The phrase Dos Maderas means ‘two woods’ in Spanish. Dos Maderas is a famous, critically acclaimed fusion of two rums, aged in two casks, across two cultures. The Jerez de la Frontera in Spain, one of the most famous and most prominent wineries in Europe, is where Dos Maderas rums are finally completed.
Official website: dosmaderas.com
Two cultures that blend into a single spirit
While the rum is produced as a heritage in the Caribbean, specifically Guyana and Barbados, it is further aged by the rich tradition of Sherry of Jerez in Spain. Founded in the late 1800s and now run by the Medina family, who has been in the wine manufacturing business since the 1960s, the historical bodega Williams and Humbert add the specialty to every Dos Maderas blend.
Williams and Humbert diversified from their already famous Gran Duque D’Alba and the internationally acclaimed Dry Sack Sherry into the new range of rum that they wanted to make something special out of it. Thus began the romance between two cultures, two double casks, and two aging methods from the two sides of the globe, to finally bring a dream blend of a single spirit that would stand out as truly different.
Dos Maderas production process
After first being matured in the tropics of the Caribbean, every Dos Maderas spirit is again developed further in the temperate region of Spain. While the traditional Solera system is mainly used, the Criadera system is also followed. These are complex systems where any wine or spirit is blended gradually while it ages and is truly unparalleled.
Making rum using sugar cane
Sugar cane is best grown in ideal climates such as Guyana and Barbados. Harvest is carried out when the plant is prime between February and June. Once harvested, the sugar that is extracted from the cane is refined.
Process of fermenting rum
After the sugar from the cane has been refined, the molasses are fermented by adding yeast to them. To further enhance and maximize the best characteristics of sugar cane, the best streams are used. Fermentation takes place over at least two days.
The distillation process of rum
The traditional rum producers of Guyana and Barbados distill the fermented molasses by using various methods and numerous still types. Anything from discontinuous wooden stills to Coffey alambiques is used. There is a diverse range of rum produced in this region. There are lighter styles that are made with column stills. However, most favor the rich pot still flavors that are a specialty of this region.
Aging rum in the Caribbean
The climate in the Caribbean regions of Guyana and Barbados is pretty hot, which is ideal for the first aging process of the Dos Maderas range of spirits. The 220-liter oak casks previously used to age Bourbon are used to mature the Dos Maderas spirits. After more than five years, two distinctive rums are found here. First, we have the full-bodied and heavier rums from Guyana. And the other rums from Barbados are more refined and lighter.
Selecting the best rum
The rums produced in Guyana and Barbados are exceptional, as with the five years of age in the hot Caribbean climate. However, the most crucial part of the Dos Maderas process involves selecting the best rums from these two diverse types of rum. And next comes the equally critical blending process, especially since the blending must be in perfect quantities so that the resultant spirit has the exclusive characteristics required by the entire Dos Maderas range of spirits.
Aging rum in the bodega in Jerez
The newly blended rum is shipped out of the Caribbean and migrated to Spain, to the Williams and Humbert sherry-ageing bodega in Jerez. Jerez is the heart of the entire sherry-producing region. The unique Solera process of Spain is used to age the rum a second time. The final product is achieved by combining the unique climate of Jerez and the use of particular Sherry barrels found exclusively in this region. The traditional Criadera system of aging brandy and Sherry is also used for some rums in the Dos Maderas range.
The two types of casks used to age Dos Maderas rum
Palo Cortado Sherry casks
The spirit that is aged in the Caribbean already is further matured in battles that have been previously used to age the 20-year-old Palo Cortado to produce the three types of Dos Maderas range of rums – the Seleccion, the 5+5, and the 5+3. This singular shady gives a unique characteristic to the rum by making it more complex, confusing it with delicate whiffs of walnuts and dried fruits, thereby making these three blends unique.
Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks
The casks used to age the sweetest sherry wines also give the three blends of the Dos Maderas range of rums – the Luxus, the Seleccion, and the 5+5 – a unique smoothness that introduces a new dimension to the spirit of in the flavors of prune and raisins. The traditional Solera process of aging results in this fantastic and exclusive transformation that also uses the same casks that have previously been used age the exquisite Pedro Ximenez. Since these costs are at least 80 years old, they add beautiful and complex flavors to these 3 Dos Maderas rums.
This blend has a beautiful aroma with a slight and soft whiff of Sherry. It has a complex body and pleasantly varies from the normal Dos Maderas range. It has a distinctive Guyanese taste, further influenced by the Bourbon casks used to age these rums in the first phase. It has a complex flavor that includes plums, dates, figs, vanilla, caramel, and oak, along with the dominant field of Chevy.
This has a unique blend of the Barbados and Guyana variants, bringing out a Port Mourant type of feel. It is drier than most rums and spirits of this range. It has a typical English blend with a distinctive finish of dry Sherry, oak, fruit, caramel, and vanilla.
This rum is uniquely blended with the original rums from Guyana and Barbados. It is aged in three phases – first for five years in the Caribbean, then in Spain, and again for two more years in ancient sherry casks. It is lovely and smooth and doesn’t need to be iced. While the initial aroma is delightful, there might be a slight burn in your nostrils. The test is finished with the flavor of fruit and molasses at the end. You can also feel a faint bitterness the whole time.
After ten years in the Caribbean, this rum is further aged for five years in Spain in the same casks that are used to age the famous Don Guido sherry. The feeling of alcohol disappears completely while the rich flavor becomes more highlighted. It is sweetened perfectly. I will call this one of the best, especially since the aftertaste does not last long.
