Carúpano (rum)
Carúpano is a Venezuelan rum which is being produced by Carupano Distillery founded in 1762 in Macarapana-Carúpano, Venezuela.
The Distillery
Destilería Carúpano's historic tradition dates back to 1762 when the Hacienda Altamira-Carúpano in Macarapana is established by the Spanish captain Felix del Fierro, and that is where, for the first time in Venezuela, what is now called Ron Añejo was produced. In 1954 the Morrison family bought the bicentenary Hacienda Altamira, abandoned since 1901, after the death of Thomas Massiani, one of the owners who strived to give the property the highest prestige and growth it had seen since 1840. The original intent of the new owners, taking into account the water wealth of the estate and its successful tradition of producing quality rums, was to re-establish its sugarcane milling capacity and the distillation and aging of rums; for this purpose, they join forces with Alejandro Hernandez, owner of Industrias Pampero, and sharing equal ownership, create Destilería Carúpano, CA, a relationship that lasted until 1962.
Destilería Carúpano remains a family business and has, thus far, been administered by four generations of that same family. Its equity is fully distributed among Venezuelan corporations. In 2010, the Destilería Carúpano Family Manifesto was prepared, as a basic agreement of compelling nature signed by the company shareholders, which seeks to reflect the guidelines in family relationships with the company and vice versa, to stabilize, harmonize and strengthen family relationships through understanding, maintaining and defining the core values, policies and commitments within the family itself and, at the same time, achieving the common good of the family, ensuring the continued and healthy development of Destilería Carúpano. This family Manifesto consolidates the commitment to absolute transparency in the operations of the company and the willingness to gradually delegate its daily management to non-family professionals.
Why are the rums from Destilería Carupano the best?
1. Because there is a direct relationship between the quality of alcohol and sugar containing molasses in the cane; a higher content of sugar means higher quality of alcohol. Sugar levels of Venezuelan honeys are among the highest in the world, ranging from 50% to 56% in concentration. This is mainly due to the Venezuelan climate with high daytime temperatures of 28 to 32 degrees Celsius with falls of up to 10 degrees overnight.
2. Because we carry a perfect balance and combination between light and heavy alcohols. The light ones are generally those that come from distillation columns and are low in congeners (impurities some of which are favored for giving the desired sensory profiles). The heavy are generally those that come from the distillation in an alembic or pot and have a high content of congeners. This balance allows for an optimum aging time, because light alcohol does not require much maturing time and prolonging it would not improve its quality; heavy alcohol will need to stay longer in the barrel, since, if not given enough time, its quality will suffer, it will fail to develop properly and will not manage to completely transform its raw notes into more subtle, soft, rounded and pleasant textures.
3. Because Destilería Carúpano is located at the Hacienda Altamira in the Macarapana-Carúpano valley toward the equator and, since this is an area of low altitude at sea level where a distinct micro-climate develops combining high relative humidity from Caribbean sea breezes and high temperatures, hence, the time required for aging is much shorter.
4. Because at Destilería Carupano the aging process is accelerated and optimized when the chemical reactions that occur in the body of the alcohol diluted with water and aging inside the barrel are catalyzed by temperature. For every 10 degrees Celsius temperature rise in the liquid inside the barrel, the reaction rates are doubled and thus, the lower the latitude and height, as is the case of Hacienda Altamira where Destilería Carúpano is located, the more intense the aging process.
5. Because in practical terms and if we compare, for example, the whiskey produced in Scotland, a country with a high latitude and cold weather with the rum produced in Destilería Carúpano at a latitude close to zero, at sea level with high temperatures and much humidity, the intensity in the aging process ratio is four times higher in Carúpano than in Scotland, and therefore we can conclude that a good 12 year scotch equates to a good 3 to 4 year rum from Carúpano.
6. Because the water used by Destilería Carúpano to make the rum comes either from a spring or a deep well, which implies greater purity free from undesirable odors or flavors.
7. Because at Destilería Carúpano the barrels used for the aging process are of white oak and this wood, in addition to its hardiness that makes it suitable for this task, consists mainly of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin, which means it is a wood with a low sap content, so it does not hinder the sensory notes desired for the final product. But in addition, our American white oak barrels have had a previous use with Bourbon, which gives the rums of Carúpano woody notes and hints of vanilla.
8. Because in Destilería Carúpano we have purposely maintained traditions since 1762 producing the best and most famous Old Rum from Venezuela; their manufacture requires, at the same time, a delicate and careful treatment from the genuine art and craft of a qualified distiller, together with the best technique of a good distillation. We are committed to balance the 50 years experience of our artisan rum blender with the knowledge of the most recent sensorial analysis techniques from Destilería's Carúpano rum master blender. They are a fundamental link in the success of the whole process. We are also very focused on insuring an equilibrium when blending aged rums, matured at length in barrels of American white oak without replacement of angel's share, with our Limited Reserves of up to 25 years of aging. Thus, we uphold the undeniable truth in saying: "cane alcohol, water, wood, our masters blenders and time makes Carúpano’s Rum."
9. Because some Carúpano old rums have been double aged. After mixing old rums with fresher ones, both with lengthy aging, sealed in white American oak barrels, without replacement of losses and Reserve Mothers aged for a long time, they are resealed, to start a new process of aging that will improve the flavor and make our rums even smoother and creamier with a more constant and prolonged finish.
10. Because Destilería Carúpano's aged rums have earned the Denomination of Controlled Origin for Venezuela Rum DOC due to its outstanding quality.
Aged Rums
The distillery is well known for its selection of aged rums or otherwise known as Ron Añejo Carúpano Legendario, some may reach up to 80 years of aging and retail for up to $1000 US dollars.[1] Current selection of aged rums:
- Ron Añejo Carúpano Legendario
- Ron Añejo Carúpano XO
- Ron Añejo Carúpano Solera Centenaria
- Ron Añejo Carúpano Oro
- Ron Añejo Carúpano
References
- "Carupano Legendario Rum". rum.findthebest.co.uk. Archived from the original on 14 March 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2014.