Plantation Panama 2010

ABV: 51.4%

Country: Panama

Age: 13 years

Cask: Bourbon (8 years) and Ferrand (5 years)

Still: Column Still

Price: £65

Distillery: Don José distillery

I revisited this bottle of Plantation Panama 2010 at the Manchester Rum Festival back in July, and it was too good of an opportunity not to pick up a bottle. Limited releases like this one tend to disappear quickly, so I was glad to bring it home for a quieter tasting. The Panama 2010 is part of Plantation’s Vintage Collection, a series that showcases rums from specific countries and years, each with its own character shaped by both local climate and cask ageing. It’s very much a rum with a story, which I find very appealing.

For anyone less familiar with the brand, Plantation (recently rebranded to Planteray Rum) is the creation of Alexandre Gabriel and the team at Maison Ferrand in France. Their philosophy revolves around the idea of “double ageing”: rums are first matured in the tropics, often for many years, before being shipped to France for a second ageing period in ex-cognac casks. The result is a portfolio that’s become well known in both the rum and wider spirits world, with accessible blends like Plantation 5 Year sitting alongside more limited single-vintage bottlings like this Panama 2010.

The Panama expressions, in particular, highlight the country’s growing reputation as a source of exceptional rums. Distilled at the well-regarded Don José Distillery in Panama, this 2010 vintage represents not just a single year, but also the culmination of that “two worlds” approach that Planteray have built their brand around. For collectors and casual drinkers alike, it’s a nice example of how a brand with French roots collaborates with Caribbean and Latin American producers to create something distinct.

Nose

Honey, cereal and nuts offer an inviting welcome before evolving into citrus (a very zesty lifting note), stone fruit and coconut. There are some dusty wood notes and cooked off baking spices that add depth.

Palate

Tart and quite spicy initially before becoming much fruitier. Quite warm with brown sugar, blackberries and pears (makes me think of a pear crumble). This treads the line between being a little sweet, a little tart and a little spicy whilst remaining very well balanced. Dark espresso on the side adding a bitterness and some wet wood tannins; some peppery warmth also.

The palate evolves into chocolate, nutmeg and black liquorice alongside foam banana sweets. A very long, dry finish with both sweet and savoury notes lingering. A complex profile without feeling overly challenging.

8/10 – A very enjoyable dram – excellent value for money!