Review: Brugal Rum Coleccion Visionaria Edicion 02, Coffee (2024)
The Dominican Republic’s Brugal is back with round two of its Colección Visionaria line, Edicion 02, Coffee. Like the Edicion 01, Cacao release, this rum uses Brugal‘s unique “Aromatic Cask Toasting technique” to infuse barrels with flavor without actually dosing them with a physical liquid or even a solid additive. The secret is toasting coffee beans alongside the wood, imbuing the rum barrels with a coffee essence. To wit:
Colección Visionaria Edición 02, Coffee builds upon the success of Edición 01, Cacao, by featuring rare Dominican Arabica coffee and Brugal’s Aromatic Cask Toasting technique, developed by fifth generation Maestra Ronera, Jassil Villanueva Quintana. The finest Arabica coffee beans, known for their vibrant acidity and rich chocolaty undertones, are sourced from the Dominican Republic’s rich and fertile soils. These beans are then used to toast Brugal’s finest virgin French Oak casks, infusing the rum with robust, aromatic notes without direct contact with the liquid. The result is an exceptionally smooth, balanced, and authentic Dominican rum with notes of dried fruits, rich mocha, and sweet cloves balanced by smoky wood.
Deeply inspired by the land and Dominican Republic’s rich tradition of coffee culture, Jassil Villanueva Quintana sought to create a rum that embodies the cherished ‘cafecito’ moment – a ritual celebrated in the Dominican Republic where friends, family, and community come together to pause and savor life’s moments. “Many stories and laughs have been shared over a cherished cafecito in the Dominican Republic. It is these warm moments and nostalgic aromas that we wanted to recreate in Colección Visionaria Edición 02,” said Jassil Villanueva Quintana. “This new rum is a celebration of shared moments and memories, an invitation to enjoy the warmth of good company and the rich, inviting flavors of our homeland.”
The Arabica coffee beans are grown locally with meticulous care, mirroring Brugal’s dedication to crafting fine rum. With only 20% of Dominican coffee exported as the Dominicans themselves drink so much of it, this treasure remains one of the Dominican Republic’s best-kept secrets, much like the careful cask-toasting process that characterizes Brugal’s Colección Visionaria. The unique terroir of the Dominican Republic provides unparalleled quality to the locally grown Arabica coffee. Cultivated in rich fertile soilsand benefiting from the cool, high-altitude climate, these beans develop a dense, flavorful profile. This blend of local heritage and artisanal mastery captures the essence of the Dominican landscape, offering a taste of its natural beauty in every bottle of Colección Visionaria.
Let’s give Brugal Rum Colección Visionaria Edición 02, Coffee a try.
As was the case with Edicion 01, those looking for a powerful slug of coffee won’t find it here. The impact of the coffee bean toasting is actually quite mild, and not immediately evident on the nose, even. Rich molasses notes rather take center stage, with ample vanilla, milk chocolate, and clove elements all in the mix. A brief, Cognac-like headiness fills the bowl of a Glencairn before, at last, the coffee becomes more evident — dark roast, set against a backdrop of substantial barrel char.
The palate mixes things up, and here the coffee is clearer, though again not overwhelming, just a pinch of ground beans against a backdrop of dark chocolate and gently sweet brown sugar. The barrel char elements are no joke, offering a burly, almost smoky quality to the body. The finish takes a trip toward fruit, with bright cherry and some raspberry in the mix, all finished off with a twist of orange.
As with Edicion 01, this is a complex rum that pays homage to its namesake without ever beating you over the head with it. Add a bit to a Carajillo, and I think you’re talking my language.
90 proof.
A- / $100
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