Review: Santa Teresa 1796 Solera Rum (2025)
Review: Santa Teresa 1796 Solera Rum (2025)
The Hacienda Santa Teresa, the oldest family-owned rum company in Venezuela, was founded in the Aragua Valleys in 1796 and is still there today, operated by the fifth generation of the Vollmer family with a story 229 years in the making. Known for their single estate rum, this core expression is crafted using their solera method – a traditional aging process adopted from Spanish Sherry producers; it was the first super-premium rum to employ the solera method. Since the first fill, every bottle of Santa Teresa rum has some of the very first mother rum and contains blends aged up to 35 years.
Nancy Duarte and Néstor Ortega, with over 70 years of combined experience, created Santa Teresa 1796, rum known for its low sugar content of only 3 grams per 750ml bottle, to commemorate the Hacienda’s bicentennial in 1996. Since then, the rum has garnered global recognition.
This year, the brand released a refreshed look and slightly tweaked descriptor — “Triple Aged Solera Rum” — that “beautifully captures the brand’s unique distilling process and rich Venezuelan heritage. This modernized design pays homage to centuries of tradition while signaling an exciting new chapter for the brand. While the exterior has been reimagined, the bottle holds the same award-winning liquid that fans and connoisseurs cherish.”
The bottle comes in an attractive canister with the top adorned with their signature rosette design. The bottles are hand-dipped in red wax, which most spirit lovers usually love or hate. I am typically not a fan of this type of packaging, but I am happy to report that the wax coating is soft and thin, so it is easy to remove without mess.
Let’s taste it.
Santa Teresa 1796 Solera Rum (2025) Tasting Notes
This rum has a deep amber color and a bold fruit-forward bouquet, featuring spicy fruitcake and molasses aromas.
On the palate, the liquid is viscous with a lovely velvety texture. The heat synergizes with the initial flavors of chocolate, marzipan, and dark stone fruits. As the flavors develop mid-palate, warm honey and almond cookies come into the picture with sweet grapes. The sweetness is well balanced with the fruit and dessert flavors, staying just at the edge of going overboard with sugar for those born without a sweet tooth. The finish is long, with dark stone fruits, almond cookies, and spice cake lingering. The chocolate comes back right at the end for a delicious finish.
Santa Teresa 1896 Triple Aged Solera Rum is easy to drink, with complexity and nuances that don’t overcomplicate but offer an interesting experience throughout. This expression tastes like a very old rum without the musk and oak, instead offering bigger fruit flavors. For the price, this is a must-grab bottle that can be used in cocktails and is excellent for sipping neat.
80 proof.
A / $40 / santateresarum.com [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Santa Teresa 1796 Solera Rum (2025)
$40
