70cl/40% ABV   Dominicano

Relicario is a blend of rums aged between 5 and 10 years in American oak barrels (it's not a solera).

The cellar master who developed Relicario is the Cuban Juan Alberto Alvarez, recognized in the world of ron of Spanish tradition.

The first nose is rather fruity, a round fruitiness which then rolls up in vanilla and blond tobacco. The toasted oak brings out gourmet but roasted aromas of nuts. It will gradually become rounder and will thus turn more towards caramel. The molasses is sweet, not too black or slippery, more reminiscent of brown honey. The oak is definitely softened, it even seems sweet, drizzled with cane sugar syrup, with a fruity hint that gives a little grenadine. Nuts are also more and more greedy and fatty.

Aeration and time allow the rum to find a pleasant balance between wood, nuts and fruit. These aromas then melt into a buttery caramel. The sweet side tends to bog down the dynamics a bit, but the spices in the form of exotic barks add a bit of spice. The rum then finds another balance between the coconut and the woody vanilla, this facet being rather pleasant too.

The attack on the palate is soft, although dominated by rather dark notes of coffee and molasses. The caramelized toasted wood gives a balanced texture. This woodiness is well seasoned and is also dressed in vanilla. We find a little more complexity afterwards, with a touch of liquorice and a very small vinous side evoking sherry. The classic profile thus passes a more interesting course.

The finish is quite familiar, with flavors of toasted oak and pipe tobacco.