Caramelized sugar | Molasses | Rye spice | Hint of citrus

Brown sugar | Caramel | Maple syrup | Cinnamon | Slight herbal note | Rich & full flavored | Sweet

Tempered rye spice | Leather | Cane sugar | Orange rind | Developing dry heat on the backend

Michael Antonio Martinez founded Fincasa and “is built on a passion for learning and hearing stories about different cultures, especially from [his family’s] heritage and family in Puerto Rico,” by his own account. The company sources whiskey and finishes it in rum barrels. This bottle boasts their longest finish yet, at 12 months, compared to 7 months and 9 months for previous releases.    

Five years ago, we published The Rise of Rum Barrel Finished Whiskeys, an article in which we explored the burgeoning trend in the American Whiskey industry. Despite this trend, we have not experienced an overwhelming number of them in the marketplace, and few have been solidified as mainstay brands. Fincasa is building their entire brand on rum barrel finishing, and being relatively new to the scene, they are dialing the flavor profile in with varying base whiskey and finishing times for each of their small batches.

The whiskey gets a lot right, with ample amounts of spice and complementary sweetness. Caramelized sugar on the nose gives way to molasses, rye spice, and a hint of citrus. The sip brings brown sugar and caramel upfront, with maple syrup, cinnamon, and a slight herbal note on the backend. Tempered rye spice introduces the finish, which is joined by leather, cane sugar, and orange rind. Dry heat develops on the backend, which detracts slightly from what is otherwise a really enjoyable sip.

Unlike Angel’s Envy Finished Rye, which goes all-in on the sweetness from the rum barrel finishing, Fincasa De La Tierra Rum Barrel Finish Rye offers more balance between the base rye and rum barrel sweetness from the finishing barrels. For comparison, Fincasa is technically similar, but is offered at a slightly lower price point than the Angel’s Envy. While this is a premium, given the limited options in the marketplace for rum finished ryes and this direct comparison, Fincasa is absolutely worth seeking out if you like the concept of Angel’s Envy Finished Rye (or rum barrel finished ryes in general), but prefer more overall balance.

The bottle in review is from batch 3.