Review: Dictador XO Perpetual

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 19, 2012

It was about a year ago that I was contacted by the fellows tho are responsible for Dictador Rum, and was asked if I would like to review their new Dictador XO Perpetual. This new rum sounded intriguing, and I was curious about the how the Dictador XO Rum might differ from the Dictador 12 and Dictador 20 Year Solera rums which I had already tasted and reviewed. I agreed to receive a sample and when it arrived, I found this statement on the plastic protective sleeve which slides over the box that houses the XO Perpetual.

” … The Dictador XO Solera System Rum is elaborated from the fermentation of unique virgin honey of sugar cane, then distilled in antique copper pot alembic then is aged in very high end pre-used oak barrels from 3 cardinal points… “

Additional statements on the Dictador website speak to a difference in the aging regimen used for the XO rums. Although the information is not specific, it appears that the major difference is in the oak selected. The intent seems to be to create a different flavour profile for the Dictador XO. As a result, the XO Rums (the Insolent and the Perpetual) promise to offer a new taste experience for the rum connoisseur.

The Dictador website also explains that the Dictador Rum are produced in Colombia, more exactly, on the Caribbean coast of Colombia at Cartagena de Indias City. These rums are based upon an international marketing concept, combining the traditions of Colombian rum making with Japanese bottle designs and European packaging and marketing.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“… The Dictador XO Perpetual has a beguiling quality in the glass. The initial scents are aromatic and fruity. I sense a wonderful butterscotch sweetness underneath a bouquet of oak and baking spices (vanilla, brown sugars, and cinnamon). Orange peel wells out of the glass, but if you are patient the orange peel soon melds with the butterscotch to give the air a lovely impression of marmalade …”

You may read my full review here: