Ron Varadero 7 Anos V Ron Pampero Aniversario Reserva

[BlackFriar]

Ah... If only all experiments could be so much fun. Seriously 5-7 dollars a bottle! What a bargain. I don't even want to think of what you can get in the rum department for that price in the US.

Chris

[Ryan]

Varadero 7 year old is very popular is Spain, most supermarkets have it. 13-14 euro a bottle compared to 17-18 for HC 7. I found it holds up very well against the Havana Club 7 yo.

Great review, looks like fun.

[bassman]

Varadero 7 is my favorite Cuban rum. I look for it whenever I'm out of the USA, but I've never seen it in any country I've visited. Guess I need to take a trip to Spain.:-D

[SmokinLightning]

Nothing I like better than sampling some great rums. Unfortunately, I can't even find Zaya around here anymore.

On a side note, is Filip a WWI fighter pilot?

[Colt45]

How did you ever manage with Lisa away.......

[El Presidente]

Filip popped over with a botle of Ron Pampero Aniversario from Vanezuala to try. Naturally I could have sit down with him and enjoy a few glasses and be called a drunkard by Lisa.....or I could pull out a bottle of Ron Varadero 7 anos (cuba) and arranged a side by side tasting....hence we were no longer socializing but undertaking a serious scientific experiment!...Pure Genius :-D

Both Rums were accompanied by Partagas Serie D No 4's

Ron Pampero Anniversario (Venezuela) 40% Alcohol.

The unique looking squat bottle holds no information as to the age of this rum. Some searching on the net revealed that it is a combination of rums 3-8 years of age which have been aged in oak barrels. The Rum was originally released in 1963 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Pampero.

In the glass.

Dark rich mohogany colour. Looks the goods. Viscous.

On the Nose

Vnilla laden. Some cocoa and buterscotch but predominantly vanilla. Very sweet nose which has me looking forward to taste.

On the Palate

Slightly sweet with hints of flowers, vanilla bean and cocoa. Still on the palate the flavours are no where near as strong or distinct as you would anticipate after the aromatic assault through the nose. I get a real alcohol edge to the flavour which surprises me. To its credit the Pampero rum smoothed out after 30 minutes of opening up in the glass. Peronally, I found it a little "rough" in taste. Good rum without being a great rum.

Ron Varadero 7 Anos (Cuba) 38% Alcohol

Ron Varadero ranks well behind aged HC, Santiago and Caney in terms of buyer perception in Havana. I have tried the Ron Varadero 5 Anos which was firewaterbut I had the chance of trying some 7 Anos on a previous trip to Havana and enjoyed it. I picked up a few bottles at Jose Marti airport on the way home from Havana in July. All I know about the rum is it is aged 7 years in American Oak barrels.

In the glass.

Lighter in colour than the Pampero. Dark straw.

On the Nose

A little oily. None of the striking vanilla bean notes of the Pampero.

Very simple aroma's. Some medicinal qualities mixed with Hibiscus.

On the Palate

Super smooth. Nice butterscoth and a slow building warmth that hypnotizes the senses. It lacks a little depth of flavour and for that reason I prefer Caney Oro (same price at $5-$7 bottle) but as a sipping rum this is oh so good. There is an oiliness which coates the tongue and the butterscotch applies just a hint of sweetness.

Summary

Ron Varadero 7 anos is a bargain. It represents how good inexpensive Cuban rum can be and how Cuban rum holds its own in terms of the best "sipping" rum in the world. I have recently tried Appleton 21 and Zaya which I both loved but they are a cut above again of both the rums tasted today. Yet put them up against a bottle of Santaigo 11 Anos and both struggle to compete.

End of experiment

[SirSmokeALot]

Great review. Ron Pampero Anniversario has got to be in my top 10 favorite list of sipping rums.

[SirSmokeALot]

Unfortunately, I can't even find Zaya around here anymore.

SmokingLighting, that is not surprising. Zaya was recently bought by the conglomerate Diageo which has moved the production of this rum to Trinidad. Sadly the new version is totally different and doesn't have the same flavor profile we've all grown to love over the years.