Rum Review: Ron del Barrilito Three Star Rum

The fifth and last major standard style, the lighter Cuban rums pioneered by Bacardi, who left their facilities and quality, but not their politics, behind when Fidel lit up. Por Cuba Libre!
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How do you rate Ron Barillito Three Star Rum (five is best)?

5
0
No votes
4
1
50%
3
1
50%
2
0
No votes
1
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 2

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Capn Jimbo
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Rum Review: Ron del Barrilito Three Star Rum

Post by Capn Jimbo »

Ron del Barrilito Three Star Rum: "Orange Licorice"

Note: this is one of our very first reviews and suffers accordingly. Following is an update. Actually, we didn't do bad at all...

This is the second of a two part tasting. Sue Sea and I decided to taste both the Two Star and Three Star, in that order and hoping to determine the effects of aging, if any (see also the reviews on Ron Abuelo and Ron Abuelo 7). In this case, what a difference! At first it's hard to believe the Two and Three Star are related, but on reflection they are. Let's see how; the reviews:

Sue Sea:
Three Star seems very different. The initial aroma is one of licorice with light orange - mild and sweeter than Two Star. I has almost a rumcake aroma with a touch of anise. Three Star has a medium body, is very smooth and the taste reflects the aroma. The finish is smooth, shorter than the Two Star - and is light and peppery, sophisticated.


Me:

I found the aromas more dominated by the orange licorice with a leathery overtone that to me seems related to the Two Stars caney aroma. Not particularly sweet until the tasting, where the underlying sweetness became more apparent to me. This is definitely a much more balanced, sophisticated rum with no particular segment - aroma, taste or finish - dominating. The Two Star fools you with the light aroma, then kicks you and kicks you good. In a good way. The Three Star is more laid back, smooth from start to finish, more balanced and sophisticated. Preacher Ed, bless him, sees the Three Star as more of a dessert, after dinner rum.

I agree.

Rating (10 is best): 6.
Last edited by Capn Jimbo on Wed May 26, 2010 3:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Update...

Post by Capn Jimbo »

Update...

Oh what differences time makes. It's always good to revisit a rum, then compare current with older notes - and all in all, we didn't do so badly after all. More importantly, what this (much) later review reveals is how one's taste and preferences grow in time.

New drinkers - including us - tend to be impressed with sweeter rums, so it should be no surprise that if the distillers choose to alter a rum, sugar and sweet is high on the list of additives. With time, knowledge and experience we have come to appreciate purity, balance and consistency. Let's see:

Sue Sea:
In our updated review of Barrilito Two Star I noted the bottle is rather ordinary: a narrowly shouldered ordinary bottle, but displaying a nice old-fashioned label that is rather intriguing in its simplicity. The Two Star features silver, the Three Star gold.

Barrilito Three Star is very different than the Two Star. This time the opening aroma was of leather over a marmalade orange. A bit of pecan, and anise. Almost a pie crust aroma. This transitioned nicely into the early palate which was, again, a deep sweet orange marmalade. As the palate develops things - still consistently - it smoothed out, dried out and a clove spice emerges. The late palate remains clovey. Three Star's finish creeps up on you for a medium long, hot finish that grows ever more peppery (white).

As I mentioned with Barrilito's Two Star, this is a rum only a few would like. I appreciated Three Star's spitfire heat, balance and consistency. It is a very different rum, a bit hard to categorize. Two Star exhibited just one of these important factors - the heat - in spades!
Me:

It is amazing what repeated fillings of your rum glass can achieve in terms of understanding and appreciation. Although our scored changed little, my conclusions have. Let's explore these:

Barrilito Three Star is significantly darker than the straw colored Two Star. It has a redness and depth than seem unearned, and the thick, scary legs that always raise the hairs on my neck. Three Star opened with a deep, deep black licorice, deep orangey leather. This rum remained entirely consistent and balanced through the palate: early sweet deep orange, then a growing astringency with a slightly cloying black peppery finish.

Three Star left an unusual drying aftertaste and lick-your-lips sweet residue and consistent clinging aftertaste. A clear-your-palate rum. Not good.

Overall the unexpected and deep color, slow thick legs and overly pungent aroma and tastes lead me to believe this rum has been altered. The Two Star would appear to be a "people's rum" - simple and powerful, but minimally altered. In my opinion the Three Star is not all that much older, but is altered or flavored. As Sue Sea so well noted, it borders on having that "maple syrup" overtone that also makes 1 Barrel so obviously flavored (though Three Star is much less artificial, better done).

To Barrelito's credit I believe they have admitted that these rums are altered - still, you'd never know it from the labels. Should you buy it? A tough one. The Barrelito's are not essential purchases, and far from being reference standards. The Two Star does represent a people's rum though, and for this reason might be an interesting and educational purchase from that perspective.

Score (10 is best): a strong 6, bordering 7.


Note: Even in our first review I had some trepidations about Ron Barrilito Three Star, and almost placed it in the Twiggie category. I won't for now, but I sure am tempted...
Last edited by Capn Jimbo on Tue May 04, 2010 7:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by RT »

For a long time, this rum has been on my short list of rums which I had been unable to find, but wanted to try.

Imagine my joy when some friends returning from PR presented me with a bottle. I couldn't wait to open it... or could I?

Based on your reviews, I have decided to hold off until I can find some of the 2 star for a direct comparison. That way I can form an opinion as to the presence of any additives, without being hampered by pre-conceived notions.

Hope I find it soon.
Students of the cask, reject naught but water. -Charles Gonoud, Faust Act 2
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Post by NCyankee »

I just ordered both of these after finding a great online price - $17 and $24 during a 15% off sale, much lower than I had found them anywhere else (usually mid-20's and low $30s.)

Looking forward to trying them.
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Rum Rereview: Ron del Barrilito Three Star

Post by Capn Jimbo »

Ron del Barrilito Three Star: Caro syrup


This will be the final review of a rum that's been with us for some years. The review benefits from time and experience. The Three Star is said to be 6 to 10 years of age, and is bottled at a surprising 43%. The company is small, very old and was family run.

Sue Sea:
My experience with Ron del Barrilito Two Star was a pleasant experience, so of course I was looking forward to the Trhee Star which promised at least another three years of aging. The bottles are plain, simple and classic with truly classic old style labels. This is how rums should present, as a rum should be valued for its taste, not its marketing. Still the Three Star did not live up to my expectations.

The Three Stars aroma presented as orange rind over butterscotch, leather and frangipans (an aromatic, thickly fragrant flower). Under all was honey cinnamon, and a serious brown sugar and raisin - all of which reminded me of the Caro Syrup used in baking.

Although the palate was consistent, it was choppy and simply tasted phony and medicinal, much like a cougy syrup. The Three Star is overdone - although Caro Syrup is lovely for baking, it is certainly not for sipping. The lack of enjoyment overshadows any consistency.

Overall I think this rum could be used in baking, and just possibly after dinner due to its thickness.

Me: Remember that our Barrilito rums were both bottled at 43%, noted during deep nosing. The rum is a clear but not brilliant amber, with super slow, scary legs. The nose opens a deep, somewhat sour leather. Think molasses or Sue Sea's Caro Syrup. I found a potent deep, thick sweetness. The Three Star is entirely consistent but displays what I can only describe as a strange balance of: deep sweet vs sour leather vs white pepper heat. The finish is a somewhat cloying sweet and white pepper, normally a pleasant experience but not with the sour leather.

I have a feeling this is a taste that local Puerto Ricans have come to love, but that will have to be a hard acquired taste, mostly due to the obvious (and admitted) alteration of the rum.

Score (ten is best): 6. Barely.
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Post by NCyankee »

OK now I'm not looking forward to it quite so much lol.
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Post by Rum Warrior »

I think this might be the original rum for pina coladas.

It's worth trying.

I probably won't buy it for a long time, since there are other rums at that price point that I would like to try.
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

Do share what you find, thanks...
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Post by Rum Warrior »

my evidence for this being the original rum for pina coladas is anecdotal. a family member went to (what I think they said was) the original bar, and pressured the bartender into showing what they put in it.


That being said, that bottle out here is around $30, so I would rather get something else.
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