Brugal’s New Premium Rum Used Unique Toasted Barrels to Infuse It With Hints of Chocolate

Jonah Flicker
·2 min read

There are several different rums produced in the Dominican Republic, but one of the best known comes from Brugal. This brand has been around since 1888, but it’s keeping things current with the launch of a new limited release that was aged in barrels seasoned with toasted cacao beans.

The new rum is called Colección Visionaria, and produced using what the brand calls an aromatic cask toasting technique developed by fifth generation Brugal maestra ronera Jassil Villanueva Quintana. What this means is that this 100 percent Dominican rum was finished in a barrel that was given a very unusual treatment after its initial maturation in bourbon barrels and sherry-seasoned European oak casks. Virgin European oak casks were toasted with local cacao beans, which are normally used to make chocolate, to infuse the wood with flavor that would then transfer into the spirit during the secondary maturation. The beans were removed before adding the rum to the casks, and according to the brand no sugar or additives were used in this particular rum.

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The concept behind the release is supposed to be about translating the flavors and sensorial experiences of the Dominican Republic through the rum. “One of my most cherished childhood memories is walking amongst the cacao trees surrounding my family home,” said Quintana in a statement. “I remember the lush and green cacao fields, the bittersweet scent of the cacao pods, and the rich aromas of roasted beans.” The result, according to the tasting notes, reveals chocolate, toasted oak, and citrus on the nose, followed by vanilla, caramel, dark chocolate, and dried fruits on the palate.

Just four batches of Colección Visionaria Edición 01 will be distilled and released globally with an SRP of $100. The rum is just rolling out this week, so it might be hard to find online at the moment, but check your local liquor store to see if it’s arrived. In the meantime, you can purchase other bottles in the Brugal lineup from ReserveBar.

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