Review #1505; Rum #804

This bottling here comes from La Vicheria, a portfolio of Viches from Colombia. This Viche was distilled by Ana Riascos Hurtado in Santa Rosa de Saija – Timbiquí, Cauca. Ana learned to distill from her parents and grandparents. The cane is milled with a mechanical mill and is pressed for its juice. It is fermented for 1-2 months and distilled on a white aluminum pot still.

For those new to it, Viche is a specific style of cane juice distillate, produced by the Afrocolombian communities located on the Pacific Coast of Colombia.

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Distillery: Ana Riascos Hurtado

Bottler: La Vicheria

Region: Colombia

Still: Pot

ABV: 42%

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Nose: Rubber, Pear, Quince, Allspice, Brine, Vegetal

Palate: Medium mouthfeel, Rubber, Pear, Orange, Quince, Brine, Vegetal

Finish: Medium length Finish, Campfire Smoke, Orange, Pear, Quince, Bright, Soft Smoke

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This is a wonderful expression of viche distillate here. It walks that fine line of a little bit of sweet, faint spice, a nice lingering smoke, and some weird rubber that is pretty pleasant overall. It’s delicate but without pulling any punches on flavor. This is a well crafted distillate and showcases the wonderful cane spirits being made all around the world.

Final Score: 88

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.