29/09/2026
🇬🇧 On a special invitation, I had the opportunity to experience not only Panama’s finest rums, but also a rum that has gone far beyond Panama’s borders and is enjoyed around the world — Don Pancho.
What makes Don Pancho special is that the entire production process is integrated within the same company — from sugar cane and molasses production, through distillation and aging in wooden barrels, all the way to bottling.
As soon as you enter one of the 4 warehouses, you can smell the rum slowly aging in the wooden barrels. The youngest rum they offer is aged for 8 years, while the oldest reaches an impressive 30 years.
The distillate comes from farms in the province of Chiriquí, while the rest of the process, including aging in the barrels, continues in Panama City.
During the visit, we also had the opportunity to see the laboratory where the different characteristics of the rum are carefully checked, as well as the area where the final bottling takes place.
And then comes the best way to truly understand the quality of Don Pancho rum — the tasting. 🥃
We tasted rums aged 8, 18 and 25 years, as well as a special rum created with a delicious coffee flavor.
Whether you are a rum enthusiast or simply curious to discover something new, this is an experience that takes you behind the scenes, lets you explore the art of rum-making and ends with an unforgettable tasting. It is definitely worth adding to your Panama itinerary.
Have you ever tried Panamanian rum? If you have tried another rum from Panama, there is a chance you were actually drinking rum produced here.
