Don’t be confused by its name. Puerto Rico Distillery isn’t on the island of the same name. It’s actually a family-owned craft distillery located in Maryland. Founded by father-and-daughter team Angel and Crystal Rivera, it was created to pay tribute to the distilling history of Puerto Rico. Recently, the distillery moved into a historic building in Brunswick, Maryland, and is celebrating by launching a special rum release.
Clandestino Añejo
It’s called Clandestino Añejo, and it was created as a way to celebrate the new distillery located at 402 5th Avenue. This isn’t just any address, though. The site was a former clothing factory, umbrella factory, and more. Currently, it also houses the distillery as well as the Cultura Plenera Cultural Center.
“When looking for where to relocate our distillery in Frederick, we were drawn to this building because it already had a story. For more than a hundred years it had been a place where people came to work, create, and build a future. We are honored to continue that tradition by combining efforts with Cultura Plenera to create spaces where people can experience Puerto Rican culture,” Angel Rivera says.
And we got lucky that Brunswick has a dynamic group of people in Brunswick Main Street and Brunswick Planning & Zoning that have been instrumental in our ability to reach this milestone.”
As for the rum itself, Clandestino Añejo was matured in a single bourbon whiskey barrel and is limited to only 218 individually numbered bottles. This is the first time the distillery has matured its pitorro (Puerto Rican moonshine rum) in ex-bourbon barrels. It’s truly a mix of two styles coming together to form one unique expression.
“For our family, this has never been just about making rum,” Angel Rivera says.
“It’s about preserving traditions, honoring where we come from, and creating a place where people can experience a piece of Puerto Rico right here in Maryland.”
Where can I buy it?
To say that Clandestino Añejo is a limited release is a massive understatement. As I mentioned earlier, only a little over 200 bottles are being made available to the public. The Founder release was on July 26, and the public release began on August 1. Bottles can be purchased at the Puerto Rico Distillery for the suggested retail price of $75 for a 750ml bottle while supplies last. For more information on this and all releases from the distillery, visit www.puertoricodistillery.com.
