Rum Review: Pampero Aniversario Reserva Exclusiva
Ron Anejo Pampero Aniversario Reserva Exclusiva
Do good things really come in small packages? Let’s take a look at Pampero’s Aniversario and find out. This squat little bottle comes to us from Venezuela by way of our friends at Diageo. For some reason, Pampero comes in a superfluous leather pouch. From what I can gather, they have sold it in the leather pouch since its introduction in 1963—a year that commemorated the distillery’s twenty-fifth anniversary, hence the name Aniversario.
At 7-3/8” high and 3-1/4” wide, Pampero Aniversario holds the distinction of being the shortest rum bottle in my collection. The label has an old world charm emblazoned with a fairytale font that invites us to pop the cork and see what magic awaits us. Let’s do just that.
I poured a serving into my snifter and swirled. Thin waves of rum clung to the top of the glass and were suspended in time for a few moments before descending ever so slowly back to the bowl. Sufficient viscosity? Check. The color is a combination of luminescent mahogany and bronze that seems to glow in the glass.
On the nose, the Pampero exhibits a delightful combination of caramel and cocoa with hints of coffee and vanilla and almost no astringency. There’s also a fruit note reminiscent of cherry. So far so good, amigo. Let’s taste.
The mouth feel is slick and smooth with a moderate spicy heat. The initial flavors here are near perfect translations of the aromas: caramel and cocoa combine with oak and coffee notes giving me visions of an amazing rum-spiked caramel macchiato. The finish is long and utterly pleasant—oak and vanilla are the lasting flavors here.
Summing up, the Pampero Aniversario is a truly fine Venezuelan sipping rum that would be at home on even the most discerning rum connoisseur’s shelf. It is at once complex and approachable, bold yet smooth—a paradox in a glass. I can see why this little guy took double gold at the 2007 San Francisco Spirits Competition. Oh, and it’s affordable—about $35/750 ml locally.
Now for the scores:
- Appearance 1/1
- Aroma 2/2
- Mouth feel 1/1
- Taste 3/4
- Aftertaste 2/2
- Total 9/10
Buy Pampero Aniversario online
What’s your take on Pampero Aniversario Reserva Exclusiva? Let me know in the comments section below.
Aloha,
Josh
Inu A Kena 
I pay 30 bucks a bottle for PARE on Grand Isle in la ( yes, it’s, still standing after Katria, Rita, Manocando and Issac).
Not sure what “mouth feel” means, I just know it taste good neat, rocks, spash of cola, etc…
Glad to hear you are doing well and enjoying your rum in Jefferson Parish! Cheers
Aniversario is all on toasted coconut. I recommend it as the natives do… El Ritual… a shot of Pampero with a lime coated in coffee grounds and sugar. Don’t forget the floss though.
Thanks for your comment Tripdforlife! I think I’ll stick to drinking it straight 🙂
Pomoreo is not being distributed in Louisiana for the last four or five months and I can’t find out why. Is it just La. or all U.S.A.or is there a problem at the source?
Hi Alan,
The short answer is “Venezuela”. The country was already at risk of defaulting on its national debt, and now with the huge drop in oil prices (the county’s biggest source of revenue) the wheels are coming off entirely. McDonald’s ran out of French fries there yesterday, so I don’t imagine we’ll be seeing new shipments of Pampero for a while. -Josh
I haven’t been able to find this rum in Virginia either..even drove to Maryland once and couldn’t even special order it…aren’t there also some sort trade sanctions against Venezuela that might be causing this?..
Nope, no sanctions against rum, Mel. I heard we might see some this Spring, but only time will tell.
can I find any information about the age of the bottle from its number? #48249 N
I also have a very old bottle of Aniversario Rum that my husband and I bought in Venezuela over 20+ years ago when we were traveling. It got lost in one of our moves and we just found it in our attic. Before breaking the seal I’d love to know exactly how old this bottle is. The number on the paper label sealing the bottle is ….A91M – 39926294. Please let me know if anyone can take a guess. Thanks, C
$25 @ Total Wine. Although the bag is sometimes missing