Cane Island is one of the stable insiders of this rum advent calendar, sometimes even twice in a year. Years back I tasted their blends, then twice their rum from Australia (2020 and 2022 calendar) and their rums from Trinidad, Thailand and Nicaragua. And now is time to try the Nicaragua one more time. On one side, I remember it as very good rum, on the other I would more like to taste some of the remaining ones, like Venezuela or Barbados.
Cane Island have quite broad range of rums from across entire world. It started with Caribbean and Central America, but continued with Thailand, Australia and maybe more in the future. Their first set of rums is Single Island, containing younger blends from one are. But could be using rums from more distilleries and with different ages. The main set goes further and contains rums from single distilleries and with same age.
This Cane Island Nicaragua is Single Island rum from Nicaragua, from one distillery which was not specified. It is made from mollases on column still, then is aged for 12 years in tropical conditions. For that ex-bourbon casks from american white oak are used. This rum is the oldest in Cane Island portfolio, has 43 % ABV and cost around 40 euros.
Nose is very pleasantly strong and quite sweet. There is lots of chocolate and cocoa, which i get typically from Nicaraguan rums. There is also some sweet fruits and sweet wine, some sweet dried fruits. There are hints of sweet spices and some non-fruity juiciness. Overall the smell is quite complex but maybe tad too sweet.
There is lots of cocoa and dried fruit in taste, also intensive dark chocolate. It is strong and flavorful, thickly sweet. Again, some sweet wine shows up, after that some fresh citruses. Overall it is full and very soft with lots od sweetness.
Aftertaste starts with sweet woodiness and sweet spiciness. After that some fruits comes forward, mostly citruses. No surprise is here with dark chocolate and sweet wine. It is quite strong, aromatic, long and full.
I like this rum. I tasated it several times and still like it. It has Nicaraguan chocolate-cocoa taste I like from time I tasted my first Plantation Vintage Nicaragua. It is aromatic and maybe more sweet I would now go for, but still very good rum.
