Don Q 151 Rum

Don Q relaunched its 151 to mark Destilería Serrallés' 150th anniversary, after the original had been discontinued for years — making it only the second overproof rum a Puerto Rican distillery has ever released (Bacardi's is the more famous first). The "151" name itself traces back to old proof-testing methods: 75.5% alcohol was roughly the strength old pot stills could reach, and doubling that percentage gives you the proof number, a system that dates to 16th-century English taxation practices involving soaked gunpowder. This one blends light and dark rums aged a minimum of three years in used American oak, some of which previously held Bourbon or Canadian whisky. Reviewers who normally dismiss 151s as one-dimensional burn machines have been pleasantly surprised here — The Lone Caner called it "surprisingly good," with real character beneath the initial heat, and other tasters found genuine depth: vanilla, caramel, cinnamon, clove, dark fruit, tobacco, and a touch of smoke, with some picking up dark chocolate, coffee, and flambéed berries. It's picked up a Silver Medal at the 2016 Madrid International Rum Conference. Bottled at 151 proof (75.5% ABV) — built for tiki drinks, floaters, and cocktails that need real backbone, not for sipping neat.

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