Dictador 20 year old Reserva Iconica

Profile: The Dictador 20 year old Reserva Iconica at a glance

• Dictador 20 year old Reserva Iconica – A long Caribbean holiday in a bottle
• Made from sugar cane honey sourced from Colombia’s oldest sugar cane growing region
• Distilled in copper pot and column stills for harmonious balance
• Aged in a tropical climate in ex-Bourbon, Sherry, and Port wine casks
• Double Gold winner at the 2012 San Francisco World Spirits Competition
• Double Gold winner at the 2012 WSWA Tasting Competition in Las Vegas
• Gold winner at the 2013 San Francisco World Spirits Competition
• Gold winner at the 2013 WSWA Tasting Competition in Orlando
• Gold winner at the 2013 China Wine & Spirits Awards (CWSA)

• Gold Medal Winner at the Los Angeles International Spirits Competition 2016 & 2017

Profile: What makes the Dictador 20 year old Reserva Iconica special

Some people take 20 years to figure out what they want in life. Dictador 20 year old Reserva Iconica knew from the very beginning: it wanted sun, maturity, and truly excellent sugarcane. And it found them in South America's very first sugarcane-growing region—right on Colombia's Caribbean coast, where the climate is so fertile that even the rain seems sweet.

The sugarcane harvested there grows tall and basks in the sun; it is processed into the finest sugarcane honey—the foundation of Dictador’s character. Distillation follows using a combination of classic copper pot stills (alambics) and modern column stills—showing flexibility, yet always with style.

As for the aging? Tropical, naturally. It takes place in oak casks—some of which previously held bourbon, sherry, or port wine.  And because not only the rum but also the “Angel’s Share” evaporates quickly in the Caribbean, the master distillers rely on a clever variation of the Solera method: only rums of the same age are allowed to blend together. No age discrimination in the barrel!

Behind it all is Hernan Parra, Master Blender and member of the Parra family, which has run the Dictador empire for decades—with a precision that seems almost German, yet with a much better mood.

And yes, it has won countless international awards—without ever having to dress up for the occasion. After all, Dictador 20 is the type that is finely aged, charmingly mysterious, and always a bit cooler than the rest.

Tasting Notes: This is how the Dictador 20 year old Reserva Iconica tastes like

• Nose: complex and warm with distinct notes of caramel, vanilla, and roasted coffee—subtle hints of dark chocolate, dried fruit, and a touch of oak in the background
• Palate: smooth and rounded with an elegant balance of sweetness and spice – toffee, mocha, and candied fruit meet subtle woody notes and a hint of nutmeg and leather
• Finish: long and velvety with lingering impressions of vanilla, dried fruit, and a delicate roasted note – the influence of the Port casks reveals itself in an elegant, slightly fruity depth