Esclavo is Spanish for slave. And the brand Ron Esclavo was originally created by 1423 as a tribute to highlight the history of slaves. Because without the slaves, there would be no rum, as it was the slaves who did the hard work in the sugar cane fields a few hundred years ago. You probably remember the Black Lives Matters movement, which came out of nowhere and suddenly became a big media event. 1423 received a lot of negative attention, criticism and harsh words because of the brand Ron Esclavo, typically from England and the United States. And just as Danish Hansen Is had to change the name of its popular Eskimo ice cream, so did 1423 have to change the name of the controversial "slave room", Ron Esclavo. The name became Patridom.
Patridom is a compound word from the Spanish "patrimonio" and "dominicano", meaning Dominican heritage or Dominican origin. The series consists of four standard bottlings that are planted, grown, harvested, pressed, fermented, distilled and matured in the Dominican Republic. The rum is produced by AFC, Alcoholes Finos Dominicanos, who grow their own sugar cane and ensure that the rum is made from crops exclusively from the Dominican Republic. Alcoholes Finos Dominicanos is the largest producer of alcohol in the Dominican Republic and is considered one of the world's most environmentally friendly and socially responsible distilleries. Alcoholes Finos Dominicanos plays a significant role in the community, both locally and nationally, providing jobs for hundreds of locals. Patridom is a line of sweet Dominican premium spirit drink bottlings. Patridom includes the Patridom Selección Exclusiva and Patridom XO series. When I write "premium spirit drink" and not rum, it is because the product does not qualify to be marketed as rum. In short, the rules for when something can be called rum are that it is made from sugar cane either juice or molasses. It must contain a minimum of 37.5% alcohol. It must not be infused (flavored). However, it can be flavored with a little sugar. But no more than 20 grams per liter. These four rums contain around 40 grams of sugar per liter. The rules came into force in May 2021, so before May 2021 it was real rum. But today, it's just a spirit drink made from rum. Patridom Selección Exclusiva is a rum-based spirit made from rum on fresh sugar cane juice and distilled on a column. The rum is 100% tropically aged and has been aged in French and American oak barrels for 6-12 years. Patridom XO is a rum-based spirit made from a blend of rum made from fresh sugarcane juice and molasses and distilled on a column. The rum is 100% tropically aged and has been aged in French and American oak barrels for 12-15 years. Each year, a limited edition is released in the series, where the product is given a final finish in Denmark in a specially selected barrel. I'll be tasting four special editions that have been given an extra finish in different barrels. There are three editions of Patridom XO, which have been in ex.-Cognac cask, ex.-Oloroso Sherry cask and ex.-Islay Whisky cask and then a Patridom Selección Exclusiva which has been finished in an ex.-Islay Whisky cask. The rums have been aged for a minimum of six months in the respective casks. But in several cases a lot longer. The rums are only bottled when they are completely ready and have exactly the flavor profile you want.
Patridom XO Oloroso cask 43% is based on 12-15 years gammel rom.Aroma: Beautiful aromas of tropical fruit, pineapple, papaya and dried apricot, chocolate, muscovado sugar and freshly polished leather. Taste: A rich, creamy, sweet and fruity taste. Nice balanced flavor note. Mild pear, melon, maple syrup, floral honey, roasted nuts and leather. Soft finish. The extra aging in ex-Oloroso casks has added a fruity and nutty note that makes the rum very drinkable. Patridom XO Oloroso Cask Finish has been bottled in August 2022 with a result of 995 bottles.
Patridom XO Islay cask 44% is based on 12-15 years gammel rom.Aroma: There is not a second of doubt. There's some smoky whisky in here. Not so much that it takes over completely. But it is clearly present. Behind the smoke is something soapy and floral. A very exciting, interesting and different scent. If the glass is allowed to stand for a while so that the rum can be oxygenated, it develops. The smoke notes agree and there are notes of roasted coffee. Taste: The taste impression is a combination of some smoke and something sweet. Quite naughty. In addition to light smoke, there are notes of chocolate, candied apples, pickled ginger and a little spice. Smoke is often something we associate with whisky. But there's nothing to be afraid of here, even if you're not a whisky drinker or only like the softer whiskies. The smoke is balanced and is not challenging, but appears more piquant and spicy. Patridom XO Islay Cask Finish has been bottled in August 2022 with a result of 1886 bottles.
Patridom Selección Exclusiva Islay Whisky cask 42% is based on 6-12 years gammel rom.Fragrance: Here the smoke is less prominent, but still present. There are notes of freshly baked bread baked in an oven with beech wood. Fruit tarts, fruit cakes, vanilla pudding, creme brulee, caramel and Madagascar vanilla. Taste: Again, a spicy imprint of smoke aromas followed by muscovado sugar, vanilla and coconut. The smoke takes up very little space on the palate, with more room for fruit and sweetness. A very delicate glass. You can taste the basic aroma and it is very delicious. Patridom Selección Exclusiva Islay Cask Finish has been bottled in August 2022 with a result of 1976 bottles.
Patridom XO Cognac cask 43% is based on 12-15 years gammel rom.Aroma: There are pleasant notes of pear and apple, honeydew melon, discreet citrus and vanilla. Taste: A lovely round, soft and fruity taste hits the palate. There are notes of pear, apple cake, almonds and honey. The rum finishes mildly. There's more flavor and a bit more edge than you might think considering the sugar content, which is probably due to the aging in a fresh and lovely cognac barrel. Patridom XO Cognac Cask Finish has been bottled in August 2022 with a result of 1373 bottles. Conclusion: The four different rum products are really different and special in their own way. They don't try to be like all the others, but one stands out. And even though they are on the softer side, they each have their own character. In conclusion, I would like to mention that I am a big fan of rum producers and independent bottlers who take the plunge and age otherwise fully matured rums in other types of casks that can add something new and exciting to the rum. It's an experience every time. And it has been this time too.
