The Dominican Republic: Learning to Appreciate Rum
Maxine rum-tasting at Ron Barcelo's tasting room.
By Maxine Tatlonghari
I loved my first trip to the Dominican Republic. This Latin-influenced Caribbean gem was a much-needed respite from my usual Hollywood hustle. Once we deplaned in the charming al fresco airport I knew “a good time” would be high on my itinerary. I travelled with my globe-trotting BFF Mary Anne Been of JetsetExtra, and even though this was a press trip and we’d be working, we always manage to have a great time no matter where in the world we are.
We were quickly introduced to the magic of rum. This elixir would set the backstage to a lot of our experiences (enjoyed in moderation bien sur!). Patrick of Uncommon Caribbean and our guide, Waldo Tejeda of Tequia Experiences (two Caribbean boys themselves), showed us that talking story (a Hawaiian term) over a glass of rum or mama juana – could elevate storytelling to an art form - and lots of laughs.
Midway through the trip, Waldo took us to Ron Barcelo. There, I learned about the art of rum-making and for you Savvy Travellers - I’ve put together a quick guide to Rum Tasting.
1. The Body. Similar to wine, this is the visual aspect of the rum. The color and how it appears in the glass. I’m a highly visual person, so swirling the liquid in the beautiful tasting room began the whole experience for me.
2. The Aroma. Pretty self-explanatory, and I must admit, my olfactory capabilities are not the strongest of my senses. However, given the shape of the glass and the lack of snobbery I experienced in my first rum-tasting experience, I was OK with that.
3. The Bouquet. The flavor, the aftertaste and the finish. When we tasted Barcelo Imperial, we enjoyed it with a piece of organic dark chocolate (another DR specialty) and that was especially lovely. The slightly bitter taste of the chocolate coupled with the richness of the Imperial – gave it “bite” as you can see in the video.
We sampled three rums from Ron Barcelo that day: Grand Anejo, Grand Platinum and Barcelo Imperial. The rums can be found in over 50 countries and Brand Ambassador Robert Jimenez travels the globe to tell the story and enhance the experience. Get thee to a tasting if he lands in your city and of course, if you happen to visit the Dominican, make sure to visit Ron Barcelo.
Special thanks to JetsetExtra for permission to use the video.
RELATED VIDEOS AND ARTICLES ABOUT THE DR:
Patrick and motorboating Los Haitises National Park
Mary Anne and the Top 10 things she loved bout the DR
Maxine (that’s me!) on Sustainable Tourism in the DR
Angie and the Dominican Republic in 6 words