Iguana Rum 5 years

Iguana Rum 5 Years is a Panamanian molasses rum in the soft, mellow mould the country is known for, the kind of approachable bottling that Panama's big column distilleries turn out in volume. At five years it is young but accessible, built more for easy drinking than for contemplation.

Distilled on column stills and matured in Ex-Bourbon barrels, it leans on vanilla and oak with caramel sweetness and a surprising note of raspberry deep in the glass. The nose runs a touch sharp and spirity, but the palate turns fruitier and smoother than that first impression suggests. It drinks distinctly sweet, sitting closer to a coffee sweetener or a relaxed cocktail base than a dry sipper, and its sugar status is undisclosed. A gentle, uncomplicated introduction to Panamanian rum.