Don Papa Rum 70cl - 40% ABV Dark Aged Sipping Rum: Distilled in Sugarlandia, Philippines | Expertly Matured in American Oak | Great for Cocktails

Product Information

Look, the truth is that this is industrially produced cane sugar/molasses-based (I'm being generous here) ethanol which has been gussied up with all manner of sweeteners, artificial flavours, colours and god knows what else (glycerol and vanillan at least, according to lab tests) to make it palatable -- and it isn't! Bad enough that they call it rum, but it commits an even greater sin than playing fast and loose with the truth -- it tastes bad! Wether you like it or not, Don Papa has helped MASSIVELY in getting people to understand that rum can be more than that. It smells like a liqueur – it is ludicrously sweet. It is as far away as a 10-year-old molasses based rum from say Barbados or Jamaica as it is possible. The very idea this can even be labelled as a rum is frankly, a complete embarrassment to the category.

The Don Papa Rum company refers to Sugarlandia as a “timeless place where nature is still the dominant life force”. It is a stunning natural land that is both lush and fertile, providing the perfect environment for Negros’ sugar canes to grow. Sugarlandia is also home to many of the small island’s sugar mills, making it the centre of the island’s sugar industry in addition to making it a key part of Negros’ rum industry. g/L of additives as per the Hydrometer Tests and paid laboratory tests have shown 2.4 grams per/liter of glycerin and 359 milligrams per/liter of vanillin. There is also information out there to suggest that the rum also has a mixture of sweet fruit flavourings added to it as well. So lets see how this one tastes…… Unsurprisingly, the rum has an extremely sweet smell, which is representative of the sugar canes of Sugarlandia. A little further exploration will reveal some deep vanilla notes, which pair marvellously fruitier notes of coconut, mango, and banana. This trio of fruits lends the rum the exotic touch that is often so coveted in these types of drinks, in addition to showcasing why this rum is perfect for summer.

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Don Papa Rum carries the long-standing traditions of Filipino rum making as a first-rate, expressive liquid that has amassed a cult-like following with spirits enthusiasts and industry insiders – a testament to its ability to transcend the rum category. The complex and delicious tasting rum offers a new taste that rum drinkers, brown spirit aficionados and newcomers to the spirit category can all enjoy. This rum is a cynical cash grab concocted by corporate marketers and ad men attempting to appeal to the discerning drinker. And by "discerning" I mean: has money and knows diddly squat about spirits, especially rum. Another worrying thing is this trend might discourage new and/or smaller rum producers from putting out quality rum. Instead it might persuade them into making these dishonest rums that cut corners. Afterall, starting small brands and/or distilleries to flip to larger companies has become a business model ever since craft distilling became more of a thing, especially in the US.Some might think all of these acquisitions are good for the category of rum; Because it will mean better distribution hence better awareness. Which will lead to more rum or “rum” being drunk more. While it may ring true for honest brands like the ones acquired by Campari. I don't entirely see it that way. Especially when dishonest brands like Diplomatico and Don Papa are being promoted as “premium” rum. Sure, wine will always go down a treat during such events. But sometimes, you need a drink that is a perfect representation of summer and the joy that it brings. Let’s focus on the french market if you don’t mind, since it is the one I know and can talk about (been part of the industry for several years now). It is a tribute to the late and great Papa Isio, who was the charismatic leader of the Negros Island in the 1890s. This Philippine island was the subject of an invasion and colonisation by the Spanish earlier in the 1800s. Papa Isio played a crucial role in organising the rebellion against the Spanish, which ultimately resulted in the island, specifically Sugarlandia, earning its independence. All right, so by now it’s clear that I’m late to the party here and all the discussions and post mortems have been done on this industrial grade spiced Phillipine rum, which it doesn’t admit to being, but which I say it is. And while there was a firestorm of online vituperation which greeted the release of the rum, making you believe that the majority of the rumworld absolutely hates this thing, the truth is actually more prosaic. Reviewers hate the rum…but most casual imbibers at whom the Don Papa is aimed are actually quite tolerant of the rums they scarf down, and the amount of people in the world who truly want a more detailed sense what they’re drinking — or have access to and desire for what we term top class hooch — is still a minimal part of the rumiverse in spite of all us bloggers’ doing our best to raise the bar. But everyone agrees on one point: bad or good or in-between, the makers of the Don Papa should absolutely have disclosed its adulteration. Maybe they thought the age statement would allow them to skate around such petty concerns

For an enthusiastic and uncritical perspective by a “lifestyle writer” (I will not use the term “journalist” because that would be like saying Don Papa is a real rum) I direct you to this Forbes article from May 2017. It’s just another in a spate of recent rum-themed articles that are written by people who seem to want to advertise that they really know nothing at all about the subject. And it was on the palate that its true adulterated nature became fully apparent. The mouthfeel is where it started – it literally felt like a soda, complete with the slight scrape of what could charitably be called bite but which I’ll call chamberpot-brewed rubbing alcohol. Again that yoghurt taste was there, this time without the creaminess, the raspberries being replaced by a peach or two…and the vanilla and sprite and coke were still there in abundance, finishing the job of ruining what had been an unremarkable, unprepossessing liquid that wasted too much of my time. There was no finish to speak of, which was unsurprising, given how dosed and choked up this thing is with so much that isn’t rum. Even Pyrat’s XO would probably shudder at what the company did here (while taking notes).

Don Papa Rum Details

Sugarlandia has almost become a place of legend on the Negros island. It is often described as an odd-land in which unexpected and unexplainable things often occur. As such, the legends surrounding Sugarlandia, and by extension the growing legend of Don Papa, have become a crucial part of the island’s rum industry.