The Montanya Distillery in Colorado is a pioneer in the American rum category, having created some of the most scintillating drinks to be found anywhere in the world. One of the brand’s most beautiful offerings is the Oro, a subtle, smoky drink that builds in character with every sip and reflects the passion of the people who’ve created it.
Brand Story
To learn more about the awesome story of Montanya, be sure to check out The Rum Ration’s review of the distillery’s Valentia rum.
Craftsmanship
The Oro is an award-winning rum that’s earned eight silver medals and ‘Best In Class’ designation. Translating from Spanish to ‘gold,’ there’s a sense that the Oro was distilled with royalty in mind.
It’s made from sugarcane juice and mixed with local water. The rum is aged for a year in an American white oak barrel that used to hold Laws Colorado whisky, which imparts a full-bodied profile because of the barrel being fresh from the whisky.
What sets the Oro apart from some dark aged rums is that there’s no added sugar, molasses or caramel. It’s not carbon filtered and maintains its natural colour. A dollop of honey is added to bring out natural flavours.
Tasting Notes
On the nose, the Oro has a warm, bready scent that invites you in and conjures images of that first slice of hot toast that pops out of the toaster for breakfast. The flavour of coffee and caramel sweeps in, providing a smooth kick that keeps on going towards the back of the mouth and crackles in the aftertaste.
Subtler notes of chilli pepper, chocolate and anise sparkle in the background, like the instruments in an orchestra coming together to create a grand symphony of awesome flavours.
If you’ve never tried any of Montanya’s rums before the Oro is an excellent place to start. It’s well-rounded, tastes damn good and works as a sipper and a mixer.
ABV: 40%
Origin: Colorado
Variety: Agricole
Style: Dark, aged
Nose: Toast, chocolate
Mouthfeel: Bread, coffee, chilli pepper, chocolate, anise
Another Montanya rum that’s worth trying is the wonderful Platino. It’s the kind of white rum that will make you reevaluate what white rum is!
The Rum Ration 
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