Flor de Cana 12 Year
flavorcamp
August 16, 2025
TL;DR: Balanced between dessert and dry — think orange peel, spice, and honeyed charm.
Flor de Caña has been producing rum in Nicaragua for over 130 years, and its story is inseparable from the land it’s made on. Distilled at the base of the San Cristóbal volcano, the rum reflects both rich volcanic soil and a climate that favors slow aging. The brand is also a leader in sustainable practices, with its distillery running on renewable energy and boasting Fair Trade and carbon-neutral certifications. Flor de Caña 12 Year is a slow-aged spirit, resting naturally in white oak casks without artificial sweeteners or additives. The result is a rum that marries tradition and modern conscientiousness, bringing both depth and lightness to the glass.
Flavor Camp Taste Profile
Overall Review
- Overall Assessment: 85/100
- Distinctiveness: 7.5/10
- Bottle Appeal: 8.5/10
- Value for Price: 9/10
- Crushable / Daily Drinker
- Cocktail Worthy
- Special Occasion Sipper
- Weird & Wonderful
- Skip It
Tasting Notes
- Appearance: Caramel
- Aroma: Bright orange zest and vanilla lead, followed by caramel, honey, and light molasses. Cooked apple and baking spice (allspice, nutmeg) round it out with a faint floral lift.
- Taste & Mouthfeel: Creamy and layered. Caramel and nougat meet nutmeg, allspice, and orange peel. There’s a smoothness here that makes it both elegant and easygoing.
- Finish: Medium-long with lingering honey, dried orange peel, and gentle spice. A thread of oak and roasted almond gives it structure, while light vanilla and a whisper of tobacco leaf leave a graceful close.
- Distinctiveness: Flor de Caña 12 is less about bold eccentricities and more about polish. Its uniqueness lies in balance. It's a rum that feels equally suited for sipping neat or serving as a refined cocktail base.
- Overall Drinkability & Balance: Clean, well-structured, and approachable. The sweetness is restrained, the spice integrated, and the creamy mouthfeel ties it together beautifully. For many, this will be the definition of an “easy drinking,” column distilled, aged rum.
Product Details
- Producer: Compañía Licorera de Nicaragua
- Type: Aged Rum
- Age: 12 Years (average age)
- Still Type: Column
- Cask Type(s): Ex-Bourbon
- Origin: Nicaragua
- Composition: Molasses
- ABV: 40% ABV
- # of Distillations: 5x
- Price: $35-50 CAD (2025)
Fun Facts / Notes:
- Distilled at the base of a live volcano, San Cristóbal, the highest in Nicaragua.
- Certified Fair Trade and carbon-neutral, making it one of the most sustainable rums on the market.
- “Flor de Caña” translates to “flower of the cane,” a poetic nod to its sugarcane origins.
Food Pairing Recommendations:
- Spiced nuts or nut brittle (a textural echo of its nougat and almond finish)
- Apple tart or tarte tatin (fruit and caramel pairing to mirror the cooked apple notes)
Cocktail Recommendations
- Rum Manhattan (with sweet vermouth and bitters — lets the caramel and spice shine)
- El Presidente (a classic Cuban cocktail with dry vermouth, orange curaçao, grenadine)
- Rum Sour (light citrus to echo the orange peel notes)
