Santa Teresa Bicentenario

[Fabio]

I was lucky this year to obtain some bottles of Santa Teresa most aged rum: Bicentenario. This is not a commercial rum and production is limited to 1000 bottles per year. They claim this is a blend of very old rums (up to 80 y.o.) and then the blend is aged during 15 years. I have tasted and is excellent. Color is particular: quite dark (more brown than yellow) with body. For those that know Venezuelan rums I could describe Santa Teresa Bicentenario something between Cacique Antiguo (strong) and Diplomatico (sweety). I tasted while cooking (bad idea because place was quite hot) but will taste again and will try to describe it much better. I forgot to mention something: even though Bicentenario is great the bottle and presentation is not at the level of the content. I really love this Rum but I believe that this should be a holistic experience and when talking about aged and dark rums I believe most of the people expects a nice and distinctive bottle. One I love is Pampro Aniversario that came in a leather sac but Santa Teresa Bicentenario is a very simple bottle (maybe because it is not a commercial execution). Anyway I like it a lot.

[Edward Hamilton]

I'm leaving tomorrow for Venezuela and the Santa Teresa distillery and will certainly look forward to trying some of the Bicentenario, if there is any left.

I appreciate that many connoisseurs expect, or even demand, that special spirits come in special bottles. For myself, I would much rather have a good spirit than a fancy bottle. I much prefer to collect fine spirits instead of fancy bottles.

Along those lines some of the best spirits I've tasted came in what Madison Ave marketers would call bland and boring. On the other hand, truly small production products don't need fancy bottles to sell them as the quantity available is small and fancy bottles in small quantities cost a lot of money. The question that always comes to my mind is whether the distiller is trying to sell this particular bottle or are they trying to raise the awareness of their brand and sell me their other products which are in mass supply?

[Fabio]

Edward,
I agree with you regarding the fact that small production + fancy bottle might be expensive. In fact, I waited 2 years to get this product just becasue it is distributed among a reduced database of people.

I am glad you are coming to Caracas. I need to program a visit Santa Teresa distillery in El Consejo.

I have attached a pic of the Bicentenario...hope you can taste it.

Best regards, Fabio.

[angelsword]

How much bribery and/or trade will it take to get me a bottle of this?

[Hank Koestner]

I'm with Angelsword................

[Count Silvio]

Is it really worth the price? I can only imagine how costly it is. Would be awesome to get to review that one.

[Dood]

I can't seem to think of a way to "accidentally" end up in Venezuela to find some of this. I keep playing the scenario through in my head, and I just think the wife would figure out that we weren't really going to the grocery store after an hour or two.

[Edward Hamilton]

While I was in Venezuela, I was fortunate enough to try some of this great rum and while it is special, though like some other rums the fact that you can't actually buy a few bottles of this rum makes it even more special.

[Fabio]

Originally Posted by Edward Hamilton

While I was in Venezuela, I was fortunate enough to try some of this great rum and while it is special, though like some other rums the fact that you can't actually buy a few bottles of this rum makes it even more special.

Great!!!...I' m still having one new bottle :-) . The other special fact is that Santa Teresa only sells it by cases (6 bottles). I was sure you would find this Rum very special... They should finished a new blend lot around Oct 07...I will found out :-).

Regards, Fabio.

[Count Silvio]

Originally Posted by Dood

I can't seem to think of a way to "accidentally" end up in Venezuela to find some of this. I keep playing the scenario through in my head, and I just think the wife would figure out that we weren't really going to the grocery store after an hour or two.

You find yourself at sea and you only have fuel to last till Venezuela.