Background
Welcome to the final boss of sherry-aged rums: Ron Navazos Palazzi. I consider myself an enjoyer of sherried spirits, but today I find my sherry threshold.
According to official sources, this rum was distilled from cane juice* somewhere in the Caribbean; unofficial sources report that it was distilled at Barceló in the Dominican Republic. It was tropically aged for five years in ex-bourbon before being shipped to Spain for eighteen years of maturation in ex-sherry. It was then bottled at a cask strength of 51.5% in 2020.
Tasting
On the nose, I get affogato, chocolate-filled croissant, Shanxi mature vinegar, geosmin, toasted nuts, tobacco, and nearly burnt butter. There’s definitely some sulfur, but it’s not nearly as offensive as I was expecting. My wife says it smells like the waiting room at Jiffy Lube.
There’s a little more sulfur on the palate, but thankfully it still isn’t overpowering. I get toasted nuts, raisins, Medjool dates, milk chocolate, treacle, browned butter, and tart greek yogurt. The oak influence is surprisingly mild and sweet.
Verdict
Yep, I love it. The light distillate is mostly a canvas for the sherry cask to paint on, but the result is an indulgent yet complex spirit. The sulfury note is neither as intense nor as bothersome for me as it has been for others. I can see how this wouldn’t appeal to everybody, but for me, it’s a testament to what a top notch ex-sherry cask can do. (7/10)
*The same unofficial source has informed me that this rum was actually distilled from cane juice, not molasses. The old technical sheets, and even the bottle itself, are incorrect.