Brugal
Encyclopedia
Brugal is the name and brand of a variety of rum
s from the Dominican Republic
produced by Brugal & Co., C. por A. Brugal and the other Dominican rums, Barceló
and Bermúdez
, are collectively known as the three B's. Brugal has three distilleries
, one in Puerto Plata
and two in San Pedro de Macorís
.
During the second half of the 19th century, Andrés Brugal Montaner, a Spanish national who had migrated from Sitges
(Catalonia, Spain) to Santiago de Cuba
, decided to move to the Dominican Republic
and take up permanent residence in Puerto Plata. While in Cuba
, Don Andrés acquired expertise in the making of rum, and based on that experience he founded Brugal & Co. in Puerto Plata. It would mark the beginning of a long family tradition. Don Andrés, unknowingly, would become the forebearer of entrepreneurial leadership in Dominican society. In 1920 the company's first warehouses were built for the ageing of rum in oak barrels.
By 1976, with Extraviejo, the company developed the Premium rum segment in Dominican Republic. In 1998 Brugal & Co. launched Brugal Limón, Brugal Pasión and Unico. In 2005, the company launched 5-liter steel dispensing barrels for its medium and low-tier brands.
Today, the chairman, George Arzeno Brugal, and most of the board members are direct descendants of the founder of the company.
The enterprise spread to other areas, namely livestock, agriculture, ecology, veterinarian and pharmaceutical products, distribution of renowned international liquors and alcoholic beverages, hardware store, production of other alcoholic beverages and patronage of institutions engaged in social work. Brugal has factories in Puerto Plata where the rums are produced. The distribution and marketing offices are located in the capital city of Santo Domingo
, and there is also a regional office in Santiago de los Caballeros
, the Dominican Republic's second largest city. The company currently supplies the market with several varieties of rum, each with a distinctive taste.
Brugal has international presence in many of the Caribbean
islands, the United States
, Canada
, and Europe
, where Spain
and Italy
are the largest consumers.
On February 6, 2008, Brugal & Co. made public that The Edrington Group
, a large Scottish distilling company, won control of the company by acquiring a majority shareholding
. 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.
Figures published indicate that the price paid by Edrington for a holding of just over 60% (other sources cite up to 83% ) was in excess of £200million.
A number of Brugal rums have been submitted for review at international spirit ratings
organizations. The extra viejo has performed veryreasonably well, particularly given its modest price (relative to other higher-end rums). Wine Enthusiast awarded it scores of "90-95" in 2005 and 2009, while the San Francisco World Spirits Competition gave two bronze, a silver and a gold medal at various points in the 2000s.
Rum
Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels...
s from the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
produced by Brugal & Co., C. por A. Brugal and the other Dominican rums, Barceló
Barceló (rum)
Ron Barceló is the name and brand of a variety of rums from the Dominican Republic produced by Barceló Export Import, CxA Ron Barceló has its plant and distillery in San Pedro de Macoris.-Company history:...
and Bermúdez
Bermúdez (rum)
Bermúdez is the name and brand of a variety of rums from the Dominican Republic produced by J. Armando Bermúdez & Co., C. por A. Bermúdez and the other Dominican rums, Barceló and Brugal, are collectively known as the three B's...
, are collectively known as the three B's. Brugal has three distilleries
Distillation
Distillation is a method of separating mixtures based on differences in volatilities of components in a boiling liquid mixture. Distillation is a unit operation, or a physical separation process, and not a chemical reaction....
, one in Puerto Plata
San Felipe de Puerto Plata
San Felipe de Puerto Plata, often referred to as simply Puerto Plata, is the capital of the Dominican province Puerto Plata.The city is famous for resorts such as Playa Dorada and Costa Dorada, located east of San Felipe de Puerto Plata. There are a total of 100,000 hotel beds in the city.The only...
and two in San Pedro de Macorís
San Pedro de Macorís
San Pedro de Macorís is a municipality and the capital of the San Pedro de Macorís province in the Dominican Republic.-Demographics:...
.
Company history
Sitges
*Church of Sant Bartolomeu i Santa Tecla . It houses two Gothic sepulchres , belonging to the an older church located on the same site...
(Catalonia, Spain) to Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city of Cuba and capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province in the south-eastern area of the island, some south-east of the Cuban capital of Havana....
, decided to move to the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
and take up permanent residence in Puerto Plata. While in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, Don Andrés acquired expertise in the making of rum, and based on that experience he founded Brugal & Co. in Puerto Plata. It would mark the beginning of a long family tradition. Don Andrés, unknowingly, would become the forebearer of entrepreneurial leadership in Dominican society. In 1920 the company's first warehouses were built for the ageing of rum in oak barrels.
By 1976, with Extraviejo, the company developed the Premium rum segment in Dominican Republic. In 1998 Brugal & Co. launched Brugal Limón, Brugal Pasión and Unico. In 2005, the company launched 5-liter steel dispensing barrels for its medium and low-tier brands.
Today, the chairman, George Arzeno Brugal, and most of the board members are direct descendants of the founder of the company.
Expansion and Operations
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
, and there is also a regional office in Santiago de los Caballeros
Santiago de los Caballeros
Santiago de los Caballeros is a city in the Dominican Republic. Founded in 1495 during the first wave of European colonization of the New World, today Santiago is the second largest metropolis in the Dominican Republic, located in the north-central region of the Republic known as Cibao valley...
, the Dominican Republic's second largest city. The company currently supplies the market with several varieties of rum, each with a distinctive taste.
Brugal has international presence in many of the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
islands, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, where Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
are the largest consumers.
Edrington Group acquisition
The Edrington Group
The Edrington Group Limited is a major Scotch whisky company involved in blending, bottling, distributing and marketing. It produces several well-known brands, including The Famous Grouse and Cutty Sark, and premium single malts The Macallan and Highland Park...
, a large Scottish distilling company, won control of the company by acquiring a majority shareholding
Share (finance)
A joint stock company divides its capital into units of equal denomination. Each unit is called a share. These units are offered for sale to raise capital. This is termed as issuing shares. A person who buys share/shares of the company is called a shareholder, and by acquiring share or shares in...
. 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.
Figures published indicate that the price paid by Edrington for a holding of just over 60% (other sources cite up to 83% ) was in excess of £200million.
Brands and Varieties
- Carta Dorada (golden low-tier)
- Ron Blanco (white low-tier)http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brugal&action=edit
- Ron Blanco 151 (white high-proof for mixing cocktails)
- Añejo (golden mid-tier)
- Extra Viejo (golden premium)
- Titanium (white high-end premium)
- Siglo de Oro (golden high-end porcellain-bottled premium blend)
- Licor Único (rum liqueur)
- Limón (alcopop)
A number of Brugal rums have been submitted for review at international spirit ratings
Spirit ratings
With a growing number of microdistilleries and an expanding number of offerings from large corporate entities, a number of institutions have arisen to provide professional evaluations of individual spirits...
organizations. The extra viejo has performed veryreasonably well, particularly given its modest price (relative to other higher-end rums). Wine Enthusiast awarded it scores of "90-95" in 2005 and 2009, while the San Francisco World Spirits Competition gave two bronze, a silver and a gold medal at various points in the 2000s.