I’ve had this bottle for a while, picking it up just after Christmas 2025, but just cracked it open yesterday. It had a big hill to climb because my view on rum is generally low after trying a bunch of the mass market, caramel-colored and sugar-added releases that make up most of what’s on shelves these days. But I’ve also been excited to try Alambique Serrano as a brand because of the brand’s production methods, its family origins, and the fact that, as I began exploring spirits seriously for the first time after many years abstaining from all alcohol, is a Mexico-produced spirit like my beloved tequilas and non-tequila mezcals. And this bottle from Alambique Serrano delivered and has changed my perspective on what a rum can be.
Produced by brothers Isidoro, Rommel, William, and Axel Krassel, descendants of a German immigrant who came to Veracruz in 1917, the brand produces single origin rums in Santa María Tlalixtac, Oaxaca, using 100% Java sugar cane (caña Java) brought over originally from Indonesia. Fermentation occurs in pine wood and steel tanks using ambient yeast and distillation uses self-designed copper pot and column stills. The rum is slow-proofed using water from the Río Blanco and is bottled at 92.2 proof (46.1% ABV), non-chill filtered with natural color and no sugar added.
3 Años is a blend of 12 casks per batch and is a blend of 82% column still rum aged 38 months and 18% copper alembic pot still rum aged 40 months both in virgin French Oak casks in a humid underground cellar. This bottle is from batch 3A-01-25.
Dark amber gold in the glass, 3 Años has medium-long viscosity in the glass and on the palate with a longer finish of around 10 seconds. The aromas and flavors are defined by earthy, funky, dark sweetness with strong cinnamon reminiscent of a freshly baked cinnamon bun, dark raisins and unprocessed oatmeal drizzled with dark raw honey, orange peel, ginger/gingersnap cookies, baked apples sprinkled with cinnamon (akin to the filling of an apple pie), cinnamon crème brûlée, nutmeg, cardamom, light cloves, herbal and floral notes, and balanced oak, sandalwood, and black pepper.
The virgin French Oak makes a strong showing here but is never overwhelming to the rum. This is excellent and costs (in my market) under $60. It’s changed my thinking on what a rum can be, and I look forward to seeing how this evolves and to comparing it to two other single barrel, cask strength Alambique Serrano rums that I picked up at the same time as this bottle.
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