LAST YEAR, we tried Dos Maderas PX 5+5 for the first time.
The rum, made by sherry maker Williams & Humbert, is unique in that it is aged for five years in the Caribbean in bourbon casks and then taken to Spain, where it’s aged for an additional five years in sherry casks.
That was among the contenders for last year’s Rum of the Year, and with good reason — it’s an exceptional rum.
We recently had an opportunity to try something even more special: Dos Maderas Luxus, a limited-edition rum from the same company.
Luxus is different in that it’s aged for 10 years in the Caribbean (using, like PX 5+5, rums from Guyana and Barbados), and then aged for another five in Spain in sherry casks — specifically, casks that formerly contained the 20-year-old Don Guido Pedro Ximenez sherry.
Williams & Humbert is making just 5,000 bottles of this being made each year.
Luxus has a very dark amber colour, with a distinct aroma of sherry. The flavour profile, as in the PX 5+5, somehow converts into a taste more similar to port, with a slight hint of oak and molasses.
The finish is smooth and balanced.
Luxus is a truly terrific rum — rooted in the 5+5, to be sure, but far smoother, richer and more complex.
But it also reminds of just how good the 5+5 truly is.
If you can splurge for the Luxus (and it will cost you a pretty penny – upwards of $100 to $150), you will not be disappointed. And if not, you’ll find a winner in the PX 5+5.
We just hope Williams & Humbert keeps churning out more rums like these.
— CJ