J. Armando Bermudez Bermudez Don Armando

Bermudez is one of the Dominican Republic's historic three B's alongside Brugal and Barcelo, and Don Armando is its ten year old extra anejo. The Dominican style runs to amber, vanilla and caramelised nuts, and this is a faithful, traditional example from one of the island's founding houses.

Column-distilled from molasses and matured in ex-bourbon wood, it shows a woody, nutty nose with allspice and caramel, then a palate of walnut, spice and confection that drinks notably dry, with herbaceous and barrel notes carrying a clean, spicy finish. The relatively low strength keeps it gentle, and some will wish for a few more degrees of proof to give it more push. Still, its dryness and nutty, spiced character mark it as a more restrained, classic Dominican, a soft sipper for those who prefer wood and spice over sweetness.