4 Cocktails To Get To Know Ron del Barrilito, Puerto Rico’s Oldest Rum

In 1787 the Fernández Family was bestowed the Hacienda Santa Ana in Bayamón, Puerto Rico by the Spanish crown.

For the first hundred years, the family made rum just for themselves. Word of the family spirit spread and in 1880 Ron del Barrilito was registered, making it the oldest rum in Puerto Rico.

To this day, the Hacienda and the recipe remains as true to the original as possible. Many of the early buildings are still in use; the original windmill now serves as office space while the original warehouses built in the 1800s are still functional. The house, which was established in the 1700s is still occupied by the family.

Now, four generations later, Ron del Barrilito is still one of the most respected rums of Puerto Rico, with demand outpacing supply. All the rum from the brand is made by hand using the same highly time and labor-consuming process that was developed generations ago. The master distiller uses a unique all-natural maceration process before the rums are aged in ex-Oloroso sherry casks made of white oak.

The line has four age expressions that range from three years old all the way up to over 35 years. Each expression is wonderful sipped neat, but the two- and three-star expressions are also fantastic in cocktails. Each expression is bottled at 43% ABV or 86 proof.

The Two-Star expression is aged three to five years and opens similar to a bourbon with oaky, woody notes balanced by a light hint of sweetness and a dry finish. The palate opens with a creamy, balanced profile with hints of dark chocolate and warm cane sugar.

Three Stars is aged for six to ten years before it heads to the bottle resulting in a complex aroma of molasses, honey, leather, and chocolate. Expect a lightly smoky opening on the palate followed by a delicate sweetness that fades to a warm, honeyed finish.

Aged up to 20 years, Ron del Barrilito’s Four Star expression is only available at the Hacienda Santa Ana Visitor Center, where each bottle can be filled, sealed, and numbered by the guest. The Five Star expression is aged for up to 35 years, making it an ultra-premium expression that is blended using some of the oldest rums in all of Puerto Rico. When crafting a rum of such age, the master blender needs to be a true expert as rums in the age range of 20-35 years have a heavy tannic concentration and need to be carefully diluted with a slightly younger expression. This blending process is incredibly delicate as rums older than 30 years are always in limited quantities due to high evaporation loss.

Barrilito Sour

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Ron Del Barrilito 3 Stars
• 3/4 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
• 3/4 oz. Cherry Syrup
• 1 Dash Angostura Bitters
• Cherry Garnish

Preparation: For the cherry syrup, use the liquid from bottled or canned cherries. Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Strain mix into a chilled old-fashioned glass. Garnish with cherry.

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Caffe-Style Rum Boulevardier

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz. Ron Del Barrilito 2 Stars
• 1 oz. Campari
• 1 oz. Sweet Vermouth
• Orange Peel Garnish

Preparation: Pour all the ingredients into high ball glass. Fill the glass with ice. Stir it for 10 seconds. Squeeze orange peel on top of the glass.

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Chocolate Mustache

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz. Ron Del Barrilito 3 Stars
• 1 oz. Coconut Water
• 1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
• 2 Dashes of Chocolate Bitters

Preparation: Make your simple syrup by adding equal parts of sugar and water into a container. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Once the syrup is made, pour all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Strain mix into a chilled coupe glass.

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Corn & Oil 

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Ron Del Barrilito 2 Stars
• 1/2 oz. Falernum
• 1/2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
• 1 Dash Angostura Bitters
• Lime Wedge Garnish

Preparation: Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Strain mix into an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with lime wheel.

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Source: Mixology News