Brugal - Dominican Republic - A

There are three island countries in the Caribbean that speak Spanish, yet rum (ron en espanol) is often most identified with Spanish speaking islands (in large part thanks to marketing by Bacardi and Captain Morgan). Dominican rums can be harder to find (though not as hard as Cuban in the US), which is a huge shame because they are certainly among the best. The anejo Brugal bottles come in yellow netting that I’m told makes for games based on trying to liberate the bottle back in the home country. A great rum, particularly for sipping, smooth and serene, sometimes with a distinct but easy flavor.