How the Dominican Republic’s Brugal Is Crafting a New Kind of Aged Rum

There are only so many variables in the function of a spirit. For a molasses rum, it’s things like the yeast, the fermentation and, of course, the barrel — both different char profiles and cask finishes. For an agricole, it’s terroir or cane varietal and then, of course, the barrel. 

The quest for innovation has led to new methods and techniques — and three years ago, the Dominican Republic’s Ron Brugal came up with something of its own, led by maestro ronero Jassil Villanueva. 

It was a process beyond a char profile; or a wood type. What if the casks themselves were infused? 

The idea was to take different ingredients and toast (char) the casks with those ingredients inside. For example, the first was cacao, a process that saw casks toasted with cacao beans inside — and then removed. What was left was a specific, unique character. 

The rums were then aged in these casks. 

In short, this was a new variable for the rum equation. Not flavored rum, not infused rum. And nothing placed inside with the rum (as in maceration). It was a way of sending a one-way, expiring message to the spirit. 

After the cacao, Brugal launched a similar expression, but this time with coffee beans. 

And now the company has released its third: coconut. 

It’s Coleccion Visionary 3, and it’s another exciting addition to the country’s more premium portfolio. 

So what’s it like? 

The nose has vanilla, almond, and a gentle whisper of coconut, although a bit less than you ‘d expect. 

The rum itself is delicate, with confectioner’s sugar, a little spice, some coconut, and some creme brûlée, with the faintest edge of smoke on the finish. 

This is a rum with finesse, with balance, and with a discrete, palpable sense of self. 

Brugal has been rewriting the math of rum — and it’s a winning equation. 

Rum Journal Review

93 Points