Plantation Rum "Under the Sea" Collection No.2 Panama 2008

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Plantation Rum "Under the Sea" Collection

                  No.2 Panama 2008

During the spring of 2023, Plantation announced the release of their second collection of rums for their “Under the Sea” vintages.  The series features six limited edition bottlings from the rum making world, including Barbados, Fiji, Guyana, Jamaica, Panama, and Venezuela, with artwork showcasing sea life common to the region where the rums are produced.  For the Panama release, a humpback whale is featured on the box and bottle labels for the product.  The rum was produced in 2008 at Panama’s Alcoholes del Istmo distillery using molasses made from local sugarcane and distilled in a column still.  Aged for 12 years in used bourbon barrels in Panama, and one additional year in Ferrand casks in Cognac, France, where it was blended and bottled at 45.7% ABV. Limited to 19 casks, it was noted that no dosage was used in the creation of this product, which will only be sold in the United States in select markets.

Appearance

As noted, the 750 ml bottle is sold in a box with matching artwork. There is some basic information about the product on the bottle and box, but the focus is on the artwork showcasing humpback whales breaching the surface and swimming under the ocean with fish and over reefs. The bottle is embossed with the Plantation logo and has raffia weave around it, reminding me visually of the glass float lights you see in some bars.

The liquid is a pale golden amber in the bottle and glass.  I noticed a small amount of distillate in the bottle, but nothing in the glass.  Swirling the rum in the glass generated a medium band that quickly thickened and released a series of fast moving tears down the side.  Within a few minutes, the ring and tears had evaporated, leaving residue in their wake.

Nose

The aroma leads to a rush of fruit like strawberries, raspberries, ripe peaches, orange zest, and lemongrass.  As the liquid sat and the fruit notes settled, I noted a confectionary sweetness reminiscent of a tart, light tweak of nutmeg and allspice at the end.

Palate

Like the aroma, the first sip is a fruity burst of flavors and alcohol with the introduction of a strong honey sweet apple note. At the halfway mark, a toffee laden spiciness comes into play along with toasted nuts, nutmeg, and allspice, balancing the fruit notes.  As the other flavors fade, strong notes of dark cacao, anise, and dried tobacco leaf enter the profile, lingering in a long, dry finish.

Review

When I heard about the first Under the Sea Collection release, I found the idea interesting and some of the artwork gorgeous.  The second collection is equally interesting, and I dare say that some of the artwork is even better than that found in the first series.  It had been a while since I had reviewed a rum produced by Plantation as well as something that was produced in the country of Panama, so this seemed like an opportune moment to evaluate both in this new release.  By design, a product to be sipped and savored, the fruit notes were interesting and unique compared to other Panamanian rums I have experienced.  I found the midpalate notes and dry finish to be very much in line with other products I have had that were made by Alcoholes del Istmo.  My only guess is some of the fruit notes were produced during the year of continental aging in Ferrand Casks in France. I enjoyed the unique exploration of a rum from Panama and will be curious to sample some of the other rums in this collection.