A.F.D. Ron Barceló Imperial Onyx

Imperial Onyx is a ten-year expression from Ron Barcelo, one of the established names of the Dominican Republic, made in the smooth, column-distilled Spanish-style tradition. The new-make here is light and clean, so the decade in ex-bourbon oak does most of the flavour work, building a profile of vanilla, caramel and soft wood.

Unlike the sweeter end of the Spanish-style school, Barcelo tends to sit on the drier side, and this bottling reads more wood-forward than sugary, with brown sugar, coffee and caramelised notes through the finish. At 38% it is soft and mellow, an easy sipper over ice or a step up for cola, though it trades depth for approachability. For drinkers who like the rounded Spanish-style register but want something a touch drier and less cloying than the honeyed Venezuelan or Guatemalan crowd-pleasers, it offers a familiar, undemanding pour.