El Supremo 8 Años

El Supremo 8 Anos is a column still molasses rum from Paraguay, aged eight years and bottled at 40%. It is an unusual origin in a market dominated by the Caribbean, and the rum itself proves just as unconventional as its provenance.

Matured in ex-bourbon oak, it leads with pronounced sweetness, caramel, cocoa and woody spice, but alongside that come distinctly unusual notes, salty and metallic touches, a vegetal, almost agricole like streak and a licorice, burnt and smoky finish. These quirks make it a genuinely polarising bottle, intriguing to some and challenging to others. At a gentle 40% it is easy enough to approach, but the offbeat character means a small sample is the sensible way in before committing to a full bottle.