I have done a lot of reviews of Dominican rums, but you know what is always conspicuously missing? Bermudez. They’re one of the “Three B’s” of Dominican rum, but to be honest, they kind of fell off as of late. Many other brands seem to have just as much if not more presence than Bermudez. I don’t even think they still distill. So, I don’t really want to get everything from them like I already did with Brugal and Barcelo, but I gotta at least try their flagship, named after their founder: Don Armando.

Review

Smell: Honestly it smells very much like other Dominican rums. Light on the nose, with a bit of vanilla, oak, and again that indescribable slightly floral scent that I associate with Dominican rums.

Taste: It’s extremely similar to Brugal. Just like the nose, the flavor is light, and has notes of vanilla, oak, and a slightly floral finish. It’s a bit woody and tannic, distinctly Dominican, and I like it better than Havana Club 7 Year, since it’s a bit less sour. I would say that it is most similar to Brugal 1888, as side by side, I can barely tell them apart, other than Don Armando being a bit sweeter.

Verdict 6.25/10

Honestly, I tried some of the lower shelf stuff from Bermudez (I might get to that review eventually) and it did not impress me. So, when I saw this for $22, I thought, that is way too cheap to be good, especially at the airport in a tourist area, but this is literally their flagship, so I decided to bite the bullet and get it. The fact that it is among the best rums that I have tried in the DR is already not bad. Don’t get me wrong, there’s far better rums out there, but in terms of the DR, it doesn’t get all that much better. But then on top of that, only being $22 without tax? Honestly, I would straight up recommend this rum if you see it. Gift it to someone who isn’t all that into rum yet. It’s half-decent, sweet but not offensively so, and cheap.