For years people have been saying that rum will be the next big thing for whiskey drinkers, as more and more aged expressions come to market that appeal to fans of bourbon, rye, and scotch. That hasn’t quite materialized yet, but really it doesn’t matter because good rum is excellent in its own right. That being said, this new 31-year-old rum from Puerto Rican brand Ron del Barrilito was aged entirely in a sherry cask, making it the perfect rum for any whisky drinker curious to explore the category (and willing to pay a pretty high price).

Ron del Barrilito calls itself Puerto Rico’s oldest rum brand, although according to expert sources that might not actually be the case. Regardless, it makes some very good and respectable rum at the Hacienda Santa Ana estate, including the Two, Three, Four, and Five Stars expressions, all of which are aged in sherry casks for between three and 35 years (the average age gets higher as the stars increase). The brand has a home production site, but not an actual distillery—instead, it purchases rum produced to its specifications from other producers, macerates a small portion of it with fruit and spice, and ages it exclusively in sherry casks. That last step makes it unique in the world of rum (other brands do it as well, but to varying degrees), and really defines the flavor. All of the rum is entered into casks at a low proof after being diluted with rainwater, and the brand does not use a solera system of aging and says that no additives like sugar or caramel color are used (not counting the fruit and spice maceration portion of the blend).

This new ultra-aged expression is called Don Pedro Fernández Selection III (named after the brand’s founder), and it’s part of the brand’s Autobiografía series of single-cask rums. This single Oloroso sherry cask, #3057, was laid down in 1994 and left to age for 31 years before being bottled at 87.2 proof. According the brand, a rum this old is especially rare given that most casks don’t really have much liquid left after maturing so long in this environment. In fact, this cask yielded just 186 bottles after aging for that long. “This rum is a reflection of the decades-long marriage between spirit, air, and ex-sherry cask,” said master blender Luis Planas in a statement. “It delivers a naturally balanced yet complex masterpiece—a glimpse into the beauty and uniqueness of true single-cask aging.”

We were able to sample the rum, and it’s delicious. The palate leads with big notes of ripe, jammy fruit, like red and black berries, baked apple, peach, and cherry. There are also notes of brown sugar, dried apricot, cinnamon, vanilla, and caramel at play, along with an undercurrent of pleasantly drying oak. Overall, this is a fantastic rum that wears its age very well—and yes, it will appeal to whiskey drinkers.
While the first two Autobiografía releases were only available at the Hacienda, Selection III will be available at retailers around the country and at the brand’s website (SRP $1,500).