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Don Q 151 is a high-strength golden rum that’s aged for up to three years in oak. The result is a mix of vanilla, smoke and tobacco flavours.
Don Q 151 Review:
Recently, I was introduced to an aged rum from the Dominican Republic that had a not-so-smooth, but rather profound effect upon my palate.
Aged in old bourbon barrels, the rum is then infused with oxygen and charcoal filtration in order to bring out a unique taste – one that better reflects the country’s cigar heritage.
The rum is an exercise in restraint. It is not a flavour bomb, nor is it a smoky rum. Instead, it is a complex rum that allows for the expression of the liquor’s broad expression of flavours with very little interference and at a very moderate pace.
Don Q 151 is well worth the money if you really enjoy a nice, nuanced and flavourful rum. In fact, you can actually find it online now for a price comparable to other rum retailers.
The rum has a viscosity similar to water. It is so thin in the mouth that it does not coat the tongue, yet its flavours are very well received by the senses.
The nose of this rum is slightly floral and mildly warm with hints of vanilla floating in the foreground. There are suggestions of caramel, molasses and a very, very light amount of smoke.
The entry of this rum is extremely dry. The flavour profile is well-balanced and essentially a mix of smoke, vanilla and citrus.
There is some sweetness in this rum, but its main feature is the aforementioned smoke, citrus and a lingering sense of tobacco.
The midpalate opens up and shows new notes of tropical fruits, mainly cantaloupe, as well as a tipping point of spices such as pepper that come through a bit in the finish.
The finish is long with layers of grapefruit and citrus. It is as if you were actually biting into a grapefruit.
The rum is a wonderful contradiction. It is incredibly dry, yet smooth. There are no interesting complexities when it is mixed and on its own, it is a very humble rum. This rum is not about the brand. It is about the rum itself.
I find myself drinking this rum in two ways: night-cap style (two fingers) and neat. No matter how I imbibe the rum, I am consistently surprised with the flavours I experience and the finesse in which they have been written into the rum.
Though it is hard to find in Canada, I urge you to try this rum if it is available to you. It is not the rum you would choose to sip on the beach, but it is certainly a rum that I am more than happy to sip at the end of a long day.
Don Q 151 Rum is produced by Destileria Serralles, founded by Pablo & Don and Jose & Miguel Serralles in 1864. Serralles is currently the world largest buyer of used Bourbon barrels – no doubt because of their great work with this spirit. With this great piece of history and its superb rum, Don Q is definitely a rum to be reckoned with.
Don Q 151 is a high-strength golden rum that is aged for up to three years in oak. It has a very subtle spiciness that is balanced with a hint of molasses and vanilla.
Nose: Easily identifiable on the nose with aromas of tobacco, grass, vanilla and honey.
Taste: The flavour provides notes of honey, caramel and molasses. It’s also slightly spicy on the tongue.
Finish: The finish is lengthy with hints of a warmth that begs for another sip.
