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Dominican Republic > Dominican souvenirs & specialities> Dominican rum
Dominican specialities: Dominican rum
Dominican rum
The national Dominican drink - rum - is obtained from the distillation of alcohol from sugarcane and its derivatives, enriched through various processes of blending, resting and aging.
The history of Dominican rum dates back to the discovery of America by Admiral Christopher Columbus, who brought sugarcane from Spain in one of his first trips to the New World. The elaboration of rum began in the island of Barbados, then spread to other Caribbean Islands.
The name of the drink comes, most likely, from an old English word Rumbullion, that means "a great tumult".
Today Dominican Rum is recognized as the oldest in the Americas. Unlike most rums, Dominican Rum gives more importance to its smoothness, thus becoming a very different rum, genuinely unique, thanks to an original and natural process of distillation and to its aging which is done in special American white oak kegs.
How rum is produced
Rum is distilled from sugarcane by-products that are produced in the process of sugar manufacturing. Molasses, the thick syrup remaining after sugarcane juice has been crystallized by boiling, is usually used as the basis for rum, although the juice itself, or other sugarcane residues, is also used.
The golden color of some rums results from the absorption of substances from the oak. After distilling, the rum is sometimes darkened by the addition of caramel and is aged from 5 to 7 years.
The best Dominican rums
Brugal - Brugal & Co. was established by Andres Brugal Montaner, a Spanishman who moved to the Dominican Republic in the 19th century. Now the factory produces more than one and a half million litres of white and dark rum each year.
Sorts: Brugal Extra Viejo, Brugal Anejo, Brugal Gold, Brugal White. The Brugal factory is situated in Puerto Plata, and tours around the factory, showing the rum production, are conducted Monday to Friday 9am to 12pm, and 2pm to 5pm.
Barcelo. The company was founded by brothers Julian and Andres Barcelo from Balearic Islands, Spain in 1930.
It produces two brands: Barcelo (Barcelo Gran Anejo, Barcelo Imperial, Barcelo Dorado) and Columbus (Anejo, Dorado, Blanco).
Bermudez - The House of Bermudez is an almost a century and a half old tradition in the elaboration of rum of the highest quality. Its origin goes back to the year 1852, when Don Erasmo Bermudez created the formula for the "Amargo Panacea", a rum to be drunk as an appetizer and which quickly became famous.
Sorts: Anejo Selecto, Bermudez Dorado Rum, Bermudez Blanco, Anniversario, Bermudez 151, Don Armando