Centenario 12 is the bottle where Flor de Caña's range crosses over from mixing into sipping, and it is arguably the best value proposition in the whole lineup. The distillery has operated at the foot of the San Cristóbal volcano in Chichigalpa, Nicaragua since 1890, still under the same family after five generations, and this is a single estate rum in the strict sense: sugarcane, distillation, aging and bottling all happen within one operation rather than being sourced or blended in from elsewhere. Twelve years of tropical aging in American oak does considerably more than twelve years in a temperate warehouse would. Heat accelerates the exchange between spirit and wood and drives heavy evaporation loss, so what remains is concentrated and genuinely developed rather than merely old on paper. The producer states no sugar, artificial flavors or additives are used at any stage, which is worth weighing carefully in a category where dosing is routine and where added sweetness is frequently mistaken for maturity. Nothing is doing that work here. The result pours a deep reddish amber and opens on red fruits, honey and toasted nuts, then moves across the palate through wood, vanilla and baked apple with a warm spice underneath. It is smooth and well balanced without being soft, and it finishes clean rather than cloying. Drink it neat or over a large cube with a twist of orange peel. It also makes an excellent rum Old Fashioned, and it takes a splash of sparkling water or ginger ale without falling apart, which is more than most twelve year spirits can manage. For anyone stepping up from a mixing rum to something worth sitting with, this is the natural next bottle.
ABV / Proof
| ABV |
40% |
| Proof |
80 |
| Size |
750ml |
| Country |
Nicaragua |
| Region |
Chichigalpa |
| Category |
Rum |
| Expression |
Centenario 12, Single Estate |
| Age |
12 years |
| Base |
Estate grown sugarcane |
| Maturation |
Small American white oak barrels |
| Distillery |
Compañía Licorera de Nicaragua, established 1890 |
Tasting Notes
Color: Deep reddish amber, drawn entirely from twelve years in oak.
Nose: Red fruits and honey lead, with toasted nuts and a soft oak sweetness behind them.
Palate: Full and rounded, with wood, vanilla and baked apple moving into warm brown spice and a light nuttiness.
Finish: Smooth and well balanced, of medium length, closing clean on vanilla and oak rather than turning sweet.
FAQ
What proof is Flor de Caña Centenario 12? It is bottled at 80 proof, or 40 percent alcohol by volume.
How does it compare to the 18 Year? The 18 is deeper, drier and more concentrated, with dark chocolate and charred oak. The 12 is brighter and fruitier, leaning on red fruit and baked apple, and it sits at a considerably more accessible price.
Does it contain added sugar? The producer states its rums are made without added sugar, artificial flavors or additives, which is notable in a category where dosing is common.
What does single estate mean? The sugarcane, distillation, aging and bottling all take place within one family owned operation in Chichigalpa, rather than the rum being sourced or blended from multiple producers.
How should I serve it? Neat or over a large cube with an orange twist. It also builds a strong rum Old Fashioned and holds up with sparkling water or ginger ale.
Where can I buy Flor de Caña Centenario 12 Rum online? Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.
