The rums of Ron del Barrilito are distinctive in the world of Puerto Rican rums.  The small family owned business of Edmundo B. Fernandez has been producing these unique spirits for over 100 years. Their rum comes in two forms. The Two Star and the Three Star.  For a bit more background please see my account of a tour of the facility here on my blog under the category of Distillery Tours.

Two Star and Three Star

A color comparison of the Two Star and the Three Star

First up is the Two Star.

A beautiful medium yellow gold color leads into light but very distinctive aromas of nuts, molasses and wood with a light peppery alcohol bite.

The aromas carry well onto the tongue with a medium body and a nice warm, dryish finish.

When placed up against others in it’s class this gold rum stands out for it’s unique and relatively complex aromas and flavors. It stands up very well as a mixer and the great grandson of the founder likes it on the rocks with a twist of lemon zest for a long session of dominoes! Who am I to argue?

The back label states aged for a minimum of three years.

Bottled at 86 proof.

88 Points.

Below is pictured one very popular way to enjoy Ron del Barrilito Two Star in Puerto Rico. Fresh coconut water, a few ice cubes, a few ounces of rum and a twist of lemon zest make for a special Island drink.

Coco Barrilito

Let’s look at the Three Star now.

The deep old gold color looks wonderful in the glass.

This really is the bigger, older brother to the Ron del Barrilito Two Star. The aromas are much more pronounced and complex. Nuts and molasses are intertwined with fresh mushroom and black truffle notes. The charred barrels leave a nice mark with a smokey tinge. There is something almost organic to the aroma also. Like the smell of wet earth after a fresh rain. Wonderful!

As promised by the aromas the flavors really pop on the tongue. The medium full body has a touch of sweetness to it but the 86 proof balances it out and gives a really good grip on the palate. The finish is warm, long and sustained with a touch of rancio lingering.

Overall a splendid effort in the Anejo style of rum. Those who like Whiskey/Whisky or Armagnac may take a liking to this spirit, and those who appreciate unique high quality rum will want to have a bottle of this in their collection.

The back label states a blend of rums aged six to ten years.

Bottled at 86 Proof.

93 Points.

One can enjoy this rum neat or with an ice cube or a splash of water. It also does well in a cocktail such as a Rum Old fashioned. As a diversion I like to make a simple cocktail of it with fresh passion fruit juice, an  equal part of rum, a dash of orange bitters, a few ice cubes and a twist of lime zest.

A benefit to living in the Caribbean. Fresh Passion Fruit ready for juicing.

Barrilito's Passion

There are any number of good reasons to live in Puerto Rico. I count Ron del Barrilito’s rums as two good reasons!

El Fortin Conde de Mirassol

Once in a while we all need  to take a break and just enjoy our surroundings. Let’s take a look around this little known Caribbean Island.

The photo above is of the last Spanish Fort built in the Western hemisphere. It was never completed by the Spanish. It acted as a jail for a time during the mid 1900′s. It is now a wonderful museum.

A banana flower

Bananas and Plantains are a staple in every one’s diet and yard here. They not only produce food, they also attract some of our feathered friends.

A Bananaquit feeding on a banana flower

A Hummingbird feeding at the banana flower

There are flowers to admire also.

An explosion of red

A Purple Canaria Vine

We have some other Fauna here.

Horses

The Spanish left behind the Paso Fino breed of horses which have adapted into a type of stray known here as a “sato”. They roam freely…drivers beware.

Mom and her kids.

As in most Caribbean Islands chickens are part and parcel of every day life. They are a mixed breed and free range. They are amazingly hardy and forage for themselves.

Sometimes a chicken shows some love

There is more to come.

]]> http://waylaidinthewestindies.wordpress.com/2009/10/03/a-slice-of-island-life/feed/ 14 jimminpr El Fortin2 banana flower bananaquit1 Hummerbanana redflower purplecanaria horses2 henchicks egg http://waylaidinthewestindies.wordpress.com/2009/09/26/tasting-notes-zaya-gran-reserva-rum/ http://waylaidinthewestindies.wordpress.com/2009/09/26/tasting-notes-zaya-gran-reserva-rum/#comments Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:56:26 +0000 jimminpr http://waylaidinthewestindies.wordpress.com/?p=105 ]]>

Made in Trinidad

I’m not going to get into the debate whether the “old” Zaya made in Guatemala was better than the new iteration being made in Trinidad. I wouldn’t mind having a go at in a proper venue with samples of both present. Alas that’s not happening today.

Blends of rum and virtually all aged blended spirits are not static and the flavor profile can change occasionally for many reasons. Not just with private labels such as this one but even with long established distillers marques. So let us not cry in our soup…or rum. Instead let us enjoy a glass.

A pleasing deep copper color with a red hue leads to a soft vanilla aroma with a spicy alcohol kick. Chocolate and oak are playing nicely together in the background.

Very full bodied on the palate where vanilla and white chocolate flavors predominate. Sweetness really comes across on the middle of the tongue followed by a serving of spicy heat on the finish.

A high quality and distinctive rum. Sweet with heat and just enough flavor interest to carry it all off well.

The USA importer Wilson Daniels LTD. is well known for their sophisticated packaging and this offering is no exception. The quality of the bottle used is impressive alone.

90 Points

Tasted September 26, 2009

Viva Mexico!

In the world of spirits today Mexico is not known for it’s rum. There are however a few still producing rum which will bring you back to the old “New Spain”. Here is one example.

Licores Veracruz on the Gulf Coast side of the Country is responsible for the Mocambo premium line of rums as well as the newly introduced Los Valientes premium line in the UK. I picked up a bottle of the Mocambo 20 Art Edition on a recent trip to the great State of Texas, USA.

To the eye this rum exhibits a deep, leathery brown colored center leading to a green tinged edge.

The aromas show off high toned esters on top of a deeply rich Oloroso Sherry like rancio. This is a rum in which I could spend a day with my nose in the glass.

There is some sweetness on the front of the palate which brings the flavors forward nicely. Think rum soaked raisins with a chocolate chaser. The sweetness recedes on the finish allowing a good grip to the lingering flavors.

In a world of Hi-Tech squeaky clean distillates I love tasting a rum like this. It tastes like an old world, well matured rum suited for those looking for a dram that speaks of tradition and individuality. Rums like this may well be put on the endangered species list if we’re not careful. Licores Veracruz deserves some love for putting this one out in my opinion.

The packaging is charming and expressive.

97 Points

Tasted September 25, 2009
Bottle # 038/230
Barrel # 146

A Wonderful Sipping Rum

If you’re looking for a rum nightcap, this may be the one for you.

This renowned rum from Guatemala has a beautiful mahogany color with a gold patina edge.

The aroma is full of dried fruits. Raisin, prune, fig and currant come to mind. In the background is a hint of molasses wrapping it all together. The aromas are carried wonderfully onto the palate. The medium bodied, soft, smooth and supple texture lifts the flavors nicely across the tongue. More than a hint of sweetness reinforces the dried fruit aromas and flavors.  The sweetness is well integrated into the warm (if just a tad short) finish.

Overall a very harmonious combination and a delightful dram as a nightcap sipping rum. A very classy package, both inside and out.

Tasted September 24, 2009.

96 Points.

A day well spent

Vieques Island is not a large tourist destination compared to many Caribbean Islands. That means the beaches here are uncrowded and often you will have an entire beach to yourself.

Playuela Beach

Sometimes a visitor will stop by.

A Ghost Crab

In the South side Barrio of Esperanza there is a small beach that locals like to gather at especially on weekends.

Locals enjoying Esperanza Beach

There are plenty of palm trees to allow some shade.

A Beach Silhouette

Of Course in Esperanza there is a Shack on the Beach serving up ice cold local beer.

Shack Bar La Nasa on Esperanza Beach

I’ll leave you with one more photo. It’s time to head home, wash the sand and salt off in the outdoor shower and make a cocktail.

The Pier in the background used to ship molasses off the Island

Fruit of the Quenepa Tree

Bili is the name of a home spiced rum very popular here on Vieques Island and throughout Puerto Rico.

The Quenepa Tree, also known as Mamoncillo produces a fruit that is used in the making of this traditional rum based drink.

Here is a link to an article by Julia Morton published by Purdue University giving a lot of information about the Quenepa Tree.

www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/mamoncillo.html

Typically the local recipe consists of 750ml of white rum, 20 to 30 peeled Quenepa fruits, brown sugar to taste, a cinnamon stick and a vanilla bean or extract.

Two Versions of Bili

In the bottle pictured on the left I followed the typical recipe but substituted one half cup local honey for the brown sugar and I used one eighth teaspoon of Chinese Five Spice Powder instead of a cinnamon stick as well as one eighth teaspoon vanilla extract. In the bottle on the right I added some loose German Dried Fruit and Flower Tea along with whole black peppercorns. I omitted the cinnamon and vanilla.

A third version of Bili

The final bottle pictured was infused with Bay Leaf, a piece of Star Anise, whole Green Cardamon, Whole Nutmeg as well as a local herb called Recao del Monte which has a strong Cilantro like taste.

These spiced infusions should be left to mellow for up to one month before drinking. They can be very refreshing at a beach outing and are normally served over ice and can be garnished with almost any type of local citrus fruit. They may sometimes be laced with more rum in the glass for a more fiery effect.

A true slice of Puerto Rican Life in a bottle!

Salud!

On Wednesday, January 28, 2009 I met Federico Hernandez, the organizer of the upcoming Puerto Rico Food and Rum Festival along with Ministry of Rum  member Rumelier. We had scheduled a tour of the Ron del Barrilito facility as well as the Bacardi plant. Here is an account of the Bacardi tour.

Fresh off our tour of Barrilito we were straight off to Bacardi arriving at the gates around 11:30 AM. The guard issued a tour pass and we were directed to the visitors parking lot. Federico lead us directly to the newly inaugurated tasting center. It is an open air semi- circular bar with an interpretative design Bat wing shaped roof.

We were greeted by a representative who quickly issued us two tickets apiece, each good for a complimentary Bacardi libation. The Rumelier inquired if we had been put on a VIP tour. The representative asked us to belly up to the bar while she verified our tour. Two bartenders were on duty. Pre-made Mojitos were lounging in an interesting glass dispenser contraption. We perused the selection of rums for tasting. The top shelf was lined with Bacardi “8” which was produced in the Bahamas (It has been widely known that Bacardi is to close that facility in the Spring of this year. Rumelier’s contacts have indicated that it is already shuttered.). Rumelier looked over and said, “How about an 8 on the rocks for breakfast?” A man after my own heart…so we had one….or three… The bartender was engaging and knowledgeable.

We then got the call that our VIP tour was ready. We were driven over to the visitor center in a golf cart type buggy. Our guide Michael greeted us at the curb. He spoke perfect English with a New York accent. The entry foyer is lined with ceramic tile murals depicting the importance of sugar cane, molasses and rum in Puerto Rican history. We were then seated in a wide screen movie theatre for a short film on the history of Bacardi featuring a number of past Master Distillers. We were then lead into a small replication of a pot still distillery replete with sound effects. This lead into a reproduction of an old Bacardi director’s office with many old documents and old bottles of rum on display. Hey Rumdog007…I got to see a number of those old bottles of Bacardi you have in your collection. We followed into a “sensory” room where little barrels of products ranging from raw materials to finished rum can be nosed. Then whisked into a show bar styled after an old private club setting. The bartender delivered a wonderfully choreographed demonstration on how to make three classic rum drinks. The Cuba Libre, the Mojito and the Daiquiri. It was like having the actor James Earl Jones tutoring you on cocktail making.

Federico, Jim and the Rumelier

The last room before exiting was the “interactive room” where Rumelier was seen sending out an email.

We walked out into the warm sun and fresh trades which were coming on a slant from the Northeast and were driven over to the entrance of “The Cathedral” which houses the distilling facility.

The "Cathedral"

We were not shown the “back rooms”, but our guide Michael lead us up to the roof top terrace where we were able to get a birds eye view of the 126 acre facility and a peek at the GIANT five column still at the rear of the building.

Ageing shed in front. Methane recovery unit in rear.

As our tour came to an end our guide brought us to the gift shop where one can stock up on all things Bacardi.

A wonderful unhurried tour with excellent service from start to finish. This is a worthwhile tour if for no other reason than to get a feel for what a family has done in becoming a worldwide leader in rum production.

One always learns something when touring with others who have the same passion. An interesting point I had never learned before is that by law, aged Puerto Rican rum cannot be “topped off” in the barrel with younger rum. This distinctive point was brought up at the Barrilito tour and was again confirmed at the Bacardi tour.

Federico invited us to lunch, with no arguments. His Restaurant/Rum bar “Cana” is undergoing a remodeling. So he brought us to “El Picoteo”, which is an authentic Spanish tapas bar located in Hotel El Convento in the heart of Old San Juan. Federico ordered, we ate and drank. Tremendously good food and service.

The day did not end there. Federico was off to pick up his daughter from school…and the Serralles museum was still ahead for the Rumelier and me.

What a heady day for me. In my twelve years of living here I had never visited Barrilito or Bacardi. To do so in the company of Federico and Rumelier was special indeed.

Age, culture or languages are not boundaries when one has a glass of rum in hand.

Reviewed September 16, 2009.

Ron Diplomatico Blanco

A bright, crystal clear and perfectly polished appearance.

Light but distinct aromas of vanilla oak underpin top notes of heavy cream and a floral perfume.

On the palate it has a wonderfully soft mouthfeel upfront with the mature oak lending a nice supporting structure. The finish is clean and warm.

This rum is quite distinctive and very well put together.  A cut above most in this category. This is one of the few white molasses based rums that begs one to allow the flavor to come through in a cocktail. Pour it on!

The packaging is handsome and well done.

95 points

The Modest Entrance

On Wednesday, January 28, 2009 I met Federico Hernandez, the organizer of the upcoming Puerto Rico Food and Rum Festival along with Ministry Of Rum member Rumelier. We had scheduled a tour of the Ron del Barrilito facility as well as the Bacardi plant. Here is an account of the Barrilito tour.

We arrived just after 10 AM. Federico drove right up to the production building. The doors were open and we walked into the bottling room where workers were busy boxing up a recent bottling run. Federico asked if Don Fernando Fernandez, the third generation family owner was available. A worker pointed up to an open loft “office” where Don Fernando was seated at a modest desk. Federico announced we had arrived for our tour. Don Fernando arose from his desk and leaned over the railing and said with a half smile, “This is it!” He came down from his office and we were introduced and exchanged the customary pleasantries that are part and parcel of Puerto Rican life.

After chatting a bit, Don Fernando had the chance to size up Rumelier and I and we were invited to tour the blending and ageing room. The excise tax man was instructed to open the heavy metal doors. As we entered we were hit by a wall of warm humid air that smelled delicious and wrapped around you like a warm blanket. The blending room consists of one medium sized wooden blending vat. Three smaller wooden maceration vats. And a series of small stainless steel and food grade plastic tanks marked numbers one through ten. After some extended conversation Don Fernando confirmed that the base rum is bought from Bacardi and that indeed 10 ingredients are used in making the blend that becomes Ron del Barrilito. It was indicated that in the blending vat mechanical mixing and aeration takes place.

The Blending Room

Don Fernando and me.

The ageing rooms flank either side of the blending room. Small doors open to both of them. Here large beamed racks hold 132 gallon oak barrels that formerly held Spanish Sherry. The racks are stacked to carry the barrels four to five high. I could see various engravings on many of the barrel heads holding names of Sherry Houses that have long since vanished. The barrels are never moved from the racks unless they are in need of coopering. The rum is pumped in and out as needed.

The Ageing Room

We were then shown the shipping room where boxed cases await to be sent. This is also the receiving room where a large stainless steel tank is located to receive the incoming rum. There is a small plate and frame filter located there and it was indicated that the incoming rum receives a light filtering before proceeding to the blending room. The only other filtering Barrilito receives is upon bottling in what appears to be a series of canister type filters. Ron del Barrilito is not chill filtered and will haze if refrigerated.

The Bottling Line

Newly bottled and awaiting boxing.

No tasting was offered, and we did not presume to ask for one. In response to an inquiry as to purchase on site, Don Fernando indicated that a three pack of Three Star could be had for $US36.00 plus sales tax. Rumelier and I quickly took him up on that offer. While a worker gathered our three packs Don Fernando hand wrote our bills and made change from his pants pocket cash roll…down to the last cent. Business is business he exclaimed!

As our tour was winding down, I asked Don Fernando which version of Ron del Barrilito he liked the most and how he took it. With a smile he said the Two Star. He explained that he enjoys one or two Three Star’s in a snifter at the end of a day. But for a long session of dominos it is the Two Star poured over a glass of ice with a twist of lemon peel. My words cannot begin to express my admiration for Don Fernando. He is a soft spoken and gentle man. Strongly proud of his family and his product while maintaining a genuine modest demeanor.

We exited the production facility and were allowed to tour the grounds, viewing the family home Hacienda Santa Ana, the windmill tower, and the garage behind the Hacienda where a collection of antique cars in varying conditions are housed.

Hacienda Santa Ana

The original Windmill Tower which now serves as an office.

What a wonderful tour. My thanks go to Federico for helping to make it possible. And to The Rumelier for making arrangements for our next tour at Bacardi. An account of that tour in a separate post.