The Rums of Mexico (700 ml) 'Melaza con Muck' Rum, Jalisco (114.2 proof)

Melaza con Muck is a high-ester molasses rum distilled at Satvrnal Distillery in Zapopan, Jalisco, bottled at 114.2 proof. First-generation master distillers Pedro Andrés and Jorge Nájera fermented high-grade melaza clara (clear molasses) for fifteen days using a custom "muck" recipe inspired by Jamaica's Monymusk and Long Pond estates, then distilled the wash in a custom copper hybrid still. This is The Rums of Mexico's debut release from Satvrnal, marking the first time a Mexican distillery has pursued the funky, aromatic rum style historically dominated by Caribbean producers, and it arrives in Chicago with the kind of ester-driven character that serious rum collectors hunt for on islands thousands of miles south. The Rums of Mexico project spans five expressions from four distillers across three Mexican states — Veracruz, Oaxaca, and Jalisco — each bottling showcasing a different production method and terroir. Satvrnal Distillery sits in Zapopan, a municipality in the Guadalajara metropolitan area better known for tequila than rum, but Pedro Andrés and Jorge Nájera are proving Jalisco's distilling infrastructure translates to cane spirits just as capably. The fifteen-day fermentation window is unusually long even by funky-rum standards, giving wild yeasts and the proprietary muck starter time to generate the esters and congeners that define the style. The copper hybrid still preserves those volatile aromatics while leaving enough control to avoid the solvent harshness that can plague poorly executed high-ester runs. Expect a nose loaded with chocolate, overripe banana, and strawberry candy, segueing into a palate of mild roast coffee, brûléed banana, and a salty-sweet strawberry gum note that sounds strange on paper but works in the glass. The proof carries weight without burn — 114.2 is high enough to coat the palate but low enough to sip neat if you take your time. This is a rum for anyone who loves Jamaican funk but wants to see what happens when that technique migrates to Jalisco terroir and Mexican molasses. Use it in a daiquiri if you want the funk to ride over the citrus, or pour it next to a blanco tequila and taste how different two agave-adjacent spirits from the same state can be. It pairs well with dark chocolate, anything involving caramelized plantains, or a simple espresso. Melaza con Muck is available for pickup at our Lincoln Park bottle shop at 1128 W Armitage Ave, for local Chicago delivery, or for shipping nationwide where laws allow.