Review: Flor de Caña 4 (Añejo 0ro)   (81/100)
a review by Chip Dykstra (Aka Arctic Wolf)
Revisited July 06, 2018

Flor de Caña has a history of rum production which is dated to 1890 at the San Antonio Sugar Mill, in Chichigalpa, Nicaragua. The company was founded by Francisco Alfredo Pellas and today, over 120 years later, the company is led headed by the fifth generation of the Pellas family. It has grown to be not only one of Central America’s leading brands of rum, it is also one of the most recognized rum brands in the world. According to the company website, all of the Flor de Caña rum is produced from molasses which is made from sugar cane harvested in fields adjacent to the distillery in Chichigalpa. This molasses is fermented and then distilled five times in a continuous column still. The resulting distillate is laid down to age in small American white oak barrels in traditional aging warehouses built without air conditioning in an undisturbed environment.

Flor de Caña 4 (Anejo Oro) is an aged rum with the number 4 on the label representative of the average age of the rums in the blend with some variation in the actual age based upon blending to a consistent flavour profile. According to the folks at Flor de Caña this aged spirit is excellent with soda and mineral water, and is a perfect match for punches and light cocktails.

The Spirit is bottled at 40 % Abv.

In the Bottle  4/5

The Flor de Caña 4 (Añejo Oro) arrives in a medium tall rectangular bottle. These bottles are designed to allow companies to ship bottles more efficiently by packing more volume into a rectangular shipping case. As well as being ergonomic, the bottle is also designed to be functional. It fits easily on the bartender’s shelf, is easy to grab hold of, and is easy for that aforementioned bartender to pour into a glass or cocktail making the rum very accessible to the bar trade.

The label design does not contain a definitive age statement. As well the bottle closure is a metallic pressed on cap rather than the plastic twist cap. Pressed on metallic caps are inferior to plastic caps. They are subject to warping and easily lose their thread. Although I like the fresh look the bottle and label, I feel the inferior closure and the undefined age statement are slightly disappointing.

In the Glass 8/10

When I poured a sample of the Flor de Caña 4 (Añejo Oro) into my glass, I noted that the rum displayed the a nice amber colour.  When I tilted my glass and gave it a slow twirl, the resulting sheen on the inside of my glass was only slightly thickened, and the crest dropped small leglets which moved back into the rum at a moderate pace. The initial scents represent a pleasing caramel scent rising up tainted with bits of orange peel, and almond.

As the glass sits, the orange peel and fine oak spice build slightly and there are light indications of baking spices (primarily vanilla with hints of cinnamon).  There is a light musty quality and grass-like scents in the air. Perhaps I notice some corn-like aromas as well. Hints of alcohol are apparent as the youth of the rum is quite obvious.  Although the rum is theoretically only one year younger than the Flor de Caña 5, it seems to me to be quite a step down.

In the Mouth 49/60

The Flor de Caña 4 is a light bodied column distilled rum which has a dry quality when it is sipped. There is a little bite of alcohol and some grassiness at the front of the delivery, followed by a light butterscotch sweetness, vanilla and almond. Fine wood spices and orange peel keep the mouth heated. I waited for a while to allow the rum to breathe hoping that the flavours would meld and develop, however the rum stayed the course. With ice I can sip the spirit, but it is as advertised, a rum for mixing with soda and mineral water.

Having said that, I would suggest that the rum has a little more range, Daiquiri style cocktails are not out of the question, although I probably wouldn’t mix an old-fashioned. (See my recipe suggestions below.)

In the Throat 12/15

The exit, although brings a touch of rough alcohol spice which can be allieviated with a small cube of ice. A light butterscotch sweetness lingers with impressions of dry grassy tobacco.

The Afterburn 8/10

The Flor de Caña 4 (Añejo Clasico) is a pleasant mixing rum rum. It is a step down from the Flor de Cana 5 which I reviewed earlier this year, but it is also priced much more economically. I would be inclined to favour Cuba Libre’ cocktails as my serving of choice, but daiquiri style cocktails are not out of the question.

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

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Suggested Cocktails

The Railcar

2 oz Flor de Caña 4 (Añejo 0ro)
3/4 oz Bols Triple Sec
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/4 oz Sugar Syrup
1/8 oz Campari
Ice
Orange 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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