Rum Shark Destileria Sofa Era of Discovery (Prague 45) 2009

This Era of Discovery release from Rum Shark is a Venezuelan single cask distilled from molasses at Destileria Sofa and drawn from a 2009 vintage to fifteen years. A sherry cask shapes its character, layering dried fruit and chocolate over the smooth Venezuelan base, and the rum is bottled without added sugar, a clear point in its favour given how often this style is dosed.

The nose carries sherry, chocolate, vanilla and caramel, the palate brings caramel, vanilla, sherry and milk chocolate, and the finish turns creamy with chocolate, orange and sour cherry. Even without added sugar it reads soft and rounded, the natural sweetness of the spirit and cask making it gentle and easy at 45%. This is a relaxed, dessert leaning sherried sipper, well suited to unhurried evening drinking and a friendly introduction to characterful, unsweetened Venezuelan rum.