due for staying unsweetened, but those who sip neat will find their money goes further elsewhere, while mixers get a dependable, no-fuss base.