For many, summer is synonymous with traveling, partying, heat, and the beach. With this, for many others, it is also a sign of a good drink, with its ice, that gives flavor to the moment. Now, what to drink in summer? We already know that, whether we like it more or less, for reasons of temperature, beer usually wins over wine when it is hot (unless we are talking about champagne). As for shots, the master and lord is tequila. But if we talk about spirits, there is one that stands out above all when we put on a floral t-shirt, some sunglasses and see the sea in the background: rum.
Maybe it’s because, while gin sounds like England, vodka sounds like Russia, and whiskey sounds like Scotland, rum takes us directly to the Caribbean. But the truth is that the secrets of rum are widespread throughout Latin America and, centuries later, we still have things to discover in Spain.
That has happened to us with the summer arrival of El Supremo to Spain. El Supremo is the oldest aged rum brand in Paraguay, where they have been distilling a drink since 1909 that continues to be made with the same artisanal and ecological techniques. For this reason, the steps to cross the pond to Europe have been pampered, without losing the essence. After landing in France, El Supremo is now also available in Spain in the most renowned hotels, pubs and restaurants in Madrid and Barcelona, as well as in centers duty-free (La Jonquera). We can also find it in specialized stores and, most simply, in their online store.
But let’s return to that secret that has characterized this Paraguayan rum for more than a century, its production. The Supremo is double aged. First it passes through a native wooden barrel from Paraguay, called Incienso Marrón, which gives it a characteristic smell and tone. Afterwards, the second half of its aging is carried out in classic oak barrels, yes, French. From there it goes to the bottle.
Made with pure sugar cane honey, this double passage through barrel gives it a unique singularity. It is soft, and dry, although with all its sweetness. It is a rum with character in the mouth that passes very smoothly through the throat. Light, but with personality and flavor, you may be wondering about the different labels. We are not going to hide it from you, because the journalistic profession is already quite tough, so we confess that we were impressed with El Supremo 18 years old, an exclusive edition that is not sold and that could easily compete with the best rums in the world. . But its publicly accessible labels are not far behind.
We have the 5-year-old, perfect for cocktails and other mixed drinks, or the 12-year-old, which already demands a tasting alone, with attention. But perhaps our recommendation is the same as that of its CEO, Filippo Maria Olivi di Briana, and responsible for the international leap of El Supremo. The sure hit is the 8-year-old, a quality rum where the personality of the name we see on the label can already be seen.
El Supremo still has a way to go to expand throughout Spain whose rum consumption does not stop growing. In the coming months the label plans to expand throughout Catalonia and “develop new businesses in Murcia, Andalusia, the Basque Country and the Balearic Islands.” Its goal is to finish completely established throughout the peninsula by 2024. Now, it remains to comment on the price.
The truth is that when it is sold through different and private establishments, its price varies. However, we can find the 5-year-old El Supremo for around 30 years, while the 8-year-old is usually around €50 and the 12-year-old is around €60.
