Objective Notes

Very Smooth (on the RnD scale of Harsh-Smooth-Very Smooth-Extremely Smooth).

Selecto’s color is best described as dark amber or medium brown with amber highlights on the edges of the glass. I raise my glass up to take in the aromas I note very pleasing buttery vanilla initially, then oak, brown sugar, and finally very light ethanol. My first sip is yum! An velvety smooth entry leads to a full body, lightly warming, and thicker than expected. Flavors discovered are vanilla, wood, and light char. The finish is long and smooth with a sweet warm disposition leaving softly as you think to yourself “this is one nice sipping rum!”

Anecdotal Notes

Selecto is a premium rum from Santa Teresa. Hacienda Santa Teresa has been making rum for over 200 years. Its current production facilities are capable of producing 18 million litters per year and they store and age approximately 24 million litters in 18 storage sheds. Selecto rum is distilled, from molasses, aged in some of the 100,000 white oak barrels and casks on the property. The master blender selects a blend of heavy and light rums up to 10 years old to craft the final product. The bottle is tall, round and slender with two small labels identifying the rum name and distiller leaving a lot of glass to show off the beautiful color of this rum. Its topped by a paper label wrapping the plastic screw cap and it has a plastic pour limiter you typically find from bottles from Central and South America.

Taster’s Opinion

Roger – Selecto is a very smooth and flavorful rum from Santa Teresa. Its best enjoyed neat or on the rocks. It’s a great sipper. I wouldn’t mix this rum but if you did it would make one memorable cocktail I’m sure. I find it has a fuller body and is slightly darker in color than it’s more expensive and older sibling, Santa Teresa 1796, and it’s just about as smooth and favorable. Selecto is not as widely available as 1796 so if you do find a bottle snatch it up (or two or three), as you’ll have a hard time finding such good rum for the price.

Taster's Rating:  Roger – 9 Flasks

Most recently tasted by: Roger, April 2010 at RnD’s North tasting room, USA.