Ron Barcelo Dominican Rum

Travel Distilled reviews Ron Barcelo Imperial, a Caribbean rum from the Dominican Republic.

Several years ago I was lucky enough to be asked to write a short guidebook to the Dominican Republic, for a tour company to give to their customers. So off I flew to spend a week there, with hectic days fitting in as many of the island’s attractions as I could.

In the evening I would write down my day’s experiences, and then wander out to find somewhere to eat. Preceeded by a rum cocktail of some kind, of course. And then often followed by a rum nightcap. They were long days, especially as I was driving on my own, and anyone who’s ever driven on a Caribbean island knows what that’s like.

The rums I drank were certainly not high-end rums. They’d be whatever the bartender would serve you if you ordered a shot of rum. Back then I was purely a travel writer and didn’t know anything about the finer points of spirits.

So I was excited to try this Rum Barcelo Imperial from the Dominican Republic. I stayed in Puerto Plata on the north coast, and even if I knew then about the Ron Barcello distillery it wouldn’t have done me any good as they were a 4-hour drive away on the south coast.

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. To the east is the island of Puerto Rico, and to the west is Cuba – two other great rum-producing nations. The Dominican Republic has a population of about 11 million, and an area of almost 19,000 square miles, making it almost half the size of Kentucky. It’s got an ideal climate for growing sugarcane… and therefore perfect for making rum.

Ron Barcelo Dominican Rum

Ron Barcelo was founded in 1929 when a 25-year-old Spanish man named Julian Barcelo arrived in Santo Domingo, the country’s capital, and began to make rum. The brand he founded has now won more awards than any other rum in the country. It’s also the fourth-biggest rum exporter in the world, with its rums available in fifty countries.

Dominican Rum Standard

The company’s rums abide by the Dominican Rum Standard, which means that ‘rum producers must harvest the sugar cane, ferment, distill and age the alcohol in oak barrels for a minimum of one year, in the territory of the Dominican Republic.’

Canelazo Rum Cocktail made with Ron Barcelo — Canelazo Rum Cocktail

Ron Barcelo Imperial

The Imperial rum is their core product, though they have many other rums too, including an Añejo and a Gran Añejo. The Imperial is made from sugar cane and is aged in ex-bourbon American oak barrels for anything from four to ten years. This results in a beautiful rich deep coppery color.

Ron Barcelo Dominican Rum Mama Juana Rum Cocktail — Mama Juana Rum Cocktail

Tasting Ron Barcelo Dominican Rum

The bottle is handsome – short and stocky, with a classy design that will grace any bar or drinks cabinet. It’s the kind of bottle that will make anyone look like someone who drinks only the best rums.

On the nose there’s sweetness, more honey than vanilla, with a hint of lemon citrus, spices, cherries, and all-in-all it’s a very sophisticated aroma, with some oak and caramel from the ex-bourbon barrels. On the palate it becomes spicier but still creamy, fruity, more oak, and burnt caramel. It slips down very smoothly indeed, with all those delicious flavors lingering.

I’m not surprised that on the company’s website their first recommendation is that all it needs is a couple of ice cubes. Despite that, the company does have some rum cocktail suggestions.