Continuing on with the Dominican Republic. I am probably just going to go through all of my Dominican rums in a row, because why not? I tried them all side by side, then took them home, and also tried them side by side with Havana Club (7 for the older ones, 3 for the younger ones) because while in DR, I felt like Brugal rums were very similar to Cuban rums.

Review

Smell

Extremely oaky. Bold vanilla, oak, a bit of alcohol burn, and a little bit of caramel sweetness. I feel like Havana Club 7 is very similar to this profile.

Taste

For a rum that’s not that old, it is surprisingly smooth. Very bold oak and vanilla, a mild alcohol burn, and notes of caramel and butterscotch. It’s not particularly rich and the body is just ok. After adding in a few ice cubes and letting it open up, I do get a bit of the floral notes that I associate with Cuban rums, but it’s pretty faint. These floral notes are more noticable afterwards, since the palate goes a bit long. I would say that Havana Club 7 has a stronger vanilla and coconut flavor, but it also has a bit of a sour note and it’s noticably harsher. But honestly, these rums are quite similar and can likely be swapped for each other in cocktails that call for them. It’s lighter (arguably blander), but smoother and less biting than Havana Club 7.

I tried it side by side with Zacapa 23, and again, I think it’s closer than you’d expect. Zacapa has a deep, delicious richness to it, and I think that the wine finish is tasteful and the sweetness level is tolerable, I don’t really think it adds that much versus just the richness of the rum itself. Brugal Extra Viejo is not nearly as deep and rich, but it’s crisp and bold, and while I prefer Zacapa, Brugal is tailing it.

In a daiquiri, I honestly don’t really like it. Really woody. Havana Club 7, while not my favorite daiquiri rum, beats it thanks to its overall less woody flavor, and the sour notes disappear. On the other hand, in an Old Fashioned (I used demerara syrup and Bitterman’s tiki bitters), Brugal is incredible, while Havana Club is alright, but I strongly prefer Brugal.

Verdict 6.25/10

It’s a tough call. Brugal Extra Viejo has a bit less flavor than Havana Club 7, but the flavor that it does have is lighter and nicer. I think I very slightly prefer Extra Viejo overall. Though, both Havana Club 7 and Brugal Extra Viejo fall short of Ron Santiago de Cuba 8.

This is pretty much my favorite Brugal. Not that I think that it’s fantastic, but I think that it’s the pinnacle of the Dominican terroir. Column distilled rum that is very light and aged until it is very oaky, and it’s just subtle and easy drinking and mixing. It has the taste that some other Dominican rums have, before, in my opinion, they are blunted or tarnished with unnecessary sherry wine finishes and added sugar. While I don’t think that Dominican rum beats Cuban rum categorically, this is the rum to give Cuba a run for its money, and it’s very competent.

And I must make my bias known again, that I really enjoy funky Jamaican rums. Even Appleton Signature, the most basic of lightly aged blended Jamaican rums, is a 6.5/10, and I do happily sip it, and I do still slightly prefer it to Extra Viejo. But if you have a fondness for Cuban rums, and perhaps you live in the US where it’s hard to obtain them, this is a very handy substitute. Not to mention the value! Yeah in DR it’s barely over $10, but even in the US, I see it in stores for the low $20s.