A family affair
More than 130 years on, family is still the word at Brugal
Then there’s the age-statement expressions. The Appleton Rare Blend 12 Years Old is a blend of rums aged for a minimum of 12 years and makes a good sipping rum or goes well in a rum Old Fashioned. The 21 Years Old is incredibly rich and fruity, while there’s also a limited-edition 50-years-old. The 50 Years Old was released to celebrate 50 years of Jamaican independence and only 800 bottles were released. The brand also claims that its 50 Years Old is the world’s oldest barrel-aged rum.
A visit to the Appleton Estate is one of the most comprehensive spirits experiences around, with something to offer both the rum aficionado and those new to the spirit.
The original visitor centre opened on the Appleton Estate in 1988, however it was completely renovated and reopened 30 years later in January 2018 as the Joy Spence Appleton Estate Rum Experience. Tours of the estate kick off with complementary welcome cocktails and overview of the world of rum in the on-site cinema. Then it’s on to a guided tour around the history of the estate and the so-called ‘cane-to-cup’ rum making process. Naturally, after all that and time spent in the humid climate, you’ll be guided through a tasting with a trained expert. Also situated on the estate is the Black River Lounge, which serves cocktails using Appleton rum and Jamaican dishes. The tour is open Monday – Saturday with the exception of Jamaican public holidays.
In 2012 the drinks giant Gruppo Campari acquired Appleton Estate Rum and this combined with Jamaica’s growing presence as a tourist destination has boosted the profile of Appleton Estate rum.
Each element – the rum, the people and the estate – seem to be pushing the boundaries in one way or another, elevating the craft of good rum. Sitting in the heart of Jamaica, it also has Jamaica at its heart.
When more than 130 years of family heritage goes into something, you can usually feel safe in the knowledge that it’ll be pretty good.
1888 – that’s the number adorned on each bottle of Brugal’s now flagship rum. The Brugal story starts that year in Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, with Don Andrés Brugal Montaner. Brugal had one singular mission for his company, to perfect the art of rum-making via passion, dedication and hard work. Puerto Plato is some 130 miles away from the Dominican capital Santo Domingo too weirdly enough, but through the strength of Andrés mantra, his namesake brand now has an impact on the rum scene across the globe. 32 years after starting the company Brugal would create the first aged rum in the Dominican Republic. In that time, expressions have been added to the range, territories conquered (Brugal’s rum is particularly popular in Spain for example) and the expectations of spirits producers have changed, however one thing remains the same – Brugal is still crafted by members of the family. It’s a testament to the strength and depth of knowledge passed down these generations that this is the case even though drinks producer Edrington Group, owner of The Macallan whisky, acquired a majority shareholding in Brugal in 2008.
Indeed, only family members can become a maestro ronero at Brugal. More than 130 years after Andrés, the fifth generation now leads the production of Brugal – Jassil Villanueva Quintana and Gustavo Ortego Zeller are at the helm these days. “Growing up, I remember trips to the Brugal warehouses with my father. Some people said back that that it was my destiny to work there”, says Quintana.
For Zeller there’s a similar trend of childhood memory surrounded by rum, “My earliest memories of Brugal go back to my childhood, when I visited the warehouses and bottling facilities during my holidays.”
At the heart of Brugal’s production is a family recipe that has been passed down these generations. As a piece of trivia, the Brugal warehouses are positioned north to south in order to make the most of the Dominican sun and in theory, intensify the ageing process.
Today, Quintana and Zeller oversee production of six Brugal expressions; 1888, Añejo, Blanco Supremo, Extra Viejo, XV and Siglo de Oro, along with a very limitededition Papa Andres. 1888 is aged for up to 14 years in the Dominican Republic and undergoes a double ageing process in ex-Bourbon and ex-sherry casks. The sherry casks bring a dryness, with wood and fruit.
It was in 1952 that Brugal initially launched its Añejo. The expression is matured for up to five years in ex-Bourbon American oak with the end result being an easy drinking sipper with pepper and vanilla on the palate. 1976 would see the launch of Extra Viejo, which the brand claims was the first premium rum from the Dominican Republic. Once distilled, it’s aged for up to eight years in American oak casks and offers vanilla, honey and notes of cocoa on the palate.
“At the heart of Brugal’s production is a family recipe
that has been passed down these generations”
With Blanco Supremo, Brugal demonstrate an ability to produce a variety of rum. It is aged for between two-five years in American oak casks but then triple filtered, a process that removes colour and gives a smooth palate. Siglo de Oro was created in celebration of Brugal’s 100th anniversary and ages rums for up to eight years in American white oak, before ageing again in the barrels for a second maturation.
In 1986 Brugal constructed new facilities in Puerto Plata that for the time would have been cutting-edge. Fast-forward more than 30 years and today visitors are encouraged to visit Casa Brugal to experience the brands history, with the company offering tours six days a week and in English, Spanish, French and German. Often the world of rum is full of quirks and surprises, but at Brugal, you’ll almost certainly find yourself among family.