La Hechicera - Old rum from Colombia - 40%
Born on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, La Hechicera (“the enchantress”) is a family brand founded by the Riascos family to produce Hispanic-style rums, matured for a long time in a tropical climate. The house spirit: transparency, expertise, and patient aging in bourbon barrels, without artifice.
La Reserva Familiar is a blend of molasses rums aged in ex-bourbon American white oak. The brand advertises a range of ages from approximately 12 to 21 years, using a solera-style approach, for a 40% ABV bottling. The claimed profile is “purist”: no additives or added sugars, the sweetness coming from the interaction of wood, time, and climate.
Bright mahogany color. Deep nose of orange peel, toffee/vanilla, blond tobacco, and roasted coffee. Silky, ample, and dry palate: cocoa, dried fruits, brown caramel; structure balanced by a fine woody bitterness. Long, elegant finish, with coffee, cocoa bean, and a hint of sweet spices. Superb neat or over a large ice cube in an old-fashioned glass. In cocktails: Old Fashioned with rum (sugar reduction, cocoa/orange bitters), Rum Manhattan (dry, with a sweet vermouth), or Old Cuban to combine woody depth and minty freshness. Perfect with 70% dark chocolate, caramelized pecans, crème brûlée, or, on the savory side, lacquered suckling pig and roasted poultry with sweet spices.
