La Palma Artisanal Rum Tasting. Destilaría Aldea

After running many wine tasting events in Dublin in the past few years I have decided now to dip into the world of spirits especially giving that this winter I am also doing my "WSET in spirits" study/certification

My tastings tend to be from first hands where I am sharing with consumer personal experiences after meeting winemakers, growers and in this case artisan distilelrs. This event will start a series of tastings "World of Spirits" where I am aiming to showcase Irish consumer lesser known types and styles of spirits.

Distillery Aldea is the only working distillery in Canarias today producing rum from 6ha of cane grown in La Palma. About 20% of cane is own grown while other 80% are bought from local growers at the north of La Palma (Barlovento).

On the night you’ll taste 4 different styles of artisan rum:

• White (fresh, herbaceous, un-aged reminding French style of Rum Agricola from Martinique)
• Añejo 8 barricas (aged for 8 years in ex-red wine barrels, blended from 8 distinctive barrils and finished for 8 month after blending)
• Maestro (aged for 10 years in ex-red wine American oak barrels) Solera
• Alfa (molasses based rum. Aged for 10 years) Solera
  
  In the heart of Dublin, next door to Saint Patrick Cathedral, small and cozy café will reveal hidden gems of Canary Islands archipelago.

Distillery Aldea seats at the edge of the rock overlooking Atlantic Ocean

Main entrance to the distillery, museum and tasting room

New column still been installed on the premises in 2021

Original column still was built in 1936 in Gran Canaria by French company Egrott, subsequently was brought to La Palma when company's production moved in the 50s due to lack of raw materials in Gran Canaria after Second World War. Colomn is still in operation today. Directly heated by fire in the same way like pot stills in France in Cognac region

Sacks of recently harvested sugarcane before pressing

Cane crashing mill

Most rums exept for white ones are matured for extended periods of time in different types of barriques. Many products finished in ex-red wine barrels.

Distillery current owner and master distiller Jose Manuel Quievedo. The building behind is an original sindicat of distillers founded in 1927, later aquired by Quievedo family when production has moved to La Palma.

Today it hosts warehouse, offices and maturation cellars.

View of San Andres de los Sauces viaduct from the sea leavel at distillery

Tasting room and the shop where new generation of distillers happy to walk you through extensive range of the company's products. All tastings are free

White Rum - fresh, herbaceous, un-aged reminding French style of Rum Agricola from Martinique

Rum Añejo 8 barricas - aged for 8 years, blended from 8 distinctive barrils and finished for 8 month after blending in ex-red wine barrels

Rum Maestro - aged for 10 years in ex-red wine American oak barrels. Solera

Constellations series, Rum Alfa - company's collaboratove project. Small production of 3 rums inspired by Caribeam styles made from molasses. Aged for 10 years. Solera

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