Don q rum distillery: Welcome To Don Q Rum » Home

Don Q — The Spirits Educator

Parent Company: Distilería Serrallés, Inc

Location: Ponce, Puerto Rico

Master Blender: Silvia Santiago

Established: 1865

Fun Fact: Don Q® holds an overwhelming strong majority of the Puerto Rican domestic rum market.

Don Q® is a Spanish style rum that receives its name from the eponymous protagonist in Miguel Cervantes’s classic novel Don Quixote. Puerto Rican Distilleries, as a US territory must adhere to the following organizations: ATF, FDA, EPA, Kosher, US Department of Labor, and many more. Don Q® aged rums have no added sugar.

Base Material 

The base material for all Don Q® rum is molasses. First, the sugar cane, sourced from Guatemala and Brazil, is crushed, and the juice is boiled, so that the crystallized sugar is extracted, and only the molasses remains. 

Water 

Río Inabón

Fermentation & Yeast

The living yeast strain used in the fermentation process dates back over 75 years, and is unique to Don Q®. The fresh water from the Río Inabón is used to dilute the molasses for fermentation, then the yeast converts the sugars from the molasses into alcohol. CO2 is naturally released, but rather than letting it escape into the atmosphere, the distillery captures the CO2 from fermentation, and makes it available to local soft drink producers. This is just one of many ways the Don Q distillery decreases their carbon footprint during production. The lighter rums in the collection receive a shorter fermentation, between 40-44 hours. While the heavy rums, receive a longer fermentation, around 4 weeks.

Distillation

The lighter rums at Don Q® are distilled in a large multi-column still with five stills to 189 proof (94.5% ABV). Heavier rums are distilled 1x in a Vendome Still made by the Vendome Copper and Brass Company, which they purchased from Louisville back in the early 1930s, to reach 150 proof (75% ABV). The 5 still multi-column still functions in the following manner: the 1st still separates the alcohol from water, then the distillate is diluted and redistilled in the 2nd still, in a process called hydro-selection. Next the distillate is moved to the 3rd still to separate the heads and tails, before the 4th still removes methanol from the final distillate, and the last still captures the waste alcohols from the production process and processed them into a recyclable form. 

Maturation 

Following Puerto Rican law, all Don Q® rums are aged at least one year in American white oak barrels. The Angels Share loss is around 8-10%. Don Q® uses exclusively twice-used whiskey barrels, which have been previously used to mature bourbon and Canadian whiskey. The distillery maintains around 95,000 barrels aging in 9 rackhouses. All the barrels are kept standing vertically with no climate control. Following maturation, Head Blender, Silvia Santiago, meticulously blends lighter and darker rums together depending on the specific expression. Every batch of rum will be examined by her, before bottling. All bottling is done on-site at the distillery.

Environmental Sustainability

Don Q® is one of the most environmentally sustainable distilleries in the region, if not the world. This is largely due to one man, Roberto Serrallés, the VP of Business Development. Roberto holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Science from the University of Oregon, and left his former career in education, to become the Director of Environmental Risk Management for Distilería Serrallés. Roberto is an industry pioneer when it comes to greener distilling practices, most notably in his solving the wastewater situation at the distillery. The distillery has completely eliminated the dumping of wastewater into the ocean, which is unfortunately a common practice for rum distilleries in the Caribbean. Don Q® rum is a proud partner of the Surfrider Foundation, and supports efforts that promote clean and healthy ocean environments.

The wastewater from the rum production process first goes through a process called, anaerobic digesters, where the wastewater is sealed in an airtight chamber, and a specialized bacteria consumes the raw waste before the water is oxidized. This process drastically reduces the wastewater’s organic contents. The bacteria releases a volatile, but valuable compound called biogas, which is captured and concentrated. The biogas then powers the boilers which produce the steam for distillation. By using biogas, the distillery eliminates between 50-70% demand for annual oil usage (about 2 million gallons of crude oil per year). In addition to powering the distillation columns, the steam passes through a turbo-generator, which powers the majority of electricity demands at the distillery. After undergoing anaerobic digesters and micro-filtration, the wastewater is safe for agricultural irrigation and industrial usage.

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10 Things You Should Know About Don Q Rum

Don Q, a multigenerational family rum brand, prides itself on its Puerto Rican roots. The label, produced by Destilería Serrallés since 1865, claims such local titles as the oldest operating distillery in Puerto Rico, as well as the island’s best-selling rum.

In 2006, Don Q became available in the contiguous U.S., and it’s been gaining momentum among premium rum drinkers ever since. Read on for eight more things you should know about Don Q.

Don Q’s ancestors were Spanish.

The Serrallés family emigrated from Spain to Puerto Rico in the 1820s, when they began growing sugar cane outside of Ponce, P.R. The operation quickly grew, and the family soon exported sugar to the U.S., the U.K., and France.

First came sugar, then came rum.

In 1865, Don Juan Serrallés purchased a copper still from France and began producing spirits. The distillery ceased commercial production during Prohibition, but reopened in 1933. The following year, the Serrallés family purchased a copper still that is still in use today.

Don Q is officially Puerto Rican.

In order to be labeled as “Puerto Rican Rum,” the sugar-cane-based spirit must spend a minimum of one year in barrel. This is also true for Don Q’s light rum, which is aged for a year, then charcoal-filtered for clarity.

Don Q bottles the flavors of Puerto Rico.

Don Q’s current flavor roster includes Coconut, Lime, Mojito, Passion Fruit, and Pineapple. No added sugars are used, and the natural flavors are kept as Puerto Rican as possible. In one case, this meant using a Puerto Rican strain of passion fruit, which is sweeter than the one available in the continental U.S. You may notice the passion fruit on the label looks a bit different — that’s why.

Don Q is loved by locals.

According to Don Q VP of business development and sixth-generation rum maker Roberto Serrallés, Bacardi is better known and has greater market share in the U. S., but in the competing brands’ shared home of Puerto Rico, Don Q is more popular.

It’s named after a certain ‘man of La Mancha.’

Don Q takes its name from the famous 1600s Spanish novel, “Don Quixote of La Mancha,” by Miguel de Cervantes. The brand website explains, “Just as Don Quixote represents the search for a perfect world, Don Q signifies the family’s quest for perfection in rum making.”

Don Q is environmentally responsible.

“The spirits industry has a wastewater problem,” Serrallés says. “Behind every bottle of rum that you see in a bar, there are about nine bottles of wastewater sitting right behind it.” Whereas some Carribbean rum producers choose to dump that wastewater in the ocean, Don Q utilized Serrallés’s doctorate in environmental sciences to build a wastewater reclamation plant, cleaning up that wastewater into irrigation-grade water.

You might be drinking Destilería Serrallés rum without knowing it.

An area of the business that “keeps the lights on,” according to Serallés, is bulk rum, meaning unlabeled rum sold off to other rum brands. This bulk rum is the only un-aged rum the distillery produces. Including bulk rum and Don Q, Destilería Serrallés is the largest exporter of rum to the U.S.

Don Q is both traditional and unconventional.

In order to perfectly complement rum’s sweetness, rather than adding excessively oaky flavors, Don Q ages in twice-used whiskey barrels. “My biggest pet peeve is age claims,” Serrallés told VinePair. He says that “rum is the most democratic spirit,” as it’s made in many places in the world, but where labeling conventions vary by country, it slants the playing field. “If we take a 20-year rum and put a drop of a one-year rum in it, we have to call it a one-year rum,” Serrallés explains, “but we’re competing with people who can take a one-year rum, put a drop of 20-year in it, and call it a 10-year because it’s an average of both ages.”

Don Q’s creation requires sacrifice.

Spirits production famously includes the “angel’s share,” a percentage of distillate that is lost as liquor ages. Scotch loses 1 to 2 percent of its whisky during barrel aging; and Kentucky whiskey loses 3 to 5 percent. Don Q, however, loses between 8 and 10 percent of its liquid through aging each year, thanks to Puerto Rico’s warm, humid climate.

Published: November 8, 2019

Rum: a “rebel” among spirits

No classifications and strict tasting rules, no norms and clear definitions – it’s all about rum. It can be safely called a real rebel among all strong alcoholic beverages. Rum is loved or hated – but there are definitely no indifferent people. Even those who do not drink hard alcohol in its pure form will be able to appreciate its rich sound in a cocktail.

Rum: what is this drink?

Oddly enough, Roma has no clear definition. In fact, this can be called any alcoholic drink made from sugar cane processing products with further distillation of the wort. Which, by the way, is what the Brazilians “use” by releasing their own national rum – the famous cachaça.

Drinks are produced all over the world – each drink is unique in its own way. Individual countries prescribe their own rules and regulations for the production of rum. And the requirements for the strength of drinks also vary. For example, in Colombia, “real” rum must contain at least 50% alcohol. In Chile and Venezuela, the minimum strength of alcohol is 40% vol, and in the European Union – 37.5% vol.

Rum is originally a clear drink. Some specimens acquire their dark color after aging or adding various colors – for example, natural caramel or food coloring.

History of Roma

Many experts believe that the birth of Roma can be attributed to the beginning of the 17th century. This is if we talk specifically about those drinks that are more similar to modern ones. But according to some reports, back in the 10th century in India and China they did something similar to the current Roma. According to one version, the Indian arak is considered the progenitor of Roma.

It is believed that strong rums were first made in Barbados. Sugarcane, the main raw material for the production of drinks, was brought here from Europe.

Perhaps no other alcoholic beverage has had such a direct impact on the course of world history as rum.

Most people think that rum is a pirate drink. This is inspired by a string of books about pirates, in the wake of which “Treasure Island” by Robert Louis Stevenson floats. Many manufacturers naturally exploit the pirate theme.

Yes, the Caribbean in the 1650s and 1730s was indeed full of pirates. The struggle for influence in the Caribbean then was led by Spain, England and France (remember this too, this is also important, and we will return to this below). Spain had a huge powerful fleet. The British and French were far behind in this respect. To compensate for this, they actively distributed the so-called letters of marque, which launched the emergence of mass piracy in the Caribbean.

Exactly at the same time, agriculture is actively developing on the islands of the Caribbean Sea. Its main crop is sugarcane. African slaves work on his plantations. The resulting sugar is transported to the USA and Europe. But there are problems: sugar absorbs moisture very well, and losses during transportation are very high. One day, to make up for the losses, someone comes up with the great idea of ​​importing a by-product of sugar production – liquor.

After some time, the so-called “rum triangle” is formed. In a simplified form, it functioned like this:0003

1. Slaves are brought from Africa to the New World.
2. From the New World, where sugar cane was cultivated by slaves, rum made from sugar cane is brought to Europe.
3. From Europe to Africa there is a stream of money received from the sale of rum, which is used to buy new slaves to work on plantations in the New World.

The first Roma on the islands were called nothing more than “Kill Devil” (killer devil). Probably, the taste of the drinks was truly “killer”. The recipe for alcohol soon spread very quickly around the world – first in colonial North America, and then even reached Australia. The first officially registered production of rum is considered to be a distillery in Staten Island, opened in 1664. And after 2-3 years, the new enterprise also started operating in Boston.

The origin of the word “rum” itself is still a matter of controversy. There are quite a few versions. Someone believes that the name comes from the English “rumpullion”, which means “roar”. Others argue that the drink is designated in Latin “saccharum”, which translates as “sugar. Or perhaps the name comes from the Dutch “rummers” – the so-called large glasses, which were often used by sailors from the Netherlands who transported alcohol.

Recipes and technologies have, of course, changed since the appearance of rum on the market. But he remained the very “indomitable” drink that pirates and sailors once loved. And when the bartenders “tasted” all the charm of rum, he was waiting for the heyday of popularity. The drink is part of many famous cocktails. Surely, those who have never tried pure rum at least once drank it as part of a pleasant mix.

How is rum made?

There are no universal rules for the production of rum. This is its charm, according to many gourmets. But there is still a common denominator – rums are made from processed sugar cane.

The main producers of rum are countries where sugar cane is grown in large quantities. Here the costs for the purchase and delivery of the main raw materials are minimized. Impressive volumes of alcohol enter the world market from Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba and Venezuela.

Currently, sugar cane juice, concentrated syrup based on it or molasses are used for the production of rum. There are no strict rules here – the brand itself chooses the raw materials for its drinks. But the vast majority of rum producers use molasses. That’s just her “extraction” from sugar cane may vary. This also affects the taste of the finished product. Ideally, molasses should contain at least 52% sugar in order to “turn” into a quality rum. Further technology can be described in the following steps:

• Introduction to molasses yeast and water. Some manufacturers do not add cultured microorganisms to the formulation. In this case, we will talk about an uncontrolled fermentation process, when the mass is fermented in the open air. But as many experts say, yeast is indispensable in the manufacture of rum – they also give taste to the drink.
• Fermentation. The saturation of the taste of the drink and even its strength will largely depend on the duration of fermentation. If the process is reduced in time, a lighter rum is obtained.
• Distillation. For distillation, manufacturers can use a variety of equipment – cubes or columns. The number of distillations is also not controlled by the rules.
• Maturation of alcohols. Many producers do not stand their rum at all, bottling it immediately after distillation and blending. But these drinks will be difficult to attribute to the high category of alcohol. However, in a number of countries there are clear rules regarding the ripening period of rum – alcohols must be aged for at least a year. Rum “ages” in wooden barrels – new or from other alcoholic beverages (for example, bourbon). The rum darkens as it ages. But some manufacturers, in order for the drink to remain transparent, use steel containers for aging.
• Blending. In order for the finished product to acquire a balanced taste, craftsmen combine alcohols from different batches and different aging periods. A common practice in the manufacture of hard liquor.
• Filtration. This stage is often carried out only for light rums – when it is important that the drink enters the bottle crystal clear.

The label of the finished rum may indicate its type (white, gold or dark), aging and belonging to a particular style.

Rum classification

Compared to cognacs and Scotch whiskeys, rums do not have a clear classification. This makes it difficult for the customer to choose a drink in the store. It is not entirely clear what kind of drink is in the bottle – young or mature, light or “heavy”.

First, rum is usually divided into two classes: industrial (almost 95% of world sales) and agricultural (aka agricole). The first is made from molasses, a by-product of sugarcane processing. The second is directly from sugar cane juice. Martinique has even introduced an agricultural rum appellation, Rhum Agricole Martinique AOC. In fact, agricultural rum, by the way, is the national Brazilian drink cachaca – this is also a distillate of sugarcane juice.

Secondly, the most common classification of rums is by color. They are:

• Light (Light, White, Silver, Blanca). This is one of the most common types of rum. Usually aged for no more than a year (in steel tanks). Some specimens enter the bottle in just 2-3 months. maturation. The taste is light, clean, sweetish. There is no versatility in the bouquet. Usually white rums are used to make cocktails. But they drink it in its pure form. There are white rums in the lines of Bacardi, Captain Morgan, Appleton, Barcelo, Havana Club, Old Monk, La Mariba, Bermuda, Cartavi, Rebellion Castillo, Ron Cabo, Ron Cartavio.

• Gold (Gold, Amber, Oro). These drinks are usually aged 1-1.5 years in wooden barrels. But their pleasant amber color is a merit not only of a long stay in oak, but also of blending. Golden rums may contain well-aged spirits, which are usually darker. However, many manufacturers do not “disdain” to introduce caramel or food colors into the composition in order to tint the finished product. Golden rums are quite rich, smooth, with cane and woody motifs on the palate. There are golden rums in the lines of Bacardi, Captain Morgan, Barcelo, Havana Club, RumBar, Gosling’s, Mates, Brix, El Pasador, Salamandra, Flor De Cana, Caney

• Dark (Dark, Black). This category usually includes rums that have spent more than 2 years in barrels. Drinks have a pronounced, sometimes quite “heavy”, taste with nuances of caramel and spices. If the drink is older than 2 years, the manufacturer’s label usually indicates the specific age of the drink – all to emphasize its value. But dark rums are not necessarily extra-aged. Sometimes their color is due to the same introduction of tinting components into the composition. Therefore, it is important to check the label here in order to find out whether the spirits have actually “aged” in oak for a long time. It is believed that dark rums aged for about 5-10 years are best drunk in their pure form – following the example of good whiskey. But they can also be found in many famous cocktails. Dark rums are present in the lines of Bacardi, Captain Morgan, Puntacana Club, Gosling’s, Black Tot, Jaguara, Barcelo, Steel Drum, Hamilton

In addition to marking rum by color, there may be other designations on its label. Pay attention to them when choosing a drink:

• Spiced. This is a spiced rum, which contains various flavoring ingredients – herbs and spices. Cinnamon, coriander, honey, mint, anise, cardamom – anything can be used. In general, these drinks can be conditionally called rum tinctures. The most popular varieties of spiced rums are made on the basis of its golden samples with medium exposure. Usually they are not very strong and have a milder taste. These drinks are especially good in cocktails. Popular band members include Kraken Black Spiced Rum, Captain Morgan Spiced Rum, Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, Bacardi Spiced Rum, Chairman’s Reserve Spiced Rum, Bayou Spiced Rum, Don Q Oak Barrel Spiced Rum, Cardinal Lake House Spiced Rum, Cruzan 9Spiced Rum, Twenty Boat Spiced Rum, Clifton Estate Nevis Spiced Rum, Seadog Premium Spiced Rum, Arlu Original Spiced Rum.
• Overproof. These are strong rums, especially popular in the Caribbean. Drinks are usually 70-75% alcohol. Only the most desperate will dare to drink such rum. But the drink perfectly manifests itself in cocktails. Popular representatives of the group are Pussers Gunpowder Proof Rum, Stolen Overproof Rum, Hampden Estate Overproof Rum, Hoochery Ord River Overproof Rum, Wray And Nephew Overproof Rum, Bounty Fiji Rum Premium Overproof Rum.
• Navy. This is the so-called “naval rum” with a strength of about 50-60% vol. Drinks are prepared by blending spirits from Guyana, Barbados, Trinidad and Jamaica. A certain historical blend – it is believed that back in the 18th century, sailors, entering different ports and replenishing rum stocks, poured all drinks into one barrel. Navy rum has a multifaceted taste, spicy bitterness at the finish. Popular representatives of the group are Lamb’s Navy, Black Bart Navy Rum, Walter Hicks Navy Rum, Wood’s Navy Rum, Velier Royal Navy, etc.

Flavored drinks with the addition of natural or synthetic flavoring ingredients can be classified as a separate category of rums. It can be real juices, spices and spices, even milk. But synthetic fragrances are also used, identical to natural ones. In flavored drinks, rum itself is faintly felt. Of the fortress usually does not exceed 35% vol.

Many experts are sure that the classification of rums by their shade does not give a complete description of the product. Drinks from even the same “color” category can produce significant differences in flavor profiles. Still, a lot depends on the specific technology and composition of the product – and here it is the brand that decides everything. Perhaps the choice of rum for the buyer will make it easier to understand his style. And here everything is also quite conditional. It is believed that there are 3 styles of drinks. Try to focus on how the word “rum” is spelled out on the label:

English Style (Rum)

The thickest and richest drink of all. The taste is deep and expressive. For the production of these rums, molasses is usually used exclusively, and the distillation is carried out on pot stills. The best samples of English style rum in Jamaica, Tobago and Barbados, in the USA.

Many brands fall into this category:

• Bacardi,
• Captain Morgan,
• Mount Gay,
• Equiano,
• Flor de Cana,
• Ten To One,
• HH Bespoke
• Cruzan,
• Kraken,
• Santa Teresa,
• Mount Gay,
• Brugal,
• Gosling’s,
• El Dorado.

Spanish Style (Ron)

These rums are moderately dry, light and flavorful, with subtle floral nuances on the palate. Usually drinks are distilled in columns and subjected to carbon filtration. Spanish-style rums are produced in large quantities in Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

The following brands are in this category:

• Zacapa,
• Barcelo,
• Vacilon,
• La Factoria,
• Ron de Jeremy,
• Varadero.

French Style (Rhum Agricole)

These rums are usually made directly from sugar cane and distilled in specially designed stills. They have a very bright aromatics with undertones of herbs and flowers. The taste may contain hints of coffee and spices. Factories that produce French-style rums are concentrated in Haiti and Martinique, in Guadeloupe.

Popular brands:

• Clement,
• Neisson,
• Rhum JM,
• HSE Rhum,
• La Favorite,
• Duquesne,
• Boukman Botanical Rhum.

How do they drink rum?

The first thing that comes to mind when you pick up a bottle of rum is to pair it with Cola. But this is far from the only way to taste hard liquor. And sometimes it’s better not to dilute rum at all.

Drinks that are served neat are not chilled. Exactly the same as in the case of whiskey or brandy. It is believed that light rum is an aperitif, and dark rum is a digestif. But most often strong drinks become an accompaniment to a hearty dinner. They go great with many dishes. For example, golden and dark rum can be served with spicy pasta, meat or fish. But white will be in harmony with sweet dishes – chocolate or cream cakes. If you plan to serve rum with a light snack, you can give preference to meat or fish delicacies, nuts, sweet fruits, chocolate or aged cheese.

But it is customary to drink rums with impressive aging (over 5 years) only after the main meal – slowly, assessing the taste and finish of the drink.

Rum can be served neat in a variety of glasses. But those with a narrowed throat are most suitable – so the aroma of the drink will be more saturated. There are a lot of options here – a classic cognac snifter or glencairn, a glass for grappa or sherry. On sale you can even find special glasses for rum.

Even soft spiced rum seems too tart? It can be diluted with lemonade or juice. Choose the proportions yourself, focusing on personal taste preferences. From soda, Cola, Sprite, tonic or soda are suitable. With juices, there are also plenty of options – citrus, apple, pomegranate, cherry. You can slightly reduce the strength of the drink even with ice alone.

And even in your own kitchen, you can easily prepare a delicious rum-based cocktail. Choose timeless classics like Pina Colada, Mojito, Mai Tai or Daiquiri.

Origin, preparation, popular brands, storage and use

Rum is an alcohol obtained from cane sugar. It comes in light and dark colors and is included in hundreds of cocktail recipes.

The history of rum

Caribbean rum has been exported to different countries of the world for hundreds of years. The raw material for it is sugar cane, which grows well in tropical and subtropical climates. This plant was brought to the Caribbean region from the Azores by none other than Christopher Columbus. However, rum appeared much earlier – experts say that this happened almost 2000 years ago.

Sugar cane grew wild in southern China and India, and Alexander the Great, after conquering India, brought it to Egypt and then to Europe (about 300 years BC). The Persians called it “reed that gives honey without bees.” From the Saracens – medieval Arabs – the recipe for making an alcoholic drink from sugar cane passed to the Moors, who produced arak, the predecessor of rum, from cane.

Columbus brought cane sugar to Puerto Rico on his second voyage in 1493 years old Later, Ponce de Leon, the island’s first Spanish governor, planted sugar cane plantations in Puerto Rico, which soon became the basis of the island’s key economic industry – the production of alcoholic beverages. some historians argue that Ponce de Leon, who devoted many years of his life to the search for the “fountain of eternal youth”, was actually looking for sources of pure water suitable for making rum.

The first sugar factory, the progenitor of the entire Puerto Rican rum industry, was built in 1524, when the distillation product of cane sugar was called brebaje, and the name rum was later given to this drink by English pirates. According to another theory, rum was first produced in the 17th century on the island of Barbados (and therefore it was called “Barbados water”) until the same pirates came up with a new name for it.

In Europe, people learned about rum in 1657, when a certain Father Tertre, a missionary, after returning from America to France, wrote the book “A General History of the French Antilles”, where he described an alcoholic drink unknown to Europe.

In the 19th century, the popularity of rum grew. Distilleries in Puerto Rico multiplied, production expanded. In 1893, a continuous distillation apparatus appeared on the island for the first time, thanks to which the production process was significantly accelerated, the degree of purification increased, and the taste of rum became softer. Distillers moved from plantations closer to industrial centers, and soon the production of rum was debugged and put on a grand scale. The first shipments of Puerto Rican rum to the United States began in 1897 year.

During Prohibition in the United States, Puerto Rican distilleries did not stand idle. They produced the so-called industrial rum. After the abolition of Prohibition in 1934, the distilleries refocused on consumer rum and soon restored their supply to the United States. In addition, the government made special efforts to improve the technological processes of rum production, encouraged research and development, as a result of which the quality of the drink was significantly improved, so that the island became one of the leading exporters of rum in the world.

During World War II, rum, along with Coca-Cola, became the national drink of the United States. In 1952, there were more than 100 brands of Puerto Rican rum – now there are only 12.

77% of all rum that the United States buys comes from Puerto Rico.

How rum is made

Rum is made from molasses (black or white molasses) that is obtained from the production of sugar from sugar cane.

For the production of sugar, the lower part of the stem of the plant (which contains most of the sugar) is crushed, squeezed, and the resulting juice is filtered. Then it is heated and sugar crystals are filtered out using a centrifuge. And the remaining molasses is diluted with water, special yeast is added and fermented. The resulting mash is distilled and rum alcohol is obtained. Fermentation temperature plays a very important role. It is desirable that it be not too high, then the fermentation process is slow, and the drink is more persistent and aromatic. For distillation, two types of distillers are used – “alambique charente”, the same as for the production of cognac, gives heavy rum (it is produced mainly in Jamaica), and a continuous distillation apparatus, which produces light rum. Rum alcohol is diluted with water to a strength of 50-55° and aged in oak barrels for less than 5 years at a temperature of 18-22°. With this exposure, the rum turns golden. Rum is also aged in metal vats, then it turns out colorless, and it is sometimes tinted with caramel. To give rum an exquisite aroma, some masters use cinnamon, vanilla, plum, peach, pineapple, grapes, etc. as an additive.

Rum is divided into three types: light, medium and heavy. Most of the light rums come from Puerto Rico, while the heavy rums come mainly from Jamaica, Haiti and Martinique.

Popular Brands

Rum is produced throughout the Caribbean.

• Appleton Estate – Jamaica.
• “Bacardi” (Bacardi) – Puerto Rico; Roma “Bacardi” – the best-selling in the world.