Brugal Maestro Reserva : les petits plats dans les grands

17 June 2024 | Discover
Brugal Maestro Reserva : les petits plats dans les grands

Paris, Rue Richelieu, beautiful Parisian apartments, 5 to 6 meters high ceilings with molding, a very large double room consisting of a bar, a living room, and a stage, a gallery of glass and wrought iron leading to another living room distributing a second bar, a private speakeasy, and a room transformed into a forge for a glassblower in service, that's the setting for the grand presentation evening of the Maestro Reserva vintage. The event is happening over three days, with Friday reserved for professionals and the following two days open to the public. We get to enjoy high-quality cocktails and hors d'oeuvres.

The Brugal Maestro Reserva

This is the first high-end batch officially presented by Brugal in France. It fits into the brand's premiumization strategy, which has been in motion for about a year and a half.

 
With the Brugal Mastro Reserva batch, Brugal offers us a rum that has been double-aged in ex-bourbon American oak barrels and then in ex-sherry barrels. After the first phase, the rum is taken out of the ex-sherry barrel. The barrel is charred to achieve caramelization. Charring is a crucial step. It must stop just before the caramelization turns into burning. The rum is then barrelled again for further aging.

The result is a beautifully amber-colored rum, with a fruity, caramelized, and honeyed aroma. On the palate, you'll find slightly toasted caramel, very vanilla, with hints of brown sugar and chocolate. The finish gradually ends with a smoky note. All of this at 41.2% ABV.

Evening under the gaze of the Brugal family.
Evening under the gaze of the Brugal family.
The essential Brugal 1888
The essential Brugal 1888
To blow the glass...
To blow the glass...

An evening

The vintage is presented to us musically by a trio: a violin, a clarinet, a cello. Each takes a turn to do a solo based on what the vintage evokes for them and its production method. Fingers are busy, delicacy and harmony take over. The bartenders are whipping up Brugal-based cocktails in both bars for the evening. The elegantly golden shakers bear the Brugal emblem. The glassblower works all evening, giving demonstrations and explanations. We're treated to a short salsa dancer show. Servers bring around appetizers and sweets, while guests patiently wait their turn to visit the speakeasy where a piano bar is set up. There, you can taste the full range of Brugal!

Adrian Niño at the Brugal bar
Adrian Niño at the Brugal bar

The backstage

Because we like to ask questions, we were able to gather some information to satisfy the curious folks. How do you organize such a party? We activate our networks and reach out to companies specialized in organizing parties. Two companies are responsible for finding the venue, planning the activities, setting up the decorations, managing the service, handling public relations, and overseeing the overall communication strategy. We have to manage over a hundred guests during a 3-4 hour event. All of this needs to be arranged over months. If we had to give a standout example of these companies' expertise, we would mention the family tree. In the speakeasy, the Brugal family tree was painted on the wall. It was absolutely stunning, let's just say that. When it comes time to return the keys to the venue, the company will have one day to repaint everything in white, just like before.

Brugal is preparing more vintages for next year. Imagine, just ten years ago, you couldn't find Brugal in a supermarket. Nowadays, we have a specialist rum that's improving in quality, a brand that's striving to innovate and pushing forward. While the world of Latin rums may still seem unclear to many consumers, Brugal is one of the brands that are asserting themselves and establishing a lasting presence in the French rum scene.

Introducing the Maestro Reserva vintage, with a musical twist.
Introducing the Maestro Reserva vintage, with a musical twist.
The best for last: Brugal Maestro Reserva
The best for last: Brugal Maestro Reserva

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Written by

Matthieu Lange
Matthieu Lange
Spirits Advisor