It is a blend of molasses and sugarcane syrup rums, distilled in pot, kettle, and column stills.

Review

Smell

It smells sweet and caramelly, oaky, with a bit of raisin-like funk. Havana Club 7 smells more deep and caramelized, while Mantuano smells lighter and more fruity and raisiny.

Taste

It’s pretty oaky, the bourbon barrel comes through, but also a sweetness and a raisiny flavor comes through as well. Havana Club 7 is much deeper and bolder with caramel and oak flavor, while Mantuano tastes more watered down and sweeter. It’s not particularly smooth.

Verdict 5.5/10

(Edited from 6.5/10 on 1/4/26)

I give the highest score to mantuano just because it’s the most flavorful of the bunch. It’s quite mild in flavor, as a lot of Spanish style rums are, but it’s not a bad sipper. It’s not as good as Havana Club 7, but it’s not far off. 6.5/10

January 4, 2026 Update:

Mantuano continues to be the best, despite being pretty mediocre. It’s a bit sweet and not very flavorful, but it’s alright. Reduced to 5.5/10