Malecon 3 Years – Carta Oro

Malecon 3 Years Carta Oro is a young Panamanian gold rum from a brand sourced through the country's large column distilleries, a producer that supplies much of the independent bottling world. At three years it is light and simple, sitting at the gentle, everyday end of the Spanish style.

Distilled on column stills from molasses and aged briefly in Ex-Bourbon oak, it keeps a fairly neutral nose with a light fruitiness, then turns to fruit, spice and pineapple on the palate with a soft, agreeable sweetness. The spirit is still young and not fully rounded, with the alcohol showing through, and its sugar status is undisclosed though a mild sweetness is typical. This is an uncomplicated, inexpensive Panamanian best understood as a mixer or an easy introduction rather than a contemplative sipper, pleasant enough but light on depth.