To create great spirits, distilleries can’t always focus on the current marketplace or worry about today’s trends. They have to look years, even decades, into the future, knowing that what they distill today may not see the light of day until after their retirement. The newest rum from Flor de Caña was distilled and laid down to age in American white oak barrels in 1990 by the third generation of the Pellas family to have operated the brand since its inception a century earlier. In 2025, it was bottled by the fifth generation. At 35 years old, it’s the oldest Flor de Caña rum ever released by one of the oldest operating companies in Central America.
A Story of Resilience Since 1890
Flor de Caña 35 Year Rum is both the culmination of 135 years of rum-making expertise and the latest landmark in the brand’s ongoing journey. It’s said that only three in 10,000 family businesses survive to get passed on to the fifth generation. Flor de Caña has beaten the odds, surviving its share of upheaval throughout its history. A civil war; economic shifts; multiple natural disasters including volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and fires; and surviving a plane crash are just some of the challenges the brand has faced over the decades.
Today, Flor de Caña is doing its part for its community and the planet, making history as the world’s first Carbon Neutral and Fair Trade-certified spirit. Its rum has been distilled using 100 percent renewable energy for more than a decade, with CO2 emissions captured and recycled and over 1 million trees planted since 2005. The brand also takes care of its employees, providing free health care for their families and free education at the company hospital and school for their children.
From Distinctive Terroir Comes a Unique Rum
All of Flor de Caña’s rums stand out because of the terroir from which they come—the volcanic, mineral-rich soil at the base of Nicaragua’s tallest volcano, San Cristóbal, located near the Pacific Ocean. The combination of the soil and the unique tropical climate leavened by ocean breezes have made it an ideal place to produce and age an exquisitely smooth rum.
Flor de Caña 35 Year has been overseen from start to finish by Maestro Ronero Tomás Cano, who has been with Flor de Caña for almost four decades. The rum is part of the founding family’s private reserves, rare examples of which make it to the public. “Flor de Caña 35 Year Rum embodies the essence, values, and artistry that have defined our brand for 135 years,” Cano says. “More than a collector’s item, it is a rare treasure of time—crafted for those who value authenticity, legacy, and excellence.” As with all Flor de Caña’s rums, the 35 Year is completely natural, bottled without added sugar or other additives.
After a full 35 years of tropical maturation, the rum is full bodied, with profound aromas of honey, aged wood, and licorice, inviting the senses to explore further. On the palate it offers exquisite flavors of bitter chocolate, intense vanilla, and warm nutmeg. Cano describes it as “a sensorial symphony that honors both time and a family’s heritage.” The rum is best enjoyed neat, served in an opera-styled glass.
A Decanter Worthy of the Rum It Holds
Only 350 individually numbered bottles of the 35 Year will be available worldwide, at a suggested retail price of $4,000. The rum is housed in a bespoke crystal decanter designed to evoke the ridges and peaks of the San Cristóbal volcano; it’s topped with a stopper made from volcanic obsidian rock, with a leather band adorning the neck. The decanter comes in a custom-made walnut display case adorned with intricate engravings recalling the flora found at the base of the volcano. In addition to the full 700 ml bottle, a limited number of 100 ml decanters, presented in an elegant green keepsake case, will be available for $630.
“Flor de Caña 35 Year Rum is not just a spirit,” says Cano, “it is a time capsule, an heirloom, and a statement piece for collectors who seek the extraordinary. It offers not just the chance to savor one of the rarest rums ever released, but also to own a symbol of patience and artistry that transcends generations.”
To learn more about this landmark release in the history of the brand and the rum category in general, visit Flor de Caña online here.