Santa Teresa Rum Anejo Claro is a molasses-based rum that is created by blending rums that have been aged for an average of three years in used American oak casks. The rum is blended and then bottled at 40% abv. Light on the palate in the entry, the first thing you taste is sugar – almost cotton candy-like. The entry very quickly dissipates and the astringency from the nose finds its away across your tongue and down your throat very quickly. This rum is not a sipper. Once you get past the initial shock of ethanol and go back for a second or third sip, you start finding very pleasant notes of toasted coconut, banana, and raw cane. There is a sweetness throughout the tasting experience that makes a valiant effort to combat the ethanol burn, but ultimately loses out.