The 12 Year Old Two Oaks Añejo bottling from Ron Abuelo clearly achieves what it sets out to do. The combination of heavily charred and fresh American oak barrels is on full display along with the distillery’s signature style of highly polished, column still juice. The dark amber color introduces a nose of sweet cane pulp, ripe red apples, sweet grass, and nougat. It doesn’t need water and probably shouldn’t get any. Just a few short, aggressive swirls bring out great secondary elements of smoky cured meat, dried tobacco, cola, subtle balsamic notes, charred pineapple, and woody spices. The palate is more medium weight than the Three Angels, quite vibrant in texture given the typical style of Ron Abuelo. Flavors of tart cherry, butterscotch, and myriad aromatic spices jump out, including clove, canela stick, and sandalwood, all carrying to a medium-long finish highlighted by smoky minerality, burnt sugar, and fresh cedar dust. It’s an idiosyncratic, savory style of dark rum that will complement cocktail ingredients in superb fashion, especially those recipes that rely on sweet elements, while still appealing to purists who like to take their time, savor it, and think on it.
91 points, Andrew Kitz, B-21 Spirits Buyer (Jun 2025)
Dark amber color. Aromas and flavors of roasted dates, baked cherry, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, and molasses, and chocolate and cola with a round, lively, dry medium body and a tingling, complex, long finish that exhibits impressions of vanilla and cherry fudge, baked and spiced red fruits, banana and spiced orange, and cigar box and leather. A fine aged Rum that should be respected just as one would a fine Whisky or Brandy.
90 points, Beverage Testing Institute (Mar 2024)
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