El Amparo

Review #1088; Rum #415

This sample was provided to me by a producer, distributor, or some other industry source free-of-charge. No compensation, outside of the sample, was received.

This is a rum from Ecuador that produced in the city of Jipijapa, in the Manabí province, from a variety of sugar cane that is commonly called Cubana Negra. This bottling was done to celebrate 60 years of the 3 generations producing this rum with La Maison and Velier. El Amparo is produced using fresh pressed cane juice. That juice is crushed and fermented by indigenous yeasts in vats of 1,000 to 3,000 liters for 5 to 7 days. Distillation is carried out on a 500 liter copper batch still which has a small pot and short column. It is distilled once and this batch has been bottled at still proof with no additives.

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Distillery: El Amparo

Bottler: La Maison & Velier

Region: Ecuador

Still: Pot still

ABV: 57.5%. Still Strength

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Nose: Pungent, Lemon Grass, Brine, a hint of chlorine, Minerality,  Apple, Olives, Allspice, Plastic

Palate: Medium oily mouthfeel, Brine, Olives, Beef Bouillon, Coriander, Minerality, Lemongrass, Touch of plastic bag, campfire.

Finish: Long finish, Olives, Beef Bouillon, Coriander, Minerality, Lemongrass, Allspice, Chlorine, campfire smoke.

Rating: 8/10

This is an excellent rum. It has a ton going on leaning heavily on the savory elements with some rough edges. This faint plastic industrial note lingers around and makes it stick in your head. A very light campfire smoke seems to form a backbone on the finish as well for me. This is one of those weird cane juice rums, but also strangely balanced for me.

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect