What is Dominican Rum?
Famous for its full-bodied, aged Rums from column stills, the Dominican Republic produces some of the best in the world. This reputation is primarily due to a strict rule. In making Dominican Rum, distillers must harvest the sugar cane, ferment, distill, and age the alcohol in oak barrels for at least one year, and all of these steps must also take place within the Dominican Republic.
Generations of Dominican Republic "Rum families" who own and operate the distilleries take great pride in their handed-down recipes and traditions. For instance, they carefully select only wooden casks that can give the rRm its distinctive character.
To get a taste of the most official Dominican drink though, you may need to get on a plane and go there. The Mamajuana is made with Rum, red wine, and honey that’s soaked in a bottle with herbs and tree bark, of all things. It’s also the much-honored national drink of the Dominican Republic. Unofficially speaking, rumors abound of Mamajuana being a natural pain remedy and aphrodisiac.
How is Dominican Rum made?
Most Rum is produced from molasses, a byproduct of sugarcane. Within the Caribbean, most molasses comes from Brazil, although some sugarcane is still grown in The Dominican Republic.
Arriving at the distillery, the molasses is fermented with water and yeast, creating a low-alcohol mixture, then first-distilled to create a raw high-proof alcohol named ‘flema.’
Next comes a second distillation. The batch is diluted and transferred into the wooden barrels for aging. The best thing about aging Rum in wooden barrels is how it smooths out the flavors: typically with vanilla, caramel, and spicy notes. Usually oak is the wood of choice, but Punta Cana rum may be aged in cedar. Rum comes in many colors, but like all distilled spirits, it starts colorless. It’s that year or more sitting in the wooden barrels that determines the final color of the spirit.
Now comes the aging. It might be the required minimum of one year or up to eight before the Rum gets blended. Before this Dominican Rum can be called Rum, it must rest in tanks to let it homogenize and breathe. This step helps smooth out both the texture and flavors before it’s bottled.
Where does Dominican Rum come from?
Founded in 1852, Bermudez became the first Dominican Republic Rum distillery. Rum aficionados treasure Bermúdez 1852 Aniversario variety because it’s both robust and smooth.
Brugal was first to make aged Rum in the Dominican Republic (1888) and is now the third-largest producer of Rum in the world. For an extra-aged Rum, you may want to try Brugal Extra Viejo or "extra old", is a stunning Rum aged up to eight years in ex-American whiskey casks.
Since 1929, Barceló Rum has been produced in Santa Domingo and is now the fourth largest exporter of Rum in the world. A blend aged up to 6 years in used Whisky and Bourbon barrels, Ron Barcelo Rum Imperial is cherished for its notes of pineapple, vanilla, and caramelized walnuts.
Browse our wide selection of Dominican rum and start exploring all this category has to offer.
