Brugal is taking a lead role in the quest to establish that there is only one real rum - that which is produced from sugar cane. Caribbean rum producers are concerned by the growing quantities of spirits being passed off as rum around the world. Efforts have now advanced hand-in-hand with the European Union to establish an official definition, and this year Dominican rum could be classified under the prestigious label of Denomination of Protected Origin (D.O.R), as are the products of the region Champagne, France and tequila from Mexico.

Brugal rum stands a lot to gain. The company has become the world's third largest producer of rum, behind Puerto Rican brands Bacardi and the spice-enhanced Captain Morgan. Brugal, however, is the largest producer of traditionally-made rum, aged in 120,000 American white oak barrels onsite in Puerto Plata. Later this year, a new aging warehouse with capacity for an additional 60,000 oak barrels will be ready. Last year the company produced 4.3 million 24-bottle cases of their popular beverage.

With a minimum one-year aging process required by Dominican law, and 3 to 12 year maturation for the high quality standards of the top-shelf rums, the company has had to plan well in advance to be ready for increased local and export demand, Jorge Torres, export manager explains.

The planning is paying off. The question of a definition for rum and D.O.R status comes just in time. With the round of free trade accords for the Americas just around the corner, there is no time to lose. This is especially important for the Dominican Republic, as it moves on to the implementing of the bilateral trade agreement signed with the United States and pending congressional approval.