Rum Review: Ron Barcelo Gran Anejo Rum

Subtle, soft and medium bodied rums originating in Guyana and that define the fourth major standard style. To our sweethearts and wives, may they never meet!
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Total votes: 1

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Capn Jimbo
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Rum Review: Ron Barcelo Gran Anejo Rum

Post by Capn Jimbo »

Ron Barcelo Gran Anejo Rum: Warm and Spicy Carrot Cake

Ron Barcelo of Guatemala makes a line of robust quality molasses rums that make fine accompaniment to a good cigar (our latest interest). It is fair to say we are relative idiots when it comes to specifically understanding cigars, but we sure know our rums and when they enhance the experience.

Ron Barcelo does.

Much earlier we reviewd the fine (and economical) Ron Barcelo Imperial (link), still readily available for around $20. At perhaps $15, Ron Barcelo Gran Anejo falls into the must try category, especially considering our favorable experience with the Imperial.

There's really a very interesting story about Barcelo, a fairly modern company dating from the early 1900's. Julian Barcelo and his brother Andres established their small rum company and were doing quite well when in 1930 a hurricane destroyed all. Andres gave up and moved to Puerto Rico. Julian packed the remains in a old Ford and sold his rum travelling from town to town, finally settling in what turned out to be Santo Domingo.

The company continued to grow in family hands, and was passed on to his nephew Miguel, wife Paquita and finally his son, Julian Hofer Barcelo. The current President Jose Antonio mastered fermentation and distillation techniques in advanced studies pursued in Germany and Spain, and is a master distiller in his own right. The company is capable of producing 50,000 liters a day - more than enough to satisfy my needs...

Now before we begin, let's discuss real age, one of Richard Seale's favorite subjects. Most distillers lie or mislead - foremost among these are rums like Zacapa who used to blatantly feature "23 anos" on their bottle (challenged this became "23 solera", BFD). Speaking of which, the "solera" rums are the biggest violators, tossing in the age of the oldest rum (of which there may be a "teaspoon", quoting Richard), or with qualifiers like "up to xxx years".

Oops. As always, I digress.

Ron Barcelo Imperial is said to be 6 years by the Preacher - but the "facts" there tend to be composed of butyl rubber. Other sources claim 8 years, but I tend to trust the confident claim of my bood, er bud - the Rum Dood - at ten years. Barcelo Anejo seems to be 4 years old and the instant Gran Anejo - the subject of this review - a blend that is...

Indeterminate. I'm gonna guess around 6 years. I will say that the Gran Anejo and Imperial exhibit very similarly, and provide an excellent guide to appreciating the effects of aging. We begin:

Sue Sea:
Ron Barcelo Gran Anejo comes in a handsome rectangular bottle with nice rounded shoulders with a molded in shield and "Ron Dominicano", topped with a flavor preserving screw top, fortunately hidden in flat black with faux gold lettering. Before I go on I thinks it's very important to say that Gran Anejo is a perfect example of not judging a freshly cracked bottle.

Most rums improve noticeably when you finally drink down to the shoulders or label top, and Gran Anejo is especially so. At first pour, the aroma first struck me - a bit negatively - with a sour, musty leather. A "just off the boat", corky note. There was a hint of high, wispy vanilla and a background of orangey dried apricot.

I was reminded of baked carrot cake - not the sweet icing - but the somewhat baked, spicy warm part. Mind you, I mean none of this truly negatively, as Gran Anejo is definitely not one your sweetened faux rums.

The front palate struck me as a spicy cinnamon clove with a hint of ginger , but delivered in a melt-in-your-mouth fashion, a lovely smoothing. The finish was entirely consistent with the aroma, grew ever hotter and left a lingering and glowing white pepper lip finish.

Lovely. I should say that we decided to light up a nice Sancho Panza Quixote (a robust, full bodied Cuban style cigar) to accompany our tasting as we suspected that - like the Imperial - the Gran Anejo might be a good cigar rum. It was.

I can't recommend this rum to a new drinker, butit will definitely please the discriminating and economical experienced afficianado, especially those who enjoy a robust cigar.
Me:

Ron Barcelo Gran Anejo is a tough call and will not appeal to all. It's color is a fine clear medium amber, with likewise medium legs. I will agree with Sue Sea on the somewhat musty, leathery opening. I picked more orange, she a bit more vanilla. With airing you should get both. Still, this rum simply demands cigar accompaniment.

Sue Sea's and my early/middle palates were also reversed. She got the heat earlier, I got the orangey smoothness earlier. We both arrived at the same finish with a heat that transitioned from clove/cinnamon, to black and finally to a hot white pepper. Experienced rum drinkers will love this. Newbies stand back! The aftertaste brings back the musty leather and your lips will glow.

Methinks the Bilgemunkey would love this rum.

Finally and naturally, we were driven to compare to the (likely) older Imperial. This proved to be a wonderful experience that I sincerely recommend to you. The additionally aged Imperial showed its colors with the sour mustiness greatly reduced, and smooth balance achieved with all these elements. Gran Anejo has that bing - bang - boom effect, with sharper and more extreme transitions. Imperial - with its additional aging - smooths out the sharp corners and achieves wonderful, smooth and balanced transitions, without losing the character that makes either a good cigar rum.

Pour one and light up. But there's a real dilemma here. The Gran Anejo is good at $18 (current), but for a few dollars more the Imperial, at $25, sorely tempts. Which to buy?

Damned if I know. But I'm gonna say - for it's balance and smooth transitions, not to mention the vanillan of age - the Imperial.

Rating (10 is best): solid 7, approaching 8.
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jankdc
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Post by jankdc »

I believe that they are from the Dominican Republic, not Guatemala.
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References: MGXO, R Mat. GR, Scar Ibis, Apple 12, Barb 5, Pusser's, Wray and Neph, ED 15, 10Cn, West Plant, R Barc Imp.
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