Maestro Reserva, 135 years of expertise in a new premium sipping rum

Created by five generations of passionate Maestros Roneros, the new Brugal release is the result of long experience in the art of aging rum.

The new Brugal label Maestro Reserva was presented to the press on 4 September in Rome.  An exclusive launch event was held on the terrace of Michelin-starred restaurant Orma, chef Roy Caceres's realm.

Unlike the last releases including Colecció Visionaria, Brugal's most recent ultra-premium rum Maestro Reserva was intended as a permanent product, the perfect addition to the finest bottle racks from refined bars to luxury restaurants. 

The new Double Cask sipping rum was created by Maestra Ronera Jassil Villanueva, a member of the fifth generation of Brugal's founding family to celebrate 135 years of expertise in rum distillation. 

The distinguishing feature of Maestro Reserva is an innovative toasting technique called Dark Aromatic Toasting, designed by Villanueva herself. It's a very delicate process demonstrating great skill in controlling the interaction between fire and wood. After resting in ex-Bourbon American oak barrels first and then in ex-Sherry barrels, the rum is carefully removed and stored. Before being put back in ex-Sherry barrels, these are toasted to caramelize the sugar residues in the wood.

A very complex process which Brand Ambassador Matteo Melara explains using a metaphor:

"Anyone who has ever made caramel pudding knows that when caramelizing sugar you need to stop at just the right moment to avoid bringing out bitter notes."

The key is finding the exact moment when all of the elements in rum have reached perfection. The goal is to naturally sweeten the rum and leave a delicate hint of roasting thanks to the caramel ‘pearls’ obtained during the process, which also leave the rum looking slightly cloudy.

The result is a unique rum rich in vanilla and caramel notes with a slight hint of roasted nuts and smoke, excellent to savor straight or on the rocks. 

"My family deeply embraces the elegance and soul of Brugal rum and I have absorbed great wisdom from the generations of Maestros Roneros who came before me," explains Jassil Villanueva Quintana while taking about her journey. "By leveraging this knowledge and my very strong passion and paying homage to the legacy of the Brugal family I created a rum that is 'perfect for the moment.' My hope is that Maestro Reserva will mark life's most important celebrations and create moments that will last for centuries to come.”