Ron Barcelo Imperial Gold Rum
Ron Barcelo Imperial Gold Rum is the flagship the judges keep crowning — 750mL at 40% ABV (80 proof), a blend of Dominican rums aged up to 10 years in ex-bourbon oak, the first rum ever to score 97 from the Beverage Testing Institute, "Best Rum in the World" in 1999 and 2000 — and you can order it online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 40% (80 proof — US 750mL)
- Size: 750mL
- Age: up to 10 years in ex-bourbon oak
- Origin: San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic — Barceló & Co., founded ~1930
- Production: distilled from fermented estate-grown sugarcane JUICE (not molasses); six-column stills; tropical maturation; cognac-style decanter
- Awards: BTI 97/100 "Best Rum in the World" (1999 & 2000); SFWSC Double Gold (2021); Gold + Best in Category, International Cane Spirits Festival (2008)
The Dominican Flagship
Most rum starts as molasses; Barceló starts as fresh-pressed sugarcane juice from its own Dominican estates — one of a handful of rum producers worldwide that grows its own cane, and the only Dominican rum distilled directly from juice. The flagship Imperial blend rests up to ten years in ex-bourbon oak in the Caribbean heat, arriving copper-amber with the concentration the medals describe: buttercream, dried cherries, intense vanilla, pineapple jam, caramelized walnuts, and a carrot-cake, kola-nut, mocha finish that drinkers call "a cigar rum." It's also the world's first carbon-neutral rum producer. Compare it with its darker sibling in the rum collection at Del Mesa Liquor, and see the range from Ron Barcelo.
Tasting Notes
Bright copper-amber. Buttercream, dried cherries, intense vanilla, pineapple jam and caramelized walnuts; the palate is dry, fruity and lush — dark fruit, brown spices, tobacco leaf — ending on carrot cake, kola nut and mocha with a long toasted fade.
How to Enjoy
A serious neat sipper — this is the bottle for the after-dinner pour. Also the right backbone for a premium rum Old Fashioned.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ron Barcelo Imperial Gold's proof?
80 proof — 40% ABV on the US 750mL (the international 700mL is bottled at 38%).
How long is Barcelo Imperial aged?
Up to 10 years in ex-bourbon oak.
Is Barcelo Imperial Gold a good sipping rum?
Yes — it's the house flagship, twice named "Best Rum in the World" by the Beverage Testing Institute.
Is it made from molasses?
No — it's distilled from fresh sugarcane juice grown on Barceló's own estates.
Two-time world champion, one bottle — order Ron Barcelo Imperial Gold Rum online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.