Behind the scenes at Puerto Rico's rum distilleries
"It's like a church in here," says Jaiker Soto Bravo, the junior master blender at Destilería Serrallés, makers of Don Q rum. We're standing in the distillery's solera warehouse in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and Soto recommends simply breathing in the lovely aromas for a few moments, soaking up the peaceful and deliciously scented scene.
Of course, it may not be an over-exaggeration to suggest that rum is religion in Puerto Rico. "We are the rum capital of the world," says Francisco Jusino, a local tour guide who's worked with Don Q for many years. We're making what should be a 90-minute drive from San Juan to Ponce, however, a massive strike in protest of the government's debt crisis has shut down highways in and out of the capital, leading to a more circuitous and scenic drive on this occasion.
In addition to Don Q, which dominates the Puerto Rican rum market, there's the much more internationally prominent Bacardí, one of the largest spirits brands in the world, and also Ron del Barrilito, a small but popular locals' choice.
"It's a very local product, and it's the Puerto Rican 'bartender handshake,'" says Jaders Calcaño, bartender at the InterContinental San Juan. A bartender pouring a glass of Ron del Barrilito for another bartender is a surefire sign that you're among friends, and friends with good taste.
That's essentially the way the brand got its start, too. The rum began as a passion project for Pedro Fernández, making it for friends and those in the know at his family's hacienda. Soon, word spread of the delicious rum. "They would request rum from the little barrel — Ron del Barrilito," says Mónica Fernández, the fourth generation in charge of the company. The brand doesn't do much if any marketing or promotion, still relying on that local reputation and word of mouth more than a century later.
Ron del Barrilito has been sold commercially since the 1880s, but hasn't distilled anything themselves since U.S. Prohibition. Today, they buy un-aged rum from other producers, blending and maturing at their Hacienda Santa Ana facility in Bayamón, 15 minutes outside of Old San Juan.
The tiny locals' favorite though rests in the shadows of a behemoth, Casa Bacardí. The Bacardí visitors center in Cataño welcomes 250,000 visitors per year, sitting on a sprawling compound across the water from Old San Juan.
"This place doesn't look like a distillery, it's like a beautiful park," says brand master Juan Cartagena. Indeed, the popular attraction is reminiscent of a rum-soaked Disney World, replete with multi-car, tram-style vehicles hauling visitors from one attraction to the next. It makes for a fun afternoon, but there's plenty of history and knowledge to soak up as well. "I've been here 24 years, but I'm always learning," says Cartagena.
Take a look at the gallery above to get an inside glimpse at all three brands. The Casa Bacardí visitor center is open to the public with a range of tour options available for booking at visitcasabacardi.com. Ron del Barrilito does not offer formal tours, but will welcome you to the facility with advance notice; visit rondelbarrilito.com for more information. Destilería Serrallés is not open to the public, however more information on Don Q rum is available at donq.com.
Plus, see the home of the world's oldest rum in Barbados below.
