Venezuela’s Oldest Rum Producer Recruits Cold Brew Barrels for Arabica Coffee Cask Finish Bottling

(Photo: Santa Teresa 1796)

On Thursday, Santa Teresa 1796 unveiled the latest in a series of cask finishes that mingle rum with unexpected, often underutilized influences. While last year’s bottling recruited Speyside scotch whisky casks for the task, this year’s has gone full throttle on cold brew.

Dubbed Arabica Coffee Cask Finish, the expression begins life as the brand’s flagship triple-aged Solera rum. Setting to work behind the scenes, American white oak casks were filled with coffee beans and four-year rum reserves to create a hybrid cold brew minus the typical addition of water. The spirited brew was left to rest in the casks for six months before it was removed and replaced with Santa Teresa 1796, which was then left to age an additional three months in the caffeinated locker.

The final result is said to deliver subtle hints of cacao nibs and oak, designed for both solo-sipping and trendy coffee cocktails like the espresso martini and carajillo.

“This expression exemplifies our unwavering dedication to innovation while honoring our rich Venezuelan heritage,” Alberto Vollmer, CEO of Santa Teresa Rum commented in a news release. “By combining some of the finest coffee and rum produced in Venezuela, we have created a blend that offers unparalleled depth and character. This release is a testament to our legacy of craftsmanship and our commitment to producing exceptional rum that celebrates our rich history and traditions.”

Unlike its name implies, Santa Teresa 1796 was in fact introduced in 1896, exactly a century after the Santa Teresa Estate was founded in the valleys of central Venezuela. Today, it’s considered the oldest continually operating rum producer in the country. The distillery is currently overseen by Alberto C. Vollmer, the fifth-generation descendant of founder Gustav Julius Vollmer Ribas, himself the grandson of famed Venezuelan war hero José Félix Ribas.

In 2018, Santa Teresa announced a 50:50 joint venture with spirits giant Bacardi that brought its products to international markets. If you’d like to check out its latest special edition release, you can find Arabica Coffee Cask Finish online at $59.99.

Santa Teresa 1796 Arabica Coffee Cask Finish Tasting Notes, Via the Brand

• Color: Reddish-amber in color.
• Nose: Notes of fresh-brewed coffee, cocoa, charred wood, vanilla, and toasted almonds.
• Taste: A rich, earthy harmony of coffee, brown sugar, cocoa nibs, tobacco, and dried fruit.
• Finish: Deep and smooth with hints of cocoa, coffee, and oak.

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