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Capitan Bucanero Viejo Blanco Rum
About Capitan Bucanero Viejo Blanco Rum
Capitan Bucanero Viejo Blanco Rum is a Dominican White Rum produced in association with Beveland Distillers, a Spain-based distilling company. Unfortunately, Beveland keeps their production information quite close to the vest, only disclosing that this Rum is produced somewhere in the Dominican Republic using “traditional processes”. This particular Viejo Blanco rum is a blend of different rums aged between 9-12 months. It is made from sugar cane and produced with plums, dried grapes, and other dried fruits.
Bottle Specs
❖ ABV: 40%
❖ Distillery: undisclosed
❖ Aging: 9-12 months
❖ Price Point: Low-priced
Tasting Notes
Though Beveland doesn’t have any official tasting notes listed for this rum, here are a few notes that various retailers seem to agree on:
Palate:
❖ honey
❖ vanilla
❖ wood
My Tasting notes
As I began to sniff out the nose notes, there was a hint of rubbing alcohol quality – but it was mild and fleeting. As I continued, I got a huge wave of caramel scent. Overall, the aroma had a mix of freshness and caramel sweetness.
I took my first sip and it had quite a bit of bite. However, after around 5-10 seconds, there was a delicious sweetness that tasted like caramel and honey. By my third sip, the biting quality started to mellow out, but I was still left with a bitter aftertaste. Overall, the flavors of this rum were very nice – but the alcohol was not very smooth when sipped straight. That said, I feel that the level of smoothness makes sense for the inexpensive price. Cheaper bottles like this are normally better suited for cocktails. Because of the sweet flavors, I was really excited to try it out in a cocktail by the time I finished my straight tasting.
Cocktail
For my cocktail, I decided to opt for a classic Mojito! With the summer weather heating up and our mint plant growing nicely, it seemed like a great way to put this rum to the test.
If you’re not familiar with muddling (in the recipe below), it’s basically a way to gently press the mint leaves to release the oils. A muddler works best for this step, but a regular spoon can work fine in a pinch.
MOJITO
❖ 2 oz silver rum
❖ 3/4 oz simple syrup
❖ 1 oz lime juice
❖ club soda* (to top)
❖ 10 mint leaves
- Inside your shaker, gently muddle the mint leaves with the simple syrup.
- Add Rum and lime juice to the mixture, and shake with ice until chilled.
- Strain into a tall cocktail glass filled with ice.
- Fill the rest of the glass to top with club soda, and briefly stir to mix in.
- Garnish with a mint sprig if desired.
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Inside of a cocktail, this rum was really delicious. I found that the lime and sugar really helped to emphasize the honey notes. In addition, there was a sense of earthiness that nicely complemented the mint. I could never quite pick out the vanilla and wood notes, but those flavors probably helped support the overall sweetness and earthiness. The honey notes remained prominent inside of this cocktail, and it was very pleasant to drink.
*I made my own club soda with the Sodastream (paid Amazon link).
Bottom Line
RATING: 3/5
Overall, I think Capitan Bucanero Viejo Blanco is a really nice rum for the price. Though it’s certainly not the best white rum out there, It’s a great choice for folks who are on a budget but still want quality cocktails. Inside of a cocktail, Capitan Bucanero tastes just as smooth as some other white rums that are double the price. I also really enjoyed the honey notes, and will forever think of this rum as “the one that tastes like honey”.
That said – I would not recommend this rum for sipping, as it’s very bitter without mixers. If you want something on the rocks, you will definitely want to shell out a few extra bucks for something nicer.
One thing that was disappointing about Capitan Bucanero was the strange way that the brand and company seem to be off the grid. In this day and age, it’s very unusual for basic brand information to be difficult to find on the internet. However, I had to dig really deep just to find the small amount of information that I could on the company that produces Capitan Bucanero Viejo Blanco Rum.
Without knowing any details about the “traditional processes” this rum claims to use, I’m not able to comment on the authenticity at all. What’s more – exploitation in the rum industry is always a concern, which companies may or may not address in their marketing. Capitan Bucanero has no marketing at all, and so I’m not able to determine whether or not they have fair labor practices.
At the end of the day, we will all have to determine for ourselves if the pros outweigh this one big con: the unknown. I might purchase this bottle again because it’s such a great value. However, I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for comparable rums from companies that are more transparent.
As always, drink responsibly.
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