Flor De Cana Rum

[MJL]

I was given some Flor de Cana rum about 15 years ago and was surprised how nice it was. I grew up around Bacardi. I really think Bacardi has done much to improve the quality of their product in the last 20 years. It now stands up on its own just fine without having to be mixed with other flavoring agents like Coca-Cola. Still I can't get the flavor-memory of that Flor de Cana out of my mind. It was flavored like some cross between a Hispanic rum and an English rum. I was at BJs the other day and noticed the Flor de Cana was priced very competitively to the Bacardi. I picked up a large 1.75 liter bottle of the 4 year old anejo for something like $18. I took it home and began some experimenting with cigars. First this is a very smooth full flavor rum with very little bite. It drinks very nicely with just a little water. I found, much to my surprise that the anejo stands up very well to Nicaraguan tobacco. I tried a number of Nicaraguan cigars and the rum was very complimentary to them. The cigars drew every single bit of molasses flavor out of the rum and the rum drew the coffee, chocolate and roasted nuts flavors from the cigars. In particular I am very fond of the Padron 5000s with a glass of 4 year old Flor de Cana rum. I keep the rum either straight or with a little ice to extend it.