Objective Notes

Extremely Smooth (on the RnD scale of Harsh-Smooth-Very Smooth-Extremely Smooth). 

Punta Cana Viejo is a bright shade of polished copper.  Moderately complex aromas of butterscotch and caramel dominate the pleasant, heavy aromas.  Easily detected also are the large oaky and vanilla aromas characteristic of Oliver & Oliver rums, with nice undertones of fruit (mango) and a slight nutmeg spiciness.  Upon Initial taste, the butterscotch, caramel and oak are all present in the flavors, though to a lesser extent than on the nose, while the broad body delivers more dried tropical fruit texture to the palate.  A big warm finish sweetens your tongue and throat with caramel and pie crust dough, then tapers quickly, finally lingering to a light sweet ending.

Anecdotal Notes

Dave – Punta Cana Viejo is  a blend of rums aged 7, 8 and 12 years from the Dominican aging house of Oliver & Oliver.  The rum goes through a finishing aging in used oak Sherry barrels for three to six months.   Though not a distiller, Oliver and Oliver produce some wonderfully sweet, full bodied rum in a traditional Cuban style, acquiring their stocks of aged rums distilled in Trinidad and Tobago, and Panama. 

Pavol Kazimir, curator for the Museo del Ron in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (nice job, huh!) poured samples of Punta Cana Viejo at a pre-party for the RumXP judges lucky enough to arrive early for Miami Rum Renaissance Festival. Pavol let me steal away from Miami with just enough of it to write this review, plus enjoy a few more sips for myself.  So while I’m sharing what I have with you here in this review, I sure wish I had more!  Ahh, the sacrifices we make.

For an interesting read on the history of Oliver & OLiver, please see Pavol Kazimir’s write-up at Refined Vices here.

Taster’s Opinion

Dave – Punta Cana Viejo is a Dominican rum with a Trinidad soul, aged in the D.R, from rum sourced in Trinidad.  The deep aromas and caramel, oak, vanilla, and spice flavors characteristic of fine aged rums from both those countries are here in abundance, blended and polished with a slight Sherry edge for a unique personality.  You’ll have to search for Punta Cana rum, as it isn’t widely available.  Your hard work will be amply rewarded once the rum is in your glass.  Please Pavol, may I have more?

Roger – Punta Cana Club Ron Viejo is a complex, smooth,  and flavorful rum that is easily enjoyed neat or on the rocks. Distilled in Trinidad and aged in the Dominican Republic by using a Solera blending and aging process where rums of various ages (up to 12 years for this rum) are brought together over time to create a specific flavor palate that a master blender finds perfect. It’s bottled and produced by Oliver & Oliver. I’m in debt to my friend, Pavol Kazimir, for the sample he gave me in Miami this year. This is a fine rum to own but hard to find so if you do happen to find it outside of the DR get a few bottles and enjoy!

Taster's Rating (10 is best):  Dave – 8 Flasks, Roger - 8 Flasks

 

Most recently tasted by:  Dave and Roger, April 2011 in Miami at Rum Renaissance Festival, and again in June 2011 at RnD’s South  and North Tasting Rooms, USA.