Brugal is Uniquely Dominican, from Soil to Tree To Cask to Nose to Palate

With its incredibly rich history and romantic story to tell, Shaw-Ross International Importers is banking on the rums of Brugal & Co. striking a chord with American consumers’ taste buds, noses and discretionary spending. “Growth in rum is coming from the premium segment of the category, and Brugal Añejo, Brugal White and Brugal Gold rums really fit well within that segment,” says Rod Simmons, Brugal brand manager with Shaw-Ross International Importers. And in a category made up of labels from many island origins, Shaw-Ross believes Brugal’s home is one of its calling cards. “One of the things that’s happening now is that the Dominican Republic has achieved ‘it’ status as the place to go as a tourist destination,” Simmons says. “What’s driving our business in large part is the awareness of American tourists who come back from the Dominican Republic, and they’re looking for Brugal rum.” That awareness is reflected in growing demand on- and off-premise. Excitement and big growth in other categories has primed American consumers for the rum revolution that is in full gear, says Ken Jarecki, vice president, National Accounts, with Shaw-Ross. “The consumer is now more educated on premium rums and looking for different styles of rums,” Jarecki says. “When you look at the whole rum sector, I’d say it’s the one spirit category that’s closest to wine. Every rum has a different flavor and style, which reflects the geography and climate of its native country. Every element of making rum is different, from the barrels to the aging to the molasses there are so many elements that go into making the rum.”

The Rums
The premium tequila category, of course, is also exemplary of what great product and consumer awareness can do. That interest and awareness now reaches to premium rums. “Consumers understand that aging plays a big role in the quality of tequila, and that is the same with rum,” Jarecki says. “One of the things aged tequila had was a great story to tell,” Simmons says. “Brugal is very similar.” Indeed, the Brugal story holds enough romance to induce a craving before the bottle’s even opened. The brand has a rich history one can’t manufacture overnight. “What makes Brugal special and makes it a brand with a global standing is the heritage and keeping the history and rum masters’ knowledge behind it,” says Export Manager Jorge Torres. “It’s still made as it was 120 years ago. Brugal is truly the only Dominican rum from the tree to the bottle. We only use Dominican molasses.” After introducing its dark rum into the market in 1888, Brugal sought to upgrade the quality of its products and in 1920 built the first warehouses for its rums. The clear, white or Blanco rum that Brugal produces is considered among the purest of the white rums produced in the Dominican Republic. Brugal Gold rum is aged 3 years, while Brugal Añejo, a dark rum, is aged for 5 years. Two additional rums not yet available in the United States are Brugal Extra Viejo, which is aged 8 years, and Brugal Siglo de Oro, which is a 12-year-old rum. As the premium rum trend continues, Brugal & Co. expects that these two fine rums soon will be available for U.S. consumers. “We have a product for every niche of the market,” Torres says. “We have white and gold rums that are great for mixing in cocktails. Our white rum is unique; it is aged a minimum of 12 months in white oak casks. We only use white oak casks for our aging. For the old rum, when you taste it, it is a very dry product, so it’s perfect for mixing with fruit juices or cola. “You can sip the Añejo straight,” Torres says. “All that’s missing is a great Dominican cigar to go with it.”

Only from D.R.
“When you look at the quality of the Dominican Republic sugar, it’s a revered sugar,” says Robert Plotkin, president of BarMedia Inc. Plotkin has spent considerable time in the Caribbean researching rums and has written a book on the very dynamic category. Plotkin stresses his view that Brugal’s rums are of fantastic quality. He’s especially enthusiastic about the Añejo. “There’s something magical going on, on that island,” Plotkin says. “They’re delicious, but what I will never forget about the Brugal aged rums that I had in the Caribbean is that there is something in the nose. It’s very floral, and there are elements of spice and jasmine. It was enthralling, and whatever you smell, you’re going to taste. It’s such a dreamy experience to take an aged rum and let it breathe for five minutes. The nose was more impressive than anything I’ve smelled since.”

Flights of Fancy
The analogy between premium rum and the world of wine finds personification in Sandy Block, a Master of Wine and one of only 22 Americans and 240 individuals worldwide to hold the prestigious title. He also is vice president, beverage, with Legal Seafoods, a restaurant concept with 34 locations concentrated mostly in East Coast states. Block hosts spirits flights, including rum flights. As Plotkin notes, the specific land or origin of each rum figures heavily into its characteristics, and the differences are as fascinating for guests as wine nuances are in wine tastings. “We offer them to our guests in a 1 ounce pour so they can compare,” Block says. “We have a sipping rum flight, and in that flight we have a Brugal Anejo, which is in pretty clear contrast to the other two that we’re using, one of which is from Guatemala and the other of which is from Haiti. So, it’s an opportunity to compare and contrast the styles of the countries and their different ages.”