The Value of High-Quality Rum

What is a premium rum?

The value of high-quality rum can often be counted in hundreds - sometimes even thousands. You may wonder about the discrepancy in the price of different brands of rum and where they come from.

Is it really worth it to spend hundreds on a bottle of rum? Is there much of a difference between top-shelf rum and an affordable bottle you can find in your local liquor store?

In this article, we will explain why certain brands of rum come with a higher price tag than others and why it is worth it to splurge on good rum.

Type of rum

Rum has different types and purposes. For example, white rum is mostly used in cocktails and therefore tends to be cheaper. Aged rum, which is meant to be drunk straight, often comes with a more complex tasting palette and is more expensive.

Maturing time

The ageing process is how long rum spends in a barrel after distillation. The longer the time, the higher its price.

Firstly, time infuses rum with unique tasting notes, one of the most valuable aspects of premium rum. The more time the spirit spends in a barrel, the more aromas it will gain, providing a one-of-a-kind end product.

Secondly, the longer rum is stored in a cask, the more work it requires. Master Blenders need to supervise the ageing process, and the barrels must be stored in very specific conditions. All of this contributes to the price of high-quality rum.

White rum spends a relatively short time in a barrel - it is only aged up to 3 years or not at all. It is one of the reasons why it is often cheaper than aged rum, which requires a minimum of 5 years spent in a cask to deserve the adjective “aged”.

However, the longer rum spends in a barrel, the better, which is why some of Dictador’s most premium vintages are matured for up to 60 years.

Tradition

Premium rum brands don’t become premium overnight. Their excellence is shaped over years, and most of the rum brands that are now considered top-shelves have decades of history behind them.

For example, Dictador Rum boasts over 100 years of family tradition, having been established in 1913. The brand has been shaped and polished for over a century, reaching its current level through the constant process of improvement and innovation.

Expertise

The rich history of premium rum brands translates into unmatched expertise. The recipes and production methods of Dictador Rum are guarded by its Master Blenders - a title passed from father to son.

Hernan Parra represents the third generation of Dictador’s Master Blenders and is the current guardian of the brand’s recipes, tradition, and quality. Thanks to his experience - passed on to him by his grandfather and father - Dictador keeps developing and growing in value year after year.

High-quality ingredients

The quality of ingredients is what makes or breaks rum. The most premium rum brands use the most traditional recipes, ensuring only the essential ingredients are used in the production of the spirit.

Origin

To this day, the best rum is produced right where it was born - in South America. The climate there ensures the perfect conditions for its ageing as well as for the production of its main ingredient; sugar cane.

Dictador’s distillery is situated in the heart of Cartagena, Colombia. The high temperatures and humidity create the perfect conditions for storing rum, and the fertile soil and balance between rainy and dry periods facilitate the growth of sugar cane, which is locally sourced straight to the distillery.

Premium rum is produced, aged, and stored in countries across South America and distributed to other continents for sale. Rum of top quality simply cannot be produced anywhere else.

Innovation

While tradition and expertise are crucial elements of every premium rum brand, rum producers who aim to become top-shelf simply cannot forget about innovation.

Premium brands are aware that the attention of a customer is not caught only by the high quality of ingredients and impressive maturing time.

To keep up with the requirements of the customers, brands need to continuously find ways to surprise them.

For example, Dictador regularly releases new collections: 2 Masters, Generations en Lalique, Totem, 5 Generations, and more.

Each of those collections brings something unique and fresh. Additionally, we stand out from other brands by bringing art into the world of fine spirits or being one of the first premium alcohol brands to enter the universe of NFTs.

Exclusivity

Exclusivity always comes with a price tag. It makes us feel special, unique, one of a kind.

The high value of premium rum often results from the exclusivity of its products, their uniqueness among others, and the limited number of bottles available.

Many of Dictador’s collections are limited-edition - either because only a certain number of barrels of a specific vintage were produced or because an artist collaborating with us on a certain project created a limited number of works.

Investment opportunities

Fine spirits take up a considerable part of the investment world. Purchasing high-value rum, along with other premium alcohols, is a good way to diversify your portfolio and make a safe investment.

The value of premium rum grows over time, meaning that no matter how much you spend on it initially, you will eventually be able to re-sell it for more and make a profit. Premium brands rely on their exclusivity, and the demand for limited-edition products often exceeds the supply, making special-edition bottles a real treat for investors and collectors.

What is a top-shelf rum brand?

La Patiala, the ultimate resource for luxury products, has recently listed Dictador among the best rum brands in the world.

As the go-to resource for investors, collectors, and connoisseurs of premium products in the domain of alcohol, food, travel, beauty and style, jewellery, and watches, its ranking is one of the most reliable.

Listed as number one on the list of top-shelf rum brands, Dictador rum was followed by Appleton Estate, Zacapa, Ron de Barrilito, Diplomático, Barceló, Brugal, El Dorado, Don Papa, Flor de Caña, and Don Q.

How can you tell a good rum?

The first indication of good rum is usually its price. Rum with lower price tags is often meant for cocktails or to be drunk on the rocks. Premium rum will start at a few hundred and go up to a few thousand dollars/euros per bottle.

In the case of rum, colour doesn’t tell much about its quality. Firstly, there are three different types of rum according to colour: white, amber, and dark. Which one you choose depends entirely on what you are looking for, and the colour itself doesn’t indicate the quality.

Some producers add caramel to the final product in order to artificially alter the colour, which may be deceiving if you are searching for the perfect golden-brown shade that is usually associated with good rum. Additionally, some aged rums undergo a filtering process which removes their colour. If this step happens after the ageing process, rum will lose all its colour properties and become clear once again.

The scent of premium rum matters more than the colour. When you swirl a glass of high-quality rum, your nose should be hit with different aromas: caramel, coffee, dark chocolate, leather, old books, and more. The smell mixes and passes from one aroma to another, so if you encounter a flat scent, you can be certain the rum isn’t of good quality.

Finally, rum’s flavour is the ultimate indicator of its quality. Premium rum takes the taster on a true journey with three distinguishable tasting notes: nose, palate, and finish. Just like the scent, the taste should be different at the moment of initial tasting and in the aftertaste, smoothly passing from one aroma to another.

Does rum increase in value?

Yes, rum increases in value over time. First, the price of rum largely depends on the length of the ageing process. The cheapest rum spends up to 3 years in a barrel, or it isn’t aged at all. The most expensive premium rum can be matured for as long as 60 years. Every year spent in a cask rises the value of premium rum.

Additionally, rum continues to grow in value even once it is bottled. Although the ageing process is stopped and the spirit no longer gains new aromas as it would in the cask, its price doesn’t drop.

Many premium rum brands release a limited number of bottles of each vintage, and the supply is usually much lower than the demand. This exclusivity impacts the value of premium rum, making it grow over time.

What is the expensive quality of rum?

The expensive quality of rum depends on many factors. The value of premium rum is impacted by its type, ageing time and origin, the brand’s history and tradition, as well as innovation, the producer’s expertise, and the quality of ingredients used in its production.

Which brand is best in rum?

There are several rum brands on the market which deserve the premium label. The most recent ranking of the best rums in the world by La Patiala listed the following brands:

• Dictador
• Appleton Estate
• Zacapa
• Ron de Barrilito
• Diplomático
• Barceló
• Brugal
• El Dorado
• Don Papa
• Flor de Caña
• Don Q

Hopefully, this article has helped to clear up the value of rum and answered the question of why some rums cost so much more than others. The price of rum is influenced by many factors, including the brand’s long-term reputation, production method, and the quality of ingredients used.

If you would like to check for yourself if there is a difference in the flavour of high-quality rum, visit the Dictador shop.