There are many unique types of whiskey out there, which you probably already know if it’s your liquor of choice. If you’ve ever seen a whiskey labeled “bottled-in-bond,” then you might be wondering what, exactly, this label means and whether or not it’s important when choosing your spirit. In fact, bonded whiskeys are of particularly high quality and, for over a century, have been known for their excellence.

Back in the 1800s, it wasn’t easy to know where your whiskey was coming from, what was in it, or how high-quality it was. At the time, alcohol was sold and purchased in barrels rather than bottles. Manufacturers often took advantage of this less-than-secure packaging to water down their whiskey and mix in additives. Some whiskeys included such undesirable ingredients as wood chips or even formaldehyde.

The federal government passed the Bottled-in-Bond Act in 1897 to keep these practices at bay, meaning a bottle bearing that label had to meet very specific qualifications. Colin Spoelman, co-founder of Kings County Distillery, told Wine Enthusiast, “Bottled-in-bond is one of the earliest examples of a consumer protection law.” Bottled-in-bond whiskey was first distilled at a single U.S. distillery and aged for four years in government-supervised buildings. It was also bottled — not barreled — when it was 100 proof. These steps ensured high-quality whiskey, and the bottled-in-bond label meant that consumers didn’t have to worry about what they were drinking.

Read more: Popular Vodka Brands Ranked From Worst To Best

While bottled-in-bond whiskey was all the rage for quite some time, it lost its popularity in the 1970s when lighter, lower-proof options became available. In 2018, however, Jim Beam’s bonded whiskey made a triumphant return to the market. Adam Harris, the senior American whiskey ambassador at Beam Suntory, told Wine Enthusiast, “We saw the popularity of higher-proof product rise among the craft-bartending community,” adding, “The bigger proofs of bottled-in-bond provide bigger flavors that stand up well in cocktails.”

Bottled-in-bond whiskey was once a method of quality control, and today, the label still implies excellence. It also marks a strong, more savory, less sweet whiskey with a high ABV. Noah Rothbaum, author of “The Art of American Whiskey,” told Serious Eats that many whiskey drinkers “just think [the classification is] something you slap on a label. But for people in the know, bottled-in-bond says, ‘Look, this is quality.'” He added, “I don’t like to tell people about bottled-in-bond. I’d rather they not know about it so the prices stay low.” So, while bottled-in-bond whiskey may be most popular among informed bartenders these days, it’s an easy way to ensure a high-quality bottle that’s perfect for any whiskey cocktail you might want to whip up.

Read the original article on Mashed.

Every morning at Hacienda Santa Ana in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, a range of activities can be seen. The master cooper of Ron del Barrlito might be at work, fussing over barrels and revamping old sherry casks, a routine for the past 57 years. Concurrently, the master blender is probably withdrawing samples from rum-filled sherry casks of various ages between 3-40 years, meticulously assessing their progress for future blending plans of the brand’s products. It’s not unfamiliar to see groups of chatty Greater Antillean Grackles around, perching on the historic windmill or the vintage delivery truck. The setting is almost timeless, with an old-world appeal few present-day distilleries can replicate.

One of the reasons behind this timelessness is the absence of any ultra-modern industrial column still; no rum is even locally distilled. Ron del Barrilito sources its basic, unaged column still rum from the Dominican Republic, then begins the lengthy process of evolving it into its distinctive product. This approach has remained unwavering at the site for 144 years since its product first launched in 1880.

Such ideological steadfastness is nearly unthinkable in today’s fast-paced spirits industry, notable for rapidly cycling product launches. However, Ron del Barrilito has steadfastly maintained a single flagship rum (3 Stars) for its 144-year history and intends to continue in this vein. This decision reflects the relentless dedication showcased by Pedro Fernández, the company’s founder, whose lineage has guided the brand through more than a century of rum production.

The land upon which Ron del Barrilito is produced, Hacienda Santa Ana, has been a part of the Fernández family since Fernando Fernández arrived from Spain in 1787. Initially, sugarcane cultivation was their primary pursuit, long before rum production commenced. This order is ironically reversed today as Puerto Rico’s commercial sugarcane industry has unfortunately dwindled. The family’s interest in distilled spirits only kindled when Fernando’s grandson, Pedro Fernández, pursued engineering studies in France during the 1860s.

Pedro was enraptured by the complex process of making French brandy and cognac, learning the intricate blending and aging techniques that resulted in exceptional batches. His return from France to Puerto Rico marked the beginning of a rum revolution. He started aging massive amounts of rum in Spanish sherry casks, later blending it with smaller pieces of rum that had been infused with local stone fruit and spices. After ten years, this led to the creation of his commercially successful venture, which he named Ron del Barrilito.

The flagship product of Ron del Barrilito is the same bottle of rum today, the Ron del Barrilito Three Stars. The rum is a blend of column still rums, aged from 6-10 years, all in former oloroso sherry casks, fortified with a bit of macerated rum which has soaking on a secret assortment of local fruits and spices. Rather than being labelled as “spiced rum,”, the rum is subtly enhanced by these elements, complimenting the interplay between the casks of varying ages. Two identical casks filled on the same day and aged for a decade side by side can yield drastically differing profiles, reflecting the intricate dance of air, leakage, evaporation, and oak interaction.

The sole product of Ron del Barrilito for its initial forty years was the 3 Stars, until Prohibition was enforced in the U.S. in 1920. This halted local rum production for over a decade, an especially challenging period for the rum brand. The end of Prohibition in 1933 saw the launch of Barrilito’s second rum, the 2 Stars, a lightly aged blend of 3-5 year old rum, which is now a common choice in cocktail concoctions.

With the 2 Stars, the company regained its market presence quicker than expected. But still, they chose to prioritize the original process of aging and blending, a testament to Pedro Fernández’s adherence to the old methods. After prohibition, they could have taken the route of selling unaged white rum, but chose to exercise patience. The company, led by Edmundo Fernández, stuck to its signature style and principles. Hence, Edmundo prepared a special barrel in 1952 which he instructed to only be opened when Puerto Rico gains independence from the U.S. This barrel, known as “La Doña”, still waits in the warehouse, unopened for over seven decades, symbolizing the company’s dedication and national pride.

For almost one and a half century, running a family enterprise through the national Prohibition and impressive technological advancements was indeed a phenomenal achievement. Established when there were only 38 states in the U.S., during the Wild West era, Ron del Barrilito has continued to flourish till the 2010s. Despite this, the pressures of modernity and a dearth of heirs under the strain of preserving their traditional legacy, the fate of rum production at Hacienda Santa Ana hung in the balance.

The real fact is that for all those years, Ron del Barrilito has always been managed as an expression of the founder’s love for rum, more than a pursuit for profit. The members of Fernández family were more inclined to ensure the quality of their product than how much it could sell for, a trait which did not motivate brand growth. As a result, the annual production volumes of Ron del Barrilito 2 Stars and 3 Stars swung wildly, ranging from as low as 5,000 cases to as many as 15,000. This inconsistency similarly affected its distribution, with sporadic shipments to the Caribbean, Mexico and the U.S. This led to a lot of speculations about the brand, reducing its capacity to leverage its rich history, and remained a labour of love.

Meanwhile, the state of hacienda and its ancillary facilities, blending facilities and machinery, began to deteriorate. The son of Edmundo, “Don Fernando” Fernandez, as he advanced in his career, found himself grappling with an increasingly complex economical situation. For the first time since the Prohibition, contemplations of closing or selling Ron del Barrilito, a topic he had sternly avoided in his life, started surfacing as the brand faced an existential crisis.

However, in 2017, led by Joaquin Bacardi of Bacardi Ltd., a group of Puerto Rican investors came forward to acquire Edmundo B. Fernández Inc. with a vision to nurture the legacy for future generations. In a twist of fate, the huge Bacardi distillery campus is just seven miles from the small, traditional Hacienda Santa Ana. But in this scenario, the Bacardi offspring joined hands with no intentions to engulf Ron del Barrilito into their vast corporate portfolio. On the contrary, they are committed to expanding and upgrading the facilities at Hacienda Santa Ana, while reserving the precious methods and independence of Pedro Fernández. Keeping the tradition of multi-generational leadership, Joaquin Bacardi’s sons Eduardo and Guillermo have assumed positions of strategic and production leaders, with the latter directly studying under Master Blender Luis Planas in a preparatory step to head the crucial task of blending batches of 3 Stars in future.

Indeed, Bacardi’s intervention probably came at the perfect moment for Ron del Barrilito, as the refurbishments and enhancements to the premises likely supported the facility in surviving Hurricane Maria’s destruction in late 2017, a phenomenon that could have otherwise marked the brand’s downfall. Now, with a new $2 million visitor center that has already played host to tens of thousands of guests since its 2019 inauguration, Ron del Barrilito is, at last, increasing production (40,000 cases expected in 2023), consolidating foreign export markets and enjoying a resurgence as one of Puerto Rico’s most cherished indigenous brands. Wander around San Juan, venture into its bars and you’ll see it positioned with reverence, ready for its signature whisky Old-Fashioned.

concurrently, the brand has launched its first two new offerings since the 1930s, the super exclusive Four Stars and Five Stars, not as a manipulative tactic for publicity or income but as a necessary step to utilize many of the Hacienda’s old casks which had been aging for years without a planned destination, at risk of being completely wasted. Ironically, without some level of past negligence, these brands wouldn’t exist today. Ron del Barrilito casks were never meant to have been aging in the warehouses for 35 years, but they now represent the limited supply of Five Stars available globally. Nor will the company effortlessly produce more Four Stars or Five Stars once these bottles finish, due to the production delay, one these are sold out, the brands will effectively go into hibernation, possibly for decades. The arrival of the segunda edición will indeed be a remarkable day for the company.

When one visits Puerto Rico, it’s impossible not to notice that it is intrinsically a territory of contrasts, with a spirit equally influenced by the English and Spanish-speaking worlds. Petrol stations sell petrol by the liter, yet grocery stores sell milk by the gallon. Speedometers indicate speed in miles per hour, but distances are measured in kilometers. It’s appropriate that in such a place, Ron del Barrilito invests 144 years in producing what many deem the island’s finest rum, yet never expands beyond a humble family business. Until now, that is, from 2024 onwards, the globe will become increasingly aware of Pedro Fernández’s 1880 dream. If you wish to sample what was consumed then, all you need to do is uncork a bottle of Ron del Barrilito 3 Stars. Here’s raising a toast to the next hundred years of rum.

Jim Vorel is a Paste staff writer and resident alcohol connoisseur. You can follow him on Twitter for more drink related articles.

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When it comes to whiskey, there’s a whole lot for connoisseurs to know. From varying mashes to distillation and finally aging, each whiskey comes with its own set of details and history. And while it might be tempting to think that you can bypass whiskey education and count on the price to signal the best bottles, there’s actually a better way. If you want to guarantee that what you’re buying is a quality bottle then just look for a whiskey that’s been bottled-in-bond.

Okay, but what is bonded whiskey anyway? Basically, it’s a certification that says the bottle in question meets the highest quality requirements. So you’re pretty much guaranteed a whiskey that tastes great while also having a high alcohol content. And it’s completely traceable, down to the exact distillery where it was produced and the facility where it was bottled (if different). Whiskey isn’t the only type of spirit that is bottled-in-bond, but it is the most popular.

Read more: The Ultimate Vodka Brands, Ranked

In order for a whiskey to be labeled as bottled-in-bond, there are specific measures it has to meet. For one, it has to be aged for a minimum of four years. But it’s not as simple as just throwing the whiskey in some barrels and starting the clock either — those whiskey barrels have to be stored in a location that has been bonded by the federal government.

Another qualification is the whiskey’s alcohol content, which has to be precisely 100-proof (or 50% alcohol) no more and no less. There are also strict rules as to when and where the spirit can be distilled. It has to come from a single distillery and its production cannot cross over more than one season (which lasts six months, beginning in January and July). This part is so important that each bottle has to be marked with the Distilled Spirits Plant where it was produced and bottled.

Bonded whiskey and other spirits can trace their history back to the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. The legislation was enacted to protect consumers from questionable and even dangerous shortcuts. At the time, some whiskey sellers were adding everything from caramel coloring to formaldehyde to make a quick buck by faking authentic whiskey. And while some caramel coloring is still used in many whiskeys to keep the color the same, by purchasing bottled-in-bond whiskey you can rest assured that it won’t be present.

While bonded whiskey’s popularity waned in the late 20th century, it’s been making a comeback in recent years. The higher proof may have been why fewer people were drinking it, as most consumers had grown accustomed to 80-proof liquors instead. But the overall quality and taste seem to be pulling fans of craft spirits back in, leading a revival for bottled-in-bond whiskey.

Read the original article on Daily Meal.

Detroit City Distillery is expanding its famous Pączki Day Vodka lineup this year by adding a limited edition orange cream flavor. Detroit City Distillery

DETROIT – There’s even more Paczki Day Vodka hitting the market in 2024.

Detroit City Distillery has become known for the spirit made with fresh raspberry pączki from Hamtramck’s iconic New Palace Bakery and 100% potato vodka from Poland and Michigan.

But it is also releasing another flavor of the ultra-popular celebratory spirit this year by introducing Orange Cream.

The special edition version will be available for purchase online at 8 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 26. It costs $35 per bottle. The limited edition vodka is expected to sell out quickly.

Distillery staff also said its Hometown Horseradish vodka, which was first made in 2023, will also return and become part of its permanent spirit lineup.

For those that don’t know, paczki are rich, doughnut-like treats traditionally enjoyed on Fat Tuesday before Lent.

They resemble donuts but are made with an enriched dough that often incorporates eggs, butter and milk, as well as vodka, which limits the absorption of fats during frying, keeping the exterior crust crisp.

RELATED: Michigan’s Eastern Market Brewing releasing 2 new flavors of fruity paczki-inspired beer

Pączki Day Vodka Party

DCS’s annual Paczki Day Party will take place at their tasting room from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Feb. 10. Admission is free.

The outdoor patio area encompasses an entire city block. Food, including Polish favorites, will be available for sale, along with Paczki vodka cocktails and DCD’s regular menu of spirits.

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During a typical morning at Hacienda Santa Ana in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, it’s common to witness several events. The Ron del Barrlito’s primary cooper is often there, working on barrels or restoring vintage sherry casks—tasks he has performed daily for the past 57 years. The master blender could be found sampling rum from sherry casks aged 3 to 40 years, meticulously gauging their maturation to plan for future product blends. Greater Antillean Grackles, small groups of dusky and garrulous birds, flutter around, alighting on the age-old windmill or the antique truck previously used for rum distribution. With the serene tropical climate sitting in the mid-80s even during winter mornings, it’s easy to lose track of the year this scene exists in. Hacienda Santa Ana seems unchanged, as if frozen in time—a claim that very few modern distilleries could make.

One possible reason for this is the absence of a shiny, contemporary industrial column still anywhere on the site. Surprisingly, there’s no rum distillation happening here at all—the supply for Ron del Barrilito comes as a fairly neutral, unaged column still rum from the Dominican Republic, which then undergoes a process spanning several years to transform it into a unique product. This has been the case for 144 years, with the product remarkably identical to the company’s first rum which was sold back in 1880.

Such consistency in production philosophy is often viewed as unusual, or even foreign, in today’s spirited world which is characterized by the continuous introduction of new products that are quickly discarded or reinvented. However, Ron del Barrilito has maintained just one primary rum product (3 Stars) during its 144-year existence, a decision reflecting the singular focus of its founder, Pedro Fernández, whose family has managed the brand for over a century.

The land where Ron del Barrilito is produced, Hacienda Santa Ana, has been in the Fernandez family since 1787 when Fernando Fernandez, the family patriarch, came from Spain. Initially, the family harvested sugar cane, long before they ventured into rum production. This is no longer the case as the sugar cane industry in Puerto Rico has significantly dwindled. The family’s interest in distilled spirits started when Pedro Fernández, Fernando Fernández’s grandson, studied engineering in France in the 1860s.

Pedro discovered the artful production of French brandy and cognac with a deep impression. Upon returning to Puerto Rico, he brought back the knowledge he gained, applying it to rum, the local readily available spirit. Aging large amounts of rum using exclusively Spanish sherry casks, he created a blend with a small portion of stone fruit and spice macerated rum. After a decade of iteration, he commercialized his product under the name Ron del Barrilito.

The flagship product today is Ron del Barrilito Three Stars, comprised of a blend of column still rums aged from 6-10 years entirely in former oloroso sherry casks and gently fortified with macerated rum rested on a secret array of local fruits and spices. The expectation may be to label Ron del Barrilito as “spiced rum,” but in reality, this component introduces a subtle touch to the overall flavor profile, more of an enhancement than a headline. The uniqueness of the rum lies in its refined balance between casks of varying ages, each of which experiences its own unique journey aging in the tropical heat of Hacienda Santa Ana’s warehouses.

The product range of Ron del Barrilito remained sole for the first 40 years until the 1920 enactment of Prohibition in the U.S brought local rum production to halt for the next 13 years. Upon lifting the probation, this gap presented a substantial challenge for Ron del Barrilito due to the long production process of their 6-10 year old product. It paved the way for the introduction of a second Ron del Barrilito product, 2 Stars, a short-aged 3-5-year-old blend.

The introduction of 2 Stars helped restore product availability albeit sooner than the standard period. Still, Pedro Fernández’s unwavering quality standards and preference for Old World technique prevailed. The company could have ventured into selling unaged white rum immediately after prohibition, but they held onto their unique style of maturation. Edmundo Fernández, was known for his inexorable compliance with the Barrilito tradition as well as his fiercely independent streak. In 1952, Edmundo marked a barrel, referred to as La Doña, to be opened and shared with the town only when Puerto Rico attains independence from the U.S. The barrel remains unopened 72 years later, adding a silent testimony to the company’s hopeful outlook and national pride.

The story of Ron del Barrilito, a family-run business that has been in operation for about a century and a half, is fascinating. The business was established during the Wild West epoch when the U.S. was comprised of 38 states. Fast forward to the 2010s and fifth and sixth generation members of the Fernández family were still upholding the tradition. However, modern challenges and an absence of apparent successors threatened the continuation of rum production at Hacienda Santa Ana.

Ron del Barrilito did not function as a standard profit-making business all those years; it was more an artisanal venture, an expression of the creator’s love for rum. Maintaining the quality of their product was paramount, not the quantity sold or brand growth. Yearly production of Ron del Barrilito 2 Stars and 3 Stars seesawed between 5,000 cases to 15,000. The irregular production led to erratic distribution covering the Caribbean, Mexico, and the U.S. Over time, this unintentionally created an enigmatic aura around the brand while also sparking many misconceptions. Nevertheless, Ron del Barrilito remained significantly a passion project.

However, deterioration of the hacienda began to undermine the operations. At the time, “Don Fernando” Fernández was contemplating the viability of the business, even considering the closure or sale of Ron del Barrilito. This was the first time since the Prohibition that the business’ sustainability was at stake.

In this scenario, Joaquin Bacardi of Bacardi Ltd. family purchased Edmundo B. Fernández Inc. along with several Puerto Rican investors in 2017 to preserve its heritage. Interestingly, the sprawling Bacardi distillery is stationed just seven miles away from the humble Hacienda Santa Ana. However, the Bacardi lineage had no intention of integrating Ron del Barrilito into their global conglomerate. Instead, they are committed to modernizing and extending the Hacienda Santa Ana establishments without compromising Pedro Fernández’s unique method and independence. The management has also transitioned to the next generation of Bacardis with Eduardo and Guillermo, Joaquin Bacardi’s sons, assuming pivotal roles in business strategy and production. Guillermo, notably, is being trained under Master Blender Luis Planas, presumably to inherit the crucial blending tasks of 3 Stars.

And in truth, the Bacardi transition most likely came along at exactly the right time for Ron del Barrilito, as the repairs and improvements to the campus most likely helped the facility to survive the devastation of Hurricane Maria in late 2017, an event that might otherwise have spelled the end for the brand. Now possessing a new, $2 million visitor’s center that has already welcomed tens of thousands of guests since it opened in 2019, Ron del Barrilito is finally expanding production (40,000 cases in 2023), solidifying its foreign export markets, and generally experiencing a revitalized status as one of Puerto Rico’s most beloved homegrown brands. Walk the streets of San Juan, dip into its bars, and you will see it displayed in places of honor, ready for use in its signature rum old fashioned.

At the same time, the brand has also released its first two new products since the 1930s, the ultra-limited Four Stars and Five Stars–not a cynical ploy for publicity or revenue, but a necessary move to utilize many of the hacienda’s older casks that had been left aging for decades without any intended destination, in danger of being altogether wasted. Ironically, these brands couldn’t exist at all today without some level of oversight having occurred in the past–casks of Ron del Barrilito were never technically meant to have been aging in the warehouses for 35 years, but they now make up the limited ration of Five Stars that exists in the world. Nor will the company be able to easily produce more Four Stars or Five Stars once these bottles are gone–thanks to the lag in production, once these are gone the brands will effectively go into hibernation, potentially for decades. It will be a special day for the company when the segunda edición finally arrives.

Visiting Puerto Rico, one can’t help but note that it is inherently a land of contrasts, with a spirit equally divided among the English and Spanish-speaking worlds. Gas stations sell fuel by the liter, but markets sell milk by the gallon. Speedometers display velocity in miles per hour, but distances are measured in kilometers. It’s fitting that in this place, Ron del Barrilito spends 144 years making what many consider the best rum on the island, but never grows larger than a modest family operation. Until now, that is–in 2024 and beyond, the world will be waking up to the beauty of Pedro Fernández’s dream in 1880. If you want to taste what they were drinking then, you only have to open a bottle of Ron del Barrilito 3 Stars. Here’s to another century of rum.

Jim Vorel is a Paste staff writer and resident beer and liquor geek. You can follow him on Twitter for more drink writing.

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