DR gives Canadians a taste of the island's finest

Whether it’s with Coke, a cinnamon stick or coffee, there’s no wrong way to drink Dominican rum.

But don’t take our word for it - just ask Jassil Villanueva Quintana, master rum blender with Brugal Rum, who hosted a curated rum tasting for 60 journalists, bloggers and industry partners last night with the Dominican Republic Tourism Board in Toronto.

Villanueva Quintana, a sixth generation maestra ronera and the youngest of her trade in the world, guided event guests through the history of Brugal, her family’s company, which has been producing premium rum in the Puerto Plata region of the Dominican Republic since 1888.

“A lot of people ask why rum in the Dominican Republic tastes different than the rum in Spain or the U.S.,” she told the crowd as they swirled, nosed and sipped their way through four variations of Brugal’s finest. “The difference, because it varies from country to country, is its strength.”

The very same could be said for the country’s touristic offerings, according to Abdalah Castillo, chairman of the Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic, who told PAX in an interview that, as more and more Canadians are beginning to discover, the Caribbean island’s various offerings is what distinguishes it from other warm weather destinations.

“We want to introduce to the market that we are more than all-inclusive resorts," he said of the purpose for hosting the expert-led rum tasting. “We have culture, we have good food, we have music and of course, we have good spirits.”

Encouraging a deeper connection among travellers in the island is a prudent goal, especially given Dominican Republic’s increasing popularity as a destination. These days, it only makes sense to give travellers more reasons to visit the country beloved by Canadians for its golden beaches, which recently reported receiving 3,662,878 arrivals between January and July of 2016, and a record high tourism revenue of over US$6 billion in 2015.

“We’re doing great,” Castillo said of the growing interest, citing its luxury hotels, efforts in accessible tourism and world-class spas as only a few contributors to its success. “Our competitors aren’t happy.”

With air connectivity available with almost every major Canadian airline provider, an influx of high-end property developments and recent improvements to the island’s infrastructure meaning easier transportation via its highways, Castillo maintained that the Dominican Republic has never been more ready for the upcoming Canadian cold weather season.

“Right now, Canadians represent 20 per cent of our tourism market,” he said of the island’s second-largest source market for tourism following the U.S. According to the tourism board’s website, 780,000 Canadians graced its shores in 2015.

Historical and cultural tourism are two more of Dominican Republic’s strengths; its colonial capital, Santo Domingo, has buildings which date back to the 1500s, and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990. Likewise, the island’s rum tourism sector (Brugal’s visitor centre, for one, offers production tours and private tastings throughout each week) provides a sophisticated alternative to simply throwing back a poolside glass of punch.

“You’ll find a cleaner spirit,” Villanueva Quintana told guests when asked about what else makes Dominican Republic’s rum different than other varieties. She declined to admit it was better, preferring to point out that rum is different everywhere, for many reasons. It all comes down to what you like, and what you’re looking for.

Of course, the use of premium rum to shine a spotlight on one of the island’s finest features last night was, unsurprisingly, well-played; by the time the final drop of Brugal had been consumed and the guests plied further with a feast of Dominican cuisine, the consensus throughout the room was clear: whatever your preference, Dominican rum pairs well with Canadian winters.