Fortin Epopeya

Fortin Epopeya is an añejo from Paraguay, a country still rare on most rum shelves, distilled and aged in house by Fortin and given five years in oak before bottling at 40%. It sits firmly in the easy after dinner camp, soft enough to please newcomers while offering a little more interest than its modest country profile might suggest.

The base is the regional molasses spirit, matured in Ex-Bourbon barrels that hand over the caramel and dark chocolate that anchor both nose and palate. What lifts it is the orange, surprisingly bright and almost candied, closer to an orange liqueur than to a heavy aged rum, with citrus running through the middle. The finish is short and gently sweet rather than dry and woody, making this a relaxed, fruit forward sipper rather than a deep contemplative pour.