BoneTree Dark Rum
Dark Rum | 750mL | 106.6 Proof (53.3% ABV) — BoneTree Dark Rum comes from Bonetree Distillery at 15557 Graham Street in Huntington Beach, California — a family-run operation from husband-and-wife team Marcus and Teresa Osso, distilling since 2021. It's distilled from molasses and cane sugar and aged 1–2 years in 15-gallon new American oak barrels — small barrels that drive fast, deep wood interaction. The distillery describes it as a rum that bridges the rum and whiskey worlds: traditional rum sweetness layered with whiskey-like caramel and vanilla. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
Craft dark rum from a small California distillery is a different animal from the big Caribbean brands — new American oak (not used bourbon barrels) and tiny 15-gallon casks give it a bourbon-adjacent punch. At under $20, it's one of the most interesting local bottles on the shelf.
Tasting notes
Traditional rum sweetness with whiskey-like caramel and vanilla notes; deep, complex profile from the small-barrel new-oak aging (distillery notes).
Why buy it from Del Mesa Liquor
- 750mL, 106.6 proof (53.3% ABV) — small-batch dark rum from Huntington Beach, California
- Distilled from molasses and cane sugar; aged 1–2 years in 15-gallon new American oak
- Family-run distillery (Marcus & Teresa Osso), distilling since 2021
- Bridges rum and whiskey — caramel and vanilla over classic rum sweetness
- Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor
How to serve it
Try it neat first to taste the new-oak character, then take it into rum cocktails that can handle backbone — a bold Mai Tai, a rum Old Fashioned, or a Dark 'n Stormy with extra ginger bite.
Frequently asked questions
What is the proof of this bottle?
The bottle pictured is 106.6 proof (53.3% ABV), cask strength and non-chill filtered. Small craft distilleries bottle in batches, and the proof can shift between them — your bottle's label is the authority.
What does "bridges rum and whiskey" mean?
The molasses-and-cane-sugar distillate is classic rum, but aging in new American oak (whiskey's barrel) gives it caramel, vanilla, and structure whiskey drinkers will recognize.
Where is BoneTree made?
At Bonetree Distillery in Huntington Beach, California — a family-run craft distillery pouring at its own tasting room and local retailers.
Is this an aged rum?
Yes — 1 to 2 years in small new-oak barrels, which age spirit much faster than standard 53-gallon casks.