Tres Hombres Ron Aldea La Palma Suave XVII

Ron Aldea distils on La Palma in the Canary Islands from fresh pressed sugar cane juice, an agricole style cane spirit from a corner of the rum world rarely seen, here bottled by Tres Hombres, the venture that carries its rum across the Atlantic under sail. This Suave XVII is finished in red wine casks, a touch of pineau styled influence layered over the aged cane base.

The nose offers dried fruit, chocolate, caramel and oak, while the palate brings dried fruit, a nutty edge, caramel and chocolate together, the finish staying on chocolate, dried fruit, dried apricot and caramel. The cask influence is gentle yet present, the red wine note giving a fruity lift, though some find the result more rounded than deep, pleasant but not weighty. Bottled at 41.5%, it is an easygoing, dried fruit led cane juice rum whose sail carried provenance and unusual Canary Islands origin add to its appeal, a relaxed sipper with a story behind it.