{{short description|Dominican rum company}} {{Infobox company | name = Brugal & Co. | logo = [[File:Burgal&co.png|The Brugal logo]] | type = [[Private company|Private]] | location = [[Puerto Plata (city)|Puerto Plata]], [[Dominican Republic]] | key_people = Augusto Ramírez Bonó (Managing Director) | industry = [[Distilled beverages]] | products = [[Rum]] <br /> [[Liqueur]] <br /> [[Alcopop]] | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | homepage = {{URL|http://www.brugal.com.do}}<br />{{URL|https://www.brugal-rum.com/}}<br/>{{URL|https://casabrugal.com}} | founder = Andrés Brugal Montaner | founded = 1888 | owner = The Edrington Group Limited }} '''Brugal & Co., C. por A.''', is a company in the [[Dominican Republic]] that produces a variety of [[rum]]s. Brugal, along with [[Barceló (rum)|Barceló]] and [[Bermúdez (rum)|Bermúdez]], are collectively known as the three B's. Brugal has a bottling plant in [[San Felipe de Puerto Plata|Puerto Plata]] and a distillery in [[San Pedro de Macorís]]. The company is owned by [[Edrington (spirits company)|The Edrington Group Limited]]. {{as of|2008}} it is the market leader for rum in the Dominican Republic,<ref name="Pittilla-2008"/> claiming 80% of domestic market,<ref name="TBY-2014">{{cite web |url=https://thebusinessyear.com/article/thats-the-spirit/ |title=That's the Spirit | publisher=The Business Year |last=Tby |orig-date=Aug 31, 2014 |access-date=2026-03-12 }}</ref> and producing 15 million liters of rum per year.<ref name="Pietrek,Smith-2022">{{cite book |last1=Pietrek |first1=Matt |last2=Smith |first2=Carrie |date=2022 |title=Modern Caribbean Rum |publisher=Wonk Press |isbn=978-0-578-27139-2 }}</ref>
==History==
<!-- Note: "Andrés Brugal Montaner" redirects to his section -->
[[File:BrugalFactory.JPG|thumb|Brugal bottling plant in Puerto Plata]]
In 1868,<ref name="Brugal">{{cite web |url=https://www.brugal-rum.com/en/our-history |title=OUR HISTORY | publisher=Brugal Rum |access-date=2026-03-11 }}</ref> Andrés Brugal Montaner migrated from [[Sitges]], [[Catalonia]], [[Spain]] to [[Santiago de Cuba]], [[Cuba]].<ref name="diffords"/> While in Cuba, Don Andrés acquired expertise in the making of rum, and founded Brugal & Co. in 1888.<ref name="Brugal"/> In 1897, he moved to the [[Dominican Republic]] and took up permanent residence in [[Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic|Puerto Plata]].<ref name="Brugal"/><ref name="88bamboo">{{cite web |url=https://88bamboo.co/blogs/rum-reviews/brugal-1888 |title=Brugal 1888 | publisher=88 Bamboo |last=111hotpot |orig-date=March 15, 2024 |access-date=2026-03-12 }}</ref>
From its founding in 1888 until 1920, Brugal exclusively produced white rums.<ref name="diffords">{{cite web |url=https://www.diffordsguide.com/producers/338/brugal-and-company-c-por-a |title=Brugal and Company C. por A. |access-date=2026-03-11 }}</ref> In 1919, Brugal released ''Ligero y limpio'' (Light and clean), making it the first Dominican rum producer to sell pure lightly distilled rum which has not been blended by harsher, cheaper, and more flavorful [[aguardiente]].<ref name="Brugal"/><ref name="88bamboo"/> After aging this rum for one year, Brugal released its first [[gold rum]] in 1920.<ref name="Brugal"/> In 1952, Brugal began producing ''Añejo'' (Aged).<ref name="casa-brugal">{{cite web |url=https://casabrugal.com/nuestro-legado/ |title=Casa Brugal - Historia | language=es |access-date=2026-03-11 }}</ref> In 1976, Brugal released ''Extra Viejo'' (Extra Old), the company's first premium rum.<ref name="Brugal"/> In 1988, to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the company's founding, they released ''Siglo de Oro'' (Century of Gold).<ref name="casa-brugal"/> In 1998 Brugal & Co. launched Brugal Limón, Brugal Pasión and Unico,<ref>Histoire du Rhum by Alain Huetz de Lemps, 1997</ref> which were an attempt at entering the flavored rum market, but they were discontinued shortly after. In 2009, Brugal launched ''Especial Extra Dry'' (Special Extra Dry), a more premium white rum<ref name="casa-brugal"/> to replace Blanco Especial, which was discontinued in the spring of 2013.<ref name="null-2012">{{cite web |url=https://www.drinkhacker.com/2012/08/31/review-brugal-especial-extra-dry-rum/ |title=Review: Brugal Especial Extra Dry Rum | publisher=Drinkhacker |last=Null |first=Christopher |orig-date=August 31, 2012 |access-date=2026-03-11 }}</ref> In 2010, Brugal created the country's first double-aged rum with 1888 Doblemente Añejo, aged in ex-[[Bourbon whiskey|bourbon]] barrels and then [[Finishing (whisky)|finished]] in [[Oloroso]] sherry casks from [[Jerez de la Frontera|Jerez]], Spain.<ref name="Brugal"/> In 2012, Brugal introduced XV.<ref name="casa-brugal"/> In 2015, Brugal released Leyenda, a spirit drink consisting of a blend of 80% aged rum and 20% Spanish Oloroso sherry.<ref name="casa-brugal"/>
Since 1940,<ref name="Brugal"/> Brugal adorned its bottles with a distinctive netting.<ref name="diffords"/> At one point in the 1980s, the company that made the netting for the bottles was unable to supply enough, so Brugal decided to discontinue the practice. The immediate drop in sales that followed caused Brugal to reverse this decision, and many of their rums continue to be covered in netting to this day.<ref name="diffords"/>
In the 1970s, due to the lack of road signs in the country and the need to aid in the transport of their rum across the country, Brugal started producing road signs through major towns.<ref name="diffords"/>
Brugal continued to be a family owned and operated company until a majority [[Share (finance)|stake]] of just over 61% was purchased in February 2008 by Edrington.<ref name="Pittilla-2008">{{cite web |url=https://moodiedavittreport.com/confident-edrington-group-buoyed-by-core-whisky-brands-as-brugal-golden-rum-boosts-portfolio-020708/ |title=Confident Edrington Group buoyed by core whisky brands as Brugal golden rum boosts portfolio | publisher=Moodie Davitt Report |last=Pittilla |first=Mary Jane |orig-date=02/07/08 |access-date=2026-03-11 }}</ref> George Arzeno Brugal, representing the fourth generation of the Brugal family's ownership of the company, served as chairman of the company until the acquisition.<ref name="diffords"/> In a press release, the Brugal family assured that production will continue within the Dominican Republic and that they will remain as shareholders and have an active role in managing the company and brand.<ref>{{Cite web |title=La venta de Brugal arreciará la competencia de rones en Europa |url=http://www.diariolibre.com/app/article.aspx?id=136238 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080207031045/http://www.diariolibre.com/app/article.aspx?id=136238 |archivedate=February 7, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Edrington |url=https://www.edrington.com/ |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304202417/http://www.edringtongroup.com/media/news/pressRelease.asp?id=EDR-62008-35-10836 |archivedate=March 4, 2010 |website=www.edrington.com}}</ref> In 2010, Jasill Villanueva Quintana, great-great-granddaughter of the distillery founder, was named ''maestra ronera'' (master distiller) of Brugal.<ref name="Dean-2024"/><ref name="Blyde-2024">{{Cite web |last=Blyde |first=Douglas |date=2024-06-27 |title=Meet The Maker: Jassil Villanueva Quintana |url=https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2024/06/meet-the-maker-jassil-villanueva-quintana/ |access-date=2024-10-18 |website=The Drinks Business |language=en-GB}}</ref> She said that she grew up surrounded by the distillery, and interned there while studying in university.<ref name="Blyde-2024"/> She is the first woman master distiller at Brugal, and {{as of|lc=y|2023|11|27|df=US}}, the youngest in the world.<ref name="Blyde-2024"/>
==Production==
Brugal sources the [[molasses]] for its rums exclusively from the Dominican Republic, particularly from the sugar refineries of Barahaia, [[La Romana, Dominican Republic|La Romana]], and [[San Pedro de Macorís]], at a minimum of 85 [[Brix]].<ref name="diffords"/> The molasses is then diluted with demineralized water, and fermented with a proprietary strain of yeast for 40-48 hours.<ref name="diffords"/><ref name="88bamboo"/> The mash ferments to a wine of 7.5-8.5% ABV, at which point it is distilled using two-column stills, with the first column being pressurized to a vacuum.<ref name="diffords"/> The first column produces spirit at 90% ABV, which is then diluted back down to 25% ABV, before being distilled once again to 94.6% ABV.<ref name="diffords"/><ref name="Dean-2024">{{cite web |url=https://www.the-buyer.net/tasting/spirits/brugal-maestro-reserva-rum-dean |publisher=The Buyer | title=How short maturation time is key to Brugal's new Maestro Reserva rum |last=Dean |first=Geoffrey |orig-date=30th June 2024 |access-date=2026-03-11 }}</ref> This double-distillation to a very high ABV produces a spirit that is very light in flavor and congeners, common in [[Rum#Regional variations|Spanish-style rum production]].<ref name="diffords"/> The distillery has two stills, with the smaller capable of producing 15,000 liters of spirit per day, and the larger one capable of producing 40,000 liters of spirit per day.<ref name="Pietrek,Smith-2022"/>
The distilled spirit is transported to Puerto Plata, where it is aged.<ref name="diffords"/> The spirit is diluted down to 65% ABV before being barreled in American ex-bourbon or Spanish ex-sherry casks, destined to be aged for one, two, three, five, or eight years.<ref name="diffords"/> Some rums are then re-barreled to be aged for several more years, sometimes in a different barrel, in a process that the company calls "double aging". The rum must age a minimum of one year and the barrels cannot be moved or topped up, per Dominican law.<ref name="diffords"/>
After aging is finished, the rums are briefly rested, before being filtered through cellulose paper and the color made consistent with caramel color.<ref name="diffords"/>
The carbon dioxide produced by the fermentation is captured and sold to manufacturers of carbonated beverages.<ref name="diffords"/>
==Products==
[[File:Ron Brugal Botellas.jpg|thumb|Various Brugal products]]
===Core rums===
* Especial Extra Dry - A blend of rums aged for 2-5 years in ex-bourbon barrels, then triple filtered to remove color. * Añejo - A blend of rums aged for 2-5 years in ex-bourbon barrels. * Extra Viejo - A blend of rums aged for 3-8 years in ex-bourbon barrels.
===Premium Rums===
* XV Reserva Exclusiva - A blend of rums aged for 3-8 years in ex-bourbon barrels and rums aged 2-3 years in red European oak Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. * Doble Reserva - A blend of rums aged in ex-bourbon barrels, followed by aging in sherry casks. * Triple Reserva - A blend of rums aged in ex-bourbon barrels, followed by aging in sherry casks, followed by aging in French oak barrels. * 1888 Doblemente Añejo - A blend of rums aged for up to 8 years in ex-bourbon barrels, followed by up to 6 years in sherry casks. * Maestro Reserva - A blend of rums aged for 3-3.5 years in sherry casks, using the Dark Aromatic Toasting method. * Siglo de Oro - A blend of rums aged for 6 years in ex-bourbon barrels, followed by another 6 years in ex-bourbon barrels. * Leyenda - A blend of rums aged in ex-bourbon barrels, then blended with Oloroso sherry to be a spirit drink of 80% rum and 20% sherry.
==Awards==
Wine Enthusiast awarded Extra Viejo scores of "90-95" in 2009, while the [[San Francisco World Spirits Competition]] gave it a silver medal in that same year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.proof66.com/rum/brugal-extra-viejo-reserva-anejo-rum.html|title=Brugal Extra Viejo Reserva Anejo Rum Reviews and Ratings - Proof66.com - Rum Aged - Liquor Reviews - Spirits Reviews|last=Proof66 LLC|website=www.proof66.com|access-date=2012-10-21|archive-date=2013-05-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509172829/http://www.proof66.com/rum/brugal-extra-viejo-reserva-anejo-rum.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2021, Brugal 1888 won a gold medal at the 2021 International Spirits Competition.<ref name="Brugal"/>
== Gallery == <gallery> File:Andresbrugal.jpg|Andrés Brugal, founder of Brugal & Co. File:Letrero La Caya.JPG|Brugal sign in La Caya. File:Golden Mojito preparado con "Brugal Añejo".jpg|Glass of Golden Mojito with Brugal Añejo. File:Brugal pp.jpg|Bottling Plant in Puerto Plata. File:Brugal 01.JPG|Old trapiche. </gallery>
==References== {{Commons category|Brugal Rum}} {{Reflist}}
[[Category:Edrington brands]] [[Category:1880s establishments in the Caribbean]] [[Category:Food and drink companies established in 1888]] [[Category:Dominican Republic companies established in 1888]] [[Category:Rum produced in the Dominican Republic]] [[Category:Dark rums]] [[Category:Privately held companies of the Dominican Republic]]