Review: Ron Roble Extra Anejo  92/100
a review by Chip Dykstra (Aka Arctic Wolf)
Posted on December 21, 2019

Ron Roble Viejo Rums are produced in Venezuela through the artistry of Ron Noble’s Master Rum Blender, Giorgio Melis, a Chemical Engineer with more than 50 years experience in the spirits industry. The company’s rums are produced from from locally grown sugar cane molasses using a 5 column distillation process and aged in a traditional manner is oak barrels without topping the oak barrels or replenishment of the Angel’s share.

According to the company website, their best reserves from 8 to 12 Years are blended to create the Ron Roble Extra Anejo Rum.

In the Bottle 4.5/5

Ron Roble Extra Anejo is sold in the stylish tall bottle shown to the left. I like the overall look quite a bit although I would prefer if the bottle had a heavier glass bass to give the tall slender bottle some added stability on the bar shelf.

I would also have liked to see a little information regarding the age of the rum on the label. This is because when I see a rum labeled extra anejo, my impulse is to think the age of the rum inside the bottle is probably only 3 to 4 years old.  This comes from my understanding that the most common spirit which places an age definition with respect to the word anejo is tequila, and in that context anejo spirits are just over 2 years of age. An extra anejo spirit is usually 3 to 5 years old.

So when I see the same terminology applied to rum, my unconscious assumption is that a similar age is implied.

If indeed the spirit inside the bottle has been aged 8 to 12 years. This should be proudly displayed on the label.

In The Glass 9/10

Colour:  Bronze

Legs: A reluctant crest finally drops large leglets

Initial Nose: Lots of fine oak spice, caramel, vanilla and hints of raisin

Decanted Aroma: Oak spices deepen and thicken, toffee and dark brown sugar come into focus mixing with baking spices, there are hints of marzipan and apricot jam. The breezes are very enticing.

In the Mouth 55/60

Alcohol push and Spice: Smooth with light heat from wood and baking spice

Initial Taste: Melding of oak spice, caramel and baking spices (yummy)

Follow up: More Yumm! Everything on the nose comes though with added impressions of crushed walnuts. cocoa, and dates. Wonderful!

With Ice: No Need for Ice this tastes great just as it is

In The Throat: 14/15

Body and Length: Smooth and full bodied

Flavours during Swallow: Lots of cocoa pushing through, so yummy!

Lingering Flavours: Butterscotch, oak and camphor

The Afterburn  9.5/10

Final Thoughts: One of the best rums I have tasted all year!

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

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You may (loosely) interpret the scores 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