Barrel & Climate

How old is a rum labeled '12'? In the EU, an age statement may only be shown if it refers to the youngest component and if the aging took place under the tax supervision of a member state. This is set out in Article 13 of Regulation 2019/787. A number that names the oldest component is therefore not an age statement in the legal sense.

Ron Abuelo typically ages in used American white oak bourbon barrels. The range spans from the Añejo, through bottlings aged 7 and 12 years, to special series, including one finished in Oloroso sherry casks. Añejo and Reserva are trade terms without a uniform standard.

The climate in Pesé speeds up maturation, but it also costs rum. In Pesé, around eight percent evaporates from the barrel each year, many times the Scottish figure. This loss is called the angel's share. As a rule of thumb, 'one tropical year equals three years in Europe' doesn't really hold up scientifically, but it remains a commonly cited guideline.

What does solera mean? The method comes from Spanish sherry production. Barrels are stacked in rows, with rum drawn from the bottom row and topped up with rum from the row above it. This blends vintages together, so the barrel always retains a portion of the oldest harvests. Solera numbers name the oldest component.

As a result, an Abuelo bottling is a blend, not a vintage rum. Anyone comparing ages should check whether the number refers to the youngest or the oldest component, and whether the house uses a solera system.