Brugal is produced in the Dominican Republic by Brugal & Co. The company was founded in the late 1800s by the Spanish Don Andrés Brugal Montaner. The first aged rum was created in 1920 and it was the first of its kind in the whole country.
Brugal Añejo was invented in 1952 and it is said to be a blend of 3 to 5 years old rums aged in ex-Bourbon casks. Brugal is very popular in Spain and it is the most sold rum there. The company is now controlled by Edrington Company, but there are still the descendants of Montaner family on the board members.
The nose of Brugal Añejo is very light, there is just a hint of oak and chocolate. Taste is also light and neutral, rather dry and has some hints of caramel and some spicy oak. It is a good example for how much neutral column distilled rum gathers flavours from the 3 to 5 year oak ageing. Pretty much nothing. So, compared to typical dark rums, which are full of brown sugar, molasses and spices, Brugal Añejo is much more neutral with only a hint of some tastes. Just those dark rums are flavoured, when the Brugal really feels real.
It’s not very exciting neat, in the beginning it is difficult to taste anything. But with closer analysis I can find those small nuances and It goes more pleasurable. On the rocks the chocolate and caramel aromas become stronger. It’s definitely more as a mixing rum, and it works very well in that area. You can use it on daiquiris, mojitos and all short and tall rum drinks. The taste is neutral enough it won’t give any savours.
It’s difficult rum to review, there’s nothing bad about the taste, it’s just very neutral. But on the other side, it does not have any flavourings so I prefer it upon most of the artificial flavoured dark rums. Maybe some more aging or different kinds of barrels would give more flavours and it would also be more exciting. But for sure also more expensive, now I paid 18.99€ for a 70cl bottle. So with that price it is a good product but if it’s more expensive than that, I rather recommend some older and more complex products.
83/100
