What to see and do at Ron Del Barrilito rum Bayamon, Puerto Rico

Ron del Barrilito is the oldest rum made in Puerto Rico

This Caribbean rum production facility in Bayamon is located at the Hacienda Santa Ana  where the Fernandez family first began growing sugarcane in 1787.  In 1871, they began making rum for their personal use and then began selling it in 1880. They have been making it in the same place and in the same way since then. The distillery is open to the public for tours and tastings.

We visited the distillery with our sons and their families on 7/13/2022.  During the tour, we learned about the history of the brand and the rum-making process. Additionally we were able to see the aging barrels and view the bottling process.

Ron del Barrilito is a well-known rum brand in Puerto Rico that has been produced by the Fernández family since the 1880s. The rum is made using a unique blend of rums that have been aged for different lengths of time in oak barrels, resulting in a smooth and complex flavor profile.

One of the most notable features of the distillery is the use of the solera aging process, which involves blending rums from different barrels at different stages of aging to create a consistent and unique flavor. The company uses a four-barrel solera system, where the rums are aged for six, eight, and ten years before being blended.

Ron del Barrilito is available in three varieties: the three-star, which is a blend of rums aged between six and ten years; the five-star, which is a blend of rums aged between ten and 30 years; and the two-star, which is a blend of rums aged between three and five years.

The brand has gained international recognition and has won numerous awards for its high-quality rums. It is considered one of the finest rums in the world and a symbol of Puerto Rican heritage and culture.

Looking for things to do?  Viator offers numerous tours.  Click here for details. vi.me/ziLeT

The visitor center and tasting room was built in 2019.  

The remains of an old 1827 windmill is next to the distillery.  It was originally used to power the machine for processing sugar cane.

An old still is in the visitor center

The rum is bottled by hand.

This is an old mixing tank where fruit and spices are added to the rum before aging.

Rows of rum filled barrels are in the aging room. The barrel on the floor has been aging since 1952.