Ron Botran Strikes White Gold With The Reserva Blanca
It was a no-brainer. An invitation to be among the first group in Europe to taste Ron Botran Reserva Blanca, a limited edition aged white Guatemalan rum made by the renowned Botran family of rum-makers, simply could not be passed up.
Held in the sophisticated but friendly confines of the Archer Street cocktail bar in Soho, London, the tasting began with a cocktail containing Botran Reserva, a dark rum (aged 5 to 14 years) mixed with apricot liqueur, honey, lime and slices of fig. The result was a sweet, refreshing drink with a hint of fruit (but not overly citrusy) and a marmalade touch from the combination of honey and apricot.
Tasters of Ron Botran Solera, aged between 5 to 18 years, were then given out. This proved a warm, slightly fiery dark rum, almost reminiscent of the deepness of an aged whisky, but with the natural caramel sweetness and hints of spice found in a high quality rum.
After some words on varieties and blending techniques and an introduction from a Botran family member, the audience was introduced to the star attraction of the night: Ron Botran Reserva Blanca. With a release date of summer 2013, and the rum not having been tasted in Europe before now, there was certainly an air of anticipation surrounding Botran’s latest offering, which proved well-founded as the tasting began.
The Reserva Blanca is a white rum, suitable for both straight-up measures or in cocktails. It has a distinctive, sweet hit and smooth texture with no harshness, leaving a full, well-rounded flavour on the palate. It seems that the Solera techniques used to age Botran rums genuinely do add a depth of flavour. As promised, it was indeed a superior white rum. A definite winner for Botran, and sure to find its way into many a mojito upon its release.
