Review: Cane Island Panama Rum   84.5/100
(Single Estate Blend)
a review by Chip Dykstra (Aka Arctic Wolf)
Published September 05, 2023

Cane Island is a rum brand owned by Infinity Spirits, who appear to be based in Amsterdam. The Cane Island Brand showcases rums which are sourced from iconic Island rum nations in the Caribbean and elsewhere in the world. Each one of these countries has a long history of rum production with their own styles and traditions. The rum selections consist of Single Island Blends and Single Estate Rums. The Single Island Blends are blends of rum coming from different distilleries from one island, whereas the Single Estate Rums are sourced from one single distillery.  

According to the company website, Cane Island Panama Rum was distilled at the Varela Rum Distillery in Panama. The spirit is column distilled from molasses and tropically matured in ex-bourbon casks for 3 to 8 years before being bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume.

In the Bottle 4/5

Cane Island Panama Rum is sold in the short stubby bottle shown to the left. I like the medium long neck which makes pouring easy, the attractive label which showcases the nation of Panama from which the rum was procured, and the solid synthetic cork stopper. There is also a label on the back of the bottle which tells us the story or rum production in Panama.

However, there is also some mixed messaging. Underneath the map of Panama, the label states the spirit is a Single Island Blend rather than a Single Estate Rum. This indicates that although the website lists Varela Rum Distillery as the source of the rum, it is possible that rums from other Panamanian distilleries are also included in the blend.  I would also note that Panama is not an Island Nation which makes the term “Single Island Blend” somewhat of a misnomer.

Overall however, I like the presentation especially as the rum was not an expensive indulgence in my locale.

In The Glass 8.5/10

Colour: Amber

Legs: Slightly thickened legs which run slowly down the inside of that glass.

Nose: Butterscotch, fine oak spice, almond and orange peel complimented by vanilla and light baking spices (ginger and cinnamon). Perhaps I also notice a mild impression of coconut although it seems to disappear as quickly as it appears. As the glass breathes, the butterscotch, almond and vanilla merge together giving me a sense of marzipan. The oak spices build, and bring vague impressions of cinnamon and ginger.

I like the nose which is pleasant, lightly complex.

In The Mouth 51/60

The first sip brings a touch of youthful heat alongside pleasant flavours of butterscotch, vanilla and almond. Zesty oak spice arrives with impressions of orange peel , cinnamon and some grassy tobacco.  According to the literature provided with the rum, it contains a blend of 3 to 8 year old spirit which has been aged in white oak casks. This has lead to a spirit which contains both the zesty exuberance of a 3 year old amber rum, and also the body and complexity of an older cane spirit. It sort of walks the line between a quality mixing spirit  and a sipping rum. With ice, the sipping quality improves as the rum becomes creamy, and I now taste bits of milk chocolate and leather.

In The Throat  12.5/15

The rum has a mid-length finish which brings us a light candied sweetness of butterscotch and vanilla complimented by a rush of fine oak spice tinged with hints of cinnamon. After the swallow our palate is heated with leathery tobacco.

The Afterburn 8.5/10

As indicated in the review, Cane Island Panama sits at the cusp where it can be enjoyed both as a mixing rum for high end cocktails as well as a pleasant sipper over ice.  My suggested serving is shown below.

If you are interested in comparing more scores, here is a link to my other published Rum Reviews.

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Suggested Recipe:

The Railcar

1 1/2 oz Cane Island Panama Rum
1/2 oz Bols Triple Sec
3/8 oz Lemon or Lime Juice (or a bit of both)
1/4 oz Sugar Syrup
dash Campari
Ice
Citrus Peel (optional)

Add the first five ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice
Shake until the outsides of the shaker begins to frost
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
Garnish with a coil of Orange Peel (optional)

Please Enjoy Responsibly!

If you are interested in more of my original cocktail recipes, please click this link (Cocktails and Recipes) for more of my mixed drink recipes!

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My Final Score is out of 100 and you may (loosely) interpret the score as follows:

0-25     A spirit with a rating this low would actually kill you.
26-49   Depending upon your fortitude you might actually survive this.
50 -59  You are safe to drink this…but you shouldn’t.
60-69   Substandard swill which you may offer to people you do not want to see again.
70-74    Now we have a fair mixing rum or whisky.  Accept this but make sure it is mixed into a cocktail.
75-79    You may begin to serve this to friends, again probably still cocktail territory.
80-84    We begin to enjoy this spirit neat or on the rocks. (I will still primarily mix cocktails)
85-89    Excellent for sipping or for mixing!
90-94    Definitely a primary sipping spirit, in fact you may want to hoard this for yourself.
95-97.5 The Cream of the Crop
98+       I haven’t met this bottle yet…but I want to.

Very loosely we may put my scores into terms that you may be familiar with on a Gold, Silver, and  Bronze medal  scale as follows: