Claire Redden – YAHOO
Puerto Rico is widely considered the rum capital of the world, and the sugarcane-distilled liquor pulses inherently through the bloodstream of the small island and its people. There, rum is served straight or mixed into cocktails and carried through youthful nights dancing salsa. There’s a constant rhythm and, even if it’s not always heard, it’s certainly felt. No brand encapsulates that better than Ron del Barrilito: the island’s oldest and most beloved rum.
Pedro Fernȧndez founded Ron del Barrilito in 1880 after his time spent studying in Paris, France. While there, he was inspired by his engineering classmates — specifically one by the name of Egrot, the family behind the still distillation process used in European spirits like sherry and cognac. Pedro came back to Hacienda Santa Ana (the land in Bayamón, Puerto Rico that was bestowed on his family nearly a hundred years prior) with a vision of revolutionizing the island’s aged rum.
“This was a completely unique process in the rum world,” said Maggie Matias, Chief Commercial Executive at Ron del Barrilito. She explained to Tasting Table, “Acquiring the ex-oloroso sherry barrels to age it in was extremely challenging and expensive, and the flavor profile of rums aged in these barrels was unknown at the time.” While Pedro’s exact formula remains a family secret, the brand can confirm that the exact same formula is still used to this very day.
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The Original Ron Del Barrilito 3 Star
