The olfactory precision of legendary rum distiller Francisco Jose “Don Pancho” Fernandez Perez is so precious it was once insured by Lloyd’s of London. Previously the head rummaker for beloved Havana Club, Fernandez is known as Cuba’s ”minister” of rum . In the 1980s, he started making his own rum in Herrera, Panama, after years of traveling there. Now, Don Pancho Origenes (aged 8, 18, and 30 years) is available in select U.S. markets ($90–$380; luekens liquors.com). We asked the rum maestro to guide us through the basics of drinking rum.
What makes aged rum special?
Today, there are accelerating mechanisms, flavorings, and chemical additives in many rums. I am totally against that. Just like you can’t become an engineer after only six months of training, you can’t get legitimately…
