Review: Offrian Rum (Aged 12 Years)    84/100
Review by Chip Dykstra
Published August 10, 2022

Offrian Rum appears (at least as far as I can glean from the website information) to be a venture embarked upon by three men, Marc Gautret, Jordan Obry, and the one they call Padre, whose first name is Arturo, but whose last name doesn’t appear to be included on the website.

The rum they make is produced in Panama at the Las Cabras Distillery (formerly the abandoned San Carlos Distillery) which was discovered and rebuilt by by Rum Master, Francisco Jose Fernandez Perez known affectionately by his friends as “Don Pancho”. This is the same Don Pancho who I have written about previously in my reviews for Zafra Rum, and Panama Red.  The Las Cabras Distillery contains a rebuilt Copper Column Still which was originally built in Cincinnati in and dated to 1922.

The 12 Year version of the Offrian Rum was distilled upon a copper still (perhaps that rebuilt 1922 Copper Column still from Cincinnati) aged in white oak casks. The rum was bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume.

In The Bottle 4.5/5

The presentation for the Offrian Rum is quite nice. The spirit arrives in a snazzy black box which caught my eye when I was looking over some of the new rum offerings at Vines Riverbend Wine Merchants.  When I opened the box I found the medium tall long necked bottle with a heavy glass base inside. The label seems quite nice with a medallion at the top which looks as though it contains some sort of Offrian Rune in the center and the words “SMALL BATCH MASTER SELECTION” printed atop and below that ruin-like Offrian symbol. The Label says the rum is Aged 12 Years, and the back of the bottle tells me that this is the RUM OF TRAVELERS.

When I took the black seal wrap of the top of the bottle I found the bottle was corked with a low density cork topper.  I suspect this style of cork will not serve the product well in my dry climate. A higher density cork, or perhaps a synthetic cork would be much better. It did though give me that nice satisfying ‘pop’ when I opened it.

In The Glass  8/10

Colour: Just past amber and on the way to bronze

Legs: A light film forms when swirled and the crest at the top of that film drops slender legs which amble at a moderate pace back down to the rum.

Nose: Butterscotch and vanilla lead out with a light dusting of oak spices following. This actually smells like the butterscotch candies I used to enjoy when I was a youngster. There is a light indication of orange peel and hints of cinnamon as well as almond. As the glass breathes I sense a light buildup of fine oak spice, as well as more sweetness in the air.  I am torn in the score as the rum’s nose is better than most that I score an 8, but not quite up to the standard of those who normally receive an 8.5.  I toss a coin and the score of 8/10 prevails.

In The Mouth 50.5/60

The entry is lively as though the rum contains an exuberance which is typical of column distilled spirits. This lively entry is amplified by fine oak spices which dance across the tongue as you sip. The flavour is quite nice with a melding of butterscotch and almond accompanied by just a hint of bitter cocoa. Bits of leather add to that light bitterness (which is actually quite enjoyable). Hints of cinnamon and clove appear as does a smattering of tobacco.  The rum definitely shows more character in the delivery than was apparent on the nose.

With ice, the rum loses much of its lively feel, and it settles into a spirit which can be sipped. The light sweetness is also quelled allowing more grassy tobacco flavours to come forward alongside a light impression of bittersweet chocolate. Although sipping has become enjoyable, I feel the rum also exists well in the realms of cocktails. (See my suggested recipe below.)

In The Throat 12.5/15

The finish is heated with fine oak spice and hints of cinnamon leaving their firm impression on the palate. A sort of dry grassy bitterness settles in as well which is more pleasant than it sounds.

The Afterburn  8.5/10

Other than a light hiccup on the nose where I felt the Offrian Rum was hiding its character, I found this 12 Year aged spirit quite delightful. It is a pleasant spirit to sip over ice, as well as a rum which adds a lively oak character to cocktails. It is a spirit which grows as you sip it indicating perhaps that a patient approach is required to enjoy fully.

My score of 84/100 represents a spirit which I a more likely to mix in a fine cocktail, but is also one which I would not dissuade anyone from sipping over ice if they were so inclined.

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

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Suggested Serving

8 P.M. Rum Cocktail

2  ounce Offrian Rum (12 Year Aged)
3/8 oz. Fresh Squeezed Grapefruit Juice
3/8 oz. Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
3/8 oz Bols Triple Sec
1/4 oz. Sugar Syrup (1:1 ratio)
1/8 oz. Campari
Ice
Lemon Peel

Add all of the ingredients into a metal shaker with ice
Shake vigorously until the outside of your shaker begins to frost
Strain into a cocktail glass
Garnish with a Slice of Lime

Please Enjoy Responsibly!

Note: 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:

70 – 79.5    Bronze Medal (Recommended only as a mixer)
80 – 89.5     Silver Medal (Recommended for sipping and or a high quality mixer)
90 – 95         Gold Medal (Highly recommended for sipping and for sublime cocktails.)
95.5+            Platinum Award (Highest Recommendation)