Presidente Marti 15

An admirer and a connoisseur differ in their level of competence. The former is an enthusiast, the latter additionally demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of the finer aspects of the subject. Oliver & Oliver claims to be the rum for connoisseurs and such a statement - in my opinion - necessitates substantial evidence to support its validity.

The official producer's website declares majestically "dedicated to the production and marketing of artisanal, high-end rums". However, there is no information available regarding the production process. Oliver & Oliver doesn't own a distillery and doesn't mention any contractual distillery either. The company discloses the use of solera system, yet it generates more inquiries than clarifications. Therefore, we don't have a clue where the raw material came from and who, where and how distilled it. Shouldn't over 200 international awards serve as evidence to quell any doubts? 🫢

The Oliver & Oliver portfolio includes over 20 brands, each one has four to five variants. The brand owner mentioned in an interview that he imports alcohol from Panama, Guatemala, and Trinidad and Tobago. The native Dominican rum is apparently meh. This would mean that production is limited to aging and blending. The bottling would be then the icing on the cake.

The label declares 1874 as the year of foundation. Does it actually mean 150 years of activity? Well, he agrarian enterprise established at that time was engaged in the cultivation of tobacco and sugarcane.  Soon after, a sugar factory and a distillery were built. However, the property was destroyed during the Second Independence War and rum production ceased in 1898. Then it took a long time, another hundred years, until the founder's grandson - Pedro Ramón López-Oliver - appeared in Cuba. He claimed to have found recipes and decided to return to the former family business.

Pedro Ramón considered the business environment in Cuba unfavorable and chose the Dominican Republic instead. The reactivation took place in 1994 but the Presidente Marti brand was launched in 2013. Oliver & Oliver eagerly refers to the Cuban heritage. The owner himself is captivated by the figure of the independence movement fighter and poet, national hero - José Julián Martí y Pérez, who gave his life for the country. Presidente (Spanish for chairman) Pedro Ramón has published an anthology and a catalog of the artist's works. He passionately paints Martí's portraits. It's certainly an admirer, but whether he is a connoisseur - it's not for me to judge.

Many stickers on the bottle should compensate for the glaring deficiencies in brand communication, shouldn't they? 😉 The label reveals that the base of the distillate are molasses and sugar cane juice. Apparently Cuban and Dominican Maestros Roneros worked on the blend. The inscription 'el gran ron del Caribe' suggests the Caribbean origin of the components. Sugar has been added to uniform the taste and caramel for the color. The distillates matured in American and French oak barrels. We read 'sistem solera' and the number '15', and as I recall there were forty thieves, and seven dwarfs. With that said, I'm afraid that the admirer may be not content at all.