Nicaraguan rum producers Compania Licorera De Nicaragua S.A have been “slow ageing” their “Tradicion Artesenal” Flor De Cana rum since 1890 in Chichigalpa, Nicaragua. When it comes to rum, differences in quality go a very long way. In fact, we can think of no other spirit category where there are only a handful of delicious sippers and then an outright smorgasbord of impalatable swill. That makes it all too easy to steer in the wrong direction when buying a gift for the rum lover in your life during this holiday season. Only absolute satisfaction will suffice and we have just the thing for you. Meet Flor de Caña 12-Year-Old Rum, which is every bit as delicious as it looks. Flor de Caña is Nicaragua's best-known export, and it has an impressive stash of slow-aged barreled rum—one of the largest in the world. You can find the liquor at virtually every bar in Nicaragua and it's exported to over 40 countries. My tour guide tells me that the number-one market is Chile, followed by Canada, the United States, and then Nicaragua. The rum is good, and the company has a diverse portfolio. The liquor is smooth, slightly dry, and the aged varieties have hints of vanilla and oak. Throughout its history, the family company has survived a plane crash, a civil war, nationalizations, hyperinflation, and several natural disasters such as fires, hurricanes and volcanic eruptions.

Reaction: I´m thinking older siblings in the Flor de Cana family could be interesting to meet with. The twelve year old feels young and uncertain but the pedigree is there and should be able to produce something more astute. This one feels adolescent, thin and a little cheap which it really isn´t. This version would never be my first choice among the many other tasty friends I have in my cabinet so when do I drink it? Meanwhile, the Fair Trade certification verifies that the rum is sustainably produced, from field to bottle, in compliance with more than 300 rigorous labour, social and environmental standards. The certification with Fair Trade USA, the leading certifier of Fair Trade products in North America, covers areas such as safe working conditions, protection of fundamental human rights and environmental best practices. The nose is similar to the 12 Centenario. It smells slightly younger with more sweet alcohol notes on the nose. It smells reasonably “boozy”. Despite this you still get notes of good oak ageing. Nice charred oak and a little bit of toffee. It has a quite distinctive almost warming note to it similar to the 12. There is something very pleasant on the nose which I can’t quite place. Overall the nose is good and despite being slightly strong in terms of alcohol still pretty decent. This story began in 1875 when Alfredo Francisco Pellas Canessa, a young adventurer from Genoa, Italy, risked everything by leaving behind his family and the comforts of the old continent to travel to the exotic country of Nicaragua.

Winner of 1 spirit awards

I ask Glaser why they can't do this in Nicaragua and why ISA has been so against improving conditions. Flor de Caña’s historic commitment to sustainable practices and its century‐old rum‐making tradition, perfected throughout 130 years and five family generations, have earned the brand more than 200 international accolades, making it one of the most awarded rums in the world. The most common misperception of rum is that it is sweet or that it has a high sugar content. However, Flor de Caña rums have zero sugar content. Our rums are naturally aged without any sort of additives, accelerants or artificial ingredients. We only use three elements: alcohol of maximum purity, premium bourbon barrels and time. The Heritage of Rum - FOUR Magazine". www.four-magazine.com. 2014-12-07. Archived from the original on 2017-08-06 . Retrieved 2017-02-28. Varcasia, Antonio (3 September 2016). "Tranquilo Wins Flor de Cana International Tournament in Nicaragua". Marlin . Retrieved 5 August 2017.

Flor de Caña made history in 2020 when it became the only global spirit brand to be certified both carbon neutral and Fair Trade. Against all the odds, the company has also been able to remain a family business for five generations: Only 3 in 10,000 family businesses make it to the 5th generation! We’re very proud to be one of the first global spirits to be Fair Trade certified and sustainably sourced. This certification assures consumers that our rums are produced in compliance with over 300 rigorous labor, social and environmental standards. We also distill our rum with 100 percent renewable energy, plant 50,000 trees annually and support various charity organizations in Nicaragua. Commitment to sustainability has been a family value since the first generation and continues to be a core value 130 years later.Initially, he invested in a shorter and safer steamboat route through Nicaragua to transport passengers and goods from the East Coast of the US to the West Coast during the height of the California Gold Rush. The route was a huge success, but when news broke about the construction of the Panama Canal and the U.S. coast-to-coast railroad, Alfredo Francisco knew it was time to set out on a new adventure… The carbon‐neutral certification informs consumers that the brand offsets all carbon emissions during the entire lifecycle of its rum. The accreditation was issued by The Carbon Trust, a not‐for‐profit company that measures and certifies carbon footprints to the PAS 2060 standard for carbon neutrality.

At my beach house on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua, while watching the most incredible sunsets. It just doesn’t get better than that. How has Flor de Caña sustained such stature throughout the past century? Let us count the ways. Here are five things to know about the world’s finest rum. From One Man’s Mission to Family Tradition Flor de Caña has developed a series of programs aimed at sharing and promoting the value of sustainability with the trade and rum enthusiasts around the globe, allowing them to be a part of a movement to ensure a greener future for everyone. Flor de Caña is a naturally aged rum enriched by the unique properties of the San Cristobal volcano, the most active in Nicaragua. The fertility of its soil, the enriched volcanic water and the hot volcanic climate to which the barrels are exposed during the aging process contribute in creating a singularly smooth and deliciously balanced rum.

Naturally Aged, without Sugar or Additives

Flor de Caña ran a sustainable business long before the term was trending. For more than a decade, the distillery has operated fully on renewable energy. The company school has provided free education to the children of employees since 1913, and a company hospital has offered free medical services to employees and their families since 1958. I ask La Isla's field researcher, Rhonda, for her take. "I've been to a variety of fields, some under supervision of Nicaragua Sugar Estates Limited and a couple more where I came uninvited and unexpected," she says. "On the tour, they made an attempt at shade, water, rest. On the fields where I showed up without notice, there was no trace of water or shade to be found, and there certainly were not workers resting at any point." Carruthers, Nicola (3 May 2018). "Flor de Caña gains Fairtrade certification". The Spirits Business . Retrieved 4 July 2018.