Oliver & Oliver Puntacana Club Ron Viejo

This is the entry Ron Viejo from Oliver & Oliver's Puntacana Club, a Dominican light rum with no age statement. It sits at the soft, sweet, accessible edge of the Spanish style, the sort of everyday bottle made for cocktails and undemanding sipping rather than serious study.

The make is column-distilled molasses spirit in the light Dominican mould, bottled at a modest 37.5%. Caramel, woody notes, allspice and vanilla run through nose, palate and finish, with a clear sweet streak throughout. Taken honestly, it is sweet and a touch firm despite the low proof, and it shows best with a little ice or in a long drink rather than neat. A simple, affordable Dominican whose older sibling generally earns the warmer words, this one is a serviceable mixer first and foremost.