Notes: Distilled in state-of-the-art stills, then aged in oak bourbon casks in Barraques (a form of stacking and aging of barrels seen in the production of brandies and cognacs) and bottled at 4 years of age, this rum is part of a series, the others ranging from a un-aged white to the 8 year old Ron Imperial which is their oldest offering.

Appearance: Sparkling light, gold color, clear with no hazing separation or floating sediments. Long legs and droplets develop on swirling.

First Impression: Slightly sweetish, caramelized molasses, spice and flowers, nutty, but drying nose, lean.

Taste: Spicy, sweetish, some muted flower notes, medium-bodied. Nutty, spicy, hint of leather, and drying finish with some burn to it (but not much). Not terribly complex, but excellent for a four-year old.

Drinks: Works well in most rum drinks. Assertive enough to stand up to those umbrella drinks but doesn’t overpower more subtle potions. A much more complex, but understated rum than what you usually find for the price range.

Cigars: Any decent cigar will do – like a La Gloria Cubana or Hoyo de Monterrey.

Final Thoughts: More complex than a number of rums but a bit leaner than the Diplomatico series. A good choice if you are looking for a more complex rum but don’t want anything over the top. Well made and well worth the money. Usually any rum under $15 is tastes like fuel oil and will give you a hangover of toxic proportions. This on the other hand is excellent for the money.

Bottle/Packaging: Short rectangular dark brown glass bottle with paper labels. Not much to look at and can’t tell the color of the rum. The dark glass however protects the rum from sunlight.

Web site:  http://www.ronbarcelo.com or
http://www.internationalbeveragenetwork.com/SpecialReport/RonBarcelo

Alas, No English version. If you can read Spanish, it is quick loading, and somewhat informative. Easy-to-read and navigate. The second link is for a prospectus for importers and describes the other versions in English.