There has been a lot of discussion over the past few years about whether or not rum will become as popular as whiskey. Brown spirits aficionados are getting better acquainted with aged rum expressions and are realizing the flavor complexities they can bring to the table. One drawback for the rum world is that it’s not as regulated as the whiskey universe; or rather, each country that produces rum has its own regulations (or lack thereof), making the whole thing a bit confusing for people who want to know exactly what’s in the bottle they are drinking. There are, of course, exceptions, but certain brands tend to be opaque about how old the liquid actually is and if there are any additives like sugar or coloring. Now some rum brands are getting into the luxury spirits world, competing with the likes of The Macallan for top shelf and top dollar status.
Dictador Rum is distilled at Columbia’s Destileria Colombiana, a distillery that has been around since the early 1900s. The brand’s new luxury 2 Masters expression is a delicious aged rum, with no sugar or coloring added according to the brand. At $2,000 per bottle, it’s probably out of reach for the average consumer, but the high price point is due to both its limited quantity and the special collaborative process it undergoes.
For the 2 Masters series, Dictador sends barrels of its aged rum to “masters” in other spirits categories who further age and blend as they see fit. In the past, rum has gone to single malt distilleries and champagne houses, among others. The latest release is a collaboration with Barton 1792 Distillery. Rum aged between 36 and 39 years was sent to Barton master blender Drew Maysville, who finished the rum in a variety of casks: wheated bourbon, high rye bourbon, and straight rye. Each rum is remarkably different based on the cask it was finished in, picking up fruitiness, spiciness, and vanilla flavors from the seasoned oak it rested in. 2 Masters is available to purchase as three different expressions, a rum finished in one of the individual casks or a blend of all three.
The truly astounding thing about this rum involves the security measures that have been taken to ensure that each bottle is not counterfeited or tampered with. Some of these seem a bit over the top, more of a marketing ploy than protection against actual nefarious activity. The measures include 11 layers of label protection, a certificate of authentication, paper that won’t shine when exposed to UV light, defining guillochés, gold paint with UV protection, and fingerprint technology. Apparently, facial recognition for bottles of booze has not been developed yet.
Dictador 2 Masters will be sold for $2,000 per bottle at Sherry-Lehmann, and distributed by Sazerac.
