The Renegade Rum Panama (Don Jose 1997) from the Renegade Rum Company was distilled at the Don Jose Disatillery (also known for the production of Ron Abuelo) in the Pese region of Panama on the Azuero Penninsula. This distillery was established around 1940 by the Spaniard Don José Varela Blanco who emigrated from Spain to Panama in 1908. Don José settled in the village of Pese and proceeded to establish one of the country’s first sugar mills (in the Village of Pese). It was about 30 years later that Don José and his Sons began to distill rum from the excess sugar cane and molasses. Today (nearly 75 years later), the Don Jose Distillery controls and/or produces about 90 % of all Rum in Panama.
The Renegade Rum Panama (Don Jose 1997) was first distilled in a column still, and then aged for ten years in Panama in used bourbon barrels. The rum was then shipped to Scotland for finishing in a Port pipe at the Bruichladdich Distillery. The Rum is bottled in the 700 ml squat decanter style bottle shown below at 46 percent alcohol by volume
Here is a link to the review of the #38 spirit on my Rum Howler Top 100 Spirits Countdown.
#38 – Renegade Rum Panama (Don Jose) 1997
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You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits
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