Angel's Share Title
Bacoo 12 Year Old Rum
Bacoo rum is a product of the Dominican Republic that is produced by Sans Wine and Spirits, based in Irvine, California. While the exact distillery it is produced at is not disclosed, the company does share that the sugarcane used to make the rum is grown in the Central Dominican Republic. The company makes the rum by pressing the cane and fermenting the fresh pressed juice. After distillation, the rum is aged in used oak barrels and blended to 40% ABV before being bottled and boxed on the island for distribution. The company claims that it does not use any additives and that the age stated is the true age of the spirit.
Bacoo 12 Year Old Rum
Appearance
The custom designed 750 ml bottle with gold and white labels provides the basic information about the rum. A white neck hanger connected to the bottle provides additional information about the product. The wood cap is secured to the bottle with a clear neck wrap as well as a security strip. The cap holds a synthetic cork.
The liquid in the bottle and glass has a dark copper color. Swirling the rum created a medium band that thickens slightly before dropping a single wave of fast moving legs. The band continues to thicken and evaporates quickly, leaving a ring of residue and beads in its wake.
Nose
The aroma delivers notes of sweet vanilla with a balance of light nuttiness, brown sugar, baking spices, and warm fig jam.
Palate
The first sip of the rum leads with a dark toffee flavor with an undertone of bitter cooking chocolate. This bitterness transitions slowly from the cooking chocolate to baking spices and charred oak tannins, which together create the foundation of the flavor profile. As the toffee notes fade, the dark sugar berry fig flavor quickly forms, then fades as the oak notes take over with a light peppercorn note that finally leads to a long, lightly toasted, astringent finish.
Review
The name Bacoo is based on Caribbean and Guyana folklore that involves mischievous ghosts reminiscent of bogarts and poltergeists found in bottles. I am happy to report that while the marketing of the brand is memorable, sipping it will not lead you to fending off ghosts. Overall, I found the rum to be a balanced sipping spirit. The sweet flavors and the earthy oak and spice notes combine to create a unique experience. I particularly like the dark sugar berry fig note, as it is not something I have encountered often in rum flavor profiles. If you enjoy rums produced in the Dominican Republic, this one is worth taking some time exploring.
