Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/413994
november 2014 / the tasting panel / 41 A HERO'S TRIBUTE: DON Q GRAN AÑEJO RUM Since 1865, six generations of the Serrallés family have created fine rums, and today, sixth-generation family member and environmental scientist Roberto Serrallés is the man behind Don Q. Don Q Gran Añejo is a blend of 6- to 12-year-old rum aged in American white oak barrels and Solera rums aged up to 20 years in Sherry casks, creating a balance between sweet and dry. It is smooth, elegant, well-structured and has all the nuances of a fine bourbon or Scotch. The Puerto Rico-based rum was a knockout in The Novel Experience, named in homage to Don Quixote, the inspiration behind the brand's name. The Bets Are In: "The rum itself is high-end, Cognac-like: notes of antique wood, cherries, rich chocolate, toffee and orange peel. The drink is appealing to eye and palate. It is not a shy drink—but neither is the rum."—Mariena Mercer, The Cosmopolitan "The aromas and flavors of the rum are luxurious and, the stylized ingredients bring a balanced, herbal component that makes the drink delicious but also beach- ready." —Ricardo Murcia, The Bellagio and Raul Faria, Gordon Ramsey Pub THE NOVEL EXPERIENCE ♣ 1½ oz. Don Q Gran Añejo ♣ ½ oz. Menta Fernet Vittone ♣ ½ oz. xtabentún (Mexican anise liqueur) ♣ ¾ oz. fresh lime juice ♣ Top with Fever-Tree Ginger Ale ♣ Red apple, fresh mint, paper straw and paper umbrella garnish Southern Wine & Spirits Master Mixologist and Spirits Educator J. R. Starkus created The Novel Experience cocktail, a nod to Don Quixote, the inspiration behind the name of Don Q rum. IN OUR OCTOBER ISSUE, WE RAN THE WRONG PICTURE FOR J. R. STARKUS' THE NOVEL EXPERIENCE COCKTAIL, FEATURING DON Q. HERE'S THE CORRECT PHOTO OF THE NOVEL EXPERIENCE, ALONG WITH ITS WRITE-UP FROM OUR LAS VEGAS SPEED TASTING REPORT. Oops! "That's still very small. More than 25 million cases of rum are sold each year in the United States, and the top three brands in rum account for about 60 percent of the market," he said. Since developing their own distribution system, the company sees more opportunity for growth, "especially as people are starting to look for more interest- ing spirits, more craft—and that's where we will do very, very well." The rum recipe is pretty much the same today as it was in 1934 (the distillery had to stop production during Prohibition): a lighter style with multiple column distillation. "We distill our rum five times," Serrallés said. "Then we age it just like the bourbon guys, and like the Scotch people, we blend it. And then we take an extra step, and we charcoal-filter out the color of aged rum." As the brand's new tagline notes, the result remains unQuestionable. Roberto Serrallés announces the Don Q packaging redesign to several hundred people at the grand opening of the Puerto Rico pavilion at the 2014 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. PHOTO COURTESY OF SERRALLÉS USA