Questionable dept: Panama Pacific rum

mamajuana · Post by **mamajuana** » Mon Apr 11, 2016 10:52 pm

I saw this new rum online and then 3 or 4 bottles of the 9 expression at a small local store to my surprise. I picked up one of the 9, I'll do some more sniffing around for the 23 version at larger stores near that one this weekend. The 9 year I bought locally was about 40 dollars. It appears to be a west coast brand so its somewhat higher on the east coast in terms of pricing.

Two new rums from Panama that claim to be 9 years at 47.3% AVB and a 23 year old at 42.3%. They also claim non-chill filtering, no caramel coloring ,or artificial flavorings. Distilled in a Copper Coffey still.

Link to their sell sheet claiming this info:
http://haas-brothers.com/wp-content/upl ... -Sheet.pdf

I looked more at what was on the bottle. There is no real legal age statement as recognized by the TTB. Why would this be? The statement above the 9 reads "Anejamiento" which is I understand translated to mean matured. The bottle appears to be chill filtered to me as well. Also the coloring of the 9 and 23 seem really similar to believe no coloring. Another thing that bothers me is that statement of no artificial flavorings. Why not just say no flavoring at all? Seems like it opens a loop for natural flavorings. Anyway this being somewhat of a heavier hitter I won't get into it until the weekend and give it a good hydro hit with the 40-50% hydro.

Per the TTB regulations this is not a formal or recognized legal statement on age. The following is their approved terms for all spirits types: http://www.ttb.gov/spirits/bam/chapter8.pdf

For something that has so much apparently going for it why not make a legal age statement to backup claims on the website on the bottle? Why not mention a pure unaltered rum that is non-chill filtered on the bottle?

Instead they have a commemorative story on the back of the label giving us no insight into whats really in the bottle. There is also no easy way to pull the covering from from the cork. Maybe this is supposed to be a commemorative keepsake and not one to drink.

brand info:

http://haas-brothers.com/product/panama-pacific-rum/

The Black Tot · Post by **The Black Tot** » Tue Apr 12, 2016 1:21 am

Keen to read what you have to say about this one, mama.

Post by **Capn Jimbo** » Sun Jun 05, 2016 10:25 am

Yes, an excellent contribution, pardon me for my tardiness in saying so. Please be sure to send me the hydros' to include in the Master Sugar List....

Again, thank you for your contributions...

JaRiMi · Post by **JaRiMi** » Wed Jun 08, 2016 4:35 am

What a nice story. Where pray tell are these antique copper stills? What distillery? No pictures, no name. To what degree is the spirit distilled to? How strong is it when it is casked (to what casks, to be stored where)?

Do a web search with words like "panama" and "pot stills" and see how many images you get of these world-renowned antique stills that any distillery would be proud of. "Destelleria" - no copper pot stills still.

Sorry, until otherwise proven, I feel very strongly that is nothing more than yet another BRAND made using bulk rum (of which possibly some part comes from Panama's alcohol factories)- and nothing more. I doubt the age statements have anything to do with reality, nor any other part of the nice badtime story of Panama ron made in copper pot stills etc.

sailor22 · Post by **sailor22** » Thu Jun 30, 2016 2:36 pm

They claim that the juice is made in a copper Coffey still. A search of the named distillery turned up this;

http://www.rumgallery.com/travel--life/ ... arlos.html

Certainly it's a giant alcohol plant with industrial stainless column stills.. but the caption hints at some other means of production not pictured including a coper still.

Post by **Capn Jimbo** » Thu Jun 30, 2016 3:37 pm

The more things change, the more they stay the same...

Some of you may remember Carlos Esquivel, of PILSA. He was one of the guys who got together with the Zee boyz to create/invent a number of allegedly special and old super-premium rums. In the past they also used old man Pancho in their marketing imagery. Surely you remember. And if you do you'll also recall that these products were the typical tweaked supers. The only thing super premium about them was their sick, I mean slick marketing. The orginal slicked back hair guys.

Now whether are used or not, here is a not all that old Coffey still - part SS, but apparently with copper plates, made in Cincinnati, Ohio. Here are some of their questionable claims:

1."...we must extract the vibrant sugarcane’s succulent juices within a short twelve-hour window in order to retain their bright, fresh sweetness". Gee that might be meaningful (if not very unusual) for a cane juice rum, but these are made from molasses (which is NOT described).

2. "...we add our own special proprietary yeasts in order to ferment the sugars over two days into a low-alcohol molasses mash". A two day ferment is typical, not special. To low alcohol means what? It means that the mash is not particularly complex. Oh wello.

3. "...we then distill the molasses in our historic Coffey copper column still to a slightly lower proof than is normally achieved in other distilleries". Now THAT is the tip off. Distilled to a "slightly lower proof". Most batshit rum is distilled to as close to 95% as possible - a near vodka. So what's a "slightly lower" proof? 94%? 92% Still awfully thin, not very complex. For comparison pot stills are run to around 65% or so.

Truth be told, Coffey stills are perfectly capable of running to 94.8% and many of them are. A few run as low as 90%, but in any case the rum is nowhere near as complex as a good batched, double-distilled pot at 65%. The only difference between industrial multi-columns and Coffey's is maybe a percent or so, but has more to do with company financing and market. Coffeys are used by smaller distillers for shorter runs.

Although technically it's possible to pull off spirits lower in the column, few if any do this. Exception: Seales might.

For those who want to see their Cinci Coffey set-up:

http://www.rumgallery.com/travel--life/ ... ious-photo

http://www.rumgallery.com/travel--life/ ... ious-photo

http://www.rumgallery.com/travel--life/ ... ious-photo

mamajuana · Post by **mamajuana** » Sun Jul 03, 2016 12:53 am

As it's always good to in Ralfy's words somewhat to go traveling down some other streams in the spirits world. As of late I have done some mainly single malt scotches. It's only then you get the true appreciation for your main spirit. That said I'll crack my bottle open of this Rum tomorrow and report back...

But I think the look on all the rep's faces in this shot says it best about this rum producer:

http://www.rumgallery.com/travel--life/ ... ious-photo

mamajuana · Post by **mamajuana** » Sat Jul 09, 2016 11:33 pm

Well, the 9 year variant is officially tested now. I tested this on two Hydrometer's of different brands as a fail safe on this. Both Hydro's showed about 50.2% ABV. There was a temp reading of 27.9C. This goes to 47.2% ABV. It's fair to say that there is no added sugar or otherwise in this bottle.

My overall initial impression taste wise is that it is excellent. A stunning rum from an independent American bottler. I give this my highest recommendation and will be seeking the older variant asap.

To add to this further after more tasting, I will stop short of saying this is the best rum I have ever tasted, it is easily one of the top. It's pedigree is clear, there is no doubt this is 9 years, most likely 9 years is the youngest barrel, this rum shines strong, it has flavors of a much older rum present. I can't believe how good this rum is, it's a scotch lover's rum really. While saying that it rivals a scotch twice its age easily. I have ordered two bottles of the 23 year and hope to get to it soon, I wish not to be let down. There is a rum once in a while that really restores your faith in rum, this is one of those bottles.

edgarallanpoe · Post by **edgarallanpoe** » Mon Aug 01, 2016 5:21 pm

I can get this here in PA....I will be ordering some tomorrow. I'll let you know what I think. Mama is usually spot on in his reviews...I look forward to this.

The Black Tot · Post by **The Black Tot** » Sun Aug 14, 2016 6:09 am

Any word on how the 23yr drinks yet, lads?

mamajuana · Post by **mamajuana** » Sat Sep 17, 2016 5:34 am

Well sorry for the delay on this response.

I tasted quite a bit of the 23 year at this time.

I feel its not 23 years.

I just don't see much of a difference between the 9 and 23 year.

These are my initial thoughts. The 23 is somewhat less hot but its ABV is also less. There isn't any added complexity in my thoughts vs the 9 year. There was no further noticeable barrel influence. The 23 year is the 9 year with less heat. I will hydro this shortly. But I would suggest the 9 year against it at this time.

It would say either this is a lackluster 23 year or the 9 year really shines. The small price increase vs the 9 would confirm in my thoughts the own producers thoughts that the 23 really is just a number and not much if at all better for some reason.

There are simply much better rums at this price point. I paid 53 per bottle. One example I bought two bottles of and finished one recently as the Mezan Guyana 2005 vintage. The 2005 was simply amazing. It sort of blew me away. It was from fully wooden pot still and the nose and taste was off the charts. The mezan is only 50 per bottle and 13 years younger but blows this thing away sadly.

edit: corrected 7 year to 9 year.

Post by **Capn Jimbo** » Sun Sep 18, 2016 2:38 pm

Mama, thanks for all your work, and for taking the time to report your always welcome observations. Nicely done...

edgarallanpoe · Post by **edgarallanpoe** » Mon Sep 19, 2016 1:21 pm

Mama....where did you get the Guyana rum? Is it available in the US or did you get it shipped from overseas?

Beukeboom · Post by **Beukeboom** » Mon Sep 19, 2016 3:00 pm

edgarallanpoe wrote:Mama....where did you get the Guyana rum? Is it available in the US or did you get it shipped from overseas?

I obtained a bottle of that rum as well as a couple of others they produce at the Total Wine & More in Jacksonville. I also saw it on sale recently at the TW&M in Daytona Beach.

mamajuana · Post by **mamajuana** » Tue Sep 20, 2016 12:50 am

edgarallanpoe wrote:Mama....where did you get the Guyana rum? Is it available in the US or did you get it shipped from overseas?

I got two bottles of it domestically. I believe its a US only offering I could be wrong on that but a number of Mezan single vintages are US only offerings that made it state side. But it was quite good, glad I got another one in the collection. The usual crazy tasting notes were actually quite evident on this bottle, it lived up to the hype.